At lower levels the umpire should reflect on what he knows about the league and its followers. My association used to post our assignments in the local papers. In a generic sense our man behind the mask ought to think about his personal history with the teams and their skippers. If it s a day game, the layout of the field can be crucial. For that he can consult his officiating diary.
All good officials keep a diary.
The umpire should spend some time reviewing his relationship with the upcoming partner. That means he ought to take time to think over the rules for this game. God forbid that the contest become a case book game, but if it does, the UIC is the final arbiter, and he d better know what he s doing. The umpire, in preparation for this game, will have examined the teams, the fans, the coaches, the field, his recent work, his partner, and the rules. I m sure we all remember the hell of our first composition course in college.