51 Days and Counting

I am itching for spring.  I cannot wait until mid-March, and it has absolutely nothing to do with the 18 or so inches of snow that fell yesterday.  OK, maybe it does have a little bit to do with the weather since that really is an awful lot of snow to shovel. 

I am anxious for spring because........I have just been assigned my very first F-I-V-E college lacrosse games to umpire.  F-I-V-E college games!!!  AND, if that is not amazing enough -- one of the games is even DIVISION 2!!!!!  I am so excited. CAN YOU TELL???? 

This will be my 12th season umpiring and I've been slowly getting assigned more competitive games each year.  I know I wasn't ready for college games a few years ago, but after some special training sessions on 3-person umpiring, observing and getting to umpire playoff games with some more experienced and truly skilled officials, and finally attending the US Lacrosse National Convention last weekend, I think I'm ready.  At least, I hope I'm ready.  I know right now I'm going to be incredibly nervous since I get a few butterflies just thinking ahead.  But, what fun is life without throwing yourself a challenge now and then? 

My very favorite umpiring moment last season was working with an international level official.  (This official has been certified to umpire  and has worked World Cup level games all over the world. Impressive, right?)  We were at a fairly competitive high school game, the result of which had some playoff implications.  There was intensity on both sides.  After a scoring play, this girl runs up to the other umpire and screams in her face, "C'mon you have to call something!!"  My partner, without a moment's hesitation, said in the calmest possible voice, "Ok, I will card something.  Here is a yellow card for misconduct.  Now, go sit down."  The girl just looked at her, stunned, turned around and walked to her bench.  And then behaved for the rest of the game.  Staying calm was the key to that whole situation. She was completely calm, authoritative without being shrill or angry, in control, in position, etc.  All the higher level officials have these qualities about them when they are on the field. (I'm working on it....not there yet.)

I'm not going to post where exactly I'll be umpiring that first NCAA game, but it's Saturday, March 19th.  That's 51 days away. 51 days to review the rules a few more times, go to the interpretation meetings, and start running more sprints. Oooo, and I have to buy a new striped shirt with an official NCAA Patch on it.  That thought alone makes me smile. The sprinting part is going to be hard since there are almost 24 inches of snow on the ground right now which needs to hurry up and melt....C'mon sunshine.