Chair Training Begins In August

Chair training will be made available for all interested officials beginning on August 23rd.  The training classes will be held at Highland Park High School during their dual matches and then at UNT during their November tournament.  If you are interested, or know someone who might be, here is the pertinent information:

*  Must be a certified USTA official.  ITA certification is not required but would be helpful.

*  Must be over 18 years of age.

*  Must have a red UIL shirt (available at the training site in cotton shirts or can be ordered in dryfit)

*  Trainees will not be paid for the training period.  This is only to gain invaluable experience and training.

*  Trainees will be highly considered for spring ITA work and the 2014 Texas Section Chair Academy.

*  Trainee can sign up for as many matches as they would like to do.

*  During an average dual match the trainee will get to do 2-3 chairs.

*  Experienced instructors will be on site for all matches.

*  All training is chair training.

TRAINING DATES

August 23     All day         Highland Park HS

August 24     All day         Highland Park HS

Sept. 3         4:00 p.m.     Highland Park HS

Sept. 10      4:00 p.m.      Highland Park HS

Sept. 24      4:00 p.m.      Highland Park HS

Sept. 27      4:00 p.m.      Highland Park HS

Oct. 4         4:00 p.m.      Highland Park HS

Oct. 16       9:00 a.m.       Highland Park HS

Oct. 18       4:00 p.m.      Highland Park HS

Nov. 1        all day            UNT

Nov. 2        all day            UNT

If you are interested, please contact Randy McDonald at 214 796 7402 or rmtennis@yahoo.com

Big 12 Clothing & Equipment Now Available

Featured below are the new Big 12 items for 2013-2014.

Big 12 Travel Bag (Available in red, black, and gray)

(20x15x11)

Big 12 shirt (steel gray)

Big 12 women's shirt

Big 12 women's shirt closeup

Big 12 Jacket

Big 12 Fleece Jacket

Should Enunciation Classes Be Required In Officials Training?

Imagine announcing some of the names at today's tournaments--but getting the score right is a different story!

After listening to some of the atrocious enunciations and pronunciations at Wimbledon, and realizing that its an even greater problem in the US and the ITA world, perhaps its time to make an enunciation class a requirement for all officials.

Nothing was scarier than watching a Wimbledon match and hearing the chair official say "love fif-tin."  Where in the world do they get guys like that and whoever teaches them to talk like that?  Imagine asking a high school student his age and hearing him say, "I'm fif-tin."

Then we can come back home to Texas and Oklahoma and Arkansas and hear all kinds of unique dialects.  Somewhere we need to reaffirm that you are to speak in a clear and conscise manner and not try out for "Super Bowl Broadcaster of the Year" or drama king/queen of America.  Just say the score so it can be understood and move on...

I do admit that even though it sends chills up my spine to hear some of that, some of the introductions in the ITA world are "unique" to say the least.  We had an official in Oklahoma that could do a match introduction that could not be matched anywhere on earth.  Of course it caused the Big 12 coordinator to have regular heart attacks but it was great fun for us and the players and the spectators.

After all--its just a tennis match at the local and ITA level.  We can surely expect more at a Grand Slam tournament.

Remembering An Old Soldier--Bernie West.

There is much sadness and loss in our officiating world today over the passing of one of our most faithful--Bernie West of Waco, Texas.  Bernie has served faithfully over the years at every level of tennis officiating and was loved and appreciated by many.

I still remember the first time I met Bernie 17 years ago--and what a memorable experience it was!  One could never be around Bernie and not hear war stories (real ones from his day as a soldier and not officiating stories) and all of his varied views about God, heaven, and officiating.  Just by hearing about his life made us feel privileged to have known a man who served his country so faithfully and courageously.

Bernie was a man of many words and much love.  Nothing could brighten his eyes like having someone ask about his grandchildren...  That's the mark of a real man in my book.

Many of us are ever so thankful for the privilege of working alongside Bernie.  His place will always be there--right beside us.

SERVICES FOR BERNIE WEST

Bernie's services will be held on Wednesday, July 10th at 12:00 noon at the St. Louis Catholic Church in Waco, Texas.

Bartoli Wins Wimbledon--And What A Payday!

MARION BARTOLI

2013 Wimbledon Women's Singles Champion

Marion Bartoli crushed Sabine Lisicki in today's Wimbledon women's singles final by the score of 6-1, 6-4. What a privilege to see a new champion crowned and to watch women's tennis at its finest!

Here is a breakdown of today's match that you might find interesting:

Winner:         $2,437,600
Loser:           $1,218,800

TOTAL PURSE:  $3,656,400

Length of match time:  81 minutes

Pay per minute:  $45,140.74

Not bad for 81 minutes of work...

Djokovic Into The Finals--Again...

I realize I'm running a risk by saying this but after yesterday, today's semi-final was awesome!

Djokovic beat Juan Martin del Potro in a five set epic thriller (7-5, 4-6, 7-6, 6-7, 6-3).  Wonder what Murray has in store for us this afternoon.

And To Think They Want (And Expect) Equal Prize Money

Just finished watching Serena lose a match she should have won handily--and then a commercial came on where Venus Williams has the audacity to talk about equal prize money for the women.  If it wasn't so sad it would be laughable...

Just take a look at the women's draw and there is nothing there.  All the good players are gone and now we will be subjected to a week of watching mediocre players competing for the grandest prize in tennis.

I guess the old saying is true that "even a blind pig finds an acorn once in a while."  Too bad we have to sit and watch it happen.