Tuesday, October 05, 2010

What List Are You On?

Sometimes I get a blog comment that is worth expanding upon--and that happened yesterday. Some of the following thoughts are mine and some are from this comment.

As coordinators in the tennis officiating world we all operate with different "lists". Here are just a few for your parousal:

ALWAYS USE LIST

* Always supportive, helpful, kind, and willing to do the job.
* Never cancels after committing to work.
* Doesn't run off to go call lines at some pro tournament in Possum Gulch, Michigan.
* Gets along well with other officials. Has good social skills.
* Is always punctual.
* Has a good working knowledge of the rules.
* Can handle different on-court situations well.
* Is always well dressed and properly groomed. Size doesn't matter but cleanliness does.

DO NOT USE LIST

* Cancels an assignment on someone without ample warning.
* Cancels matches to go do Big 12 matches.
* Don't play well with others and are constantly criticizing everything.
* Constantly calling to see when they will get paid. (The average pay time in ITA is 4 weeks.)
* Constantly shows up late for assignments.
* Complains when not given the #1 singles match.
* Breaks the pencil of other officials.
* Takes the sunglasses off of another official's face.
* Always giving unsolicited advice to other officials. If you aren't the referee then its probably best to keep your opinions to yourself.
* Always talks about doing lines at a pro tournament that noone has ever heard of.

DOUBLE RESTRICTED LIST

* Has a history of everything that would get them placed on the "do not use" list.
* Doesn't pay attention to their assignments and other officials have to take up the slack.
* Lies about reasons why they cancelled matches after previously committing.

BANNED FOR LIFE LIST

* Goes behind the referee's back to try and get the coach to let them be their coordinator.
* Goes behind the referee's back to get the coach to make him use him/her in all their matches.
* Lies consistently and continually.
* Files a grievance against a coordinator for not using them when they refused to do roving.
* Continually spreads untruths about other officials.

REMEMBER: A coordinator needs to have "lists" so they don't get put on the coach's "do not use list" themselves.

10 comments:

U Better Watch Out said...

Great post and well worth remembering for ALL officials.

Anonymous said...

I think you have hit the nail on the head. The lists are great.

The sad thing is that those folks who are on the Do Not Use, Double Restricted List, and Banned For Life List do not see themselves has having committed any of these sins; as a result, they think these 3 lists apply only to other folks.

So when you rarely/never use them, they think you (Randy) have the problem and it has little impact on their behavior.

Sad.

Anonymous said...

Randy - I like your lists. Made me think of quite a few folks who could be on one or more of your lists.

There is also another list that coordinators have. The list of officials they refuse to use because they work for certain coordinators at other schools. So petty.

Why can't we all just get along?

Wally said...

Speaking of excuses. Now this goes back aways, but I know an official whose grandmother 'has died' 3 times. This was an excuse, along with many others, that kept coming up whenever he wanted to go do something else. He doesn't do much in his home area anymore either.

RM said...

Wally,

I know that one well. His grandmother died once when he cancelled on me.

He no longer works for me...

RM said...

As far as I know, the coordinators in Texas all use about the same group of people. Travel distance would be the only real issue I know of since some areas don't pay mileage.

However, if someone is on another coordinator's "banned for life" list, there probably is a valid reason. I would hope that we would check with other coordinators before excluding someone. I do not use anyone that I do not know personally.

Larry said...

Well, what about those coordinators who use their position to secure assignments with other assignors/referees on a quid pro quo basis? This creates problems too. Let's get this on a list.

Anonymous said...

Mr McDonald,
In the interest of being PC, please refrain from using the term "S**t List" or any abbreviated reference to it in future communications. Instead, please use the term "Fecal Roster". That way, no one will become offended.
Thank you, and remember our motto, "To think PC is to be PC!".
Affectionately, but not in a physical manner,
The PC Police

Anonymous said...

I just have to throw out a possibility regarding the grandmother who died three times. I am not questing this situation because obviously you all figured out this official was making up an excuse.

But, keep in mind, with the rate of divorce and re-marriage these days, it is possible for someone to have biological grandparents as well as step-grandparents. . all of who could be very close to the person. So someone could experience the death of a grandmother 4 times.

Just a reminder . . . .

Anonymous said...

Maybe the dude lived in some place like Utah where some of the guys have multiple wives.