Self Improvement - Only a Workshop Away
Here is a preview of only some of the workshops at the 2007 Blue Convention Self Improvement - Only a Workshop Away. Stay in tune for further updates on the workshops because more will be offered.
Presented by - Barry Mano, President, Referee Magazine
The 23 Most Powerful Lessons of Officiating
For 30 years Barry Mano has been studying officiating – both as a practicing basketball referee and as the founder and publisher of Referee Magazine (1976) and the National Association of Sports Officials (1980).
What those years has provided is a unique understanding of the commonalities in all of officiating – what works and why. The lessons that apply to any officiating process.
Barry has sifted through thousands of real case examples of superior performance in officiating and has collected them in this dynamic and fast paced presentation, coupled with a heavy dose of audience participation.
All sports - all levels – this powerful, PowerPoint supported presentation will hit home with not only sports officials but those who manage and supervise their services.
Presented by - Bob Stanton, National Director of Umpires
Selections, Preparations, Expectations and Outcomes
Aimed at:
a) Provincial/Territorial UICs who select umpires to work Canadian Championships,
b) Umpires who are selected or looking to be selected, and
c) Canadian Championship UICS and DUICs.
Workshop will address what P/T UIC should be looking for when selecting umpires for Canadian Championships, what selected umpires should expect when they get to a Canadian Championship and finally what outcomes should Canadian Championships UIC and DUIC hope to achieve. Presentation will be both interactive and informative.
Instructor - Grant Hood
Mentoring, Why, Who, What and How
With the continued decline in registrations one area to assist reducing this trend is by having officials involved in a mentoring program. This workshop will explain the what, why and how of mentoring and provide techniques to assist those that would like to be a mentor.
Instructor - John Ariss
Common Misconceptions on the Rules
Too often an umpire, especially a new umpire, makes a correct call only to be inundated with help from spectators, coaches and players who think they know the rules. To be successful, every umpire must know the rules - not just the complex ones but the simple, frequently occurring rules. This presentation will review many common rule misconceptions and help you, as an umpire, develop your skill and confidence by knowing the correct ruling.
Instructor - Jennifer Pereira
The Diamond – Athletic Therapy, Keeping You in the Game
Jennifer Pereira founded Fluent Motion in 2002 for those athletes, individuals and organizations wanting access to a broad range of expertise to effectively promote their health. www.fluentmotion.com
Jennifer holds the following designations and qualifications;
Honors Degree in Kinesiology, B.A.
Certified Kinesiologist, C.K.
Certified Athletic Therapist, C.A.T. (c)
Acupuncturist
BCLS & First Aid Instructor
Qualified in First Responder & Basic Trauma Life Support
Qualified Facilitator of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
The Diamond – Athletic Therapy, Keeping you in the Game” is a 2 part seminar set to cover the various topics sporting organizations inquire about when organizing their tournament and seeking on site medical coverage.
Part 1 - The Diamond
“A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” Christopher Reeve
Part one of the seminar provides highlighted topics for the Executive Members, Organizing Committees and Coaches of sporting organizations. Topics include;
• When the Coach has First Aid: Is it Enough?
• Medicals on the Diamond: The Legal Liability,
• The Value of the Service; Increasing the Prestige of your Tournament,
• Finding the Funds and Keeping the Diamond
Part 2 – Athletic Therapy, Keeping you in the Game
“Baseball is like driving, it's the one who gets home safely that counts.” Tommy Lasorda
Part two of the seminar provides highlighted topics for both the umpires, coaches, players and parents. Topics include;
• The Role of the Athletic Therapist
• Common Injuries in Softball
• Immediate Treatment & Recovery
• Medical Referral Team
Instructor - Aaron Poulin
Balancing Family Life and Umpiring
Do you have a job, go to school, or are you enjoying a career? Is there a significant other, friends, possibly even children in your life? Everyone some hobbies to pass your free time. On top of that, you officiate slow pitch or fast pitch softball. Where do you find the time in your busy schedule? Or do you? Is your officiating in balance with the rest of your life? What are your priorities, your goals, and your dreams? Come and explore more than time management and find out if your officiating life is balanced with the rest of your life.
Instructor - Bob Constantin
Slo-Pitch Plate Mechanics - Working the Dish in Slo-Pitch
Bring your experience and be ready to participate in this interactive workshop that will focus on plate mechanics, game situations and the handling of adversity.
Instructor - Greg Pipher
Fast Pitch Plate Mechanics
Where does a good strike zone come from? Why do good plate mechanics improve an umpire’s game control? What are Softball Canada evaluators looking for with regards to plate mechanics? What will make you a better plate umpire?
If you are asking any of the above questions, you need to be a part of this workshop. During this session, the following topics will be discussed:
1. Plate Mechanics: Getting in the proper position
2. Consistency and how to achieve it
3. Visible and Audible Mechanics: How they impact Game Control
4. Timing: What is the appropriate delay
5. Evaluators: What are they looking for?
6. Grass Roots: How to teach new umpires the Plate Mechanic basics
Through interactive demonstrations, group discussion, and video analysis, participants will analyze, in depth, plate mechanics and their role in the complete umpire.
Instructor - Serge LaFlamme
Psychology of Umpiring
We are never enough prepared for a ball game, physically and mentally. The way to be prepared mentally is very different from one to another and there is no standard to follow. This workshop will provide you some tips to be sure that you cover all the aspects of the mental preparation, being then ready to face all kind of situations.
Concentration, visualization, goals, auto evaluation, and ways to
communicate with all participants (players, coaches, spectators, ground crew, scorer) will be covered and, of course, all the questions of the participants will be answered
Instructor - Joel Balberman
One Pitch at a Time - the Mental Skills of Umpiring
Joel will be presenting an informative session which will include topics on focus and concentration, anxiety reduction strategies, emotional control, self-talk and self-evaluation. A workshop not to be missed.
Instructor - Doug Cundall
Clinics - Their Presentation and Tricks to Their Success
Doug will work his way through some of the ways of making a clinic presentation upbeat and informative without the boredom of reading from the manual or off of the screen. The theme is really "working the crowd" and having them leave with the knowledge base that you wanted them to have.
Instructor - Frank Omoe
Hints, Clues and Politically Correct Calls
Good umpires understand and apply the rules and they use their good judgment in enforcing the rules. They work with the players, coaches and managers, use preventative umpiring techniques, are not nitpicky, and pick up on the little hints and clues the players give, in order to make correct, or at least politically correct, calls. This interactive session is designed for the umpire who is looking for "the edge" in those situations that may arise many or few times during a game and which can "make or break" an umpire.
Instructor - Murray Harvey
Slo-Pitch… Goin' Solo
This presentation is directed towards those officials who most frequently umpire a “One Person Slo-Pitch Game”. Murray Harvey will attempt to illustrate the proper diamond positioning for a variety of game situations. He will also provide a brief description of the inside plate position and the plate umpire’s use of the set position. The dissertation will end with a few interesting game scenarios and umpires’ reactions to those occurrences.
Instructor - Jonathan Lieberman and Ed Otterman
Importance of Team Work - Backing Your Partner(s) Up the Right Way
Importance of Team Work - Backing Your Partner(s) Up the Right Way
Umpires are the third team on the diamond and just as any other team, they need to work together to survive. Many times umpires come off the diamond thinking “How could I have handled that situation differently?” or “How could I have better backed my partner in that situation?” This workshop will interactively explore various techniques umpires can use to become a more efficient and effective team and keep control in various situations.
Instructor - Brian Sharples
Line-up Cards, D.P. & Replacement Players
Instructor - Bob Henning
Coaches and Players - Working the Two-Way Street
Ever wonder what the coaches and players are thinking about you?
What is their game plan to try and work you?
How do players and coaches try to take advantage of the rules?
When something goes wrong, how can you get them back on your side?
How can you earn their respect and increase their confidence in you?
Learn all about player/coach – umpire relationship management.
Speak with a national team world class player.
One on one with a world class coach.
This may be the most interesting session ever as we unlock the secrets of Working the Two-Way Street.
Be there.
Instructor - Kelly Hunter
Putting Fun Back into Umpiring
Need to put the fun back into umpiring? Kelly Hunter will show you how with a fun and action packed presentation with photos and video of weird things that has happened to umpires. She will also give tips on different ways of instructing clinics.
Instructor - Gary Skjerven
The Local Umpire - The Desire to Stay at Home
This workshop, instructed by Gary Skjerven, will focus on individual commitment and how do we best support the umpires that choose to contribute to the game at the local level. This workshop will be filled with tips and ideas – so ensure to bring yours too.
Instructor - Bonnie Gostola
The Best Team on the Diamond
This workshop will address communication issues; umpire to umpire, on and off the diamond. We will discuss various tools, techniques, and approaches, which will assist the working umpire to have more control of the games, especially, when outnumbered by the players, coaches, and the fans.
Instructor - Mitch Zuk
Obstruction
As effective umpires it is drilled into us how important it is to keep your eye on the ball. But, how is one to make an obstruction call while watching the ball? Often the OB happens away from the ball. If your eyes are focused on the ball, you will miss the OB call and find yourself swarmed by unfriendly types in a hurry.
In this seminar, I will use softball images from around the world to help you understand your role as an umpire and how best prepare yourself for the tougher calls. You’ll learn the various game scenarios and circumstances that increase the likelihood of obstruction taking place so that you can be ready to make the call.
Questions like:
• Does contact have to take place for OB to be called?
• What if the fielder lines up in a runner’s line of sight on a fly ball tag scenario, does this constitute OB?
• When does play stop on an OB?
• How can umpire prevent an obstruction from occurring?
will be answered in ways that appreciate a simulation-based, visual approach to learning.
If you are planning on attending this seminar and have a question about OB, send it to me, via the Softball Canada office, and I will make certain it gets addressed at the presentation.
Instructor write-up:
Mitch Zuk is a Level 5 ISF umpire. He is a principal at Erin Public School in Erin, Ontario.
Instructor - Jack Van Bynen
Attitude - On and Off the Diamond
It seems in our sports today, the concept of good sportsmanship has been lost. The image you project as an official is a product of your character. Good sportsmanship is not just what you do on the field, it is hopefully the way you conduct your life both on and off the field. Join Jack Van Bynen in this workshop for the golden rules of good sportsmanship.
Instructor - Gabe Babineau
Game Control
Instructor - Carley Parish
Blue Legal Liabilities
Umpire Liability - on and off the field. What are the current insurance policies in place to protect umpires from being sued? To protect them in case of injury. In addition, what are their responsibilities on the field and how do they become liable. How can we as umpires avoid being liable.
Carley Parish will be looking at the Softball Canada Insurance provided to the umpires, along with the Provincial Insurance and addressing issues such as compensation, perhaps what happens if an umpire is attacked on the field, if there is lightening etc.
Instructor - Lucie Carmichael
Training Young Umpires
Instructor - Mark Gough and Joyce Bellini
New Mechanics - 3 and 4 Umpire Systems
There have been many changes in the past few years to reflect the ISF rules. This is a workshop not to be missed. An informative presentation with Mark Gough on New Mechanics in the 3 and 4 umpire systems. Joyce Bellini will be present should there be questions in French. NOTE: An entire French workshop may be offered depending on registration numbers.
Instructor - Brian Van Os and Denis Belanger
New Rules for 2007 – 2008
There have been many changes in the past few years to reflect the ISF rules. This is a workshop not to be missed. An informative presentation with Brian Van Os on new rules for 2007 and 2008. Bring your questions because Brian is the rule guru. Denis Belanger will be present should there be questions in French. NOTE: An entire French workshop may be offered depending on registration numbers.