2 of 4 NCAA Umpire Clinics Made Including Atlanta

This year we made 2 of 4 NCAA Umpire Clinics in Dallas and Atlanta, one more than last year and one less than we had planned. I regret that I had to cancel L.A. for a family illness, but we'll try again next year.

PLACES
I had already discussed Dallas in a previous post, but Atlanta was very good for a variety of reasons including an excellent turnout that had me seeing several hundred more umpires, many of them familiar faces, than in Dallas as well as a great location in Atlanta's upscale Buckhead district.

PEOPLE
It was especially nice seeing many of our local Louisville/KBUA umpires (Clarence, Anthony, Don, Scott and the gang) there as well as meeting some association heads including Ted Miller, Larry Davis, and Ron Asperger, head of the Northern Kentucky Baseball Umpires Association who had us up for a meeting this week. Enjoyed that Ron. Thanks.

Also saw Robert Rachlow again who I met in Chicago last year who wrote a review on the original Shock FX about 2 years ago. Also met several new umpires including many who stuck out from North Carolina, Arkansas and the Birmingham, Alabama area where we have a growing base after a competitor went out of business there a few years back and others I'm sure I have missed. For the Birmingham guys, sorry to you we could not fit a time that worked best for both us for a meeting this year.

And it's always nice talking to Tony Maners (pic below), who has umpired the College World Series the last 2 years and several prior and who has been very helpful in suggesting slight modifications to the waterproof features of our Ultimate Pro Style Umpire's Ball Bag.


THINGS
Although we mainly go to these clinics to meet and talk with customers and potential ones instead of just selling things, I always like to share what everyone was interested in of the new things I brought. I would say that would be the new Reebok plate and base shoes first, Diamond masks with our logo second and Oakley sunglasses third.

LOOKING AHEAD TO 2011
Next year, the word is that the Atlanta conference will be moved to Nashville while the Dallas one to Chicago, both closer for us. I'm looking forward to those as well and hoping the venue change will bring out some new faces as well as familiar ones.