Our Assignor, Jeff Collis
Thank you for taking the time to visit the FVB website
and learning more about the fastest growing, highest quality group of Baseball
umpires in Chicago, the Fox Valley Blues Umpires. Over the years we have worked
hard to bring a new perception of baseball umpires to the Chicago area. As we
enter our 12th year of formal existence, our goals may have changed but our
mission statement hasn't.
Coaches and AD's
If you like what you see here and would like to get more info, such as availability
and rates, contact me at the above numbers or through this site. Fellow Umpires…if
you want to get involved in an organization that invests in their members, FVB
is for you. Contact me for an info kit, or submit an online form from this site.
2007 Outlook - As I look ahead to 2007, I see good things. My goals
as a Supervisor will be ensuring a smooth implementation of two new and very
important clients (Western Sun and Skyway Conferences), as well as coninuing
to promote and challenge the "next tier" of umpires.
Western Sun - Winning this Conference was the easiest acquisition FVB
has ever had. It was practically handed to us, and we had only one of the eight
schools (DeKalb), so this is a true testament to the reputation our Southern
crew has built over the past few years. To fill these assignments, we are staying
primarily within the existing crew, and many dedicated FVB members will reap
the benefits of more Varsity games. My challenge will be to give the WSC teams
the quality of officiating they expect without diluting that quality in the
other two South conferences. 67% thru the Spring Assignment process, I'm confident
that will be achieved.
Skyway - What is regarded as one of the best JUCO conferences in the
Midwest, the Skyway decided to hire a Conference Supervisor, and chose me to
be the inaugural Sup. I am deeply honored by this, and will work hard to build
the crew of Chicago's best Collegiate Umpires for the schools. The initial staff
includes several umpires outside of FVB, but I pitched a "uniform"
crew representing all eight schools. The staff will be held to the highest standards,
will be evaluated, and changes may be made in 2008. Randy Borow will serve as
the Umpire-in-Chief, as my position will be Supervisory only (I will not work
any Skyway games).
More to follow later this fall...
2006 Recap - This is starting to sound like a broken record, but 2006
truly was our best year...a year of many firsts.
At the NCAA Level, doors continue to open for FVB members. Several FVB members
(Dave Alstadt, David Condon, Jay Lyons, Kevin Wirth) worked full D-I schedules,
which gave great experience to FVB guys who worked D-I Conference games for
the first time (Jimmy Ellison, Bert Person, Jamie Still, Rollie Madison and
myself) for the CBUA. For the first (and second time) ever, three FVB members
worked together for CBUA assigned D-I conference games (Madison/Still/Contreras
and Lyons/Wirth/myself), at of all places, Milwaukee. Of the 29 CBUA members
in the Chicago area, 20 are FVB members! So after several years of waiting patiently,
the CBUA pipeline is starting to move for us.
We also established a key relationship with George Drouches of the NCAA, enabling
five of our members (Ellison, Madison, Still, Contreras, Bob Jenkins) to work
a D-III Regional in St. Louis. In the Championship game, four FVB members worked
on the infield with Ellison garnishing the dish. Truly an awesome moment for
these guys and FVB. This pipeline will not only continue, but will hopefully
lead to FVB members working the D-III World Series in the very near future.
The amazing thing about the accomplishments of our top College umpires is that
they are also paving roads at the HS level. While it's not uncommon for umpires
to be successful at both levels, it is extremely difficult to be successful
at the upper levels of both. The games are different, the rules are different,
and progressing deep at one level typically requires full dedication and sacrifice
of the other. This is a true testament to the dedication of guys like Condon,
Alstadt, Ellison, Person, Zimmerman and Jenkins...to name a few.
Jimmy Ellison had what we called the Trifecta in 2006: Working the Plate on
the D-III Regional Championship, the IHSA AA Championship, and the CICL Championship.
How do you top that Jimmy? The funny thing about this is Bert Person was his
wingman for all three games. Not too shabby BP. Maybe some day Jimmy will share
the limelight.
At the HS level, we were just as successful. After sending two members to the
State Finals for the past four years, we sent three to the Finals in 2006 (Ellison,
Person, and myself). Our pipeline of Supersectional umpires (and short-listed
umpires) sits at nine and will be paving the way for others for years to come.
For the first time ever, we had an FVB member working the dish for the Finals
(Ellison, AA).
But it doesn't stop there...FVB took a proactive stance in 2006 getting in
Anthony's ear, and getting several members working playoff games for the first
time ever (Pat Bissell, Mark Hurter, Steven Swank, Frankie Petricca, Don Arnold,
Johnny Vito, Josh Perry, Jeff Schanks to name a few). We'll continue to move
this pipeline, creating opportunities for our top aspiring members. In total
we had 40 Regional assignments, up from 32 in 2005.
The DVC recognized us for our efforts over the past two seasons, by awarding
us a new three-year contract thru the 2009 season.
At the Professional level, the AMLU finally settled their strike, and four
FVB members went back to work, all at higher levels than they were at in 2005.
Derek Crabill and Dan Bellino are working the AA Eastern League, with Bellino
working as a crew chief. Both guys worked EL Playoffs, and Crabill was invited
to the Arizona Fall League. Bob Boyle and Anthony Booter West settled into the
Midwest League, where they both worked the ML Finals. They are all VERY appreciative
of the support we gave them during their strike.
I often view FVB as a Major League ballclub...how can we acquire developed
talent (Condon, Dan Saltzman, Matt Specht), while developing our core.
I see several waves of homegrown talent in the works.
Stabilizing our veteran crew were guys like Chris Lindley, Jimmy Maczka, Phil
Donofrio, Mike Shereck, Jeff Rutledge, Russ Kolkay and Ruben Rodriguez...nice
job guys, steady as ever.
Stepping up this season to their first taste of College ball were Kevin Moore,
Mike McGloon, Todd Nicewanner, Mike Klipstein, Gordy Heinemann and Mark Hallett
(to name a few).
Behind them working awesome full Varsity season were guys like Arnold, Hurter,
Steve "the two" Jakes, Chris Fagan, Mark Childers, Fredo Spitzer and
Alan McCormick (to name a few).
The next tier of guys who got a good taste of Varsity ball and are on their
way to becoming solid umpires are Scottie Erickson, Reggie Miller, Jerry Leland,
Bill Heede, Walt Droeske and Bill Vincent.
We also boast a strong corp of up and coming prospects such as Gary Stratton,
Mike Buckingham, Tom Pelletier, Steven Harms, Don Hoener, Lino Novielli, George
Leonard, Jeff Thunder, Sean McHugh and Vince Mastandrea...all of whom will anchor
our south growth in 2007.
Up north, prospects like Jeff Fern, Russ Tobie, Pete Rouillard, CJ Schalch,
Tom Atlee, Scott Martini and Steven Albright have opened up alot of options
for us.
We also boast a class of kids about 60 strong, aged 16-21. While this group
has been the source of some headaches for Jim and I, there is some real talent
here that we will be looking to develop over the next couple of years, including
Bryan Pendzinski, Danny Sprung, Randy Krepel, Derek Lee, Thomas Iverson, Pat
Mastandrea, Brett Siegel, Josh Schmaren, Brian Curtin and Luke Engen.
So the pipeline of talent has never been more prosperous!
Our HS season couldn't have been any more flawless. There were some Spring
Break headaches ("A day in the life" is nominated for literary awards!).
But we purged ourselves of 4-5 problem umpires at first sign of trouble, and
the season settled down nicely. Kudos to all!!! FVB is the most awesome crew
in Illinois!!!
On a sad note, we lost a few very good umpires. Dave Weglarz moved to AZ, Rollie
Madison to MI, and Chris Dykstra to TX. Arguably three of FVB's best and most
respected umpires. Thank you for everything you guys have done!
2005 Recap - '05 was a very successful season for FVB. We will preview
it in full at the Winter Meeting on 12/15, and will later put the pitch on our
website. Here are some of the highlights:
- DVC and HS Season - '05 marked the first season with the DVC and it was
near flawless. Only 2 no-shows, no uncovered games, and expectations were
exceeded. I'll have extensive feedback from AD's and Coaches to share at the
Meeting.
- Evaluation Program Rollout - Our Best in Class Online Evaluation Program
was rolled out. While the volume of evals was not what we hoped, it was pointed
out as a Best Practice by Dave Gannoway at the IHSA Official's Advisory Board
Meeting.
- Games Growth - Games assigned by FVB were up 22% in 2005, far exceeding
the 10,000 mark. The Summer/Travel season saw a 33% increase.
- Members Growth - Membership grew by 23%, matching the growth in games. Of
our 304 paid members in 2005, 89% were active and worked games. For those
umpires who did work games, the average number worked was 40. The good news
here is the Active rate showed a substantial increase from 2004.
- Post-Season Assignments - For the fourth straight year, FVB had two umpires
working the IHSA STate Finals (Alstadt, Hayden). Seven additional FVB members
worked a Super-Sectional for the second year in a row. In total, 29 FVB members
worked IHSA post-season baseball, up from 19 in 2004. So the pipeline is widening,
and it's moving!
- Post-Season Assignments, II - For the first time in our history, FVB members
worked the NCAA tournament, with Jim Ellison and Rollie Madison being named
by the Regional Committee to work the D-III Midwest Regional. This door has
opened, and we're hoping for bigger news on this front in 2006.
- Minor League Assignments - FVB currently has four former members working
organized professional baseball. Derek Crabill and Dan Bellino finished their
third year with the Championship Series in the Carolina (Crabill)and Florida
State (Bellino) Leagues. Bob Boyle finished his second year in the NY-Penn
and Booter West his first year in the Appy.
- Training - FVB had our most successful and largest training session ever,
with 185 umpires attending the all-day session. Clinicians included our Minor
League guys coming home, as well as Minor League Supervisor Kevin Winn and
others.
An interesting phenomena is occuring with FVB. As our veteran
tier of leaders progress into Division I College, the Frontier League and other
elite leagues, it is creating an opportunity for the next tier. At the same
time we are recruiting a large number of new officials at the low levels. As
a result, we can provide an incredible opportunity for a new official who can
demonstrate quickly that he can handle these challenges. When I recognize this
is in an offical I begin to test him immdiately with good partners on big games.
I'm not talking about the green rookie, but the third year guy who has put it
all together very quickly, or the veteran who has just moved here from out of
state. Over the past few years, we have seen a small group take that next step.
As we move forward, we will always be looking hard to identify the next group.
I encourage all of our members who want to get on the fast track to establish
goals, find a mentor, and let me know what you're doing. While some people claim
I have osmosis, I can't confirm or deny it!!
My Assignment Philosophy
IMHO, One of the secrets to FVB's success is that my theory of assigning is
based on me investing in our members. I can recognize very quickly whether
an umpire can progress and wants to progress. A guy who is willing to drive
to DeKalb and give up his Fall Saturday to work a College scrimmage for a
Cheeseburger is someone who will get a continual look from me.
I've never subscribed to the "throwing bodies on a field"
theory. A first or second year umpire seldom gets Varsity games, but when
they finally do get one, it means something to them because they know they've
earned it with me. I believe that an umpire is ready to progress to the next
level after he has mastered the level he's at and has earned the respect of
coaches and peers at that level. This is especially true when trying to progress
to the college level, where coaches aren't very forgiving. Some assignments
are held to a much higher standard than others. Naperville Central, Prairie
Ridge and St. Charles East are among these marquee assignments. At the same
time, nobody is more in tune to progression planning than I am, so I like
to give second-year officials non-Conference Varsity games in March and early
April.
I also believe strongly that the High School game is far
different than others...much more complex. I have had a lot of umpires who
have worked extensive Travel ball or Men's Leagues, and they feel prepared
to work Varsity ball. It generally takes at least a full season (sometimes
2-3) of Frosh/Soph games to understand this. Another way to view this is that
after working 2-3 years of Frosh/Soph games and proving yourself at that level,
you will progress to the Varsity level with the same kids you've been umpiring,
and even some of the coaches. That recognition and respect goes a long way.
Then there is the umpire who drops everything every time
I call. That umpire gets rewarded in several ways, most importantly with a
marquee game thrown his way…yet not a game he can't handle. I couldn't
explain to a coach or AD that the overmatched rookie umpire on the big Varsity
game got that assignment because he dropped everything the day before for
another school. You get the picture. Other ways to land an opportunity is
based on availability or geography. An aspiring college umpire who is available
at 1:00 is more likely to get a makeup call over one who's not.
Just as I encourage feedback from coaches on umpires,
I also encourage feedback from umpires on their assignments and goals. Nothing
impresses me more than an umpire who wants to know how to move up, how to
get better. It's hard not to recognize that!
A couple of frequently asked questions:
"Does an established umpire new to FVB have to work his way up
the ladder to get the big game?" If a quality umpire relocates
to Chicago, he will be given every opportunity to succeed with FVB. If we
don't give him that opportunity, another organization will! Keep in mind that
I do not give out College assignments sight unseen, or even extensive Varsity
schedules. What helps is references of former Supervisors who I know. It is
not uncommon for a newly relocated umpire to get one of the best schedules
in FVB.
"Does an umpire have to pay dues to FVB in
order to get games?" Absolutely not, but.... FVB covers 13,000+
games in a 3,000 square mile radius, so sometimes we depend on nonmembers
to cover games during peak times or on geographic borders. However, prioritization
of assignments is members first, and non-members do not receive advanced spring
contracts, or access to our open game submissions on the website. Key assignments,
such as College, Summer HS Regionals, some select High Schools, and select
summer tournaments (including CABA) are members only. That's only fair. However,
non-members are included on some emails that go out with open games. Note:
In 2005, 98.2% of FVB assignments were worked by FVB members, and the majority
of those worked by non-members were Girls' Softball games.
"What are my biggest pet peeves?" Three
things…Irresponsibility, Dishonesty, and Stupidity! Umpires who have
turned back games to me to do another game for a different Assignor are red-flagged.
Enough said. I updated this to include stupidity in 2005. I tend to overcommunicate,
which means several emails with explicit directions on the assignment process
all Winter. When an umpire gave half of his games back because he didn't read
the emails I was sending out, he was done. I don't have time for that. And
Lying...in 2006 I had a new umpire miss a Spring Break assignment, and he
told me that he left messages on my cell and home numbers that his car broke
down. Wanting to give him the benefit of the doubt, I had to check my call
records thinking that I wasn't getting all of my messages. Of course no traces
of any calls. He was red-flagged, and then two days later he called me at
4:29 to tell me he was lost heading to Wheaton North HS. His location had
him an hour away from the school, headed in the wrong direction. His schedule
was pulled, but I was even more disappointed in myself for trusting him after
the first lie. Live and learn.
"Can a coach redline an umpire?"
This is a loaded question. If I feel a good umpire had a rough day and the
coach asks for the umpire not to return, I have been known to send him back
the next day! They both get over it and we all move on. However, with new
umpires, or even very turbulent situations with Varsity umpires, it is sometimes
best to move an umpire off of a game. My belief is that no umpire should go
where he's not wanted, but some umpires have a lot of pride and don't want
to be moved. This decision is my discretion, not the coaches, and will lie
in everyone's best interests.
"Last year I worked 5 College games, and this
year I only got 4 on my schedule. Why?" Well, if those 5 games
were rain makeup's, you'll probably get 5 more makeups this year, giving you
9 total. I can't penalize the umpire whose games were rained out the year
before. The higher you move up the ladder, the more difficult and slower it
becomes to progress. In '04, many umpires got a chance to work college ball
for the first time because of the rain, some injuries, and a job change. In
'05, the injuries were healed and some of the '04 replacements did not get
as many college games as they expected. Timing is everything.
"JC, I'm ready to work College Ball and you
won't give me an opportunity. What's Up?" Part of working your
way up the ladder is preparing for the opportunity before it comes. What does
that mean? If you want to start working college ball, ask to come to our NCAA
rules session, register with the NCAA, join the CBUA, get a rule book and
take the test. That's a given. Then talk to other guys working that level
and learn about expectations. Know that you need to get there an hour before.
Know what the uniform requirements are. Volunteer to do some Fall Scrimmages
and get familiarized with a coach, or even a field. One story comes to mind...a
couple of years ago I was in a bind and called an umpire who had been stalking
me to start working college games. I asked him if he could work, he said "Yes,
but all of my shirts have IHSA patches on them". I couldn't believe it.
Opportunities don't grow on trees. Don't be a Randy...be prepared!
You may agree or disagree with this philosophy, but I have to stick with what has worked.
Keep calling them Strikes, and keep calling them often!!
JC
