Both Sides of the Mask

Look who is back?! Here we are trying to get back in the groove of the season and a full episode. Liz and Tony go over getting back into the podcast groove, why they were away and also highlight the fear we all have. What happens when we struggle on the field. There are things we can try to do with ourselves, but one of the biggest helps is the crew that we have on the field with us. When does the connection and how does the communication start?

Quick Overview of the new cases in the case book

Wrapping up the rule series with Rule 12

We are on the home stretch! Rule 11 Batter.

Getting into the meat of our NCAA Rule Book. This weeks rule contains what has become the most reworded rule in our book...Obstruction.

Player and Substitutes is the subject for rule 8, plus a little line up card management.

To the half way point! Rule 7

Two sessions of recording to make sure Tony got it right! Rule 6 being being titled The Game...we better get this one right.

Tony starts a new series on the NCAA Softball Rules. The hope is that we all get in the book and take a vested interest in them. Grab your rule book and lets get started!

Tony Power Chat

Tony talks about the new collision rule.

Tony goes over the new EFFECT for an illegally batted ball. What it means and what has changed. Also, investing in yourself and setting yourself up for success.

This week Tony and Liz went into discussions with the new headline for the NCAA-approved WCWS expansion. Liz dove into this topic a little more and voiced her opinion on how this will help the divide between sports. The bat and ball sport has so many similarities, but yet the expectations are vividly different. Liz expresses how this change will separate the inequalities we have been seeing a lot more of with female vs male sports. 

Let's continue to embrace one another and bring out the best in each sport. Female sports deserve what they have been investing in. Let's embellish their dedication, along with their long, deserved accomplishments.  Be kind, be open-minded, be excellent!

Liz and Tony are celebrating like it's 1999! Well, at least trying to make the best of it. The hot topic of the week started with a bang. Like, literally. So many emotions, outbursts, opinions, and rebuttals. No, toilet paper wasn't sold out of stores after this pandemic-like announcement was made by the Arbiter Staff. 

It was hard to keep up with all madness. Amazing how many people go overboard over a change. What made it easy to stay on task, was the discussion of NCAA softball is finally ending our 23-year drought of the same umpire uniforms and getting a pretty fine uplift. Just an FYI...the uniforms are not sold online or in any of the stores yet. So, we all have time to save up for the newest addition to our wardrobe closest! Be Kind. Be Patient. Be Excellent everyone!

Sneak peek before Tony and Liz launch their full episode this week...

The last day of August had all umpires across the nation with mixed emotions. Finally New uniforms for the 2022 NCAA season. Here, Liz discusses her thoughts on the long-awaited change. Many umpires will agree the uniforms needed an uplift. But for some umpires, they don't like to change. 

Well, like many other things in life, things need to change to keep up with the evolution. You're either investing in yourself or you're falling behind. Which one are you? It's about time softball umpires are appreciated. 

Tony and Liz took a couple of weeks off and came back motivated with a new episode to talk about how we both can enjoy both sides of the mask by taking the time away from our busy lifestyles. Tony and his family enjoyed their time visiting the greatest place in the world, by visiting the Big Mouse! Liz and her entire family experienced the Gulf Shores and the beauty mother nature brings us. 

One of the few topics we got into that is hot off the presses is the 2022-2023 NCAA Rule changes. A few rules were reworded for better clarification and others were adjusted to help better manage the game. 

Also, we discussed upcoming camps. Many of our listeners have been requesting topics such as this to help others prepare and succeed. Tony and Liz both have experience as fellow umpires going through camps to reach the next level and be better. We provided some feedback on how we handle ourselves as clinicians at the softball umpire camps. 

It's back-to-school sessions, or in our case, back to camps sessions. Follow our page and Facebook page to find all the latest softball umpiring camps near you. Bothsidesofthemask.com and @bothsidesofthemask

Rule changes are coming...Tony talks about a couple things.

Who didn't have the Eminem Song in their heads after reading the title to this power chat? I know I did. All silliness aside, we are finally back at it with our recordings. This summer has been busy for Tony and me with work, sessions, horse rodeos, and softball tournaments. 

The next full episode Tony and I will publish will talk more about my WS experience and the behind-the-scenes. Today I wanted to touch base with what goals do you have, how are you staying focused, and some things I witnessed this summer with my daughters' tournaments. Plus, I wanted to get you all back to self-motivate yourself to be better.

Be ready! We're about to be on a roll again. Guess Who's Back! Power Chat!

Be Excellent!

This was quite an experience for many. Regional weekend fell the same weekend for DIII-DI NCAA Softball this season and things were a bit nuts. Our goal has always been to bring all aspects of game closer together, but this post season there was negatives that drove that gap apart instead of together. Listen as we dive into that and more!

Many things go through our minds as we are trying to prepare for all our assignments. We have some key elements that we need to be mindful of as we stay focused. We have to be studying film, see what tendencies the team has, distance to the assignment, who your partners are, and how you communicate with your future partners. Every little detail matters as we are preparing for our games. Not to mention, making sure our personal lives are organized before we drive off. 

We need to continue to be honest with one another on the field. Have a voice of reason. Meaning, have an opinion when things are brought to our attention. Communicate in the pre-games, during the games, and after the games with a post-game meeting. Always have your language ready when approached by a coach or gathering together when the crew needs to rule on a play. Lastly, when you are walking into the parking lot, the locker room, walking the field, and even on the field, set the tone. The tone starts when you arrive. The games or series need to start right from the beginning to the end. 

Be encouraging, be thoughtful, be ready, and most importantly...Be Excellent.

Things are heating up. Teams are fighting for conference rankings, possibly being selected for regional host locations, trying to win their conference, or coaches trying to hang on to their jobs.

We have umpires we are working with that we may not be familiar with. We have to be prepared for every little thing that may come our way on the field. Being a leader isn't an automatic title because it says Crew Chief before it. Being a leader is who we are on the field. Are you accountable? Are you receptive? Are you supportive? Can you handle direct or difficult situations? This is what it's all about. Conflict and solutions. 

They pay us well to make hard, tough calls on the field. Are we setting great examples of composure? Take your time, allow the plays to develop, don't try to insert yourself in the plays. It's all part of the gig.

Be excellent. Act like you have been here before. Have a great day!

Wow! Here we are with more rule talk and how to learn them and apply them. This one may surprise you, but conversations are being had on rules every day.

Be excellent. Be kind. Act like you have been there before.

We are halfway through the 2021 season! Can you believe it? The season has been an emotional roller coaster. We are preparing every week for things that we may or may not be able to control. We can handle the delays of weather conditions, daylight, travel restrictions, extra innings, or cancellations. Who would have thought now we would have to be in a mindset for postponements due to this crazy virus? 

It's been a journey, to say the least. But, we're all in this together. Continue to educate, encourage, and be the example. 

Be excellent. Stay healthy. Act like you have been here before. Enjoy the journey!

This season has brought in so many curveballs that when that change up comes in, are you ready for it? Many people don't realize how much change we have to adapt to just for one weekend or even a single game. Crew members may get switched to a different venue, game times can change, weather plays a role from time to time. Some of us are missing family events. It's a grind for us to stay focused on our tasks.  How do you prepare for this?

We are given a manual, but sometimes that guidance gets thrown out the window and we just have to go out there and umpire. Embrace your journey, encourage one another, learn from others, and be a great example on and off the diamond. You never know who's watching. 

Be excellent. Be kind. Act like you have been there before.

On the drive home...I thought I would try and get a Power Chat in. So don't mind the road noise!

-Tony

Both Sides of the Mask wanted to create more content that can be available better than ever. Maybe more episodes? Maybe more interaction? Maybe more interviews? What could we do to fit all our ideas and juggle our personal lives? With family, work, training, and studying for the upcoming season, how do we fit it in? So we created a new way to add more to our listeners. You will be able to get more episodes loaded up weekly.  We will publish full episodes, interviews, and short bytes which we will call Power Chat. Tony or Liz will record a “Power Chat” on our own that will be a bonus episode on topics that we are passionate about or a topic that comes to mind. You will hear more about WIN Reality, conversations we’ve had with past guests, and some things that are hot takes in our umpiring world.

Shhhh...Don't tell Tony I created another Power Chat. I'm creating content off script, but sometimes ideas just can't be ignored. Today I brought up some scenarios that can help us be better leaders on and off the field. Be that example the masses want us to be. Be accountable for your actions and decisions. We all started somewhere and we are all wanting to succeed. Be that leader!!!

Enjoy your weekend and further assignments to come. We all have a purpose with this craft, so why not embrace it? 

Be Excellent. Act like you have been here before. Be a leader.

-Tony

Both Sides of the Mask wanted to create more content that can be available better than ever. Maybe more episodes? Maybe more interaction? Maybe more interviews? What could we do to fit all our ideas and juggle our personal lives? With family, work, training, and studying for the upcoming season, how do we fit it in? So we created a new way to add more to our listeners. You will be able to get more episodes loaded up weekly.  We will publish full episodes, interviews, and short bytes which we will call Power Chat. Tony or Liz will record a “Power Chat” on our own that will be a bonus episode on topics that we are passionate about or a topic that comes to mind. You will hear more about WIN Reality, conversations we’ve had with past guests, and some things that are hot takes in our umpiring world.

Games are happening and video is being watched. What are we doing with this video, what are we doing in the video, how do we get better, what can we learn...all these questions need to be asked and more. I just wanted to take a little time and share with you things I am seeing and what we can learn from it and how we can get better. Don't point fingers at mistakes...because you will be the next one to make one. What we can do is BE EXCELLENT!

-Tony

Both Sides of the Mask wanted to create more content that can be available better than ever. Maybe more episodes? Maybe more interaction? Maybe more interviews? What could we do to fit all our ideas and juggle our personal lives? With family, work, training, and studying for the upcoming season, how do we fit it in? So we created a new way to add more to our listeners. You will be able to get more episodes loaded up weekly.  We will publish full episodes, interviews, and short bytes which we will call Power Chat. Tony or Liz will record a “Power Chat” on our own that will be a bonus episode on topics that we are passionate about or a topic that comes to mind. You will hear more about WIN Reality, conversations we’ve had with past guests, and some things that are hot takes in our umpiring world.

The intention for this episode was to be as authentic and truthful as possible. Many of us take it heart by dedicating as much time as we can to be the best on and off the field. We understand what it means to be a true crewmate, how to be a great crew chief, and how to set the examples. We are family members, friends, employees, mentors, coaches, and umpires. 

Every year we have to prepare for the new exam, new season, new expectations. Many umpires spend countless hours and days doing their due diligence. We research through our manuals, rule books, and our case books. But we often hear from others that want the easy way out or wait until the very last possible moment for help or ask for the answers. We have to be better than this. We need to be more prepared. Coaches and athletes train all year. Do you prepare like they do?

So at the end of the day... Are you a leader or a follower? A manager or an employee? Are you serious about your umpiring or are you just trying to get by? Checking the boxes will only allow you to succeed for so long. Will you be the difference maker this year?

It's Official! 2021 Season is underway! We are excited to finally have a softball season. We will have to tackle many obstacles, but we are more than capable to handle this adversity. Continue to support all the officials that are working this season. It will definitely be different with the outcome of schedules. Be patient, be honest, and be thankful. Thank you to all the officials that have sacrificed their season for the health of their loved ones. We will miss every one of you.

Be Excellent. Have a great 2021 season!

Sponsors: Thank you again to MovePeriod and Diamond Umpire Academy

Recruiting: Tom Davis Sports Recruiting

Training: Win Reality

Need uniforms? Logos? Equipment? So many great deals! Check out these retailers for all your needs:

umpattire.com

purchaseofficials.com

umpjunk.com

***If you are a seller, send us a message with your information and we will advertise it for you***

We want to hear from you!!! Contact us on any platform listed.

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok: Both Sides of The Mask  

email: bothsidesofthemask@gmail.com 

Website: bothsidesofthemask.com

Voicemail: 330-552-7211