Attila The Hun (Or Hunette) Gets Officials A Bad Rap

An official to the rescue...

Sometimes on my days off I enjoy visiting tournament sites as a spectator and just observing fellow officials in action.  There are days when I introduce myself and then days when I just observe from a distance to see how we are doing as officials.

Lately I have observed some officials from a distance and a lot of what I've seen concerns me greatly. I'm afraid that much of the criticism we receive might be well deserved.  Let me illustrate it with the example of "Attila The Hunette" who was seen recently in a Texas USTA tournament...

Attila showed up late at her site but was attired in a crisp, freshly ironed and starched outfit, hair meticulously in place, and topped off with a new officials cap.  Upon entering the site, she immediately took charge of the tournament desk and all surrounding areas and began barking orders to players, fellow officials, spectators, and parents alike.  You might say she was an "equal opportunity offender" because in a few short minutes she either offended everyone in sight or berated them into submission.  Don't get me wrong--I've seen a lot of overly aggressive officials in my time but AH took the cake!  She was truly deserving of her moniker...

After reflecting upon my encounter with AH, I thought it might be good to offer these simple observations and hope it might help diffuse some problems in the future:

*  Remember that players and parents are human beings and deserved to be treated with common respect and dignity.  I wouldn't want to be the parent of some of the kids I've seen but that is their lot in life and they are trying to make the best of it.

*  Keep in mind that part of your job is to ensure that players, parents, and spectators have a good experience at their tournament site.  You are the only person entrusted with that responsibility so do your best to make the day a good one.

*  As an official you should be mature enough to know your personal strengths and weaknesses so pay attention to what you are doing and how you are coming across to others.  There is no excuse for being rude or condescending to anyone for any reason.

*  Remember that the vast majority of officials are Type A personalities and keep that in mind when you get to your site.  An A personality wants to take charge and be in control but that's not always the best course of action. Sometimes (usually) things don't go as we planned so always be prepared with Plan B.

*  Perhaps a course in "How To Win Friends And Influence People" would go a long way for all officials.  People will automatically respect your authority so we need to deserve and honor their respect.

*  Take time out of your busy life to study the mechanics of leading people, dealing with disrespectful people, dealing with conflict, and graciously leading others.  We can all benefit from bettering ourselves.

*  Remember that you aren't on a mission to subjugate the entire tennis world in one day.  If you are aggressive, demanding, and overbearing then people will react to you in like manner.  If you are calm and confident of your position and authority, people will usually support you and follow your leadership.

*  Just relax and enjoy your life as a tennis official.  Its the best sport in the world so do your best to make your's and others' experiences something to remember and not something they want to forget.