Upcoming DFW Officials School

Certification School : Update

Date: June 18^th, 2011

Site:  GHS Tennis Center Classroom(located directly behind Grapevine High School at the tennis courts)

Schools:  USTA, ITA  and Referee certification

Time:  TBD

Before Class:  

                         Contact me at ncebersole@yahoo.com and let me know which classes you will be attending for certification ASAP

                         Officials recertifying need to bring to class a copy of the results of their online tests. 

                         Background check needs to be completed

                         Register with Nucula

Helpful information:   Metroplex tennis officials blogsite   www.metroplexofficials.blogspot.com

If you are interested in becoming an  official you will need to take the provisional exam,(instructions are on www.metroplexofficials.blogspot.com) and  have the background check(free). Please email me with any questions or visit the metroplex officials blogspot.  

Thank you,

Nancy Ebersole

A Great New Opportunity For Service

Hope this GREAT weather is getting you out on the court for lots of TENNIS!

 

Our Texas Tennis Section is helping host the Special Olympic State Games of Texas at UT Arlington  on Friday and Saturday - May 27 and 28. 

 

Cindy Benzon and I (Kevin Foster) are looking for patient - good hearted VOLUNTEER OFFICIALS to help with this rewarding program.

 

This is a FANTASTIC event and your time will be very much appreciated.  It is a GREAT way to give back to TENNIS.

 

We will need 2-4 Officials - the shifts are from 7:30-12:15 and 12:30-4:30 both days.

 

If you would like to help - please email me back your availability for which shifts and/or days and I will get right back in touch with you.  If you know of an Official that might be interested - let me know...

 

We promise that you will benefit as much as the people you are assisting.  Thanks again for your part in Texas Tennis.

 

Play on!
Kevin Foster
254 709 3058

Kevin's email address is:  kevtennis@aol.com

Two Openings Remaining For The Texas Section Chair Academy

There are two openings remaining for the Texas Section Chair Academy which will be held in Plano on May 15-17, 2011.

Here are the requirements:

1.  Must be a certified USTA and ITA official.
2.  Must have at least some chair experience.  Not a great deal but at least some.
3.  Must be able to commit to all three days of the Chair Academy.

The Texas Section Chair Academy is the premier chair academy in the US.  The academy will be taught by national and state instructors and provides a great opportunity to advance in chair officiating.

If interested, send an email to the MTOA email address and you will be contacted personally by the Chair Academy staff.

FAQ: What Do I Do When A Complaint Has Been Filed Against Me?

Having a complaint filed against you as an official seems to be happening more and more often these days and frequently the official isn't sure about they should do.  When a complaint is filed against an official at a USTA tournament in Texas, this is the procedure:

1.  The complaint is received at the Texas Section office and is handled by Nick Arnold.
2.  Nick determines the validity of the complaint and then asks for an accounting of the event from the one who filed the complaint and the one against whom the complaint was filed.  He will then discern the level of validity for the complaint.  He will also correspond with the person who filed the complaint to share the results of his inquiries.
3.  The Texas Section will then send a copy of the complaint to the referee for the tournament as well as the one upon whom the complaint was filed.  If you do not receive a copy of the complaint filed against you, then contact Nick Arnold and ask for a copy.  It is only right and fair for you to see the original complaint.
4.  If your area has a President or coordinator, they should be notified of the complaint.

The vast majority of the complaints are dealt with by the Texas Section office.  Once the referee has received a copy of the complaint they should contact the official personally to discuss the complaint and its validity.  They should be opening to listening to your account of the incident.

If you have had a complaint filed against you, these are some guidelines to remember:

1.  Don't overreact and be attentive to the complaint.  You may feel you have been unjustly accused but be open to any criticism that might be valid.  Many complaints are simply the result of an angry parent or player and are trivial at best.
2.  Respond in writing to the Texas Section office as well as your referee and local coordinator.  Its always best to have a written record (emails or letters) when a complaint has been filed for your future reference.
3.  Be open and honest with your referee so you can both learn from the incident.  If you are innocent in the incident, the referee should uphold and support you.  If you are at fault, then be open to admitting your error and then see how the problem can be remedied.
4.  Do your best to do your job professionally at all times.  Remember that not every parent and player are going to like your judgments but be sure you know the rules and apply them fairly.  Many complaints arise from an official simply not knowing the rules or lacking the personal skills to apply the rules.
5.  If you feel that you have been judged unfairly then personally contact your local coordinator or President and if that doesn't satisfy, then contact Nick Arnold in the Texas Section office or Bruce Sampley who is the sectional chairman in Texas.

FAQ: How Do I Get To Work More Often?

This is by far the most frequently asked question posed by our new officials--and a good one!  Here are some guidelines to help you in your officials life:

1.  Be sure that you have been certified (attended a school or taken the tests, passed the background check, and registered on Nucula).

2.  Be sure that you have attended the Roving 101 class and done your shadowing with an experienced official.  If you haven't been contacted about this, contact Nancy King as soon as possible.

3.  Secure a copy of the booklet of sanctioned tournaments that is given out by the USTA and Texas Section.  This booklet lists all of the sanctioned tournaments in Texas and the referee and contact information.

4.  The MTOA referees are given your name when you are certified so you should be receiving some information about work opportunities.  If you haven't, you might want to contact some of the local referees and let them know you are ready and interested in working.  One call or email will suffice.

5.  Do not hound referees about hiring you.  They will get to you in time but constantly calling and emailing will only move you further down the list.

6.  If you are interested in working at the pro level you might want to contact Stephanie Burnam (stefburnam@hotmail.com).

7.  If you are interested in working at the ITA (collegiate) level, you might want to contact Randy McDonald (rmtennis@yahoo.com).

8.  Most new officials personally know an MTOA referee so you might want to get with them and have them give you some more suggestions.  You might also ask them to evaluate you so you can work on your strengths and weaknesses.

9.  Stay positive in your outlook!  Eventually the opportunities will come.

MTOA Roster Available For Members

In order to facilitate better communication among our members, we are making available an MTOA membership roster which contains member's names and their email addresses.

If you are a member and would like one, please write to our email address (metroplexofficials@yahoo.com) and one will be sent to you.  We hope you will find this helpful.

How To Become An Official

STEPS TO BECOMING AN OFFICIAL

1. Secure a copy of the Friend at Court (FAC) rule book. You will need this rule book to take your tests. The 2011 FAC is required to take the 2011 Provisional Test and the 2010 FAC is required for all other tests.  This can be done by contacting Nancy King (information under “MTOA Officers” on the MTOA blogsite.)

2. Go to the blog (www.metroplexofficials.blogspot.com) in the upper right section and click on "Background Check Start Up" and begin the process. You must pass the background check before you can become an official.

3. Click on "Joining The USTA" to purchase a USTA card and get your member number.

4. Click on "2011 Provisional Exam" if you are a new official.  Fill out all the information they request and then take the online test using the 2011 Friend at Court rule book.  The USTA will then notify Bruce Sampley (Sectional Chairman) and he will notify you of your next steps.  The USTA will also send you an email with more details of what all you will need to do to gain access to Nucula (the national registry for officials.)

STEPS TO TAKE ONCE YOU ARE CERTIFIED

1. Click on "Nucula" and add your personal information and when you start working, add your work record on this site.

2. Contact your President (Nancy King) to let them know you have passed the Provisional test and are ready to begin training and/or working. Click on "Area Coordinators" to find the coordinator in your area. You are certified to work at all levels once you have passed the Provisional Test but some areas require more training and shadowing experienced officials before you can begin work in that area.

3. Click on "USTA Apparel" to order your officials' shirt and other equipment. Such things as khaki pants/shorts, bags, and stopwatch can be obtained much cheaper at the local stores.

4. Contact the local ITA coordinator if you are interested in working at the ITA level. Each coordinator will have a training program that you can enter and you will also need to click on "ITA Apparel" to order your ITA officials shirt and other equipment.

5. If there is still an Officials School offered in your area, you need to attend if at all possible. If not, you are certified to work until you can attend a school in 2012. A list of those schools can be obtained by clicking on "Certification Schools."