Monday, March 16, 2009

I have a funny story actually, for all you fans and front office. Don't worry, it has a moral haha. I am currently coaching two teams. I am a graduate assistant at a small NAIA school, Holy Names University. I am also a head varsity coach at a local high school, Encinal High School. This weekend, at a college game, we had one of those "by the book" umpires. Well, after he called two girls out for leaving early and called obstruction on a girl's foot (HER FOOT!) I, Rachel Folden, got kicked out of my first game. That's right, ejected. This was a big deal for me, because I realized that some umpires are just sensitive and they think that everyone has to notice them. And that really got me thinking...

Well, if any umpires are reading this, your job is to BE INVISIBLE. No one cares about your own personal agenda, and coaches are going to complain about everything so please don't be sensitive. The little calls like leaving a base early (when a girl isn't even stealing) and calling obstruction when a girl gets back to the bag anyway are what really grinds my gears. Calls like that are bad for the sport. First of all, no fan wants to watch a game where the umpire makes calls that have little to no effect on the outcome of the game. It slows the game down and I believe that is a big reason why we don't have the fanfare that other sports have. Second of all, steals and collisions are GOOD for the sport. They make people want to watch. So for the people who make the rules, STOP MAKING MORE RULES. Your job isn't to find more rules to make, it's to enforce the rules that affect the outcome of the game. So let girls play without face masks and chin straps if they choose, let the girls wear metal cleats, let the girls steal bases, let the girls get dirty and run into each other. To the umpires, let the girls play, it's not all about you!

Can't wait to see you guys in the summer!

Rachel Folden #25

Friday, March 6, 2009

Bandits' First Official Blog

Hi Bandit Fans,

This is the official blogspot of the Chicago Bandits. We made this specifically for the fans to keep tabs on everything Bandits in the offseason. Everyone from players to front office staff will be blogging so keep checking back for new information and let us know what you think!! Gooo Bandits!