Since we now have a new group among us called "undercover officials" we wanted to share some great new information about a unique line of clothing. We do hope you will find it helpful...
Special hat imported from Australia and great for tree climbing.
The "cap look" could be in for 2010.
Great shoe line and effective in outrunning irate mothers.
The new shirt that is a "must" for sitting in a tree top.
The ever popular camo pant. Comes in men's and women's sizes.
Before you get your panties in a wad, remember that many a truth is said in jest and if you can't laugh when you're doing your job, then you shouldn't be doing it.
Just think of how much fun they used to make of us in our clown shirts.
15 comments:
"UO"s" need to go to sniper school, so they will learn to "blend-into" the enviornment, like Al Gore.
You recently mentioned that if an official is doing a poor job, the solution is to report it to the tournament referee.
Who will the "undercover" officials be reporting to? If there is a problem with these folks, what is the solution?
And do the "undercover" officials go through any training on actually being an official?
This is one of my pet peeves in life. If someone is screwing up, come down on that person. Don't do stupid stuff that affects the entire population...
Holy Smokes!!!
How many different uniforms are we going to have to buy?? This is starting to get out of hand!!
I'm sorry that we won't be able to help make this new line of clothing available to the officials but I'm sure you can find them at any Army/Navy store.
I did hear the undercover officials had a one hour training session before the Officials Committee meeting--but it wasn't publicized. They will also offer one hour training sessions before each annual and semi-annual meetings. Personally, I would like to see a copy of the training materials.
They also said they must have one witness before they can file a violation. What's to stop a mother from having her friend be a witness and write a fraudulent complaint against her child's opponent. Very few if any committee members (other than the Officials Committee) are certified and trained officials.
The upcoming lawsuits should be interesting...
Thought you might enjoy reading this email I received this morning:
I don't understand why anyone would complain about the shirt's, jacket or windbreaker.
I think it's wonderful. Color is great. I praise you and other who finally realized that
ITA is not USTA. I'm for one am glad to be away from the USTA. They want to dominate
us but will not support us.
The USTA resents officials working ITA because we are able to collect about two or three
times in fees than what the USTA is willing to pay. I know here in Oklahoma, we get $ 120.00
for Referee, plus $ .90 cents per mile one-way for about 3 hours of work. Officials who are
not referee gets paid $ 100.00 per match and $ .90 cent per mile up to a maximum of $ 100.00.
Maximum travel is $ 100.00.
We can sometimes get two matches a day making over $ 200.00 a day. Where in the USTA can
one work all day and make the kind of money that ITA pays? Also the USTA has come out and
said that the insurance coverage under USTA does not cover officials working ITA events.
Another slap in the face. One could go on and on about the USTA, but enough said.
Sure does sound like a crying over NOTHING! Committee members and executive board members are encouraged to report unsportsmanship acts by players. They do not code. They only report to the Section Office. They will collect information from the tournament desk about the player and then report. What are you crying about... I'd love to see some help... I am sure the complaints will be "filtered" at the Section Office.
You might want to check your facts a little more closely before you accuse someone of crying over nothing.
Committee members can send in a violation and the player will be assessed penalty points. I'm sure the Section office will check out the validity of the complaint but a committee member with no formal training in officiating should be empowered to assess penalty points to anyone.
BTW, I was given that information by two people who work in the Section office and by two Executive Committee members so I have to assume that it is true and valid.
It won't be penalty points, but rather suspension points, and Chad Loup will help filter out the complaints and take appropriate action from the Texas Section office. Only committee members can document unsportsmanlike behavior and require a witness statement.
There are numerous incidents where players are getting away with poor behavior when officials aren't around. It's funny how they act like little angels when officials are around and then back to devils when officials are out of site. This process will hopefully weed out those bad actors who think they can get away with poor behavior when officials aren't present.
Another trend which will be tracked relates to how many times an official is called to a player's court. If a trend develops where certain players are always requiring officials on their court, there could be a problem. We all know this happens based on the reputations players develop over time.
They are more than undercover in my City (which will remain unnamed). The local USTA governing group sua sponte appointed a person to be in charge of officials (though this person is not certified at any level to my knowledge). The new person's apparent intent to is to staff tournaments with "volunteer" officials, or at least those who will work for substantially less than the avrage rates I see posted on this Board. Works well for the local USTA board which runs and profits from several of the USTA tournaments, but it gives me a great reason to officially retire from doing any more Jr. tennis. i suspect the only volunteers that they will find are ill-trained and will have significant turnover. For myself, I will choose to volunteer my time with the Boy Scouts of America, rather than trudging around tournament sites for 12 hours a day keeping the peace. Shalom.
P.S to the last comment, Randy, you find awesome photos for this site!
Maybe I missed it but, what's the "Officials Committee" position on the undercover folks? If a position has not been promulgated, perhaps the "Officials Committee" could put an abrupt end to this nonsense by simply telling the Texas section's answer to the East German Stasi, "Thanks but, no thanks".
I don't have my FAC in front of me at the moment, but I'm not sure a player can receive penaly points unless they are coded at the time the misbehavior occurs. That's why an official goes onto court immediately and announces, "Code violation, ball abuse, point penalty, Mr. Smith". An undercover official sitting in the stands taking notes, does not immediately go on to court. (At least they damn well better not!!!) So they file a report with the Section office and then the player later finds out he has been assessed penalty points -- SURPRISE!! If I am understanding this correctly, I'm thinking this is against the rules . . . or if not against the rules, it is against the spirit of the rules. If I am right, this is a Chicken S___ way of assesing penalty points! Can someone clarify?
SUSPENSION POINTS!!!!!!!
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