NEWS

USTA Officials Certification Class 

A USTA Officials certification class will be held on March 6 and March 7 at the Racquet Club in Hixson.  All sanctioned tennis events need certified tennis officials and referees.  We need more local officials to support local events including tournaments and collegiate events. 

What is a referee or tennis official?  Basically, in the tennis world, there are officials and referees.  There are various levels of certification within each category.  You have to be a provisional official before being certified as a Referee or an ITA (collegiate) official/referee. 

Officials are the ones roving the courts all day at a tournament.  At some events they may be in a high chair serving as a chair umpire or calling lines as a line umpire.  Most chair umpires and line umpires have some form of training, but that is usually taught in the form of a class at a particular event. 

Referees are the individuals “in charge” at events.  They oversee the making of the draws, the seeding of the players and rule on all cases of law as it pertains to any situation during and event. 

All sanctioned USTA events are required to have a Referee.  All collegiate matches are required to have at least one ITA certified official unless conference rules stipulate otherwise. 

The schedule of the class is:

        March 6, Saturday:  Noon – 6:00 PM (all new officials and 1-5 year certified                                                     officials) 

        March 7, Sunday:      8:30 AM – Noon     (all 5 year plus certified officials)

                                   * 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM (ITA class for ALL officials interested                                                                   in collegiate officiating)

                                   * 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM (Referee class for ALL officials                                                                            wanting Referee certification)

                * New officials can sit through these classes, if interested         

Class Cost:  $10 (includes lunch on Sunday and Friend at Court book for those who need one)  

RSVP by February 26 to the Chattanooga Tennis Association at 423-843-2456 or by email at chatt10s@aol.com. 

Pre-course work required. The course work can be found at www.usta.com.  Under the “Leagues and Tournaments” tab there is a section for “Officials”.  Click this tab and you will see the link for the appropriate tests.