Ask an Umpire

Rules trinity

Umpires, LLC staff is here for you

By Dana Fortugno

If Paul Simon says there are 50 ways to leave your lover, then I can say there are 50 ways to ask your umpire a question about the rules. If you don’t get that joke, good for you, you are young so enjoy it while you can.

This month, I want to take the opportunity to chat with you about how you can get answers to your rule’s questions when you most need them. Back in the old days (like 30 years ago) we asked each other rules questions and we gave wrong answers most of the time. Nobody cared because professional umpires did not exist, the players had to do the umpiring. When we umpired, we used our understanding of the rules and the plays (that’s all we had). In turn, every time you played a game, you had a unique experience (not in a good way either) with the umpiring. Every player called the game differently. There was a little consistency within a club, and none across clubs. We have come a long way to say the least.

We can split this up into two types of questions. First, emergency questions are questions that you need the answers to right away. For example, you are at the field and something happens, perhaps a little out of the ordinary, and the umpires can’t find the answer or there is some disagreement about what the answer should be. Second, non-emergency questions are when you want to know or clear up something that you harbor some confusion about. Perhaps you want an explanation on a rule or play that you just don’t get for some reason or you disagree with another player about. Guess what? We can help you! Not only can we help you, we want to help you.

Emergency Questions:

First, take a couple minutes and try to find it in the current rulebook. If you find it you’re done. If you don’t, you likely learned something and move on to the next step.

Umpire directors’ phone numbers and emails can be found on uspolo.org under Association, then Umpires.

Message Dana with non-emergency questions on instagram.

Second, pick up the phone and call. Start with Me (Dana) and/or Fergus Gould for outdoor issues and Bradley Biddle then me for arena Issues. For tournament issues you can also call Carlucho Arellano. All of us are on the website under “Association” then “Staff.” Our mobile numbers are there and they all work. We won’t stop until we have an answer for you. For Host Tournament Committee elections, contact your Host Tournament Committee because we won’t know what they chose but we can shed some light on what they can and cannot choose.

Non-emergency Questions:

First, take 20 minutes and try to find it in the current rulebook. You will be surprised what you learn along the way. Second, use the video rulebook and see if that helps. Most questions on rules changes can be answered with the short update videos that are available and free on the website under “Association,” “Umpires,” then “Video Rulebook.” Third, if you still need help, email me, Fergus or Bradley and we will respond in a day or so with your answer. Our emails are next to our phone numbers on the website. Fourth, you can message me on my umpire Instagram page @dana_fortugno_uspa_umpires_llc.

Fifth, you can also ask your USPA attending umpire(s) when they are at your club (between games, of course). Sixth, if you would like to have a short feature article done on your club as well as having your question answered, please email me and I will dedicate a column to you, your club and your question. Some questions I want to write about because they will be asked again. I appreciate the opportunity to do that and your club gets a little promo as well—that can’t hurt. Fiftieth, you can request a rules review be done for your club before a tournament by the attending umpire or by one of us (the new rules trinity— Fergus, or me, or Bradley for arena). Send us an email request and we will schedule a Zoom meeting. We send you the log-in for your players and we do it. In fact, I just stopped writing a minute ago to set up a Zoom meeting for this very reason—it took me about 30 seconds.

Umpires want the players to understand the rules because it makes our jobs easier. When players fully understand the rules, tensions, arguments and certain fouls are also reduced—everybody wins.

In today’s technology-based world we have the tools to educate the players and we use them but we need you to accept our invitation. There is an old proverb, ‘You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink.’ I think that was Paul Simon again (or not) so it stands to reason that you can lead players to the rulebook but you can’t make them read it.

If you get nothing out of this article, get this—we are here for you. •

Find the Video Rulebook on the USPA website (uspolo.org) under Association, then Umpires.