Sunday, December 29, 2013

2014 Tournament Schedule Just Arrived--Now What Do I Do With It?

One of the most frequently asked questions by new officials is, "How do I get to work?"  Seems that is an age old question and not one that is easily answered; however, the new 2014 TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE might become a helpful tool for new officials.

Here are some guidelines you might consider when looking for new places to work in 2014:

*   Study the booklet and become well acquainted with the terminology and listings of various tournaments.

*   Determine the tournaments for which you are available and would like to work.

*   Find out the name and email address of the referee for those tournaments.

*   DO NOT call the referee to tell them you are available and would like to work.  That would probably ensure that you would not be invited to officiate that tournament.

*   Send an email to the referee letting them know that you are available to work a specific tournament.  DO NOT copy the tournament information and attach it to your email--the referee knows the tournaments he/she is working and all the information contained therein.

*   If you do not know the referee and are reasonably sure they do not know you, then put a brief description of your work experience in your email.

*   REFERENCES are huge when trying to get into the officials' workforce.  If you are new, the referee may not know you or even heard of you so be sure to list some references in your email.  Try to put references that the referee would probably know.  Don't include your best friend who is also a brand new official and don't put the name of some national official in NYC that you shook their hand in a receiving line one time.

*   Once you have sent your email, leave it alone.  The referee will look it over and make their decision and can do this without your follow-up phone calls and emails.

*   Remember that just because you send your availability email to a referee that doesn't mean you will necessarily be invited to work.  It takes a while to get into the rotation so be patient.  If you aren't invited to work it also doesn't mean that the referee doesn't like you for some imagined reason.  They simply may not know you or already have a full staff.

*   Sign up for as much training as possible.  There are lots of training opportunities in Texas and the more training you receive--the better you become.  Remember that the trainers share the names of good trainees with other referees...

Good luck as you put your new 2014 Tournament Schedule to good use...

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Merry Christmas!



Here's wishing all of our blogging friends a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Thursday, December 19, 2013

We Could Learn From The Hunting Dogs



In the comments section of nearly every blog post we hear about inept officials and then instance after instance supporting that claim--and sadly a great deal of it is true.  We have lots of training and teaching going on--but we are going to have to do better...

Many years ago I was privileged to go raccoon hunting down in Leakey, Texas--and it was a great experience!  I don't relish the thought of killing an unsuspecting raccoon but I really loved watching the dogs hunt.  As with most hunting dogs, this hunter had an Ol' Blue (don't they all?) and he was awesome to watch. I asked the hunter how Ol' Blue got to be such a great hunting dog and he said it was because of Ol' Blue's daddy!  He said the way they train a new hunting dog or pup is to send them out in the field with an older experienced hunting dog.

WOW!  Maybe we should take our clues from the hunting dogs...

We can give an official a Friend at Court (or least in 2013) but just knowing the rules obviously isn't enough to qualify as a good official.  EXPERIENCE is the key to everything in officiating.  A good official not only has to know the rules backwards and forward but he/she also has to know how to apply the rules and deal with people on a regular basis--and that's where we are falling down on the job...

I guess there are some of us who would qualify as the Ol' Blue Group in officiating but we all had to learn how to hunt from someone else.  We didn't learn it in a classroom.  Over the past 23 years I have spent as much time watching officials as anything in my officiating life.  I love watching them--and not just to get blog fodder.  We all learn from watching good techniques as well as bad and we also learn how to work with people from watching people that know how to do it.  You never graduate from being able to learn...

Let's be sure we send our new officials out with seasoned officials and let's be sure our seasoned officials never stop learning.

Then we might be what we've always wanted to be.

Monday, December 16, 2013

Bang For Your Buck Or Pinching Pennies?


Are recent actions due to "pinching pennies" or...


Just trying to get "more bang for your buck."

Over the years we have heard tournament directors and officials alike complain about lack of training, inept officials, lack of large enough entry fees, and so on and so on...  After hearing the litany of complaints we are then subjected to new rules and regulations--and new twists from tournament directors.  Seems like the question ought to be, "Are you looking for more bang for your buck or are you just pinching pennies?"

A few years ago we had (and might still have) a tournament director who would pay officials in 15 minute increments.  That means that someone had to be following everyone around with a timer...  Maybe their efforts would have been put to better use if they had been timing warm-ups and changeovers.

Recently one of our DFW tournament directors came up with a new twist.  Even though officials are required to be at the courts at 7:30 a.m. for an 8:00 a.m. start, they would only pay them beginning at 8:00 a.m.  That means they think they should get 30 minutes free from every official.  This is in direct violation of MTOA policies and ethics.  If you are required to be there at 7:30 a.m. then you should be paid from the time you are required to report.  Since this is happening, there are three courses of action:

1.  As an official, don't show up until 8:00 a.m. or just show up for the start of your pay.  This will probably get the quickest action since a tournament can't begin until the site is prepared and the nets are ready for play.

2.  As a referee, if the TD is going to pay until 8:00 a.m. don't ask them to show up or at least have the integrity to tell them they won't be paid for the first 30 minutes.  If you are in cahoots with your TD then at least tell your officials what you are doing to them--don't make them wait until they get their pay check.

3.  As a tournament director, quit pinching pennies and pay for what you are getting in work product.

Since the state-wide average is one official per 11 courts (and most times worse than that), its time to quit pinching pennies and learn to affirm your officials for doing a good job.

NOTE:  Before you start telling me how inept and untrained our officials are--just don't.  The vast majority of our officials are well trained and do a great job.  Try standing on court for hours at a time in freezing weather or unbearable heat and then see what you think.

Friday, December 13, 2013

The Fiduciary Responsibilities Of The MTOA Board of Directors


This week the Board of Directors of the Metroplex Tennis Officials Associated unanimously voted to increase the pay scale for officials effective on January 1, 2015.  There will be those who applaud this decision and those who deride it.  There will be those who are grateful for the decision and those who think we have destroyed their future.  Its time to put hysterics aside and look at the thought processes that went into this decision.

First of all, the Board is directly responsible for setting the policies and pay scales for all officials who do USTA events in the Metroplex.  Here is the definition of fiduciary:

"A person to whom property or power is entrusted for the benefit of another."

Basically the Board of Directors are entrusted with the responsibility of making decisions that benefit our MTOA officials--and noone else and no other entity.  We are not responsible for the profit margins of tournaments and/or tournament directors since we have no accountability to them nor them to us.  We have no responsibility for the Texas Section since again we have no accountability to them nor them to us.  Our decisions are, and should be, based on the welfare and benefit of our fellow officials.

Here are some of the considerations that went into this decision:

*   How long has it been since we last raised rates?  It has been five years since our last rate increase.

*   How long do you wait before making the rate increase effective?  In the past, the MTOA has always given 6 months notice but the Board felt that a year's notice would be best.  This would enable tournaments and tournament directors to factor in the new rates.

*   What is the state of the local economy?  Obviously good enough to support a rate increase.

*   What about the price of gasoline?  You need to look no further than how much gas prices have risen since the last rate increase.

*   What about toll charges?  This has become a very relevant issue in the Metroplex and one only has to look at the local highways to see those charges will be rapidly multiplying.  For instance, to travel from north Dallas to Arlington costs $10 in tolls.

*   When do we raise rates again?  This was an integral factor in the decision to raise the rates to the level of $20/hour for the referees and $18/hour for the umpires.  The Board felt that with this increase we could go longer before the next increase.

*   What about officials that officiate for their sole source of income?  This should have no bearing on the decision.  Officials who depend on officiating as their sole source do not, and should not, be paid more or less.

*   What about those tournament directors who refuse to provide meals for officials?  This can, and should, factor into the decision to raise rates.  When the rates were raised five years ago there were a few tournament directors (along with the approval of three key referees) who retaliated against the officials by refusing to provide meals even though it had been standard policy since the inception of the MTOA. Basically this translates into about a 13% pay cut for an umpire based on the rates of five years ago.  (An umpire currently makes $15/hour and $90 for a six hour shift.  Meals and transportation to get them cost at least $12, so that translates into a pay cut when meals are not furnished.)

BTW, kudos to those tournaments and tournament directors who provide meals.  You are much appreciated.

There is always an ongoing discussion anytime there are pay increases--that's the history and nature of mankind.  Your Board of Directors did what we felt was our fiduciary responsibility for our members.

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

MTOA Holds Annual Meeting & Board Meeting


Board Members Randall Edwards, Nancy Ebersole & Susan Wertenberger enjoying the annual meeting.

The Metroplex Tennis Officials Association held their annual meeting tonight at the home of fellow officials, Terry and Mark Gatzki.  The general membership had a great time of food and fellowship before the meeting and in the meeting itself they elected and re-elected the following board members:

Nancy King (re-elected)
Randy McDonald (re-elected)
Joe Mounger (new member)
Gary Tolbert (re-elected)

Following the general membership meeting there was a board meeting in which the board members discussed increasing participation in local tournaments and setting guidelines for officials for the new year.

In special action the Board of Directors voted unanimously to raise the rates for officials pay to the following:

EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2015:

Referee:  $20/hour with an 8 hour minimum.
Umpires:  $18/hour with a 6 hour minimum

Monday, December 09, 2013

Wonder Where The Yellow Went When You Brush Your Teeth With Pepsodent? Did You Ever Wonder Where Your Entry Fee Went When The Tournament Is Cancelled?


Do you wonder where the yellow went?

One of the age old and most famous advertising slogans was Pepsodent's "Do you wonder where the yellow went when you brush your teeth with Pepsodent?"  After the past few weeks and disastrous weather we have had, a lot of parents and players who are now wondering where their entry fees went after their tournament was cancelled...

For an example we will use a ZAT tournament since it is the lowest entry fee charged for a tournament in Texas.  Here is the breakdown of your entry fee:

$27     Entry fee charged for the tournament.
$3       Tennis Link charge to enter the tournament.

TOTAL ENTRY FEE: $30

Here are the expenses for the tournament:

$250 fee to the Texas Section for a sanctioning fee.
$1/singles entry to the Texas Section.
$1.50/doubles entry to the Texas Section
$2.95 cost for the medallion given to winners
Cost of tennis balls.
Cost of court rentals.
Cost of officials and tournament staff.

When a tournament is cancelled, the tournament does not have to pay court fees, fees for balls, or the cost of officials and tournament staff--yet, they get to keep the entry fee as if the tournament had been played.

Here are some thoughts and questions about this issue:

*  Refund the sanctioning fee and player development fees to the tournament director.

*  Since Tennis Link does not provide refunds, why not require them adapt their program to do so.  In today's world, you know it can be done.  The amount of refund should be consistent throughout the state.

*  Since players have paid their entry fees in good faith, why not at least give them credit for the next tournament.  It might take a little bookkeeping but with the profit margin it shouldn't be impossible.

*  Why not allow a "cancelled tournament fee" which should be a reasonable amount (maybe $3 or $4) and then refund the rest to the player.

Some ZAT tournaments in Texas have well over 500 entries so you do the math when a tournament is cancelled.  Perhaps its time for the leadership in Texas to rise up and do that which is right and fair.

A lot of parents and players throughout Texas would be interested in hearing your thoughts on this issue.

Friday, December 06, 2013

December 11: MTOA Annual Meeting

The Metroplex Tennis Officials Association will hold their annual meeting on Wednesday, December 11, at 7:00 p.m.  The meeting will be held at the home of Mark and Terry Gatzki (4505 Turnberry Court, Plano 75024).

New board members will be voted on in the general membership part of the meeting and everyone is asked to bring their favorite covered dish.

Thursday, December 05, 2013

Is It Time For A Cold Weather Rule?



With the prospects of cold weather in the teens this weekend in Dallas, the question comes up yet again--is it time for the USTA to establish a cold weather rule?  I think that without much debate, any sensible person (player, parent, or spectator) would agree that the rule is long overdue. We regularly see kids being required to play in temperatures below freezing and maybe its time to call a halt to this practice.

Even though kids don't seem to mind the cold, the parents and spectator surely do--and the doctors do also on Monday when you take your kid to see him because you froze them over the weekend.  Add the cost of a doctor's visit to your entry fee and hotel bill and it makes the tournament rather expensive.  Collegiate tennis has had a cold weather rule for years and its time for the USTA and the Texas Section to get on board.

Once the need is established, the question then becomes, "where do you set the rule?"  If college players and coaches think 50 degrees is too cold, then I would think the bare minimum should be 40 or 45 degrees. Since we don't play in snow or wet weather, the temperature gauge could be our sole guideline.  I realize that a lot of older players and parents are going to be quick to say, "I remember playing in 10 degrees when I was a kid."  Thank goodness you aren't one any longer...  I can actually remember sitting in a chair officiating a match at Baylor a few short years ago when the temperature was 32 degrees.  I wasn't so worried about the players as I was about losing my fingers and toes.

We would welcome your thoughts and discussion on this important issue.

Wednesday, December 04, 2013

What Every Rookie Official Must Know

Here is an excellent article sent to us by a blog fan.  It is directed primarily at football and basketball officials but holds a lot of truth for tennis officials.

"So you've decided on a life in stripes.  What have you gotten yourself into?  Rookie officials face a host of challenges as they get ready for their first season.  The life of an official is not for everyone, evidenced by the high percentage of newcomers who don't return for their sophomore season.  Your local association will provide you with training and guidance as you prepare for your first night on the field or on the court.  The NFHS will provide the rulebooks and manuals, and your state association will most likely provide additional information and direction on state guidelines.

But what are the intangibles, the real secrets behind becoming a successful official?  What are some of the tips that will help you shake off your "rookie" moniker as quickly as possible?

Here are four tips for first-year officials that will help make your initial season a productive one.

*  LEARN THE RULEBOOK.  That seems to be a constant refrain among the heads of officials associations, who say that a rookie official who knows the rules has a greater chance of success than one who just thinks he does.  Read the rulebook, casebook and officials manuals every chance you get.  Over lunch.  Before bedtime.  On the train or bus.  By the end of your first season, the books should be so threadbare you'll need to get another set.

*  BE A LISTENER, NOT A TALKER.  Crews love to chat, but rookies need to admit that they have less to add to the conversation than an official who's served for two decades.  Every official a rookie runs into can teach him or her something.  Obviously you can learn much from a 15-year line judge who's mastered his mechanics.  But listening to your fellow rookies also can be educational.;  Why make the mistakes yourself, when you can learn from another rookie's gaffe?

*  FORGET MONEY.  That's an obvious one, but its one that overlooked.  Most associations are very up front with recruits that the money shouldn't be a motivator, but it bears repeating.  The Atlanta Area Football Officials Association, like many others, pays its officials at the end of the season in one lump sum, and many of its members look at it as a modest Christmas Club account.

*  GAIN EXPERIENCE ANYWHERE YOU CAN.  Is your association calling preseason intrasquad scrimmages or games?  Work as many as you can.  Have an extra Saturday available?  Officiate a B-team game.  Tell your assignor you're available should a last-minute vacancy occur.  Take every opportunity to gain onfield experience.  Remeber, a rookie who calls two games a week is twice as experience as the rookie who calls just one."

Lots of good advice and definitely has truths for a rookie tennis official...

Monday, November 25, 2013

Happy Thanksgiving



Wishing all of our blogging friends a Happy Thanksgiving.  In our tennis officials family we truly have much to be thankful for this year.  Here are a few of our reasons for our thankfulness.

*  Thankful for all our friends in our tennis family.

*  Thankful that January is nearly here and we can begin the new ITA season.  Not so sure we are going to be thankful for all the new rule changes but that is yet to be seen.

*  Thankful for all the new officials who have joined our ranks in the past year.

*  Thankful for the times we all got to spend with Bernie West and Millard Countryman.  Now that they are both "home", we can reflect and rejoice in our many good times together.


Thursday, November 14, 2013

Let The "Dialogue" Begin: Where Are The Better Officials? ITA or Pro



I've waited a long time for the right opportunity to put this debate on the blog--and now its here!  I'll quote two of the most recent commentors (even though I do not know who either of them might be) from the previous blog post.

Here is what "Sharpie" said:


"This is a great, albeit sad, article about a well respected official. This re-iterates how incompetent people will do whatever they can to show they have higher self-regard for their abilities than warranted. 

There are quite a few examples of officials in Texas that fit the same mold as Laura Mattson, especially those working professional events, who aren't qualified to be officials. Passing a test doesn't give an official the right to work any and all events they desire."


Here is what "Anonymous" said:


"So doesn't the same apply to ITA officials in Texas, I've seen more than a few that are, "less than qualified" shall we say...of course all of them believe they are God's gift to umpiring."


Now I'll leave it up our readers to get involved in some good dialogue about this issue.


To sharpen our discussion it might be good to consider only those officials we have seen in person and worked with together instead of those we see on television.

Monday, November 11, 2013

A Sad, Sad Story Indeed

We have previously posted blog posts about Perry Hines and his untimely death in the Pacific Northwest.  Even though the story is long, here is a news story detailing all of the events leading up to his death.  We will not include any of our thoughts on this issue but let our readers decide for themselves.

Tennis official pushed over line

Potential legal fallout may have led Perry Hines to end his life

By all accounts, Perry Hines was leading a contented life.
Hines, long retired from a career working in the Fred Meyer warehouse, was the assignor of officials for the USTA's Pacific Northwest section, a mostly volunteer position he loved. The modest Southeast Portland home in which he lived was paid for. Single and with no children, he was financially and emotionally secure, well-respected in the local tennis community and beloved by family and friends. One of the country's most-reputed umpires and linesmen, he had worked more than 20 U.S. Opens.
On Sept. 13, two days after being named along with the USTA in a $5.6 million lawsuit alleging gender discrimination, Hines drove into the Columbia River Gorge, pulled out a gun and ended his life.
He was 63.
"I miss him," says Lake Oswego's Corinne Mitchell, who worked under Hines as a tennis official for the past three years. "He had so much more to give."
"The (Pacific Northwest Tennis Association) has lost a good person," says Denise Alexander, a former Portlander who worked under Hines for four years. "And I've lost a very good friend."
•••
The plaintiff in the lawsuit filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court is Laura Mattson, another of those who worked under Hines as a referee, umpire and linesman in recent years.
In the suit, directed at the USTA, PNTA, Hines and PNTA chairman of officials Dennis Kviz, Mattson alleges she was discriminated against as a woman in terms of assignment of duties during events she worked.
HINES
HINES

The suit claims the USTA "has a clandestine policy of discriminating against female umpires and referees" despite having a written policy forbidding gender discrimination when assigning officials to events.
Mattson declined comment for this story, referring questions to her attorney, Mitra Shahri. Mattson seeks $5 million from the USTA in punitive damages, plus an amount not to exceed $500,000 for noneconomic compensatory damages and at least $100,000 "to offset income tax consequences."
"The state of Oregon will take 70 percent of that amount in accordance with Oregon law, and 40 to 50 percent of the remainder will go to taxes," Shahri wrote in an email. "So this amount is intended to punish and deter (the USTA) from discriminating in the future."
Shahri said she doesn't expect a court date to be set for another eight to 10 months.
•••
Hines was the second of three children raised in a middle-class home in Southeast Portland. Sister Jackie, 64, lives in Beaverton. Brother Rick, 57, lives in Milwaukie. All three attended Franklin High. Perry went on to get a bachelor's degree in history at Portland State.
Shortly after college, Hines purchased a house on Southeast 47th Avenue and Clinton Street previously owned by Jackie. He lived there for nearly 40 years until his death.
Before Hines bought the house, he procured a job driving a forklift in the Fred Meyer warehouse.
He stayed at the position for three decades before retiring with benefits at age 51.
"He could have been a supervisor, but he didn't want that responsibility," says Jeff Carey, who knew Hines for 35 years and worked with him at Fred Meyer for most of his time there. "He liked doing his own thing."
Carey, a former sectional chairman of officials and Northern Oregon area vice president for the PNTA, was also a national-caliber umpire and linesmen who worked 21 U.S. Opens before retiring from officiating in 2001. In the late 1970s, Carey was instrumental in the PNTA's implementation of an organized program for officials' certification.
"One day, I put up a notice about a meeting above the time clock at Fred Meyer, and all of a sudden, Perry showed up," Carey says. "He was always so shy, I was a little surprised to see him there, wanting to be an official."
Indeed, Perry was an introvert.
"He was very shy and quiet," his sister says.
"He was very private," brother Rick adds. "He had a couple of girlfriends, but he never came close to getting married or having a serious relationship. He wanted to do his own thing."
"It took a long time to get to know him," Carey says, "but he was absolutely one of the best people you'd ever want to meet. Extremely intelligent, great wit. He had the ability to make the right comment at just the right time to poke holes in some pompous person's balloon."
Hines became a tennis official, and then some, first working the Portland area, then going national.
"Perry worked his way up quickly," Carey says. "He was a great umpire — after a while, one of the best in the world. He was such a tight service line operator, he was selected to do a couple of Davis Cup ties. He became one of those guys everybody knew could do a great job."
Funny, because though he always loved sports, Hines wasn't much of a tennis player.
"I could beat him at tennis, and I'm terrible," says Roger Kruse, who met Hines when they were freshmen in high school, beginning a close friendship that lasted 49 years.
But Hines could call lines and work a chair, in part, perhaps, due to his personality.
"He's a perfectionist," Rick Hines says. "Calling lines, you have to be a perfectionist. Maybe it was something he was destined to do."
"He had the perfect temperament for the job," Jackie Hines says. "He didn't want to be in the spotlight; he just wanted to be a person on the sidelines."
Sometimes that was hard to do at the national pro events. When Hines began working the U.S. Open in the mid-1980s, he stepped into the middle of a pressure-cooker. That part of it wasn't something he particularly enjoyed, but he was good, and he was honorable and principled by nature.
"He had the most integrity of anybody I've ever known," Rick Hines says. "He didn't do anything wrong with his life. If he couldn't say something good, he'd say nothing. He did everything right. He was my hero. I looked up to him tremendously."
Perry Hines' integrity served him well when facing the wrath of the sport's ill-tempered.
"Perry liked (John) McEnroe and (Ilie) Nastase," Rick Hines says. "The chance to umpire them was an awesome thing for him.
"Somebody got in his face one time, and he retired for a short period of time. He told me, 'Do I really want these guys in my face?' But he came back because he loved it. He looked forward to doing (the Open) every year."
For years, Hines and Carey worked the national tennis circuit.
"We roomed together all over the country," Carey says. "He was the best roommate you could ever have, even if I had to put up with his music (interests). He was a major Deadhead who had trekked around the country following the Grateful Dead when he was younger."
While working at Fred Meyer, Hines saved up vacation time to work national tournaments.
"The U.S. Open was his favorite," Jackie Hines says. "He loved going back to New York."
"He always brought me back a memento," Rick Hines says. "I still have the first one from 1986, a duffel bag."
Often, Kruse accompanied Hines on his tennis junkets.
"We went back a couple of years and had a great time in New York," Kruse says. "Once, I went to Fiji, and he came over from (New York) and we toured New Zealand for a month."
•••
Hines eventually assumed several positions within the PNTA. He served as head of the umpires committee, was chairman of officials for several years, and finished as assignor of officials. In recent years, the USTA hired him as a national trainer and evaluator. The position was paid, but not highly so. He continued to work locally as assignor of officials, too.
"He would make like $20 a tournament for a ridiculous amount of work," Jackie Hines says.
"It was a labor of love," Rick Hines says.
As a national trainer and evaluator, "He was one of the best, highly respected," Carey says. "The umpires he evaluated left feeling good about themselves. He had a great way working with people. He was a calm, kind, easy-going guy, and he knew what he was talking about."
Mitchell found that out soon after applying as an official when he was the PNTA assignor.
"I met Perry at my first certification class," she says. "Over the years, I communicated with him regularly. At first it was by email. Over time, it branched into me calling him. Any time I had a question about officiating, he was the first person I called, and he usually answered. If not, he always got back to me. I had 100 percent faith in him helping me. He was my mentor. He was fantastic. He was fair and looked out for me."
During Mitchell's first line clinic, Hines attended as an observer.
"Perry was one of the top line officials in the world," she says. "He was standing off on the other side of the court from where we were practicing. By then, I felt pretty close to him and walked over to him. I said, 'Perry, I know you know what's going on here. Give me some advice.' He said, 'I don't want to step on anybody's toes.' But he gave me some little tips, and they were nuggets of information. He was shy and quiet and private, but if you needed help, he was there."
Soon Mitchell began working pro tournaments throughout the country.
"I was excited and proud of myself, but mostly, I wanted Perry to be proud of me," she says. "After every event, I always called Perry. We'd talk for an hour — poor guy. But he never ended a call with me. He always just let me talk."
Mitchell recalls early in her officiating career working a junior tournament.
"Perry was the referee," she says. "It was boys doubles, the last match of the day to finish. I was working the lines. One of the boys made a wrong call. I said, 'Correction on the ball.' After the match, Perry took me aside and said I'd done really well overall. But on that call, the verbiage needed to be, 'The ball was good.' He was an excellent teacher and mentor, though I don't think he would have told you that."
Alexander, who began officiating about a year before Mitchell, says she also relied on Hines' guidance.
"He was the guy I looked up to as far as what was professional," says Alexander, who lives in Fir Crest, Wash. "If I ever had a question about procedures, I would always call Perry. He knew not only the rule but how to proceed in the most professional manner. He was easy to talk to. There was never a dumb question. He was a household name around here, but he always had time for you. He expected a lot from his officials and gave back to the ones who respected that.
"When I decided I wanted to go further than just working the Portland area, I asked him how to do it. He pointed me in the right direction and gave me opportunities to get prepared to go out there and work in that environment. He was my window to what was going on there in the rest of the country, what was expected of me to be part of that group."
•••
Mattson's experience with Hines was much different. According to the legal brief filed in the lawsuit, Mattson felt discriminated against because of her sex.
"Female officials were rarely assigned to tournaments where they would need to officiate matches between more skilled male players," the complaint reads. "In contract, male officials, however, were routinely selected to officiate tournaments involving player of both genders and higher skill levels."
The complaint says when Mattson was selected to officiate high school state tournaments, she "was assigned to umpire matches between lower-division women players. In contrast, less-qualified male officials were selected over (Mattson) to umpire matches between higher division male and female players."
When Mattson complained to Hines, the brief says, he "blatantly admitted his practice of selecting male officials over female officials for certain tournaments. Hines then tried to justify his discriminatory practices as a method of keeping players happy and complaints to a minimum."
Mattson believed Hines then began a vendetta against her and "started a campaign to get rid of her," the complaint reads.
Their differences escalated, the complaint reads, until an incident with Mattson "working as an umpire" at a University of Portland match in February 2012.
"A male coach for the University of Portland became upset at (Mattson) after she agreed with a call that went against a Portland player," the complaint reads.
The UP coach, Aaron Gross, says Mattson was working not as an umpire that day but as a "shadow" — observing the umpire. Mattson had worked previous events at UP, "and I didn't feel like she was up to the task," he says.
"Perry never assigned her to big matches because she couldn't handle them," Gross says. "Every official in the city will tell you Laura was not equipped to handle that. She wasn't a strong enough referee. She didn't know the correct language. We can't have that. We need people who are professional. I told Perry, 'Look, we prefer to not have her. We'll try her again in the future, but right now, she needs more experience.' "
Gross says his request had nothing to do with Mattson's gender.
"There are males we've requested not to do our matches, too," he says. "She was certified, but not qualified to do it. Perry knew she wasn't up to it.
"He was as virtuous a guy in that position as you could have. He was going to hear you, but he was not going to be a pushover. All you're asking for is common sense from officials. He was really good at managing situations."
Before the February 2012 match against Cal Davis, Hines sent Gross an email.
"He asked if I'd mind if Laura came out as a shadow," Gross recalls. "He wrote, 'I want her to become better.' "
Mattson came as a shadow that day, standing alongside the umpire, watching the match and observing her work. There were two umpires to work three courts. The umpire had temporarily moved to a match on another court when a line call was disputed. Mattson, standing there, was suddenly the arbiter in the eyes of the players.
"All of a sudden, you have two 20-year-olds looking at her, asking her to make a call," Gross says. "To be fair to Laura, I don't think she had any intention of being involved in the match. She stepped in and made the call, and I don't think she realized what she was doing. But she overruled the call, and it turned into a brouhaha."
After interviewing Gross and the umpire, Hines met with Mattson.
"Hines wanted (Mattson) to admit that the call against the University of Oregon (sic) was wrong, and that she would not make such a call in the future," the complaint reads. Mattson "refused to be pressured to rule in a certain way."
According to the complaint, Hines "demanded" Mattson sign a performance review that criticized her disputed call in the UP match and for alleged difficulty reporting to matches on time the previous year. She refused. In March, Kviz, working as the section's director of officials, implemented a six-month suspension.
Kviz declined to answer questions from the Portland Tribune, citing advice from an attorney to not speak with the media.
After Mattson's suspension ended in September 2012, she was denied assignments by Hines, according to the legal claim. In June, Mattson filed an official complaint with the USTA. In August, the legal claim reads, she finally got an assignment, but "at an event at a different location than she requested. Hines, for the most part, continued to place less-qualified male individuals at the location (Mattson) requested."
•••
On Sept. 12, Mattson's suit was filed.
"Perry had been expecting it," Carey says, "but he didn't like what he read."
The USTA and PNTA had gotten wind of an impending suit. Prior to its filing, Hines had a meeting with PNTA executive director Matthew Warren and President Mike Temple, Carey says.
"Perry didn't feel they had his back," says Carey, who adds Hines was considering resigning his position because of what he felt was a lack of support over the matter.
In the early-morning hours of Sept. 13, Hines received an email from a friend warning him that a story regarding the suit had been posted on the ABC News website. He got on his computer and read the story.
"He decided then that he was going to end his life," Jackie Hines says.
Jackie knows this because Perry left notes for a few select family members and friends, including herself, Rick Hines and Kruse.
"He was very cogent in his note to me," Kruse says. "He mentioned he understood (suicide) is the most selfish thing you can do, but he spelled out (his thoughts). He felt he'd be broke if he had to fight this lawsuit, because the USTA didn't seem to want to back him. And he didn't like the public eye at all. He didn't want to have to be in court answering questions."
"He knew it was the wrong decision," Alexander says, "but he couldn't help himself."
To his siblings, Hines mentioned what he envisioned as a "media storm" to follow the ABC News report.
"He (wrote), 'If ABC/Good Morning America is running this, it will be on ESPN, and then it's everywhere,' " Jackie Hines says.
"Perry thought (the lawsuit) was frivolous," Rick Hines says. "Then he saw the Internet report, and it flipped his switch. He controlled his life, and he was going to be out of his element.
"He wrote, 'Rick, I want you to know, I'm no misogynist.' Of course he wasn't. There wasn't anybody he didn't like."
To be distraught is understandable. But to commit suicide? Were there other issues in Perry Hines' life that caused him to go over the edge?
"I wondered the same thing," Rick Hines says, "but there absolutely were not. He'd had a heart murmur diagnosed a year and a half earlier, and two days before his death, he had the heart checked out.
"He wanted to live. He had tons of food in his refrigerator. Everything in his life was great. He wasn't planning on going anywhere."
"There were no demons in his life," Jackie Hines says. "He was as happy as could be until that lawsuit and the ABC News report came out."
Perry Hines spent his final day arranging his will and canceling commitments. He prepaid for the tow of his car. He put together plans for officials to which Kviz could refer.
The next morning, Hines awoke early. He had always loved the scenery in the gorge.
"He was looking for a place that was pretty," Jackie Hines says. "He just started driving."
Hines headed toward Rowena. His final destination, ironically, was the Portland Women's Forum State Scenic Viewpoint beyond Corbett.
•••
Mitchell was working a tournament in Napa, Calif., when news reached of Hines' death.
"When I got the call, I thought it was a terrible misunderstanding," she says. "I was in a car with three other officials. I turned to them, and said, 'Perry's dead.' Even though none of them were friends of mine, they all knew Perry.
"We were just in shock. We were all crying. We had a moment of silence (at the tournament) the next day. Everybody was talking about it and consoling me, because I had a hard time dealing with it. Everyone agreed it just did not sound like anything they would have ever imagined Perry would do. They all wanted to know from me, 'Why?' I said maybe it had something to do with the lawsuit. I actually felt sorry for the person who brought the lawsuit."
Mitchell shadowed Mattson twice when she began officiating and has worked events with her since.
"We were acquainted," Mitchell says. "She invited me to her house once for dinner. I couldn't go. When her suspension happened, she shared her thoughts with me about it."
Was Mattson treated unfairly?
"All I can do is look at my relationship with Perry," Mitchell says. "He never held me back from anything because I was a woman. He protected me when tournaments were coming up where I'd be over my head working by myself. I never looked at it like he was holding me back because I was a woman, because he did it for men, too. He didn't want to send someone into a situation where they would flounder.
"My answer would be, she does not have a case."
Alexander, who also worked a couple of events with Mattson, calls her "a snake in the grass."
"Perry wasn't sexist in any way," she says. "He always advanced me or held me back on merit, not on my gender."
Alexander, like many of Hines' friends, wishes she could have done something to help.
"It's so hard to believe he couldn't reach out to us when he was in trouble," she says. "We always reached out to him when we were in trouble, and he was always there. For some reason, he didn't reach back. We would have been there for him. Now we just feel so helpless."
Carey says he believes the lawsuit will exonerate Hines.
"You will not find anyone who knew Perry or worked with him who wouldn't say he was a fair guy, a great guy," he says. "The only one who ever seemed to have a problem was (Mattson). She lives in her own little world.
"It's such a horrible waste. If he'd had a few days to calm down and talk to people …"
•••
A week after Hines' death, an informal wake was held at the North Bar in Southeast Portland, close to his home. About 150 friends and family filled the place.
"It was standing-room only," Rick Hines says. "The turnout was amazing."
"His friends and all the tennis people came from all over the Northwest," Jackie Hines says. "And we didn't send out invitations. They just showed up."
Since then, she says, "we've gotten cards from people all over the country who I don't even know. Lots of flowers … I'm sure he didn't realize he had all this support. I'm shocked at what people have written. Things like, 'He was our guiding light. How can we do without Perry?' He just did so much for (the tennis community). That was his passion in life."
The Hines have hired an attorney to help defend Perry's estate against the pending lawsuit.
"We've met people who said they would cover the attorney's cost and asked to testify," Jackie Hines says.
There is bitterness from the Hines family toward Mattson.
"The fact of the matter is, if she wouldn't have filed this lawsuit, Perry would be alive and happy today," Rick Hines says. "That's the bottom line."
"The sad thing is, Perry was nothing like the way he is portrayed" in the suit, Carey says. "He was the absolute standard for being a gentleman in the way he trained people and talked to them."
At the University of Portland, Gross says, a new umpire's chair will be dedicated at the opening match next season.
"It will be the 'Perry Hines Umpire Chair' in our building forever," he says.

Thursday, November 07, 2013

2013 AAAA State Team Tennis Champions: Highland Park High School


2013 AAAA STATE CHAMPIONS
Highland Park High School

Special congratulations to Highland Park High School for winning their 6th consecutive AAAA state title yesterday at Baylor Stadium in Waco, Texas.  Highland Park defeated Montgomery 11-1 in the finals match.

Highland Park has shown a dominance in team tennis that has never been seen in the history of Texas tennis. Their win yesterday was their 10th state title in the past 11 years as well as their 127th consecutive dual match victory.  Congratulations to the team and their coaches (Dan Holden and Tylir Jiminez).

A job well done!

Monday, October 28, 2013

Is A Code Always A Code?



All of us are well aware some code violations are always a code violation--but then there are some that might deserve some re-thinking.  There are definitely black and white areas when it comes to code violations but there are also some gray areas that might require a little extra thinking...

For instance, we have all universally coded the word "suck" for years and years.  Now that its becoming common place in most of the civilized world, maybe its time we rethink our bias against this innocent little word.  Maybe it would be better to issue a "loving caution" and ask the player to refrain from using the word--and then code them if they do it again.  This time for "unsportsmanlike behavior" and not conforming to the wishes of their ever-present official...

Another one that is kind of thought provoking is the practice of a lot of junior players of putting their racket straight up over their heads when their opponent hits a great or lucky shot.  Some officials immediately code this because they say the player is making fun of their opponent and that it means that the opponent is "up a tree."  I asked four junior players what that meant and I got four different opinions ranging from "you're up a tree" to "I suck."  If they can't agree on a meaning, I'm not sure it should universally be a code violation.  Again I would recommend telling them that you don't want to see that again--and then code them if they do it--not because of the actual meaning but because you gave them a specific instruction not to do it.

What about bouncing a racket on the ground after losing a point?  Sometimes we have to consider how far it bounced, the intent of their black hearts, the sound it made, and how hard it hit the ground...

What about hitting a ball against the fence?  Intent is huge but so is velocity and destination.

What about throwing a racket and hitting an official in the chest?  I had this happen and the player said, "I didn't mean to do it."  I replied, "My job is not to judge the intentions of your heart but the deeds of your flesh."  Code violation!

With all of these things to consider--how would you deal with codes on your court????

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

How Would You Rule On An Unplanned Outburst By An Official?


"Oops!  I should never have said that."

SCENARIO

In a women's Division I doubles match, a player stumbles and falls to the ground as she is hitting a shot. When the she fell to the ground, the official who was standing at the netpost said, "Whoa!"  Since she had hit the ball over the net, the player quickly regrouped and continued to play the point.  After her team won the point, the opposing team demanded a let because of "official interference" in the middle of the point.

How would you rule?

(Be sure to check out all the minute details in this scenario.)

Sunday, October 20, 2013

How Would You Rule On An Unsolicited Overrule?



SCENARIO

In a Division I singles match a player makes an outcall on the near sideline.  The chair official immediately makes an overrule--without being asked by the opposing player.  

What would you do if you were the referee and called to the court?

1.  Let the overrule stand since the ball was clearly in. 

2.  Call "Official Interference" and replay the point.

3.  Declare that the outcall stands since the opposing player did not request an overrule.

Friday, October 18, 2013

Congratulations To The 4A Area Champions

Our special congratulations go out to the 4A Champions and Runners-Up of the area tournament this week.


Runner-Up
FRISCO CENTENNIAL HIGH SCHOOL
Coach:  Carolyn Quarles


Champion
HIGHLAND PARK HIGH SCHOOL
Coach:  Dan Holden

On to regional for both of these fine teams.

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Millard Countryman Passed Away Today--Another Warrior Gone Home


MILLARD COUNTRYMAN
"A Friend To Many"

Our hearts were saddened today with the news of the passing of Millard Countryman in Tyler, Texas.  Millard had suffered a stroke about four months ago and never recovered.

Millard was a man who had a true heart for tennis officiating.  He was the "King of Grass Roots Tennis" in my heart and mind as he has done hundreds of junior tournaments over the years in the Tyler area.  Millard was also active in collegiate officiating with Tyler Junior College and UT Tyler.  Not only did Millard work hours and hours as an official but he also gave his heart to training new officials.  Many officials in Texas today are there because of the training and encouragement of Millard Countryman.

I will forever be grateful to Millard for many things.  First, his friendship over the past 14 years has been one of my most treasured.  He always treated me as a son and that's something special when you are as old as I am.  He was forever a friend that I knew I could trust and depend on.  I always had a warm feeling when he would put his arm around me and say, "Son, just remember that I am the one who gave you your start in junior college tennis."

Second, he taught me about a work ethic as an official.  I have never known an official who worked harder and longer than Millard--and without complaining.  Two years ago at Junior College Nationals, Millard was there every morning at 7:15 a.m. and was there with me when we closed down every day.  He worked a full day every day in the hot sun and was a constant encourager to all the other officials on court.

I'm not totally sure about everything we are going to be doing in Heaven but I know this-- if there is a tennis court in Heaven, Millard will be at the net post.  He was truly a man I loved, appreciated, admired, and always hoped to emulate.

Millard--we will miss you!

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Complaints, Complaints, and More Complaints



It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that it takes a lot of work from a whole lot of people to make a tournament come off successfully--but along with all that work comes a WHOLE BUNCH OF COMPLAINTS...

While some complaints are valid and need immediate attention (such as our previous post), the vast majority of them are easily handled and many are not worth the paper (or email) they are written on.  It is not often that we single out one person for a job well done but in this case its valid and appropriate...

Nick Arnold in the man in charge of complaints at the Texas Section Office and I guarantee you that I would never want his job--and especially on a Monday after a multitude of tournaments over the weekend.  Our thanks go out to Nick for all of his fine work--and especially for his handling of all the complaints from players, parents, fans, tournament directors, officials, and the dog off of the street.  We are indeed lucky to have a young man of his caliber.

I served for years on the Discipline and Grievance Committee for officials so I can attest to the validity and lack thereof for many complaints.  Here are a few brief observations:

*  Some officials are inept.  Many times its because they are brand new (especially in ZAT tournaments) and are in training so remember that they have to be trained somewhere.  Some people are just blessed to be the authors of their training.  It takes a while to weed out the inept ones but the best solution for them is to not hire them in the first place.

*  Some parents are inept.  Most parents (99%) are just fine and very supportive of leadership and officials but the remaining 1% will cause you to pull out whatever is left of your hair.  I've seen parents berate their 12 year old children for not winning and scream and yell at officials over a call they think was missed.  The worst parent of all is the one who is reliving their childhood through their child.  They didn't win then and probably won't win now or they played at Wimbledon and expect their child to do the same.

*  Most parents are lots of fun.  The vast majority of parents actually know a lot about playing tennis and the rules of tennis and are very supportive and sympathetic to officials.  I really enjoy watching them as they moan, groan, exhort, encourage, and cheer on their offspring.  We should all try to enjoy the experience!

*  Not all complaints are valid.  Just because an official called a footfault is no cause for you to file a complaint.  That's our job--and we don't give warnings (unless its a ZAT and then very seldom).  Parents and fans need to remember that you can't see a far sideline/baseline call from the opposite end sitting in a lawn chair so you need to get over yourself.

*  Remember that officials aren't superman or superwoman.  The average ratio of officials to courts is 1 to 11 courts in Texas.  And you seriously want us to see and overrule every bad call?

*  Keep in mind that its a parents' job to raise their children and not the official.  I've had parents thank me for making their child behave--that's all well and good but the parents are ultimately responsible for their child's behavior--not me.

*  Remember that kids are kids--and let them have fun.  An official shouldn't pounce on every infraction they see but should remember that a "loving caution" goes a long way in correcting behavior and helping everyone (including parents and fans) enjoy the match and the tournament experience.

*  Remember that humans are humans and some will cheat and lie no matter what we do.  I can't imagine trying to sift through all the complaints that come in to Austin.  Imagine having two different people claiming to be honest and truthful and then have two diametrically opposed accounts of the same event.  The bottom line is that someone is not telling the truth--or perhaps is as blind as the official they are reporting.

There is no set solution to fix all of this because we are all humans and will be that way until the end of time.  I'm just glad we have Nick Arnold taking care of this for us...


Saturday, October 12, 2013

Its Time For The Texas Section To Do Something


After waiting patiently for the Texas Section Discipline and Grievance Committee to do something about the incident mentioned below and seeing nothing done--its time to call for action from the Section and from this committee.  Normally a grievance takes a little bit of time to be dealt with but the delay on this issue is far too long.  We support the Discipline and Grievance Committee but its time to take some specific action on this grievance.

Seems that everyone wants to do nothing about it and shift the responsibility to someone or anyone else. The incident happened in a USTA event so its time to get with it and do something.  This player should not be playing tennis anywhere in Texas.   At least the Dallas Tennis Association (see previous blog posts) took immediate action and suspended the player for a year.

This is an issue that has ramifications for tennis officials everywhere.  The Section cannot and should not permit players to continue playing when they abuse officials.  Just imagine what they do to the opponents they are playing during a match.

We'll all be watching and waiting in the coming weeks to see some definitive action.  Sure hope it comes sooner than later...

Here is the previous post about the incident:

"In a team playoffs tournament last weekend in Dallas we saw a "player out of control" at its greatest example.  Seems that the player and his team showed up an hour late for their match and were defaulted.  The captain demanded to speak to the referee so the site official called her and handed the phone to the player/captain.  After he didn't get his way with the referee who upheld the default and finally got off the phone after their lengthy conversation, when the official asked for his phone back the player/captain said, "You can go get your f___king phone" and threw it over the building--completely destroying the phone.

The police were called to the site and said the official could press criminal mischief charges against the player while at the same time the player was offering the official $450 for his phone if he wouldn't press charges. Ultimately, the official did neither and chose to filed a complaint against the player. 

When confronted by the police the player actually accused the official of attacking him and said that the phone "squirted out of his hand."  The officer's reply was, "You are seriously going with that story?" Obviously they knew the truth about what happened.

This player needs to be suspended for a lengthy time and the DTA and the Texas Section Grievance Committee both need to take immediate and quick action.  This guy is out of control and there is predicting what he will do in the future.  He sure doesn't need to be playing any more USTA events in the foreseeable future." 

Wednesday, October 02, 2013

Tennis Officials Blog Is Alive, Well, And Healthy



A few years ago when we began this blog it was born out of a desire to keep officials up to date on what was happening in the tennis officiating world.  Hopefully, the blog has done a good job in that area.

Of course we have always had our detractors and that is to be expected when you shine the light on those who don't like the light.  To be honest, its kind of fun to stir things up from time to time just to see how they will filter out,  but the majority of the time we try to keep things upbeat and informative.  There's hardly a day that goes by that we don't get an email or a phone call with someone wanting us to put something on the blog.  That's what makes it fun and exciting!

Seems that its working pretty well.  Here are the figures for the past year:

*  Average of 7,000 hits per month.
*  300,000 hits since the beginning of the blog

Thanks to all our friends, loved ones, and those who don't like us so much--you've made the blog a good success!

Monday, September 30, 2013

Singles Sticks And Obamacare: What Do They Have In Common?

SINGLES STICKS NOW REQUIRED AT SUPER-CHAMPS TOURNAMENTS

Sometimes there are decisions that are made in our tennis world that correspond in an eerie sort of way with the federal government.  That should be a thought that gets your juices flowing on this Monday morning...

Seems that the Texas Section Junior Council has mandated that all junior tournaments at the super-champ level must have singles sticks for all matches beginning in 2014.  While this is an admirable thought and most definitely prepares our young charges for Wimbledon, let's stop and consider the issue a bit more fully.

As a tournament director considers this directive and how to implement it, he/she must first decide if they want the homemade version from Home Depot made out of wood and in their garage on a Saturday afternon.  Average cost would be about $1.50 to $2.00 per stick.  (Labor not included.)  If they wish to get the good and durable metal versions the cheapest price around is about $15 per set.

Since the average tournament has at least 300-400 entries, and large associations like Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and Austin use numerous sites and tons of courts, the cost is going to be prohibitive whichever way you go.  In Austin alone they will need 100 sets of sticks and that probably means an expenditure of about $1,500.  Even to a prosperous tournament director that is a lot of money!

Since Obamacare and this recent mandate share the same concept of someone else paying for it and using someone else's money, here are some solutions:

SOLUTION ONE

Have the junior tennis council allocate enough money in their budget to pay for all the singles sticks throughout Texas.  Each tournament director would be able to submit the number of sticks they would need and then receive a check by January 1, 2014.  They would also need an additional 25% to cover lost and broken sticks since they will be used at sites all over the state and probably never returned.  Only tennis/country clubs can adequately oversee a bunch of singles sticks.

SOLUTION TWO

Require each junior singles player purchase a set of high quality metal singles sticks and bring them to their matches.  If both players failed to bring their sticks then they both would be defaulted and the tournament would keep their entry fees.  This would make for fewer matches and tournaments that finish more quickly. Of course the junior council would need to allocate some budget money to pay for counseling for the irate parents of said children.

SOLUTION THREE

Require the tennis officials to pick up the sticks for their locations and then have them return the sticks at the end of the day.  The official would also have to leave a $100 deposit when they picked up their sticks for the day.  The official would be responsible for paying for any broken or lost sticks and that amount would be deducted from their pay or their cash deposit.

SOLUTION FOUR

Designate a specific person for each tournament to be in charge of singles sticks.  Give them a $500 cash allowance to purchase new sticks to replace the broken and bent ones and the lost ones.  They will be permitted to keep any monies they do not spend but must be sure that the tournament has singles sticks that are in good condition.  Give them full authority to default any player who does damage to their sticks or to code any parent who bends or breaks a stick in a fit of anger.  They would also be responsible for returning all the sticks to the tournament director's office at the end of the tournament.  Their title would be:  "Most Honored Singles Stick Person"

SOLUTION FIVE

Chunk the whole mandate and give it a little more thought before making it a mandate.  There are a whole lot of gaps that need to be filled in before something like this is required.

SPECIAL NOTE:  Please remember that these solutions are made in jest so don't get all bent out of shape.  It is, however, time to give a little more seasoned thought to this issue so the tournament directors are protected financially.

Sunday, September 29, 2013

How Would You Rule?



Some of our readers sent in these two interesting scenarios.  Everyone is welcome to share their views and rulings in the comments section.

SCENARIO ONE

In a Division I men's singles match, player A asks for a Medical Time Out.  His player comes to the bench, the trainer begins evaluation/treatment, and the official begins his stopwatch.  Then, player B motions for his trainer to come to the court.  The trainer then begins treatment on player B while player A is also receiving treatment.  At the end of the three minutes the official announces, "Time" and both trainers leave the court.

Who is charged with an MTO/point penalty?  Player A?  Both players?  Can player B have an  MTO later in the match?


SCENARIO TWO

In the 3rd game of the 2nd set, players realize they have served out of turn.

Player A had served the first two games of the second set.  The third game with player B serving is complete when the error is discovered.

What do you do?

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Special Post Modified for September 25, 2013

I had every intention of posting a lawsuit filed by a female official in the Pacific Northwest Section but after learning that one of the persons named in the lawsuit took his own life this past weekend, that article will not be published in its complete form on this site.  There are two links at the bottom of this post that give a great deal of information about the lawsuit but out of respect for Perry Hines' family I will not give credibility to this lawsuit.

Instead, I would ask that each of us remember Perry's family in our thoughts and prayers during this most difficult time in their lives.  He was part of our officials' family and will be remembered and missed by many friends and loved ones.

NEWSPAPER ARTICLES CONCERNING THIS ISSUE


Learning To Carry A Tire



After looking at the picture above I imagine that many of you would say, "There's no way that I could ever do that!"  And you're probably right....

However, that's kind of the way that a lot of new officials look at us when they climb up into the chair to do their first match.  Fear, trembling, apprehension, sweat, tears and many other emotions are typical--but they are also part of the learning process.

Noone just jumps up into a chair and does a perfect job--even those teaching pros and 5.0 players that think they know it all.  It takes study, time, study--and lots of practice in order to do a good chair.  One of the most difficult things in training is to find the right balance between learning the rules and actual experience.  Its kind of like the chicken and the egg argument--you can't separate the two.

We all hear horror stories from around the state of mistakes and blunders made by all officials.  When its really a grievous error we hear the cry for "more teaching" as soon as the tournament finishes.  The only problem is that the vast majority of officials have a very good grasp and understanding of the rules--they are mainly lacking in actual experience.  Its similar to someone telling you all the facts about how to swim but you never really learn to do it until they pitch you into the water...

In Texas, I would venture to say that we do a fairly good job of teaching the rules and regulations of tennis but perhaps we are lacking in on-court experience.  There's nothing wrong with letting a new official "shadow" an experienced official and its usually the best way to get them started--but at some point we need to let them loose and learn to swim on their own.  The only problem is that a lot of parents, spectators, and coaches aren't willing to give them time to learn...   Let me share a few basic observations and then open it for your comments and discussion.

*  A good official must have a strong understanding and knowledge of the rules.  This has been diluted with the open book tests and lack of accountability.  When a person knew he/she had to pass a test or they wouldn't be certified, the learning level was much higher.

*  There is no substitute for on-court experience.  Learning may come sooner for some than others but we are all on a "learning path" when we go on the court.  Just when we think we have seen it all--we discover that we haven't.

*  Maybe there needs to be more training in the psychological arena.  Things such as learning personality types and how to deal with them; anger management and how to recognize it and cope with it; overbearing and dominant parents and what to do with them are just a few important areas in which we all need training.

*  As shown by events this summer, we need training in how to deal with a physically threatening individual, how to diffuse an explosive situation, and how to maintain control in a difficult arena.

*  There needs to be a good understanding of the different personality types among officials.  Not everyone is a type A or type B and its imperative that we learn how to work with each other more effectively.  Becoming "comfortable in your own skin" goes a long way toward a person becoming a good official.

We would welcome your thoughts and ideas of how to improve both our teaching and training here in Texas...