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- Title
Systematic Observation for Evaluating Umpire Performance.
- Authors
Doan, Robert J.; Mitchell, Murray F.
- Abstract
Sports officials are challenged to make many split-second decisions that can mean the difference between victory and defeat for all levels of competitors. Systematic observation tools have the potential to provide cost-effective real-time information on complex performances for remediation and assessment. The purpose of this study was to develop a tool for the evaluation of baseball umpires, more specifically base umpires. The Qualitative Base Umpire Measures of Performance Scale (Q-BUMPS) was developed from a similar instrument designed to measure the performance of physical education teachers (QMTPS). The Q-BUMP tool focuses attention on seven dimensions of performance that can be important in aiding a base umpire in making the correct call (Type of play, timing, correct first step, hustle to call, proper angle, timing of call, and timing to next position). Data were collected on 12 umpires across 12 games, at the Columbia (South Carolina) Baseball Umpire Association Clinic in the summer of 2013. The most consistently identified areas of weakness for umpires was the speed/decision time to get into position to make the call on a play (too slow) and slowness or indecisiveness to move to the next position following a ruling on a play. These two dimensions and an overall score on the instrument clearly discriminated between stronger and weaker umpires. Overall scores for weaker (but still experienced) base umpires ranged from 50 to 55%, while scores for the stronger base umpires was typically above 90%. These results are important for two possible applications. First, the instrument provides explicit performance data that can be used in a post-game evaluation to improve future base umpire performances. Second, the overall scores from this tool can be used to help administrators ensure that the top officials are awarded the top competitions (i.e., competitive league, tournament and playoff games).
- Subjects
BASEBALL umpires; BASEBALL umpiring; PERFORMANCE evaluation; BASEBALL rules; BASEBALL competitions
- Publication
Kentucky SHAPE JOURNAL, 2014, Vol 51, Issue 2, p16
- ISSN
1071-2577
- Publication type
Article