When I was the pastor of a large church we would frequently have big church suppers--and everyone kind of showed up expecting everything to be in order and in place for them to have a great time. No thought was given to who is planning everything, setting up chairs, scheduling the food, and planning for the clean-up. They just expect things to happen the right way...
And the same holds true for tennis fans, coaches, players, and officials other than the coordinator because it is the coordinator who does all the enlistment, scheduling, planning, and implementation of everything that goes into a great tennis match. Once the action starts and the players and coaches are in full swing, the coordinator still has much work to do. Here are some insights into what all a coordinator does...
* Enlist the right officials for the right match. Some matches are obviously much more intense than others and require a higher level of proficiency on the part of the officials. A wise coordinator knows his pool of officials well so he/she can make the right decisions. If at all possible, spend time with them on a social basis--its a great observation and learning location.
* Study the behavior of the officials both on and off the court. You have to know how they will react under pressure (like having a coach or player screaming at them) so do your homework and know them well. Ignorance is not bliss in this setting...
* Study the coaches and know them well. The ITA world is not a huge world so anyone with a lick of sense knows they need to know their coaches. Watch them under pressure so you are not taken by surprise in any situation.
* Study the players and know them very well. Most coordinators only have one or two schools so this is easy to do. In my case, I schedule officials for six universities so its a little more difficult. Watch them warm-up and watch them during team activities and meetings. It will tell you a great deal about how they will react on the court.
* Since most collegiate male players are Alpha males, you need to learn how to deal with that type of personality. There is much written on the subject so it might behoove you to read it.
* Communicate with the coaches. A coordinator who just rushes in and starts giving orders is doomed to failure. Most coaches are fine people and we can all learn from their wisdom and experience. Ask them before the match if they have a player who might need a more experienced chair official and it will pay dividends in the end.
Above all else--be supportive of your team. Remember--you hired them and they depend on you for your support. Coaches and players respect a coordinator who chooses and utilizes good officials and good officials will also respect a wise coordinator.
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