Jill Tuckey (left) and Greg Pipher at the softball venue in Beijing last year. (Photo courtesy of Softball Canada)

'06 WORLDS - UMPIRE'S MEMORIES
2007-03-07

The following was written by umpire Jill Tuckey for Softball Canada's "Around The Horn" newsletter.

What an honour! What a trip! From the day that we were told we had been selected to officiate at the Women’s Worlds, the journey has been amazing. Greg Pipher and I had made up our minds that we were going to do whatever we needed to prepare ourselves to be our best when we got to China.

When getting an assignment to umpire in a different country, it is important to learn as much about the country you are traveling to and it should be a part of your preparation plans. There were a number of challenges we faced when we got to China and luckily we did our homework. China is surrounded by historical sites which are fascinating; however, contending with the environment was a challenge. The smog, smell, and lack of infrastructure were a challenge. The food and health standards were definitely different, which made it hard to eat proper meals by our standards. These hurdles did not affect the quality of our officiating; it just made it more difficult to concentrate and focus on the job at hand.

The facilities and games were incredible. We were actually umpiring at the softball venue for the 2008 Olympic Games. The feeling was amazing and difficult to put into words. Emotions at the opening ceremonies were high and our first game assignment was that reality check of why we were in Beijing, China.

Greg and I were honoured to be selected to attend this prestigious event. Hard work, commitment, and teamwork during the tournament paid off. I was assigned to work the Bronze Medal game at 1st Base (Australia vs. United States) as well as working the Gold Medal game – Greg Pipher at 1st Base and Jill Tuckey at 2nd Base (Japan vs. United States). This experience was something that Greg and I will cherish for a long time. We also had the opportunity to tour China after the tournament. This allowed us to take in some of the amazing sites in Chinese history, which most of us just read about including The Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, and others.

There were a few life lessons that will stay with us forever – umpiring at this level is the ultimate dream in our careers and we are proud to be a part of the Softball Canada program. Our program provides our officials with opportunities for those who work hard and are willing to make sacrifices. It is evident that Softball Canada Umpires are among the best in the world. The other lesson that was very clear during our stay in China is that we are truly lucky to be living in Canada. The air that we breathe, the food that we eat, the roads that we travel on, the infrastructures that we have are there to protect our people.

Thank you to all and we certainly hope that your dreams come true!