USTA Southern, the USTA and the Racquet Club of Memphis jointly funded a chair training event for up-and-coming chair umpires at the Girls' 18s  National Clay Court tournament held July 15-22.

 

Five other sessions are planned through October.

 

Aimee Johnson, chair of the USTA Southern Tennis Officials Committee, said, "These clinics are designed to improve the skills of Southern officials with extensive training and practice provided by certified trainers/evaluators with years of officiating experience. In Memphis, the umpires were paid at a reduced rate and travel expenses.

 

"In the line and some of the chair traning sessions, the trainees traveled at their own expense, paid their own hotel and food expense, and earned nothing from the tournaments. This is a tremendous sacrifice. Hopefully the pay-off for them, Southern and the USTA will be a group of competent and qualified professional umpires."

 

Thirteen umpires from USTA Southern and nearby Sections were given the opportunity to chair matches.

 

Here is the report by referee Donna Mille-Williams:

 

"They were a wonderful crew who never complained and eagerly accepted their next assignment with only a few minutes between matches."

 

This dedicated group was mentored, coached and evaluated by National Trainer/Evaluator Sharon Wright, and by ITF White Badge, Greg Allensworth. They attended class where they learned clay court techniques and were provided with much needed advice to improve their techniques and verbiage.

 

When they did manage to get a break, RCM provided an amazing lunch each day and the hospitality (Umpires Room) was so comfortable and so well stocked with goodies, it was hard to leave.

 

Normally, matches are supervised by roving umpires until the quarterfinals for this National event. This year, because of the training event, almost every match at the main site was officiated by a solo chair umpire. The Racquet Club was very impressed by the response from both parents and players. When they had to stop doing the chairs late Tuesday afternoon, many asked "Aren't they going to chair my match again?" By chairing all of the matches at the main site, it cut down on the arguments, the scoring issues, the questioned calls and any other drama normally encountered at such a high-level junior tournament.

 

USTA Southern, the USTA and the Racquet Club of Memphis are all interested in developing this as an annual chair training event in the years to come.