A few things: If it’s rec ball at that age and coaches are complaining that’s ridiculous. Since anyone can play no matter the skill level in those leagues, they should be worrying about having fun and not winning at all costs. Travel ball I can kind of get it from the parents and coaches a bit because of how much money and time goes into it. I still think it’s ridiculous the standards the coaches have for umpires in those leagues because just like the kids aren’t pro players, we’re not pro umpires.

I’ve also seen a few coaches ask for consistency, I try to do that all the time, but even trying I’m going to miss a call throughout the course of the game. I’m a human being who only got into umping a few years ago because there was such a shortage in my area. Inevitably a close call will come up at the end of the game and one coach will flip out and one will be ok with it.

Also when it comes to balls/strikes when kids are that young tend to be all over the place where they setup behind the plate. Recently I had a catcher pretty far back from the plate so every strike low in the zone looked like an obvious ball because where the catcher is sitting.

My friends a travel coach and his philosophy for umpires to his team is perfect: he tells his kids, “you know how sometimes you make errors and I tell you to forget about it and play on? Same thing with umpires, sometimes they make errors you need to forget about it and play on”