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Last year, one state lost nearly a third of its umpires and not to retirement. They simply stopped showing up. I’m Coach Ken Carpenter, and I’m putting you in the plate shoes for a few minutes so you can feel what your local officials feel on a Tuesday afternoon after an eight-hour workday: the pressure, the noise, and the moments that decide whether a 19-year-old umpire ever comes back. 

From the umpire’s perspective, the fix is not complicated, but it does require leadership. I walk through how the home-plate meeting sets the tone for the entire game, why treating officials like coworkers changes the temperature instantly, and how the “ask don’t tell” principle helps you get clarity without turning a close call into a showdown. We also get practical about rule interpretation and when it’s smart to ask that a partner be consulted. 

Then we talk about the third team: the stands. In 2026, every parent has a camera and an opinion, but coaches are the only people with the credibility to shut down fence abuse before it drives young sports officials out for good. Finally, I bring it back to what matters most in high school baseball coaching and player development: your players are watching how you handle being wrong, how you handle authority, and how you handle adversity. That lesson lasts longer than any single call. 

If you want better games and more officials willing to work them, subscribe, share this with your staff and booster club, and leave a review so more coaches hear it. What’s one small change you’ll make at your next home-plate meeting?

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