umpire

At Detroit's Comerica Park on the night of June 2, 2010, the nationally televised Detroit Tigers-Cleveland Indians game offered children - indeed, Americans of all ages - enduring lessons in compassion and personal responsibility. The teachers were a pitcher, Armando Galarraga, and an umpire, Jim Joyce, improbably thrust into the limelight after years in relative obscurity, and their dignity and grace created a "teaching opportunity" for parents, teachers and coaches who seek to shape children's values through sports.

Often when dealing with umpires, parents, and kids (not to mention bosses and co-workers!), being right is only a piece of what's important for a coach. We have to balance correctness with our larger goals.  As adults, it is critical that we realize the opportunity every moment affords us, the "teachable moments."  As a coach and parent, we always have a choice in how we act and what we say.

The commissioner of an interscholastic sports league says it is never appropriate for a parent to approach a game official during a break in the action.

The New Kensington (Pennsylvania) Valley High School softball team and umpire Bill Dithrich have been selected the 2011 national recipients of the "National High School Spirit of Sport Award" by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS): Dithrich for having the courage and intergrity to make a call that ended the softball team's undefeated season and the team for inviting him to be the keynote speaker at its post-season awards banquet to talk about a teachable moment about sports, ethics and life.