December 23, 2008

TO ALL MID-ATLANTIC OFFICIALS:

Several Mid-Atlantic Officials USTA Training Schools taught by a Mid Atlantic Trainer Evaluator will be held between January and April 2009. These schools will be in addition to the two National Schools scheduled in Baltimore and Fredericksburg. The 2009 training school is not mandatory for National and Professional line and chair certified officials. You all are reminded that NL/NC and PL/PC certified officials who holds lower certifications as Referee, ITA (IC) or USTA and lower must attend annual training for those certifications. Also, you can expect to receive your Friend at Court (FAC) around January 15, 2009 or sooner. However, there are very few changes to the 2009 FAC. So if you do not receive your 2009 copy before you attend school, just bring your 2008 FAC with you.

The additional schools taught by Section T/E’s will still require two days for new and officials with three or less years experience. However, the days may be altered to allow for new folks to get referee and ITA training. Reversing training days will be done on a case by case method to accomplish the best desired results for those attending. The school procedures require all Officials to download appropriate open book tests for all attended schools, complete and bring the answer sheets with you to the training for grading. Students MUST arrive with completed test answer sheets. Those who do not come with answer sheets ready to turn in at the start of class can only audit the class and must attend another class for certification. All questions on the open book tests are taken from the 2008 FAC, EXCEPT THE PROVISIONAL TEST WHICH IS FROM THE 2009 FAC. The Open Book Tests are now on-line.

Officials must attend an annual school and pass the test for their level of certification. Again, National and Professional certified officials must attend school for any certification they hold below National level. Also, please be advised that in order to work collegiate matches, all Officials must attend an ITA School, take and pass the ITA School Examination.

Please note that you are REQUIRED to attend an Annual Training School each calendar year. All officials are encouraged to attend a National Training School. However, if you can not attend one of the schools in our section, you can elect to attend any National or Sectional Training School in Mid Atlantic Section or any other section that fits your schedule. We will schedule additional Sectional Schools later at times and places to be determined. We will also schedule Provisional training for new persons who express an interest in becoming umpires during the year, but this training will not be as extensive as the Annual Training Schools set in the beginning months of the year. The Provisional schools can not be used to satisfy annual schooling requirements for Sectional and higher certified officials.

The first school to be taught by Section Trainers will be held January 24-25, 2009 at The Greenbrier Hotel, 300 W. Main Street, White Sulphur Springs, WV 24986. Use the attached registration form or Contact Beverly Conley, Chairman, West Virginia Tennis Officials, bevconley@atlanticbb.net; or Alice Ann Sarver, Exec Dir, West Virginia Tennis, Aliceann@westvirginiatennis.com for the West Virginia School. The next school is planned for Virginia, February 14-15. Use the below registration form or contact Maggie Schewel, Chairman of Virginia Tennis Officials at MSchewel@aol.com. Both schools will reverse the Order of the Day. Saturday and Sunday will be for new and officials with three years or less experience. Experienced officials, those with three and more years experience, need only attend on Sunday. Please contact me if you have a question as to whether you need to attend both days.

Yours in Tennis,

Ernie Mosby

2009 Mid Atlantic Sectional Training School

REGISTRATION FORM

Name: __________________________________________________________________

Address: ____________________________________________________________

Telephone: ____________________________________________________________

e-mail: __________________________________________________________________

CERTIFICATION LEVEL: (Example: Chair Sec or USTA or Nat)

Sectional Official____ Line____ Chair____ Referee____ ITA____

Years of Officiating experience: 0-3__ 3-5__ 5-10__ 10-15__Over 15__

I will attend the following training session:

____ Saturday, January 24, 2009 The Greenbrier Hotel

____ Sunday, January 25, 2009 300 W. Main Street

White Sulphur Springs, WV 24986

____ Saturday, February 14, 2009 TBD

____ Sunday, February 15, 2009

The registration fee is $20. Please bring cash, check or money order made out to USTA-Mid-Atlantic Section. We are not able to accept credit cards.

Return to: Ernie Mosby

6327 Wild Swan Way

Columbia, MD 21045

410-953-8161 (home)

443-812-9279 (cell)

e-mail: ErnieMosby@aol.com