Season Opening Message from Paul Rybarczyk - March 11, 2024
Baseball season is here!!!! We start for real tomorrow with the IHSA games on tap from now unitl late May....
I just want to go over some reminders...
Look professional going out on the field. Make sure you are at the site 30 minutes ahead of time..I understand you may be running late with traffic or construction, but try to plan for this if possible...Especially with today's GPS giving us some pretty reliable time arrivals. Have a good pregame if you are working a 2 man or 3 man game. Hustle, Hustle and hustle...especially in one man. If you are behind the plate, you need to get out to the pitcher's mound on fly balls and down the first base line to the 45 ft line on ground balls to be in position to make a call or assist on pulled foot/swipe tag.If you are working a varsity game, if you plan to alter what Arbiter has listed as your positions (Base/Plate), you need to contact (either by phone or email) both Catholic League schools that are playing with the change at least 24 hours prior to your game...If the Catholic school is playing a non-conference game, you only need to contact the home school...
Keep in mind the Catholic League DOES NOT have a 2 hour time limit for lower level games. We had some mixups with that last year. Marist, Notre Dame and St. Patrick's do have a two hour time limit for lower level games. NO new inning can start after 2 hours have been completed... It would be good to tell the coaches in those games at the plate meeting the game starting time so no issues arise.
The Catholic League does have some alternative rules for lower level games (outside of NFHS rulebook)Here they are - ...these have not changed this year A team can use an extra hitter but they have to note it on the lineup card at the beginning of the game. A team can have both a designated hitter and an extra hitter. A team cannot have a defensive player in the game listed as an extra hitter. If a team fails to name an extra hitter at the start of the game, they lose this option for the entire game. If a team utilizes a pinch hitter or pinch runner for the extra hitter, that new player is listed as the new extra hitter. The original extra hitter may enter pursuant to NFHS rules just like the designated hitter rule. The extra hitter cannot be a defensive player. This rule is devised to give an extra player a chance to participate...so an 11 man lineup meets this rule.
Keep in mind that Leo has changed its home field sites for both levels and I also made some changes to the Montini F/S games,..they are playing their games at 3 different sites...and they are all in Arbiter...
I have already this past week run into issues with Arbiter blocks...You need to go and check your blocks on the CCUA page of your Arbiter... If you work for other groups that utilize Arbiter, just because you change your block on their page, it is not automatically changed on ours. If you go to your Profile Page on the Arbiter toolbar, you can merge Arbiter accounts and this will allow both you and me to have more accurate info regarding your availability. Also, you can only have so many things come up...Look at your schedule now and block wife's birthday, anniversary, taking your dog to the vet for their regular visit (yes had that one!), and the one that is used the most...I forgot to block that date!!! Just don't forget...block it...
I am in the process of checking the IHSA website for officials who are not on the list to umpire IHSA games. You will be getting a personal email from me tonight or tomorrow morning to get this rectified. I do not know why you may not be on the list. **** You will need to contact Melissa Burt at the IHSA Office to find that out.**** I will have to take you off all games until this issue is resolved. Multiple Catholic League schools were placed on probation for using a non-registered IHSA boy's basketball official and it is now on me as the assigner to make everyone that is working for the CCUA and the schools we assign are in good standing with the IHSA.
I have about 15 lower level games at Aurora Central Catholic, Marmion and Wheaton St. Francis that need to be filled. Could everyone check their schedules and possibly take one of those games on self assign. It would be greatly appreciated.
Remember our rates for varsity are $100 per game...per official ...For lower levels, $90 a game, If there are 2 officials on a lower level game (Providence), those officials receive $80 each... Providence also has gone to Arbiter Pay this season...
Please look at your schedules, you should be receiving a 3 day reminder from Arbiter about games. If you do not receive these reminders, check you spam folder in your email app and put Arbiter on the cleared list to receive emails from....
Have a great season...stay healthy, stay safe (call outs), call strikes - be consistent, and hustle...If a head coach comes out to you, be approachable....Listen before saying anything. On two separate occassions, I had coaches come out to me on the bases and said, "I know your call was right, but I am just coming out here to show support for my player." You never know what they may say...
Paul
I just want to go over some reminders...
Look professional going out on the field. Make sure you are at the site 30 minutes ahead of time..I understand you may be running late with traffic or construction, but try to plan for this if possible...Especially with today's GPS giving us some pretty reliable time arrivals. Have a good pregame if you are working a 2 man or 3 man game. Hustle, Hustle and hustle...especially in one man. If you are behind the plate, you need to get out to the pitcher's mound on fly balls and down the first base line to the 45 ft line on ground balls to be in position to make a call or assist on pulled foot/swipe tag.If you are working a varsity game, if you plan to alter what Arbiter has listed as your positions (Base/Plate), you need to contact (either by phone or email) both Catholic League schools that are playing with the change at least 24 hours prior to your game...If the Catholic school is playing a non-conference game, you only need to contact the home school...
Keep in mind the Catholic League DOES NOT have a 2 hour time limit for lower level games. We had some mixups with that last year. Marist, Notre Dame and St. Patrick's do have a two hour time limit for lower level games. NO new inning can start after 2 hours have been completed... It would be good to tell the coaches in those games at the plate meeting the game starting time so no issues arise.
The Catholic League does have some alternative rules for lower level games (outside of NFHS rulebook)Here they are - ...these have not changed this year A team can use an extra hitter but they have to note it on the lineup card at the beginning of the game. A team can have both a designated hitter and an extra hitter. A team cannot have a defensive player in the game listed as an extra hitter. If a team fails to name an extra hitter at the start of the game, they lose this option for the entire game. If a team utilizes a pinch hitter or pinch runner for the extra hitter, that new player is listed as the new extra hitter. The original extra hitter may enter pursuant to NFHS rules just like the designated hitter rule. The extra hitter cannot be a defensive player. This rule is devised to give an extra player a chance to participate...so an 11 man lineup meets this rule.
Keep in mind that Leo has changed its home field sites for both levels and I also made some changes to the Montini F/S games,..they are playing their games at 3 different sites...and they are all in Arbiter...
I have already this past week run into issues with Arbiter blocks...You need to go and check your blocks on the CCUA page of your Arbiter... If you work for other groups that utilize Arbiter, just because you change your block on their page, it is not automatically changed on ours. If you go to your Profile Page on the Arbiter toolbar, you can merge Arbiter accounts and this will allow both you and me to have more accurate info regarding your availability. Also, you can only have so many things come up...Look at your schedule now and block wife's birthday, anniversary, taking your dog to the vet for their regular visit (yes had that one!), and the one that is used the most...I forgot to block that date!!! Just don't forget...block it...
I am in the process of checking the IHSA website for officials who are not on the list to umpire IHSA games. You will be getting a personal email from me tonight or tomorrow morning to get this rectified. I do not know why you may not be on the list. **** You will need to contact Melissa Burt at the IHSA Office to find that out.**** I will have to take you off all games until this issue is resolved. Multiple Catholic League schools were placed on probation for using a non-registered IHSA boy's basketball official and it is now on me as the assigner to make everyone that is working for the CCUA and the schools we assign are in good standing with the IHSA.
I have about 15 lower level games at Aurora Central Catholic, Marmion and Wheaton St. Francis that need to be filled. Could everyone check their schedules and possibly take one of those games on self assign. It would be greatly appreciated.
Remember our rates for varsity are $100 per game...per official ...For lower levels, $90 a game, If there are 2 officials on a lower level game (Providence), those officials receive $80 each... Providence also has gone to Arbiter Pay this season...
Please look at your schedules, you should be receiving a 3 day reminder from Arbiter about games. If you do not receive these reminders, check you spam folder in your email app and put Arbiter on the cleared list to receive emails from....
Have a great season...stay healthy, stay safe (call outs), call strikes - be consistent, and hustle...If a head coach comes out to you, be approachable....Listen before saying anything. On two separate occassions, I had coaches come out to me on the bases and said, "I know your call was right, but I am just coming out here to show support for my player." You never know what they may say...
Paul