Working Out....

Garry and I left early for the local baseball rules meeting last night in Van Wert...one of the outfits that sells "licensed" OHSAA Umpire/Officiating Gear/Uniforms, Flemings, out of Columbus was there selling the new items and complete outfits for those needing "things" for the upcoming baseball season...which for me is slated to begin next Tuesday with a scrimmage @ Delphos Jefferson....looking at the extended forecast I'm not sure how many of the 6 scrimmages I will get in between then and our first game, where Garry and I are slated to work @ St. Marys on Saturday March 30th.  It appears that Garry has replaced oldest son Sam as my main baseball partner, we have a dozen games together scheduled for this season ...with Sam, first off to Ohio State, then upon graduation last Spring, moving to Illinois, gone from the area...he is in the process of switching his baseball and football licenses to Illinois...as for basketball,?  He tells me that he really has no interest in continuing to officiate roundball, like me, the least favorite of the three sports he officiates.

With my schedule pretty well filled for 2013{just 4 open dates, most likely to be filled with make up of rain~outs} I have on my Spring Schedule 30 Varsity Contests, 4 JV games and at least one Sectional game at Crestview....more than likely I will add a handful or more onto that post~season schedule.  My Summer ACME and American Legion calendar is also filling up fast....I am ready for the warmer weather, which also makes umpire, with or without the home plate gear more comfortable, if not more enjoyable.

Getting Ready, Shaping Up....

Always a couple of items that need to be done before baseball season begins....and I use the month between my final basketball game and opening scrimmages to do them.   New equipment is one, and getting my legs in shape for baseball...sure I run up and down the court all winter, but baseball, while not as physically demanding, still requires the use of different muscle groups than does basketball or football.

So in addition to picking up my weight lifting regiment, I also climb on the treadmill for 20-30 minutes a day and use the incline function to get the lower limbs in shape for long hours of standing with 15 pounds of gear on behind the plate, in temperatures that range for 40 in early spring to the 90s in the July heat of ACME and Legion ball....frankly I hate the treadmill, it is boring to the max, and I would much rather walk the streets of Celina for an hour as to spend 20 minutes on the treadmill...but weather dictates what I do, and unlike last March, it doesn't appear this year will see an early, warm, spring....so the indoor treadmill is what I am stuck with for now.

As far as equipment, although I probably use a change, I have decided at least for now, to stay with my shinguards, as protective as they are, are too damn heavy, the same lightweight chest protector, and of course the new full face hockey helmet  for behind the plate.  I purchased that last year, because I felt it gave me more protection for my carotid artery, which was just surgically repaired before the season began...more or less it did, I guess, but I did take at least one hard ball to the throat...one that hit the artificial turf at Celina last summer.

So I opted out of buying anything for now, except the new OHSAA Cap for Spring and our association cap for Summer use....those and a new ball/strike counter and plate brush will do it for now....at 64{this Saturday}, how much should I spend on new gear/clothes and when should I purchase those?  I would like to think I have 4 or 5 years left of baseball, less in both basketball and football, but time and health are promised to no one....even though I try to give myself a shot...I can feel the age catching up with me.

With that thought I decided to see if I could get back on track to lose the 15 pounds or so I gained over the past couple of years....

For those of you who have followed this blog, you know I was at 220 pounds in September 2009 when I was told I was "pre~diabetic" with D2...so I promptly went on a Diabetes Diet and dropped 40 pounds in the next year....that has slowly crept up back to nearly 200 on my 5' 10" frame...I am back down to 195, and will try to ease my way back to the 180 mark...won't be easy, but I have no doubt I can do it again...less dark beers and more treadmill walking hold the keys.....

back later>>>

Photos-The New Logo is required for caps and shirts for 2014, always a money maker for somebody, except the officials who have to buy the items with the new logo...I picked up two caps, the one on the left is for summer, non OHSAA{Ohio High School Athletic Association} events, like ACME and American Legion ball...the MBUA stands for Midwest Buckeye Umpires Association{which I am President-Elect and will be Prez for 2014/15} the right is the new logo for wear required for next season....and finally the hockey style plate mask, which will begin it's second year...I may switch back to the lightweight stand face mask...but not at this time....we will see how it goes.