Big Brother Is Watching...

Thought I would share this article in the morning news...

In a case that raises questions about online journalism and privacy rights, the U.S. Department of Justice sent a formal request to an independent news site ordering it to provide details of all reader visits on a certain day.

The grand jury subpoena also required the Philadelphia-based Indymedia.us Web site "not to disclose the existence of this request" unless authorized by the Justice Department, a gag order that presents an unusual quandary for any news organization.

The subpoena (PDF) from U.S. Attorney Tim Morrison in Indianapolis demanded "all IP traffic to and from www.indymedia.us" on June 25, 2008. It instructed Clair to "include IP addresses, times, and any other identifying information," including e-mail addresses, physical addresses, registered accounts, and Indymedia readers' Social Security Numbers, bank account numbers, credit card numbers, and so on.

Just a little food for thought and your diminishing freedoms in the land of the free...

ITA Question... How Would You Rule?

Scenario: In an ITA Division I women's tournament one of the players takes a bathroom break after the players split sets. She returned 8.5 minutes later.

What would you do???

How Would You Rule?

Scenario: A Division I men's dual match. The doubles are completed as well as four of the singles matches.

Following his singles match, player A went into the stands and punched one of the fans in the face. No official saw the event take place but one of the officials who already completed their match was called into the stands. During a conversation with the player the official said that he admitted striking the fan.

The official then came to the referee and said that he should default the highest singles match still playing since the player had committed a defaultable offense. When the referee questioned the offending player, he denied ever striking the fan.

What would you do?

1. Default the highest singles match still in progress since the player had committed a defaultable offense.

2. Call the conference office to determine the best course of action. This would have impossible in this situation since it was a night match and the offices were closed.

3. Do nothing since no official had actually observed the offense.

We would welcome your comments on this real life situation...

The Extremes of Diversity

RENEE RICHARDS

World Famous Transgendered Tennis Player

The Dallas Morning News carried a story this morning about the Council on Diversity in the City of Ft. Worth. Seems that the Council is suggesting that the city pay all the medical expenses for sex change operations for their employees...

Seems that DIVERSITY TALK AND TRAINING has gotten us into more trouble than they were trying to avoid. It has certainly affected tennis officiating throughout the US. Here are some observations about diversity obsession:

* It has led to enlisting some officials who never should have been officials.

* It has led to our predicament of not being able to get rid of inept officials.

* It has led to the threat of lawsuits on every hand.

* It has led to a sense of paranoia at the administrative level because of lawsuits.

* It has caused the white male over 50 to be an endangered species in America.

Personally, I get very weary of hearing this constant talk of diversity. Why don't we just become receptive to anyone regardless of their race, creed, religion, sexual orientation or whatever. That would cure the problem but legislating and overreacting isn't going to fix the problem...

Plus, it will probably bankrupt the City of Ft. Worth.

New Question: How Would You Rule?

Scenario: UIL 4A Regional Tournament.

During a hotly contested singles match with numerous bystanders and parents watching and cheering, the parent of Player B cheered long and loud after a winning point by his son. At this point, Player A shot the finger at the father. Then the coach of Player A ran to the court and began to verbally berate Player B and his father. No official was close to the court so it was not witnessed by an official but the site director was called to the court.

The site director basically told them all to behave and quit acting like idiots. (Probably good advice.)

What would you have done as a site official:

1. Meet with the coach and inform him that under no circumstances is he to address the parents of another player or the player himself. He is free to call for the official but personal involvement is prohibited.

2. Meet with both players and tell them that this kind of behavior is unacceptable and that no further bad behavior would be tolerated.

3. Code Player B because his father said something out loud.

4. Code Player A because he shot the finger at a parent.

5. Code the coach for berating a parent and a player on the opposing team.

6. Do nothing and pretend it never happened.

7. Be glad you had a good site director that at least tried to diffuse the situation.

This actually happened so we would appreciate your comments and thoughts on the issue...

How Would You Rule?

Scenario: In a UIL dual match and in the #2 doubles match.

In the final game of the match, team A lost a point and both players slammed their rackets (breaking both of them) to the ground at the same time. They had already been penalized a point earlier in the match.

What would you do?

1. Penalize one player a game and then default the team for the third code violation.

2. Penalize the team a game.

3. Do nothing and hope noone was watching or heard the shattering of rackets.

4. Call the Mothers of the boys to the court for counseling.

Just signing in...

I have gotten quite a few emails wondering if I am still alive and if the blog is still functional--yes I am and yes it is; however, I am real busy with UIL events right now...

I am journeying to Wichita Falls today with the glorious and notorious Myron Krueger. He and I will imparting wisdom and knowledge to the teams and coaches at the 4A Regional Tournament. It should be exciting...

We have some good (and controversial) topics coming up for the blog next week.

Stay tuned...

Age Old Adage of an Egg Sucking Dog

There is an age old adage that once a dog sucks eggs, he will always suck eggs. There is no known method of changing his behavior once he has gotten into this habit.

There is nothing that strikes fear into the heart of a referee more than an OVERLY OFFICIOUS OFFICIAL! They can get you in more trouble than a bunch of rowdy boys and seem to be as unchangeable as an egg sucking dog...

So--what do we do about OVERLY OFFICIOUS OFFICIALS??? That seems to be a question that has come down through the ages and we all search for the solution.

Here are a few observations and suggestions about an OOO (Overly Offiicious Official):

* They are usually, but not always, a new or inexperienced official. That should tell us that one of the "cures" would be more training and teaching.

* They tend to think they already "know everything" and "have arrived" as an official. If that is true, we have our work cut out for us!

* They often have children that have played tennis tournaments all their lives so they think they are experts on officiating.

* They have selective hearing in that they hear what they want to hear.

* Often difficult to train.

* Usually very legalistic in their interpretation of tennis rules.

* Have to make sure players, parents, and other officials know they are "in charge."

* Sometimes have been abused by an official in their past and are trying to "right the wrongs" that were done to them.

* Do not fall into one personality type. They can be dominant or passive, Type A or Type B, outspoken or quiet spoken, male or female--but they all jump into situations without warning or provocation.

* Tend to embarrass themselves, the referee, the players, and the parents by their officious behavior.

* Don't seem to have a clue that they are overly officious.

* Recommended cures (if there is such a thing):

1. Spend time counseling them about their on court skills.

2. Specifically discuss any problems areas they might have in officiating.

3. Make sure they are properly trained and if so, be sure they get some remedial training.

4. Make absolutely sure that they get some on court training with an experienced official.

5. Pray that someone else hires them so you don't have to work with them again.

6. Be sure to have a referee's network so you can be aware of their tendencies.

7. If they keep sucking eggs, then quit hiring them. Maybe they will eventually get the message!

These are just a few observations and suggestions--we would like to hear your's...

Growing Old Is No Fun...

Arnold "Then"

Arnold "Now"

Clint Eastwood "Then and Now"

All of us know the ravages of time take their toll on everyone--and its sure not fun! At least we still have our friends as we travel down this long road of life...

Poll Updates

Well, it seems that 76% of you favor Martina as the greatest female player of all time and 68% favor Roger Federer as the greatest male player. Good selections...

Be sure to check out today's new poll and give us your votes.

Interesting Question...

I got an interesting email today and thought I would throw it out their for your wise opinions...

It seems that there is a man in his 70's that regularly plays tennis but has had a recent bout with glaucoma and wears protective goggles. Some of the people he plays with try to hit him in the face as hard as they can.

He is wondering if this is "malicious intent" and falls under the Code? What are your opinions???

Personally, I would tell him to quit playing with those guys. If he meets them in a tournament, then its probably fair game. I remember Myron Krueger telling me that they were taught to hit the net man in doubles when he played (probably #8) at A&M...

Texas Section TD/Referee Workshop--SUGGESTIONS...

This past week I attended the Texas Section TD/Referee Workshop in Austin and came away with some interesting views, thoughts, and suggestions. Since it is the policy of the Texas Section that every sanctioned tournament must have either a tournament director or referee that has attended this workshop, I thought I should share my views and observations...

OBSERVATIONS

My observations come from 44 years of training teachers in the religious field as well as 9 years experience as a USTA intructor and coordinator of Texas officials schools.

* The instructors were all excited about the meeting and conveyed their excitement to the audience.

* The material was presented visually as well as orally but was sometimes repetitive. Chad Loup and Nancy Perkins both had informative and concise presentations.

* Two of the instructors were unfamiliar with tennis rules regarding the time taken between the completion of the second set and a third set tiebreak.

* None of the materials covered were new to a USTA certified referee. In fact, our referee's schools cover the same material but in much more detail.

* The workshop comes at a very high financial cost to all who attended. It is redundant to require a referee to repeat what he has already been taught.

* The workshop is taught only on a Sunday session and then one other make up session a few days later. This is very difficult for people to attend if they live outside the Austin area.

SUGGESTIONS

* In the future, USTA certified referees should not be required to attend the workshop since they are already certified in the same materials. The referee schools that are taught in Texas include a special section on Texas rules and regulations so we are duplicating effort at a very high cost.

* A positive step would be to require all Tournament Directors to be certified before they can host a sanctioned tournament. In reality this is already being done but it should be a specific requirement. This can be done by conducting workshops in coordination with the officials schools and let them be taught by certified USTA instructors. There will be officials schools in every major section of Texas so this will cut down on the cost for both the section and for the tournament directors.

* There was an announcement made that next year there will be a workshop in Austin (sponsored by the Texas Section) and an additional workshop in Dallas (paid for by the Dallas Tennis Association.) There is no need for this expense for the DTA and the reasons are given in the point above. There is also no need for the Texas Section to spend money on a workshop when they already have USTA certified instructors conducting schools throughout Texas.

* It would be beneficial to all if every Tournament Director was required to be a certified tennis official. They could attend the officials school and get their officials certification and then attend the TD workshop and get that certification. All people in charge at a tournament need to be well versed in the rules and regulations and this would meet that criteria.

These are just a few of my thoughts and observations of the workshop. I had a great time meeting fellow officials and tournament directors as well as the staff at the Texas Section and my suggestions are intended to strengthen the workshop and not to deter the fine work our Section staff is doing.

New Poll Question

Our latest survey shows that 53% of you would like to see the officials schools put online. 23% said they would require new officials (1-5 years experience) to attend a school, and 17% said they would like to leave things as they are.

Great input... I'll be sure to pass it on to Bruce Avery and Joe Buys.

Be sure to share your input about the "greatest male tennis player of all time."

Tomorrow's post will be on the required Texas Section TD/Referee Workshop that was held in Austin this past week. Don't miss it...

Data Cards

Just a little reminder that your data cards need to be submitted by October 15, 2009 at the latest. If you have failed to send them to your local coordinator, send your card to the following:

Bruce Sampley

1328 S. Lake Street

Ft. Worth, Texas 76104

Don't forget that you are required to have an eye exam this year too.

Considering The Cost of Being A Referee

Everyone always wants to be in leadership or maybe a little higher up in the pecking order of things--and that holds true in tennis. Everyone always wants to be the referee but sometimes when you are one, you find out there are lot of things that go with the position.

In addition to having to make crucial decisions, here are some financial factors to consider:

$40 Annual USTA membership.

$75 Fee for eye exam (required)

$250 Meals and mileage to attend Texas Section workshop for referees in Austin (required)

$200 Cost of personal time to attend worshop (7 hours driving and 3 hours class time)

$565 Total cost for one year of being a referee excluding equipment.

Just a little food for thought if you are considering moving up the corporate ladder...

Poll Question of the Day

Be sure to check out today's poll question and give us your opinions...

There's nothing that stirs up debate more than our annual (required) officials schools. There are all kinds of options on the table so be sure to give us your input so we can pass it on to the powers that be.

Hope you are all having a great week!

BTW, there was no clear cut favorite in the coach's poll. That must mean that we like them all!

New Addition To The Blog

Be sure to check out the changes to our blog site!

Look on the right side and you can see links to different sites that are important for officials. Of course, there are links to all major tennis programs in Texas for your reading enjoyment.

We have also added a "poll section" where we will be posting various poll questions and you can vote. It should be a lot of fun...

Hope you like the changes!!!

A Monday Morning Surprise!

Wow! I woke up early this morning and much to my surprise--I had a Texas Section Officials Newsletter in my mailbox.

I thought the newsletter was very well done and covered most of the things that are important to all of us. I'm glad we have made progress on adding additional schools and training--and our committee is to be commended for taking these positive steps.

Still no remedy for the tournament directors/referee workshop that is required in Austin but maybe we'll see something done about that before the year 2015...

Also, no steps taken to rid us of the infamous Secret Ad Hoc Committee meetings held before each official Texas Section Officials Committee Meeting. Maybe if the committee members can ever get a straight answer about the secretive committee they will see that it stops--as it should.

Once again, good newsletter and very well done!!

Federer Gets Fined! What Are Your Thoughts?

It seems that fines are the order of the day at the US Open in 2009. Serena Williams tops the list with a $10,000 fine but Roger Federer was fined for using an audible obscenity in his confrontation with chair umpire, Jake Garner.

Seems that Jake allowed del Potro an inordinate amount of time to request a review and Federer confronted Garner. At that point, Garner motioned Federer to be quiet and Federer responded with an obscenity and informed him that he would talk when he wanted to. The obscenity was "shit".

I am just wondering about your feelings on this issue...

Like Father, Like Son--Only Better!

Our very own and illustrious,

MYRON KRUEGER

His awesome young son,

MITCH KRUEGER

One of the highlights of a father's life is when his son can beat him in tennis--and that day certainly has come for MYRON AND MITCH KRUEGER. After an illustrious and sometimes notorious career at Texas A&M, Myron set out to raise a champion--and he has suceeded!

Here are some of Mitch's accomplishments:

Mitch started playing tennis at 4 and is currently 15 years old. He trains at T BAR M Racquet Club in Dallas and is coached by Dave Licker. He attends school at Spring Creek Academy in Plano . He also trains periodically at the National Training Center at Chris Evert Academy in Boca Raton , FL.

Ranking History:

· 2006 #1 USTA Boy’s 12 Singles

· 2008 #4 USTA Boy’s 14 Singles

· 2009 #22 USTA Boy’s 16 Singles

· 2009 #565 ITF Junior World Ranking (May 2009) – Still climbing that ladder

Other Key Achievements:

· He was one of four nationally ranked juniors selected to star in the tennis documentary “50,000 Balls.” The documentary follows players who are preparing for the 2006 12’s National Hard Courts in Arkansas and is a behinds-the-scene look at the subculture of US junior tennis in its earliest stages. The documentary won numerous awards at film festivals and debuted on ESPN in June 2009.

· He was a finalist in Sports Illustrated’s 2008 Kid of the Year. He was the only tennis player out of the top-ten nominees.

· Selected by the USTA to travel with the US Men’s Davis Cup team to Madrid, Spain in their match against Spain in September 2008.

· He was awarded the 2008 Prince Plugged In All-American player of the year

· One of three players selected by the USTA in the summer of 2009 to train on red clay with Spanish national coaches at the Spanish National Training Center in Barcelona

· Received a wild card entry into the 2009 US Open Juniors

Angel Martinez: We're Proud of You!

ANGEL MARTINEZ

Grapevine HS Tennis Coach

GHS Tennis Coach Angel Martinez has been named one of two 2009 Starfish National Coaches of the Year by the United States Tennis Association. The award honors coaches who implement a "no-cut" policy for their high school tennis team. Martinez, who has a total of 25 years' experience as a tennis coach, has been at Grapevine for 10 years and has seen his teams win four district championships.

“Angel Martinez is being recognized at the national level for those things we’ve known for a long time at Grapevine High School,” said Dr. Jerry Hollingsworth, Grapevine High School principal. “Coach Martinez is a great tennis coach because his singular focus is on kids. He is truly passionate about the important work of shaping young lives. We couldn’t be more proud of this most deserved award.” In 2006, Martinez was named the United States Professional Tennis Association High School Coach of the Year for the Texas division, and he has earned the District 5-5A Tennis Coach of the Year award five times.

The USTA received 3744 applications from which twenty-two finalists were selected and two coaches are then selected as Starfish National Coaches of the Year. Martinez was one of two nominees from Texas. As a 2009 USTA Starfish National Coach of the Year, Martinez will be provided accommodations to attend and speak at the U.S. Open which begins on August 31, as well as at the National Tennis Teachers Conference in New York, held in conjunction with the U.S. Open. In addition, he will be one of the teaching Pros at the Arthur Ashe Day for Kids on August 29, celebrating the opening of the U.S. Open.

Officials Committee Meeting: What Was Done--and What Was Not Done.

This past Saturday our Texas Section Officials Committee met in Austin and accomplished some good and admirable things. They are to be commended for these steps:

* There will be at least three additional schools taught around the state in addition to the schools taught in January and February. This will enable officials to find a time and a date that works for them and not just one specific weekend in one specific location.

* The website will be updated with the assistance of Myron Krueger. There will be links to rules, tests, and hopefully the minutes to committee meetings. Hopefully this will include updating the newsletter on the website.

These are great steps and improved communication and opportunities will always lead to better officiating in Texas! However, here are some points that were not addressed:

* The existence of the secret Ad Hoc Committee meeting held before each official committee meeting. The meeting was held again this year. There is no problem with having this ad hoc committee meeting but if it is held, it should not be done in secret and minutes must be taken and those minutes should be shared at the general committee meeting. To violate these procedures is to violate Roberts Rules of Order. Sadly, these have seldom been followed...

* No steps were taken to correct the requirement of the referee or tournament director to attend a workshop in Austin before their tournament can be sanctioned. This material is already covered in the referee portion of the officials school and doesn't need to be repeated for a certified referee. If the tournament director is required to attend a workshop then workshops should be offered throughout the state and not just one Sunday morning in Austin...

Kudos to our Officials Committee members for their fine work. You are much appreciated around the state for your efforts "above and beyond the call of duty."

Serena, Serena...

Quote from Serena Williams: "I am going to take this _____ ball and shove it down your _____ throat and kill you."

What a night it was last night at the US Open. Our very own Serena Williams received a point penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct (abusing an official) and consequently lost her match with Kim Clijsters.

Here are a few observations from last night's fiasco:

* Kudos to the tournament officials for actually giving her a point penalty for her abusive behavior. It should have been an immediate default when Serena threatened to kill the lineswoman but at least they did something! Perhaps watching players break rackets all week long with no penalties may have made us a little dubious...

* Even worse than the on-court incident was Serena's post match interview. She actually would not tell the reporters what she had said and then added that she didn't feel that she owed the lineswoman an apology. Then to top it all off in the commentary by Lindsey Davenport, Lindsey said, "I'm so impressed with how Serena has handled all of this." What a load of bunk...

These are just a few of my observations. What are yours???

You can see it all right here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyq77Te87a0

9/11/2001

Lest we ever forget...

Officials Committee Meeting: Lots of Questions And Hopefully Some Solutions

Our Texas Section Officials Committee will be meeting this coming Saturday (September 12), and we hope there will be much progress made in this crucial meeting. There are some serious questions that need answers and some needs that should be addressed at this meeting. Here are the major questions and points of concern:

EXISTENCE OF A SECRET AD HOC COMMITTEE

It has been the policy of our Sectional Chairman to have a secret Ad Hoc Committee Meeting before the regular Officials Committee meetings in which all major decisions and policies are decided. No item would ever be placed on the agenda that has not been discussed and decided in this Ad Hoc Committee. This policy is simply not acceptable since the Officials Committee is the right group to make these crucial decisions (schools, instructors, and policies). Committee members should ask whether or not this Ad Committee still exists and if so, why.

OFFICIALS SCHOOLS

The Texas Section currently sponsors all the officials schools in Texas during the months of January and February (with the exception of San Antonio which is held in March). This policy means that there are no other opportunities during the other 10 months of the year for an official to attend a required school. If an official is unable to attend the specific school in his/her city, then they have to spend inordinate amounts of money to go to another school.

There is no logical reason for this policy to be continued. The budget monies are there (the officials in Texas rarely ever spend their budget allotment), the instructors are all over the state, and officials need additional opportunities to be certified. To begin with they could at least offer additional schools in key locations throughout the state during the summer and fall months to see the viability of the option.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT FOR TEXAS REFEREES & TOURNAMENT DIRECTORS

The current policy of the Texas Section is that the referee and/or the tournament director of all sanctioned tournaments MUST attend a workshop in Austin on a Sunday morning during the fall. We find this policy to be totally unacceptable and a requirement that defies logic.

In every REFEREE's school in Texas there is an entire section devoted specifically to Texas Section rules and regulations. This school is taught by a certified instructor and is offered in locations throughout the state so its begs the question as to why this requirement is being added to Texas referees.

If this requirement is valid, then workshops should be taught all over the state instead of just in Austin. This is a huge financial burden for officials and tournament directors that simply does not need to be...

Hopefully our Officials Committee will make some changes.

TEXAS SECTION COMMUNICATIONS

The level of communication between our leadership and officials in Texas is sadly lacking and nearly non-existent. The only level of communication we currently have is from the local presidents of associations if there is one--and none if there is no association.

As of today, the last communication from our Sectional Chairman on the Texas Section website for officials was December, 2008. The last newsletter was the Summer of 2008.

Come on folks, surely we can do better than this... There are plenty of very capable and willing people on the committee. Let's let them do their job.

These are just a few specific questions that should be answered on Saturday. Let's hope that they are and that we begin to see some credible steps being taken for officials in Texas.

How Do I Get ITA Training???

One of the most frequently asked questions that we receive is, "How do I get ITA training?" This is a legitimate question and one I hope I can answer for you...

First, we all need to understand that ITA officiating is really a creation all its own. Its not the same as USTA tournaments and certainly isn't the same a pro level tournaments. As an ITA official, you have coaches and players right there on the court with you and many times are placed in a high-charged and adversarily atmosphere--so you need to know your stuff!

Here are your options for training:

1. Contact your local ITA coordinator (see the previous blog post) and arrange for them to train you. I know all of the coordinators personally and can attest to their qualifications and willingness to train you.

2. Ask your coordinator to submit your name to the Chair Academy in Plano in May, or the Live Fire Workshop at Baylor in September. These are the two highest quality training opportunities in the nation but it is by invitation only and you can only be recommended by your local coordinator.

Here are some things to remember when you are looking for ITA training:

* You must know the ITA rules backwards and forwards. There is no substitute for this quality and trust me, the coordinator will know the truth...

* You must have a teachable spirit. If you don't, you won't be invited to receive training.

* You must be willing to rove as well as do chairs. The quickest way to lose your invitation for training is to say that you only do chairs.

* You must be willing to do matches without pay at the first. We have all done this so just grin and bear it. It will pay huge dividends in the future.

* Make yourself as available as possible. When I am training, I often ask people to observe or walk with me through high intensity matches before we put them in a chair. I'm always looking for those who are available and ready to go.

* Email or call your coordinator and let them know you are interested in training. We aren't magicians and don't know you are looking if you don't tell us.

EVERY location in Texas and Oklahoma needs more quality, trained ITA officials so I hope you will come and join us. Give your coordinator a call this week...

Head Over Heels Over ITA Scheduling

This is the time of year when everyone is busy submitting their availabilities for ITA matches in the spring--and hoping they get what they want! Its an awesome time but also an intimidating time for a new official hoping to break into the ITA ranks. Here are some hints:

* If you would like to work a specific school, email the coordinator and ask to be considered.
* BE SURE you are currently ITA certified or will be before the spring season.
* Have a good working knowledge of the ITA rules and hopefully have some collegiate experience.
* Attend all the training opportunities that you can; i.e. the Chair Academy in Plano and the Live Fire training in Waco.
* Be happy with whatever assignments you receive and remember that it takes a while to rise up in the ranks. Experience will come with time.

In order to help in your search, here are the coordinators for some key ITA locations:

Baylor University (Chuck Scott)
Big 12 (Cheryl Jones)
Oklahoma State University (Jim Lawson)
Rice University (Ginny James)
Southern Methodist University (Randy McDonald)
Texas A&M University (Sara Lammerts)
Texas A&M at Corpus Christi (Ralph Martin)
Texas Christian University (Myron Krueger)
Texas Tech University (Trevor Edgemon)
Tulsa University (Paul Jordan)
University of Arkansas (Mike Standrod)
University of Houston (Ginny James)
University of North Texas (Randy McDonald)
University of Oklahoma (Jim Lawson)
University of Texas (men) (Vickie Wright)
University of Texas (women) (Sue Trautmann)
University of Texas at Arlington (Randy McDonald)
University of Texas at Dallas (Randy McDonald)
University of Texas at Tyler (Millard Countryman)

If you would like to contact any of these coordinators, please email me at rmtennis@yahoo.com and I will gladly send you their contact information.

SPECIAL QUESTION: What do you do if you are inexperienced and would like to receive additional training in ITA matches?

ANSWER: All of the coordinators listed above would be glad to give you additional training. Feel free to contact any one of them to ask for their procedures and policies.

As Referee What Would You Do?

This is a true life scenario since it happened to me. What would you do?

SCENARIO

The event is the men's national junior college tournament in Plano. As referee I am standing and observing an official on court #1. As I look out, I see the official standing at the net post with a Diet Coke in one hand and eating a Snicker's bar! One of the coaches casually walks up to me and says, "that one sure doesn't inspire much confidence."

What would you have done????

How Would You Rule?

One of our most popular blog topics is the "How Would You Rule" section. Here is a good one for you--and especially for referees...

Scenario: In a recent tournament, an umpire was standing a couple of courts away from court #2 and observed a foot fault. Upon observing this grievous violation of the rules, the umpire immediately ran behind the adjoining courts to court #2 to call the foot fault; however, the players were already through at least four exchanged shots. The umpire totally disrupted play and said, "foot fault."

As a referee (when you were called to the court--and you would be), how would you rule??

1. First, determine whether it was the first or second serve and then rule accordingly.
2. Find out who was winning the point when the umpire interrupted play and then award them the point.
3. Run to Waxahachie laughing all the way and hope the players never find you.
4. Apologize to the players for the ineptness of the umpire, correct the umpire in private, and then replay the point because of "official interference."

As far as I know, the four players are still at the courts scratching their heads in disbelief...

The above listed four options are only suggestions. If you have more, we would love to hear them...

The Dilemas Of ITA Scheduling & Commitments

It is that time of year again when we send out our availabilities for the 2010 collegiate season--and every official is faced with the decision of making their commitments. Now that some of our universities are sending their availabilities out sooner than ever, it further complicates the issue...

Most officials in Texas wait for the Big 12 to send out their availability and then hope they get as many of those matches as possible since they pay so much more--and I don't blame them. However, this leads to some serious dilemas for the officials involved because noone receives all the availabilities they send in for the Big 12. What to do about making commitments this early???

Here are some steps I have taken to help alleviate the suffering and guidelines that I recommend in this area:

1. Send in your Big 12 availability and hope for the best but remember that other coordinators take a dim view of your committing to them and then cancelling to do a Big 12 match. Trust me, we know when you do it!

2. TCU and Baylor availabilities have already gone out but the rest are still in waiting. Most coordinators are waiting for the Big 12 to make their assignments before sending out availabilities. I have personally encouraged Cheryl Jones to make her final commitments as soon as possible so the rest of us can trust the validity of our commitments.

3. Personally, I think it would help if the Big 12 would send their's out at least by September 1st each year and then make commitments to officials by September 15th. This would enable the rest of the universities to send theirs out by September 15th and have them returned to us after officials knew which Big 12 matches they would be working. The bottom line is that the Big 12 is the engine that drives the bus so we need to find ways to work with the bus...

4. With all of that said, let me encourage officials NOT to double book in hopes of getting at least one. In the long run this will backfire on you... I coordinate over 90 ITA matches and I have to trust the integrity of the official making a commitment to work. If I can't trust your integrity, then you won't be getting an availability.

5. We need to remember that assignments are somewhat of a random/lottery type thing. We send in the availability and hope we get the assignments--also knowing that we won't get all we sign up for.

I would say just do your best, maintain your integrity, and trust the coordinators to do the best they can.

Here are some guidelines I would suggest for our COORDINATORS:

1. Quit trying to send yours out earlier than everyone else. Its hard to ask officials to commit to a specific day 6 months in advance...

2. Make your commitments as soon as possible following the sending of your availabilities. This will help the officials know where they will be working.

3. Work together to send out your availabilities all on the same day. This way the officials would know what was being offered and where and could make a more intelligent decision.

4. Encourage Cheryl Jones of the Big 12 to give a firm commitment date for her assignments and then work within that framework. Cheryl does a great job but the rest of us totally depend on her for our time schedule.

This is a volatile and pressing issue and these are just a few comments and guidelines. We would love to hear your feelings on this issue...

Perplexed

After being involved in the game of tennis for well over 50 years now (both as a player, official, and parent of a player), there are still some things that greatly perplex me... Such as:

* Why do some certified officials also serve as tournament directors and then cut or limit our pay? Perhaps it is time for some of them to decide which side of the fence they are sitting upon. I imagine that EVERY TOURNAMENT pays for the tournament director's meals.

* Why do some officials change so drastically when they start calling lines in pro tournaments?

* Why can't we offer officials schools at times other than January and February?

* Why does a certified referee (with Texas Section rules training) have to attend an additional training school taught only in Austin in order to referee tournaments in Texas?

* Why do some provisional officials think they know everything about officiating when they have done their first ZAT tournament?

* Why do some tournament directors tell us that their expenses have gone up so we shouldn't raise our rates even with a cost of living increase?

* Why do some people think we are getting rich at $15/hour?

* Why do some parents think we are deaf, dumb, blind, and stupid?

* Why do some coaches think we just arrived on a late bus?

* Why do we put up with people in leadership complaining about our rates when they are charging nearly $50 for each entry in tournaments?

* Why don't we consider the possibility of organizing into a Player's Organization and providing at least some limited benefits and retirement plans for our officials?

These are just a few of the things that perplex me after these many years of being involved in the sport of tennis. We would welcome your comments and perplexities...

Looking Past The Rhetoric To The Reality

There is probably not an area that brings in more comments that the issue of tournament directors and this is not always a bad thing. Personally, I think communication and discussion (and sometimes disagreements) lead to better relations and improved quality. I think we need more of this in the area of OFFICIATING but that is a topic for another day...

I have been personally involved in tennis for well over 50 years now (and all in the state of Texas) so I have been involved in every aspect of the game. I've been an official for a long time but have also been a tournament director plenty of times too. Here are some of my unbiased (of course) observations of tournament directors today:

* Most TD's are fantastic and do a great job! Don't ever forget their importance and how much they compliment our work. As a referee, I find that a good TD is one of the best friends you can have and one that makes our job a whole lot easier.

* TD's put in tons of work and many times for no pay; however, some are paid quite handsomely and rightly so. Their pay levels are not dictated by any association and are not regulated in any way in Texas so they are free to make as much as they choose to make.

* TD's need to be aware of the fact that officials are their friends and not their enemies. We are the ones who are on the courts and dealing with the parents, fans, and children so you need to respect our position as we do yours. Remember that it is the referee who is in charge once a tournament begins and he/she is the one who takes the heat.

* A good TD should be aware of rising costs in ALL areas of the game--and this includes officials' fees. Years ago the registration fee for a tournament was $2.50 and that included a t-shirt so go figure the changes...

* TD's should never be guilty of retaliation against officials for raising their fees--and that includes deleting our lunch/supper allowances. We don't want to get into an adversarial relationship with TD's and both sides need to respect each other's positions. Sometimes I am appalled at the amounts that are charged to play in tournaments but I certainly wouldn't raise my rates to get even with the TD's for what they charge.

* A good TD will also be open with what fees they are charged by the USTA for their sanctioning and registration. This will help parents, participants, and officials understand the size of the registration fees.

* A good TD will recognize changes in fees for all aspects of a tournament (and I'm sure most of them do). If there are increases, then pass the increase along to the participants of the tournament or delete some of the "goodies" that you give out during the tournament. There is no God-given right to a t-shirt!

* We all need to remember that in most tournaments the TD is paid just like the officials. It varies from the sublime to the ridiculous so we'll all try to be patient and understanding. Perhaps a little more openness and transparency with their rates and pay scales would eliminate any controversy. I personally know some TD's who make nothing for doing the tournament, some who put all their profits back into the club or organization, and some who make obscene profits from their tournaments--and that is their right to do so. However, it is also our right as officials to charge what we deem to be right...

* TD's and officials can't do a tournament without each other--so let's all work to be supportive of each other.

Things We Need To Fix

One of the marks of quality leadership is that the leaders deal PROACTIVELY with issues instead of REACTING to issues. There is a fine line in leadership but one that needs to be bridged if you are to accomplish anything of value. Leaders and those in leadership must have the ability to foresee problems and issues and deal with them proactively before they arise. Unfortunately, we have some pressing issues that now need to be dealt with and we encourage our leadership to begin to act proactively on these issues. Here are a few of the pressing issues:

OFFICIALS SCHOOLS

The required officials schools are currently only offered in January and February (with the exception of one school in San Antonio in March) and these need to be expanded immediately. If our goal is to enlist as many quality and certified officials as possible then we need to offer more opportunities for certification and training. Not everyone can make it to a school in January and February--and certainly not on the one weekend it is offered in their city.

It would require no special effort to offer additional schools in various parts of the state during the summer months and/or early fall. Data cards do not have to be in until October 15th but the school is for certification in the next year anyway and has not standing on this year's certification.

If cost is the issue, then let the participants pay a small fee ($10) to cover the instructor's fee. There are instructors in every major area of Texas so there would be no travel expenses involved. There is also money in the Texas Section budget for instructors that is not always used--and it should be. Let's teach and train until we have the best qualified officials available.

Hopefully this issue will be addressed at the next Texas Section Officials Committee meeting.

REQUIREMENTS FOR TOURNAMENT DIRECTORS AND REFEREES

One of the most "difficult to understand" requirements in Texas is the current requirement that the tournament director and/or referee MUST attend a tournament director's workshop in Austin in September. The workshop is only taught on one Sunday and is required in order for your tournament to be sanctioned.

First of all, every referee school that is taught in Texas contains a specific section that deals with Texas Section rules and regulations. There is no need nor justification for requiring additional certification for USTA referees.

Second, if the workshop is going to be required then there should be workshops taught in every major metroplex area in Texas instead of one solitary school in Austin on a Sunday morning. It is presumptious to ask someone to travel to Austin at their own expense to attend a workshop that can and should be taught in their own hometown. Imagine the expense involved in you live in Amarillo or McAllen and have to make the trek to Austin...

Third, money should not be an issue. There is plenty of money in the Texas Section for teaching workshops in major areas.

Fourth, my suggestion would be to put the information and teaching on a CD and then send it to all tournament directors and referees. We are all quite capable of studying on our own without having to travel to the Holy City.

IMPLEMENTATION OF PROVISIONAL TRAINING

One of the most pressing issues we face is having provisionals who take the test and are certified but have no actual training since they aren't required to attend a school until the next January or February.

This problem could be alleviated by adding additional schools as mentioned above or having the local associations institute their own training classes. This is already being done in DFW and Houston and its working very well. Provisionals need specific training before we pitch them out on a court--and that doesn't mean just taking an online open book test. I guarantee you that a serious provisional official will welcome the training.

These are just a few specific areas that need to be addressed by our leadership. I hope they do...

The Paradox of The Day

PARADOX

Definition: A self-contradictory or false statement.

We are told on every hand that the officials' fees are causing tournaments to lose money and we are their greatest expense. This folks, simply is not true.

I recently was the referee for a tournament and here is the analysis for the tournament with 400 entries:

$10,400.00 Entry fees based on 400 players at $26.00 per player.

$600.00 Sanction fee to the Texas Section for 400 at $1.50 per player.

$1,200.00 Fee to Tennis Link for registration for 400 at $3 per entry.

$640.00 Officials fees which include lunch, supper, snacks, and fees.

I will leave it up to you to do the math but it is quite a paradox to say that officials cost the most for a tournament when you see the true figures. It actually cost nearly twice as much for players to register online as it did to pay the officials.

You see--they can actually provide meals for the officials and not lose money.

Are We In It For The Money?

Any time I bring up the subject of our officials' fees we always have a lively discussion--and that's all good. I have no qualms discussing money since we all need it to live on...

It seems that anytime we discuss our fees then tournament directors and associations always have an opinion about what WE make with no discussion about what they make or their profit margin. Its time to put some of these myths to rest...

Here are some simple observations about pay in tennis:

* Everyone has to make a living and its not wrong to expect to be paid a fair wage for a day's work. If an official doesn't do a day's work for a day's pay, then don't hire them again.

* Officials have the right to raise their rates whenever they deem necessary without any fear of retaliation from anyone. I think we have a whole country founded on this premise.

* There are officials who depend on their pay for their living and that is nothing to be ashamed of. When an official says, "I don't need the money" then they can send it all to me and I'll use it to live on...

* Just as the USTA, tournament directors, and associations continually raise their fees for tournaments and memberships, then we as officials will also need to raise our fees.

* The average officials' fee is raised every 4-5 years. That means that we go a lot of years with no increase. During that time, the cost of living continues to go up.

* Since our officials' fees are public knowledge and open to full scrutiny, then I think every tournament and tournament director should publish their expenses and profits from every sanctioned tournament. I also think the budget and budget expenditures of the USTA and USTA Texas Section should be posted online and available for all to see. I think when this is done, there would be no complaints about our officials' fees. It would also be wise to publish online the budget and expenditures of the Texas Section Officials Committee so we can all see how money is spent in our area.

* Certified tennis officials should be wise and exercise discretion in taking positions such as tournament director or serving on the boards of local associations. Just leads to divided loyalties and a big mess. I think we are seeing that issue right now with our Sectional Chairman being on the board of an association that retaliates against officials for raising their rates.

These are just a few observations about our officials' pay. We would welcome your comments and observations...