As officials we have a responsibility to those who hire us to know the rules, do our job efficiently, and to look good while we do it. In the past few years I have seen officials on court in white ski jackets with their USTA shirt hanging down to their knees, guys who are unshaven and smell bad, and officials wearing hats/caps that are worn out and have no relevance to tennis--so its time we took stock and upgraded our images.
Remember--nothing promotes insecurity in parents, players, and other officials like a sloppy appearance!
Here are some helpful hints:
1. Always wear the appropriate officials wear--and be sure you are clean. A clean shirt over a dirty body accomplishes little during the heat of the summer.
2. Guys be sure you are clean shaven or properly trimmed up. Going to do a tournament with a 3 days growth of beard makes you look totally inept.
3. Ladies, please look good while you are officiating. My grandmother used to say, "if a barn needs painting, paint it." Enough said...
4. Be sure that you buy the right sizes in your shirts and shorts. I think you all know what I mean on this point. Bulges in inappropriate locations are not becoming... Also remember that short shorts on men OR women don't look too good!
5. Make sure your straw hat is new or in good condition. I saw one last weekend that looked like it just came out from under the lawnmower!
6. Always be polite. A soft answer has a way of disarming an irate person. You can be firm and polite too.
7. Be sure to wear the right apparel for your duties. Since in Texas we have USTA, ITA, and Big 12 apparel that should give you a lot of latitude. You can even wear different colored shoes in Texas so that should be a plus!
8. When you finish your meal, be sure to throw away your trash. You would think this wouldn't have to be mentioned but it does.
9. Always be gracious to your host. You'd be surprised at how this will go a long way in seeing that you get invited back.
10. Be nice to everyone around you--and that includes parents, players, spectators, and other officials.
5 comments:
And for a certain ITA Coordinator....I know it gets hot and we all get sweaty, but pulling your shirt tail up to wipe your brow and thereby exposing your beer gut for all the world to see, just ain't professional.
Randy -
You have done an excellent job of outlining some basic expectations for attire and appearance for officials. The problem is that those who really need this information don't see themselves in this list.
1. Referees need to give them feedback.
2. If they don't respond, quit hiring them.
Can we talk for a minute about how to discharge our duties here? At a tournament this weekend, both officials "roved" by sitting on the stands on one end and watched the 6 matches going on across the row.
These same officials also instructed the site director to only put matches on courts in the row they were watching. I guess they didn't want to have to actually get up and walk around...
RE: 5:29pm
I'm guessing there is another chapter to this story. And we must consider the heat this time of year. Officials standing in a heat index of 105* can dehydrate quickly. I see nothing wrong with sitting from time to time in a spot where the courts can still be seen and heard. (And we are easily located by all players if needed.) Sitting all day is not acceptable. But neither is an expectation of standing/walking/roving excessively for what we get paid!
I'll agree. Our image does need some polish once in a while. We should look and dress like professional's. Shirt tucked in, pants ironed. When doing a chair, we should set erect, not slumped over, legs crossed, or setting on one leg. We should always look at the losing player to see if they are going to question a call, not stick up a finger indicating the ball is out. When it's hot, carry an umbrella. There's nothing that says you can't stand in the shade. If you can see the courts and players, it's no harm setting once in a while after a long tiring day. Keep up the great work Randy.
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