In our unique tennis officiating world we have the privilege of meeting new players, parents, and coaches every week--and that's what makes it good! The vast majority of all people who are associated with tennis are good and honorable people. The sad thing is that we let the small minority dictate the views and actions of our "tennis society."
Its always amusing to hear officials interpret the rules... Here are some of the good ones:
* I don't call footfaults on a player if they aren't going to the net.
* That player didn't really mean to spit on the other player. It accidentally flew out of their mouth when they were swearing.
* Most of their foot wasn't on the line so I didn't want to upset them by calling a footfault.
* I didn't code him for throwing his racket because I didn't want to stifle his creative urges.
* Jesus didn't really mean that we were to tell the truth all the time. He meant that we should only tell the truth when its convenient or meets our desired end.
* I didn't see it--when they are looking right at the player when they commit an infraction. Selective hearing and vision are only options for those in a nursing home or a bad marriage.
* When the rules say that a school must provide a minimum of two USTA certified officials per match that means that the other four don't have to be certified. I guess we can go to the Walmart parking lot to get the others.
* The rules don't really mean what they say when it says there are no bathroom breaks in men's Division I tennis. A reputable and very successful Division I coach recently asked me, "why don't they just enforce the rules?" I tend to agree.
* The USTA mandate that all officials pass a criminal background check didn't mean that everyone really had to do it. There is no room for leeway on this interpretation--they said exactly what they meant and now they should enforce it!
* I really meant to take the ITA test when I went to school but I needed to go shopping for a new stopwatch. Surely you can cut me a little slack and just say that I attended the school since I went to the first part of the school.
* The rules don't actually apply at my school. This is my favorite!
3 comments:
Maybe because some rules don't make sense. Like the emergency bathroom break at an unauthorized time, taken as a MTO, but doesn't count as a MTO? Fortnately, most players and coaches don't read the rules and so far I don't believe it has been an issue, but it could become one.
The rules are the rules and should be inforced.
lol! most coaches don't read the rules or regs. It amazes me that they don't; if I was making my living off a sport I'd be sure to know the governing regulations and rules, not just leave it up to someone else (however, well they sell their knowledge of said rules and regs)
I don't understand one thing about this blog post, why was it necessary to invoke Jesus in the discussion?
Because I was a pastor for 44 years and its hard to write a lot without including Him from time to time.
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