or those of you unfamiliar with mentoring: It's taking one or more young or beginning umpires under your wing, giving them one-on-one advice on how to improve.

A good idea?

Now, doesn't that sound like a good idea? Yes, there are a lot of positives to it. Almost every umpire association has trouble retaining young umpires. They officiate for a year, maybe two, then decide it's just not for them; so they drop out, and you have no idea why. Often it's just that they had no direction, no clue where to go to get help or how to ask for it.

Mentoring helps with that problem. The youngsters have someone to go to, someone they know can help them with anything related to umpiring. They don't feel as if they're all alone, so more beginning officials tend to stick around for a second and third year. Give me an umpire for three years, and I've got him for life.

Obviously, since they're getting feedback from a mentor, they're improving. So by implementing a mentor program for little or no cost, your association is not only keeping more umpires, they're becoming good umpires to boot.

Should you be scared?

So what is there to be scared of, you ask?

Plenty, sez I.

Continued...