Congratulations To State Qualifiers

Under the direction of coach Dan Holden, the Scots will be seeking their 13th team title.

Wichita Falls Rider, in their second trip to state, will be pursuing their first state team title in 4A under the direction of their coach, Scooter Gillen.

Coach Morgen Walker will be leading the Plano West team as they seek their fifth 5A state title.

McKinney Boyd is making their first ever state appearance in 5A under the leadership of their coach, Kristen Crawford.

Congratulations to all the state qualifiers from the north Texas regions.

Be Sure You Get Certified!

Now is the time of year when you need to tell the powers to be that you want to get certified for next year. Here is the process:

* Go to Nucula and sign in.

* Click on "My Account"

* Click on "My settings"

* Click on "Certs"

* Go to the bottom and click on "recertification request"

Be sure you do this or you won't be certified or re-certified.

A New Term: BIO-DIVERSITY

Perhaps "biodiversity" applies to our faithful diversity pooches...

It sure doesn't apply to the umpires in the World Series...

Any time you are working a tournament (or hosting a blogsite) you get a lot of interesting thoughts and comments... Today I got a great new word given to me--biodiversity! It seems that not a day goes by that we don't hear about "diversity" in our tennis world so can you just imagine the uproar that would be heard around the world if the US Open only had older, white men as officials.

We're not sure what "biodiversity" means but I'm sure it has some application to this email post that I received talking about the umpires at the World Series:

"At the beginning of the World Series broadcast on Fox 4 tonight, they introduced and showed pictures of the 6 officials. They were all older Caucasian males. Where is the diversity? A large percentage of the players fit one minority category or another, but not the officials. Is it possible that Major League baseball is primarily in performance, not skin color or ethnic background?"

Do You Think They Are Calling Lines Now?

Its out... because a liberated woman said it was.

I think it was out... First, let me take a poll to be sure.

I sure as heck know that it was out. Anyone want to argue with me?

What Is The Right Court Per Official Ratio?

Texas' statewide average is one official per 11 courts.

Of course, the ideal is one official per court but that only exists in collegiate, pro, and Dubai tennis.

One of the most frequently asked questions is how many courts should a roving official be expected to properly supervise--and boy, does the answer run the full spectrum of numbers. Some say it should be 1/4, some say 1/10, and some actually do tournaments where the ratio is 1/25. Truth is, in Texas the AVERAGE RATIO is one official for every 11 courts (according to a survey taken in 2010 of Texas referees and tournament directors.)

I think most every would agree that 1/25 is not feasible and 1/11 is probably pushing the limits quite a bit but where is the proper ratio. I would tend to think its between 1/6 and 1/4 for us to properly do our job and partially satisfy the tournament directors and the Junior Council. How well do I remember when the Junior Council representatives came into the Officials Committee meeting and told us that we weren't properly enforcing the rules--and they were considering putting a limit on how much we could charge... So folks, the issue is out there and it is a real and valid issue.

There are many realities that factor into this discussion--and here are a few random thoughts to consider:

* The tournament and TD must be able to make a decent profit. Noone is denying this but obscene profits when an official must officiate 1/12 courts isn't the answer.

* We must be willing to have an open and honest discussion at all levels about what constitutes an "obscene profit" and what is a "reasonable profit."

* Our leadership in Texas must find a way to lower the state-wide ratio of 1/11.

* Parents, coaches, and players all expect much more from an official at a tournament site--but are they willing to pay the financial price?

* Should court monitors be used to supplement the certified officials?

* Should there be a limit placed on the amount a tournament can charge for an entry fee?

* Are people in America ready to pay more in their entry fees to have a lower official/court ratio?

When there's a problem, we need to take the time to properly discuss the issue and then explore our options. I think that time has come...

(BE SURE TO TAKE THE TIME TO VOTE IN THE POLL ON THE UPPER RIGHT OF THIS BLOG)

The Joys & Lessons Of A Super Champ Major Zone Tournament

This past weekend I had the privilege of officiating at a Super Champ Major Zone tournament and worked the boys 12's site--and what an experience it was! Here are some of the lessons I learned and observations I made...

* These kids are better than I ever thought they could be at 10, 11, or 12 years old.

* They all have a protective Mother somewhere on the planet earth and she sees everything.

* The Dads come out in force but many are preoccupied with the I-Pads and I-phones.

* There are a lot of type A boys in this division.

* Not all of the boys behave well.

* Not all parents abide by the rules.

* Not all 12 year olds know the rules as well as they think. They do however know how to ask for a linesperson when they think they have been wronged.

* Some parents are great and resent the bad ones.

* The boys love to sit around and compare their achievements. Woe to the one who doesn't win much.

* Its always good to have a great site director. Especially one who knows how to find and order the best pizza in south Dallas.

* Some parents can't tell time--and its their job to do so since the boys can't drive yet.

* Some parents think the rules weren't made for them.

* Some parents love to coach even though they know its wrong. Just think about what they are teaching their kids when they do this.

* Discipline is the responsibility of the parents and not the officials.

* I can't wait to see some of these guys play in college. They are going to be great!

* Its fun to watch them win, lose, and play the game--even though some cry when they start losing.

* Its just a good thing there is an official at every site or no telling what would happen. (Even though I had 12 courts to supervise at the same time...)

* We need to pray daily for all referees in America...

Overall, it was a great experience!