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.
7 comments:
I only wish more humans were similar to dogs and would listen to good sound advice. The problem with our society today is too many individuals THINK they know everything and refuse to act on good advice.
Maybe we should see if Phil Robertson is available to officiate, now that he has some free time on his hands. I guarantee he would listen to good advice, and hell, I'm sure he would be carrying his shotgun just in case a duck flew over the courts while he was working. Now that would be a hoot.
Phil wouldn't do too well with the lesbians and gay officials we have everywhere.
A section wide mentoring program is an idea whose time is overdue. So long as the ego's and conflicts between our "seasoned" officials don't taint the mind of new umpires?
Could it be done? Yes
Will it? Heaven knows
Is there a structure in place to administer, offer guidance (for new umpires as well as mentors), along with the occasional redirect of mentors and newbies?
Hahahahahahahaha. No.
This is not complicated. And then again - TEXAS IS BIG! And Diverse.
How about if each one of us take an Official under our wing and cultivate them into a good Official. Especially in the smaller city markets.
The problem is (the way I see it) there is a lot of talk and not enough action. Talk about how "bad" things are - well do something about it! Actions speak a lot louder than words!
A good example is the High School training RM does for USTA grassroots programs.
Good Officiating starts with YOU!
If the referee(s) trust you - they will hire your recruit.
Now go out and prove me right!
BACO
Thoughtful post.
A new official does get training through the shadowing program as required by the USTA before working for payment.
I've worked with a newbie or two, and they ask a lot of questions if they want to be good, but they should learn to never stop. (I therefore respectfully disagree with Anonymous post of December 19, 2013 at 9:48:00 AM CST).
A good, well-seasoned official should never stop asking questions to all who may know more than themselves, including senior officials and, of course, our esteemed directors who seem to recognize a good official by site, so their input should certainly be valuable.
I certainly welcome anyone, be it a director or otherwise, to relate their opinions on improving our work and knowledge. If they wish to remain anonymous, they can wear a bag over their head if they'd like.
Improving your work - TWO five hour energy drinks
Put your phone away and invest in walkie talkies - it
Knowledge - READ THE FRIEND AT COURT MORE THAN ONCE! AND stop getting the answers from your friends. ITS OPEN BOOK!
For some of - and you know who I am talking about...how about getting your Phat arsses out on the court and playing tennis. THAT alone might make some of you more aware of what is ACTUALLY going on during the match!
"I've worked with a newbie or two, and they ask a lot of questions if they want to be good, but they should learn to never stop. (I therefore respectfully disagree with Anonymous post of December 19, 2013 at 9:48:00 AM CST). "
What? Well, Michael I'm not sure what you mean by that, I never wrote anything like that at all.
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