AMTO E-NEWS

 APRIL 2009

Web-sites pages for officials information: www.usta.com, www.midatlantic.usta.com, www.maryland.usta.com, and www.marylandtennisofficials.com.

A chair school will be conducted by Section TE Dave DeGrafft June 10 - 12 during the Columbia tennis Association Flag Day Tournament.  You will be offered to work Chairs - unsalaried - during the quarters, semis and/or finals.

We hope to organize an officials seminar during Summer.  A notice will be distributed.  The event should be a classroom setting where a current topic of interest will be presented.  Attendees will be given ample opportunity to ask rules questions and offer scenarios for response by a veteran official and a Section TE.

If you're a long-range planner type, consider protecting the third weekend or so of January 2010.  Traditionally, that's the period of the National Officials School in Maryland District - usually Baltimore.  Virginia District usually hosts one usually in February in usually in Richmond.  Plenty of notice is provided about the exact date and place.  You may attend a national school in any Section and District, of course, but these are the most convenient.  In my case I always delay my annual ski holiday till after that January school.

It's not too early to be reminded about submittal of your completed 2009 Official’s Data Card showing your work record.  The deadline should be still the same day - 15 October.  Send it to the Section Chief of Umpires. Note this is the year for a doctor's signature attesting to your 20/20 corrected vision.  Don't be late with that card; it must arrive by the deadline.

Anyone, but especially PVs, may wish to review your work status for supporting a rating for 2010.  If you need additional work to maintain status or achieve additional goals, please advise your Area Rep or myself as soon as possible.  We will do what we can to offer advice and help.  Opportunities decrease as cold weather approaches.

Much has been said in the past about liability insurance.  Recent publications caution to make conscious decisions about personal risk.  When a person or organization is damaged by breach of an officiating duty, the official incurs liability and may incur penalty.  Or may not.  Some feel insurance is unnecessary because of reluctance of courts to penalize mistakes and heat-of-the-moment officiating errors.  Others prefer no risk and purchase commercial contracts for individual liability protection.  If you haven't considered this aspect of the officiating world, do so.  Most veteran officials - not just from the tennis world - will likely discuss this subject if asked.  Legal advise is a recourse.  In any case, from an officiating perspective, know the rules and exercise them consistently, objectively and appropriately.

Scenario puzzle for self-education:  You're a Roving Umpire on-court at your proper station at the net post.  Player A hits a return toward opponent Player B.  Player B reaches across the net and volleys a non-returnable shot onto the court of Player A's side very close to the net.  Should you make a call?  And, if so, what do you say?