University of Arkansas shocks the collegiate tennis world...

 In one fell swoop, the University of Arkansas sent shock waves through the collegiate sports world when they announced they would be cutting both their men's and women's tennis programs after this year.  This bold action certainly ignited the fires of debate, criticism, speculation, and deluded arguments throughout the collegiate and sports world.  

I would never presume to offer an opinion about how to fix this problem but I would suggest some things for us to consider:

*  It is estimated that Arkansas has NIL payroll totaling $26.2 million (22nd highest in nation). Sad to see them cut two sports teams with a combined budget of less than 10% of that. Perhaps at least some of the blame might lie at the feet of those who distribute NIL money in our universities.

* What does it mean for the future of the tennis programs in schools that have just a fraction of the financial resources that the University of Arkaansas has at their disposal?

* Is collegiate tennis a dying sport and this is just hastening its demise?

I've heard a plethora of speculations about this entire issue--including one where someone said that what we charge as tennis officials has caused this problem. I will respondo to that and say simply, "You've got to be kidding if you actually believe that." I know of numerous tennis programs that spend literally thousands of dollars taking their players on pleasure trips all over the country--and it goes from Division I to Division III so please don't try to put the blame this fiasco on officials...

My tendency is to think that most of the blame for this fiasco lies at the feet of the NIL money that has permeated all levels of collegiate sports. Perhaps there should be more oversight and accounting in an unregulated sea of cash...

We would welcome  your thoughts and comments on this issue...

Things Not To Say To Your Collegiate Coordinator

 

When an official starts their career in collegiate tennis officiating they will undoubtedly meet with a coordinator to hopefully be scheduled to work their matches.  This can be an intimidating and daunting experience but here are some things NEVER TO SAY when you are being interviewed by your coordinator:

*  "How much do I get paid?"  Don't ever let this be the first thing out of your mouth or you can be sure you won't be working at that university.  

*  "When do I get paid?"   This is one of the great variables in collegiate tennis.   It can range from 2 days to 14 months so don't hyperventilate over this issue. 

*  "Do I have to do doubles as well as singles matches?"  This is so stupid it doesn't deserve a response.

*  "I come from a total USTA background and I'm widely considered to be one of the best in America."    First of all, if you say that, you're done and second, I don't know of a poll where they select the best ones in America.  

*  "At USTA events all the parents come to me and tell me I am the best official they have ever seen!"  Please spare me that kind of ego...

*  "I expect to get mileage for every match I do and if its over 40 miles from my house I will need a hotel the night before."   Ain't gonna happen and you need to adjust your priorities...

*  "I expect to always do line 1 or 2 singles and I never do doubles."   Probably best to find another career because you ain't gonna make it in this one...

*  "I'm not intimidated by anyone and I excel in areas of stress management."   Obviously your ego is inflated and you have never encounted an irate collegiate coach.  

Does A Screaming Coach Really Matter?

 

As officials we often see players, coaches, spectators, and other officials at their very best--and their very worst.  Today I want us to consider coaches and how they treat their players and leave the other areas for a discussion at another time.  

As an official we are tasked with maintaining order on a court during a match but we also see (and hear) coaches as they interact with their players--and sometimes this behavior is questionable at best and appalling at worst.  Its always a joy to work with a coach and players where the coach maintains the personal integrity that is required of their position and treats their players with the respect and dignity that they deserve.   As a parent, I also respect the fact that parents have given that coach the authority over their son or daughter--and expect him to honor that privilege...

As officials, there is very little we can do about abusive and unethical behavior by a coach in their interaction with a player--but it happens more times than we would like to admit...  Just this week I listened as a coach berated his entire time with vulgar, crude, unethical, and evil words that should never be uttered to another human being.   If I had been the parent of one of these players I guarantee you that he would never play another point for that coach.

So, what do we do?   First, if it is illegal and violates a rule, then we code it.   If not, there's not much we can do except maintain a higher standard of ethics when we are around that coach and second, pray that the Lord protects those kids from his abusive behavior.  This is serious business when we are dealing with the lives and upbringing of young people so let's all do our best to see that we give our kids the very best...

There's an old saying that says "the proof is in the pudding" and that is absolutely true with coaches.  The quality of their ethics and program will always manifest itself in the way they conduct themselves with others and in the play and lives of their players.  

Let's hold to a higher standard and trust the Lord for the results...

UIL Officials Needed For This Spring Season

 

We are in dire need of UIL (University Interscholastic League) officials to work this spring tennis season.  Basically these are all the high school tennis tournaments around the state--and there are a lot of them!

You may be asking what is required to be a UIL official...   All that is required is that you are a USTA certified official and that is a very doable certification.   You can check out the requirements for USTA certification on the right hand side of this page.  

Once a person is USTA certified they can begin to work UIL events.    There is no specific requirement for being UIL certified other than your USTA certification.   If you are interested in working these spring tournaments all you need to do is contact me and we can get you started...

The spring season basically consists of the high schools' district tournaments which are held over a two day period and are like all other tennis tournaments.   The pay is exceptionally good and here it is:

Pay Scale:  $34/hour with an 8 hour minimum pay each day plus meals and mileage if the tournament is outside the Metroplex.  

My contact information is listed above so if you are interested in working this spring, contact me as soon as possible and we can get you going...

A special sidelight is that if you do UIL and like it and want to progress to ITA officiating it is an easy transition and we can help with you the requirements and the training!

NIL Money: What Think Ye?

 

NIL money is the latest thing in collegiate sports--and especially in tennis.   Let us hear what your thoughts might be on this controversial subject...   Just click the link below and leave your comment.

Calling all interested parties... We have a place for you!

 

If you are interested in becoming a UIL tennis official or an ITA official, you have come to the right place!  We are in desperate need of more officials in these two areas and joining up is fun and fairly simple.   

 If you are on this site and are a prospective tennis official, the steps are very simple.   Simply go to the right hand side of this page and click on the sites that deal with becoming an official.   There is information about how to become a USTA official and also an ITA official.  

One of the biggest areas of officiating these days is UIL (high school) tennis officiating.   Its very similiar to ITA but way more fun...   Plus, it pays extremely well.   If you are interested in this, you must become a USTA official but that is the only requirement.  In the spring, we staff over 50 tournaments and in the fall we staff over 150 dual matches so you can see there are opportunities for everyone...

The only requirement to work UIL events is that you are USTA certified.  The requirements for ITA are that you are USTA certified and then pass the exams for an ITA official.   There are literally hundreds of ITA dual matches in the Metroplex that need officials so come on our and join us!

If all this doesn't make sense, just give me a call at 214 796 7402 and I'll walk you through it.   We would love to have you on our officiating team and in our officiating family...

We're open to your suggestions...

 As our blog moves closer and closer to one million views, we are always open to suggestions about how to make it better and better...  

If you look to the right you will see a section entitled "Officials Information Sites".   I've tried to include everything that I think would be beneficial to an official but if you can think of anything else, send in a comment...

We're currently working on setting up a training class at one of the universities in east Texas to enlist and train UIL and ITA tennis officials.   It looks like its going to happen so we'll update you on all the details as they are finalized.

Answering our call to be "officials of integrity."

 

As tennis officials at every level of officiating there is one thing that is true and constant--we are called to be men and women of integrity.   That means we do that which is right no matter what the circumstances and no matter who is watching or not watching...

We work in an environment where we see spectators, players, and coaches at some of their most stressful moments in life.  We watch them during moments of elation and moments of defeat and frustration but through it all, we are still called to be men and women of integrity...

As officials, we quickly learn which players and which coaches are people of integrity.  Sadly, we often see cheaters, liars, manipulators, and deceivers on full display--but even with that, we are still called to be men and women of integrity...  

Integrity doesn't come about by simply learning the rules of tennis.  It comes about by having a strong personal ethic and holding true to it no matter the circumstances.  It may  not always be popular but in the end, it will garner respect from your peers and those you work with.  

Since I schedule over 300 matches a year, I am constantly looking for opportunities to enlist new officials--and especially new officials with integrity who will be an asset to our calling.   When interviewing a prospective official, I always take them out to eat in either a one-on-one setting or with another experienced official.  Most of that first meal is not spent in talking tennis--its spent in talking about them and their lives and families and jobs outside of tennis.  Just listening to them share will tell you a lot about how they will be as an official.  A key point to always observe is how they treat the person who is waiting on your table--its a fantastic gauge of their possibilities as a new official...

In our world today, there is an obvious lack of integrity--but its also a fantastic opportunity for men and women of integrity to stand and be counted.   Will you be one of those???

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

 Well, its the end of the year and hopefully everyone is having a wonderful Christmas season and are all prepared for Christmas Day!  We have much to be thankful for in 2025, and anticipate even greater things in the new year.  

Merry Christmas to all...  Stay tuned toward the end of the year as we share our "New Year's Resolutions for 2026."

What Do You Do With an Irate Parent or Spectator

 

After personally witnessing numerous parents violating all kinds of rules in a USTA championship tournament, I think we can all agree that its high time that something is done to deal with this issue.  Parents are regularly seen coaching their children, questioning their opponents verbally and physically, and often times verbally confronting officials during and after a match--that's why steps need to be taken to remedy the problem...

Perhaps the area of the most flagrant violations are found in USTA events.  Mere lip service is usually given to the offenders by the USTA and in order for the problem to be resolved, there needs to be quick punitive actions taken against the offenders.   A casual letter it simply not enough--make the penalties strong and firm and then make sure they are enforced.  

The UIL tennis arena does a far better job in controlling cheating and abusive parents and spectators.  When a parent or spectator is being abusive, the official first warns the offender and notifies the coach of the associated team.  If they offend a second time, they are removed from the facility.   If the problem persists, the UIL is quick to remedy the problem--thank goodness!

We would welcome your suggestions on how to deal with this problem.  Check the comments tab below and let us hear from you...

2026 Collegiate Tennis Openings Now Available

 

If you are an ITA certified tennis official and are looking to work some great matches this coming spring season, email or call me as soon as possible.   I have numerous good openings and we sure need your help!  

My cell is 214 796 7402 and my email is officiatingcrew@gmail.com

Hope to hear from you real soon...

A Disturbing Trend in Junior Tennis: Cheating Players & Parents

 

For the past two years I have personally gone out to the "Slams" junior championships in Plano, Texas to enjoy some junior tennis--and also to observe some of our Texas chair officials in action--but I certainly wasn't prepared for what I found...  Both years I witnessed more cheating by  players and parents than I ever could have imagined.  On nearly every court, I would see players consistently call close balls out and then get indignant when they were questioned.  On matches without a chair official the problem was even worse...

To further deepen the crisis was the behavior of parents.  I would watch parents (both Moms and Dads alike) consistently make verbal calls for their children, have "secret" hand signals, and just outright coach their child with no inibitions whatsoever.  One year I even talked to one of the head officials and he told me they had 20 "sportsmanship awards" to give out and they couldn't even find one player they thought was deserving...  

Even more disturbing than the cheating and coaching was the tendency of players to openly accuse their opponents of cheating and to create a confrontational scene on courts all over the tennis center.  The players were quick to run and get an official to come to their court "because they were being cheated" and then verbally attack their opponents without inhibitions.  I watched an official overseeing 4 courts finally just give up in frustration because players were complaining on every court...

In today's blog post I won't even begin to share thoughts about how we can fix this problem.  I think everyone involved in tennis can recognize the issue and now we'd love to hear your thoughts on how to remedy the issue.   Let us hear from you in the comments...

What Would You Like for Christmas?

 

As we come to the end of 2025, and look forward to the new year, we want to make our blog as user-friendly and user-oriented as possible.  We would welcome your suggestions about what you would like to see discussed on the blog so go on down to "comments" and share your ideas with us...

Here are some future ideas that will be coming in the new year:

*  "How Would You Rule?"  A great post that deals with difficult questions about officiating.

*  "What To Do When You Get An Inept Official".  Might be useful in the days to come...

*  "How To Improve on the Certification Process"   Always one of the favorites.  

*  "Do We Really Need to be So Closely Aligned With The USTA?"   Food for thought...

*  "How Can We Improve our Training Process For New Officials"  Help us out with this one...

*  "Do You Think ITA Officials Are Paid Too Much or Too Little?"  Let it rip on this one...

What A Great Day! Over 870,000 page views of the blog.

 We just passed a great day in the "blog world" when we surpassed 870,000 page views of the blog since its inception.   Just a personal thank you to all of our readers and we hope you find the blog entertaining, informative, instructional, and just a whole lot of fun!

We just recently re-activated the blog and hope you like the new look.   We deleted any ads so noone can say we do this for profit.  We do it simply to provide a forum for our readers to share their thoughts and ideas on all things "officiating".   That means we welcome your thoughts and ideas in our "comments" section of the blog.  You can just click on "comments" and then share your thoughts with us...

There are some basic guidelines in the collegiate officiating world to remember.  We always need to keep the discussions civil and cannot specifically criticize or malign a specific university and/or coach.  And of course, we can never openly criticize another official.  

We would welcome your thoughts about future posts.   Just click on the "comments" tab below and share with us...

How do you deal with an irate coach?

 

As tennis officials we often deal with coaches at some of the most stressful moments in their lives--and we need to learn how to deal with that situation in the right manner.   Many times we have seen officials clam-up in fear, launch out into their own tirades--and thankfully, we have seen many officials deal with the situation in the right manner.  Here are some simple guidelines on how to deal with an irate coach:

*  Keep a calm voice and spirit. 

*  Listen to what the coach is saying--up to a point.   Many times they just want to be heard but make sure they understand the limits on their voicing their frustrations.  

*  Listen to the player if they have something to contribute to the situation but keep them within the guidelines for this interaction. 

*  After listening to the coach and/or player, share your viewpoint and ruling in the matter but be sure to do it in a calm and level tone.  

*  Never verbally attack or ridicule a coach or player.  

*  Be sure to keep your stopwatch handy and visible so that everyone knows there is a time limit on the conversation.

*  When all is said and done, resume play...

Note:  we would be interesting in hearing your opinions and insights into this issue.   We would welcome your sharing your comments with us by clicking on the "comments" tab below.

How do you determine if a new official will be a good official?

 After being a coordinator and a collegiate, pro, and UIL official for over 30 years, this is the one question that always comes to mind when I meet or interview a prospective new official...

The first step is to ALWAYS TAKE THEM OUT TO EAT!   You can learn more about a person from sharing a meal together than any other way.   They are more relaxed and more "unprogrammed" to say the correct answers to everything and its the best place to evaluate their personal skills.   Let them share about their lives, families, jobs, and goals in life and pay less attention to whether they can answer some question about a vague tennis rule.   Watch how they interact with the people at the table--and most of all, watch how they treat and inteact with their waitperson.   It speaks volumes about their personal skills and character...

Nothing is more important to a good official than having GOOD PERSONAL SKILLS.  Ask whatever questions you want/need to but most of all, just watch and see.  An official needs to know how to handle stress, deal with irate parents, players, and coaches, and how to make wise decisions when called upon.  If they have an inflated ego, they probably won't be a good official.  If they are too quiet, they probably won't make it.  Just watch and see--that will tell you most of what you need to know...

2026 ITA Officials Assignor List

 If you are interested in working ITA events and matches or would just like a contact person in your area, here are the coordinators in the Texas/Oklahoma/Louisiana area.   Contact information can be found in Zebraweb.

ITA COORDINATORS

Name                                                            Universities

Anh-Thu Armstrong                                        Tulane, La. Tech, La-Lafayette women

Randy Bailey                                                   Rice, Houston, Prairie View

Mike Baird                                                       A&M Corpus, SFA, McNeese, A&M Kingsville

Trevor Edgemon                                              Texas Tech

Kevin Gannon                                                  ORU, Tulsa

Terry Gatzki                                                     Midwestern

Myron Krueger                                                TCU

Sara Lammerts                                                Texas A&M Women

Randy McDonald                                            SMU, UTA, UNT, LCU, UTTyler, LeTourneau, Tarleton

                                                                         ETBU, TJC, Univ. of Dallas, UTD

Ty McDonald                                                   Baylor

Rick Moench                                                   Texas State, St. Mary’s

Allen Prachyl                                                   ACU, Hardin-Simmons Univ., McMurry

Bert Rainwater                                                UTPB, Sul Ross

Dean Richardville                                            Big 12, OU, OSU

John Rodrigue                                                 Sam Houston women, Lamar

Reliford Sanders                                              ACC

Don Vanramhorst                                            UTRGV

Jennifer Williamson                                        Texas A&M Men

Vicki Wright                                                    University of Texas

(For contact information the coordinators and their information is listed in ZebraWeb.)

Do you feel like you are struggling up a mountain when it comes to understanding the certification process in the USTA?

 If you are currently certified as a USTA official then you have either gone through or will go through the certification process in the coming year.   I can tell you without reservation that this has been the most frustrating and infuriating process I have ever endured in my entire life...  

You never know for sure if you are actually certified or which videos you have or haven't watched and if you have done everything that is required of a supernatural human.  

So, what do we do?   I thought this would be a good place to share your thoughts on the subject.  Feel free to comment and we will go from there...

2026 John Boyd ITA Chair Academy Information

 The plans for the 2026 John Boyd Chair Academy have been announced.  If you are interested in attending, contact your local ITA coordinator or Randy McDonald at officiatingcrew@gmail.com

   2026 JOHN BOYD Intercollegiate Chair Academy

                                                                      

 Date:  May 10-12, 2026                                              Location:  Plano, Texas.                      

Tournament:  Men’s National Junior College Tournament at Collin College in Plano, Texas.                    

Tournament Referee:  Randy McDonald

Academy requirement:  In order to participate in the Academy, a participant must be USTA and ITA certified. 

CHAIR ACADEMY SCHEDULE:

            Sunday, May  10th      6:00 p.m.  Academy meeting at Collin College courts.             

            Monday, May 11th     7:00 a.m.  Report time at tournament site.

                                               7:30 p.m.  OFFICIALS SUPPER (Dutch Treat)

            Tuesday, May 12th     7:30 a.m.  Report time at tournament site.

FORMAT:  All participants will have a group teaching time on May 10th and then do “on court” training in tournament matches with an instructor on court on Monday and Tuesday.  Personalized instruction and evaluations will be provided after each match.

COVERED EXPENSES: 

• Noon meal each day.  Monday night supper is Dutch-treat.
• Housing is your responsibility.  A special hotel will host Chair Academy participants and you will be given the tournament rate.

Tennis Attire Requirements:  All officials must wear KHAKI shorts/pants and a navy blue ITA shirt.   You may wear your ITA cap if you have one but other than that, all caps must be worn without a logo.   ITA gear can be worn at any time during the tournament.  If you do not have a navy blue ITA shirt then any navy blue shirt will suffice.

CONTACT PERSON:      Randy McDonald   214 796 7402   officiatingcrew@gmail.com

                                       

If you are a prospective tennis official and don't know what to do--here it is!

 If you are on this site and are a prospective tennis official, the steps are very simple.   Simply go to the right hand side of this page and click on the sites that deal with becoming an official.   There is information about how to become a USTA official and also an ITA official.  

One of the biggest areas of officiating these days is UIL (high school) tennis officiating.   Its very similiar to ITA but way more fun...   Plus, it pays extremely well.   If you are interested in this, you must become a USTA official but that is the only requirement.  

If all this doesn't make sense, just give me a call at 214 796 7402 and I'll walk you through it.   We would love to have you on our officiating team and in our officiating family...

"To Be or Not To Be". That is the question...

 I have an overriding tendency to recruit tennis officials wherever I go--and it causes my son and daughter great embarrassment but it also gets us some much-needed new officials...

In case everyone hasn't noticed we are experiencing a severe shortage of new officials and we all need to pitch in and do our best to find some new ones.   

Here are some guidelines that might help:

*   If they are tennis players, they are prime prospects so don't be afraid to go after them.

*   If they are over 20 and under 90, they are prospects.   We can get a razor for the young ones and glasses for the old ones.

*   Don't be shy.  They need to hear about these great officiating opportunities. 

*   Give them the link to the blog and they can navigate their way to becoming an official fairly quickly.

*   If all else fails, give me their cell number and give them mine, and I'll do the recruiting for you!

We have the Chair Academy coming in May but we can't wait until then to get some new officials and get them trained.  I have some great training opportunities beginning in January so let's get to work finding our new friends...

New officials needed!

 There has probably never been a time where we needed new officials like we do these days.    With the advent of the Big 12, ACC, and SEC coming through the Metroplex we are recruiting new officials everywhere we go...

In order to help in the enlistment process, just tell them to come here and then go over on the right side of the page and click on sites that tell you how to enlist.   It will save you time and they explain it quite well.

Currently there is no active training program in the state of Texas but help is coming.   We will be hosting the 2026 John Boyd Chair Academy in May in conjunction with the Men's National Junior College Tournament and hopefully we will have a great group of trainees.

Hope this helps.   Let me know if there is anything else we can do to get more new officials...