Thought I would put this on here for those of you who feel compelled to blame Bush for everything.
Seems that everywhere you go in the "tennis tournament world" you encounter out-of-control players and parents--and everyone is trying to figure out who to blame...Perhaps we should learn to move beyond the "blame game" and try to find ways to fix this fiasco.
Every official has encountered an irate mother who feels that her child is being cheated and ultimately deprived of their right to play pro tennis.
Every official has encountered an irate mother who feels that her child is being cheated and ultimately deprived of their right to play pro tennis.
Sadly, the situations many times evolve into physical violence. Usually the violence is between adults but if left unchecked, it will spill over into violence with kids and violence with officials. Let's see if we can begin to clarify the issue...
PROBLEMS WITH KIDS
* Develop and institute training materials and programs that help kids understand proper behavior. There actually are some kids out there who are totally out of control with their parents, other kids, and officials.
* Hold them accountable for their actions. If codes are given, then penalties need to be assessed at the state and national level--and they need to be penalties that have some teeth to them.
* Suspend them from tournaments if they are a persistent problem.
PROBLEMS WITH PARENTS
* Be sure they receive materials outlining their rights and responsibilities as parents.
* Encourage officials to report offending parents and then keep an up-to-date file on offending parents.
* Remember that a child's personal coach is also his "parent" and should be treated the same as a parent.
* Develop suspension points for the parents/coaches and be sure the penalties are severe and effective.
* Suspend them from tournaments if they are a persistent problem.
PROBLEMS WITH OFFICIALS
* Referees should only hire competent officials. Be sure you know their levels of experience and competency and assign them accordingly.
* If you encounter a problem official, be sure to notify the referee and the Texas Section.
* If you encounter an official who does not meet your expectations, do not automatically blame the referee. Remember that in Texas the average ratio is one official for 11 courts. Only Jesus in His omnipotence could see and hear everything on every court at the same time.
* Develop a "remedial training program" for consistently problematic officials. Trust me, these officials are well known and all too frequently live up to their reputation.
* If the training fails, quit hiring them and inflicting them on parents and players. Its no fun for anyone when an official interjects himself/herself into a match with disastrous consequences.
* Remember that just because an official doesn't do what you want that he/she is inept. Parents and kids might actually consider the thought that they may be wrong instead of the official.
Let's move beyond the blame game and get busy trying to make the tournament atmosphere something that everyone will enjoy...
13 comments:
We could reinstate the Oklahoma three stooges to show us the way
If the "problematic officials" are well known, how/why do they get hired?
I'm not real sure. Sometimes there just aren't enough good ones to go around and you have to hire someone that you know is going to cause you trouble.
Maybe there should be more emphasis on enlistment...
It's all about the MONEY!!! The tournament directors and the USTA want the entry fees. If you suspend the bad apples there is no MONEY coming in. The tournament directors squeeze the expenses so they can make more MONEY. They push the headaches and problems down to the referee and court officials. Not Their Problem.
It's like the Unions and Dues. It's all about the MONEY. Incompetent union workers don't matter, it's about the dues.
I blame George W. Bush.
First of all until the parents are educated in MANNERS this is never going to stop... BUT, there are rules in place by the USTA to help slow it down... you have to have the right people enforcing them.
Here is an idea... call out the bad Officials and MAYBE they will get the idea that their competency level is NOT GOOD ENOUGH... How about calling out the Referees that hire them... Let us ANON – commenters fill in whom we think are horrible at these two jobs… Remember this is just our opinions… maybe just first name and last name initial…
JUST STOP BLAMING THE Tournament Directors for trying to make a living... THEY DO NOT HIRE THE OFFICIALS your REFEREE'S do...
Randy - to say that there is a shortage of Officials is your SECTIONS FAULT for not setting out good guidelines for RECRUITING AND RETENSION...
It may be a good idea to have the Teaching Pros and the USTA Officials WORK TOGETHER in developing Officials... this will help BOTH organizations.
Stop being little girls and boys and grow up! If they are not good Officials - DON'T HIRE THEM!
I certainly don't disagree with your assessment that the Section isn't doing enough training. It all comes back to leadership...
****JUST STOP BLAMING THE Tournament Directors for trying to make a living... THEY DO NOT HIRE THE OFFICIALS your REFEREE'S do****
So you're saying the officials need to subsidize the Tournament Directors making a living?? What about the officials making a living? Or is it that the officials should just take it as a privilege to go out and work with the kiddies!
Yes, the Referee hires the officials but the TD sets the budget for the officials and that's what the Referee has to work with.
The TD could increase the court coverage by hiring more officials but that costs him more money; but it would also cut down on the on-court problems that migrate back to the tournament desk. So, in the big picture the TD sets his officials budget by just how much 'ass-chewing' he is willing to tolerate for his tournament.
If he wants less 'ass-chewing' then he will put more officials out there. Do the math at your next tournament and see what I mean. Maybe that's why some tournaments you can never find the TD, he's hiding out, not wanting his next 'ass-chewing'.
I really liked your blog! It helped me alot… Awesome. Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks!
Hey Wally,
Do you hire good Officials? Are you getting paid enough?
I am an Official (not making a living at it) and love helping out at the tournaments... But, I make Sub sandwiches for a living and bring them to our local club when the TD asks for lunches for the Officials and staff... I charge the tournament for the service... but, you've given me a great idea
If I understand you correctly - I too should ask for more money for my sandwiches since the TD is making a KILLING on these events. And it seems like I never have enough staff and most of them are new with no experience. And since he is not "allowing" you Refs to hire more Officials and ones that don't sleep while roving there should be a ton of money available
WOW! I love this redistribution of wealth - AMERICA is headed in the right direction...
My guess, if the TD thought I was making bad sandwiches or charging too much - he would go someplace else - IF HE COULD!!! Or maybe he would see the writing on the wall and spend a little more - UNTIL THE REF's GROW a PAIR - they will keep doing what they’re doing...
I do not blame them or fault them - ITS THE REFEREES JOB to stand up for the Officials - PERIOD!
Balls in your court - WALLY!
BACO
It's all Randy McDonalds fault. He is always scraping to find more innovative and creative ways to steal money from the tournament directors. It must be from his pastorial experience taking money from the collection plates all in the name of Jesus.
Guilty as charged.
I'm always trying to "steal money" from the tournament directors. Really?
And btw, you have no idea what I did when I was a pastor. I had no control over the offering plates but we sure built a lot of beautiful buildings and reached a whole lot of people for Jesus.
Guess that doesn't matter to you.
Gak!!
Has anyone here actually been a tournament director, or referee, or assignor for a real tournament,
or maybe many tournaments?
Lots of whining, little analysis or solution--must be obama acolytes, among the commentators.
Like mommy's milk, Money comes from nowhere, just another quantitative easing,
just pay me, say the officials,
nevermind you had no entries,
and feed me too, go in the hole
to do me me me.
Sound familar? It is what it is
affirmative action hires for all races, just wwjv, you know,
Working While JiVing. the where
nut of the future, ha.
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