Longmont Baseball League

This was my first job. Despite it being something that happened earlier in my life, I think it's one of the most defining positions I've held. 

I was a level four out of five umpire for Longmont Baseball League, my hometown's little league baseball organization. I umpired seven seasons of competitive and recreational baseball for kids aged 9 to 15.

This was a really challenging experience for me. I loved baseball, but my first two seasons didn't go super well as an umpire. After a lot of practice I gained the confidence to make good calls and run a game well.

I also learned a lot about diffusing conflict. Nearly every weekend I worked, I would have a coach or player come to me with some kind of complaint. I learned a lot of patience, and got a lot of practice in listening to people. I found that the most important thing is to articulate that I understood why someone was upset, but that I was going to stick with the call I made. I also learned to admit when I was wrong. I make mistakes, and I found it to be a lot easier to admit that than deny it.

Further, this really honed my interpersonal skills. I had a lot fewer problems if I was friendly and personable to the coaches, players, and other umpires. It was a lot more fun when I was able to be my normal friendly self. It ended up being a fantastic experience for me, and I hope I will be able to return to it as a side-job some day.