Welcome to the TD Workshop! Preparations for 2017 Tournaments Cayce Tennis and Fitness Center January 27, 2017

Transcription

1 Welcome to the TD Workshop! Preparations for 2017 Tournaments Cayce Tennis and Fitness Center January 27, 2017

2 Please welcome. Sheryl McAlister Director of Community Development James Tart Junior Participation Coordinator

3 Introductions and Welcome Name? Organization/Tournament Organization/Tournament you host?

4 Today Agenda Officials Update- Al Marshall TD Resources The Tournament Committee Tournament Checklist/Timeline Tournament Promotions Customer Service Rules and Regulations 2017 Youth Tennis Progression Survey Responses and Discussion

5 Chuck Kriese

6 Al Marshall From the Chair of Officials point of view

7 Status of Officials at Year end 2016 First the good news Four South Carolina Officials were at the US Open for essentially the entire event Ann Bowman selected to work the Women s Final and earned her promotion to Professional Line

8 Status of Officials at Year end 2016 Certified 6 new officials this year giving us a total of 101 people certified at year end However

9 Status of Officials at Year end 2016 Only 66 current officials completed all requirements and will be recertified on January 1st. This is all we will have on that date Two Officials on our books are Professional Circuit Supervisors and not available to us 26 current officials did not complete all training requirements for recertification 7 officials completed the training requirements, but did not request recertification.

10 Status of Officials at Year end 2016 Several officials currently listed as the Referee on approved tournament sanction form are in the list of those who will not be certified on January 1st However, those who complete all training requirements in the next two weeks may submit a written appeal to the national office requesting reinstatement at the Provisional level

11 The impact on Tournament Directors should be obvious and is significant There are several factors that, I believe, have had a bearing on this drop in officials 1.Separate certification for ITA officials, that will no longer require a USTA certification as a pre-requisite. 2. Long hot days pay an issue but not as big as other factors (breaks, etc.) (offer half day segments?) Continuing issues with inappropriate behaviors by parents and/or coaches with little support 3. Many are not adequately familiar with TDM and avoid referee assignment

12 Referee Status A reminder they MUST be certified and qualified at a level approriate for the level of the tournament. We will have fewer of these in SC at the beginning of the year. We will be checking every sanctioned tournament to ensure there is a qualified referee assigned

13 Path Forward We will be working, together with the Chairs of the Junior and Adult Competition Committees to : Reviewing and updating the current USTA SC policy regarding minimum numbers of officials at tournaments of various sizes. Considering proper use of Provisional Referees with minimal, if any roving experience. Encouraging greater use of Court Monitors

14 Path Forward 2 Requiring Referees to submit a report to office after every tournament. Improving, in house, training on TDM

15 What else can be done Tournament Directors and their staff should : Don t let the Referee sit at the desk the entire tournament. Develop someone local to run the desk under the Referee s guidance. The Referee should be out and about Also wander around the courts and be alert to disturbances caused by spectators and be prepared to step in reassign an official to the court, - etc. We have had grievances where the TD had no idea it even happened until the Grievance committee calls for a statement. You absolutely need to be sure that the Code of Conduct is enforced and violations reported.

16 Dealing with the disruptive Spectator All of us are quite competent and at ease with the positive side of our task helping the players. Some, particularly those with less experience, have trouble dealing with the negative issues, probably the most difficult being the specific responsibility of controlling spectators (see duties of a Roving Official in the USTA Officiating: Procedures and Techniques document on the USTA website). I would like to refer you all to USTA Regulation IV.C.1 (page 102 of the FAC) which clearly states the expectation for conduct for all persons at a tournament.

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19 Dealing with the disruptive Spectator in practical terms First politely ask the individual to desist from coaching, or the appearance of coaching, or making other unsportsmanlike comments to either the players or other spectators. Explain that the behavior is not in concert with USTA s regulations with respect to good sportsmanship. Explain that continued inappropriate behavior could result in the player with whom the spectator is associated being penalized for unsportsmanlike behavior under the Point Penalty System. Second and at this point both the Referee and Tournament Director should be aware of the circumstances and available at the court the offending spectator can be asked to leave the area of the particular match, which they accepted as a condition of entering the tournament.

20 Dealing with the disruptive Spectator in practical terms Third continued misbehavior or refusal to follow the Referee s instructions can lead to the Referee informing the individual(s) that they must leave the site. The Referee has full authority to make that decision regardless of whether it is a public or private facility. Finally, if all else fails, the Referee should call the local police or security group and have the offending individual(s) removed from the site.

21 Dealing with the disruptive Spectator in practical terms All of the above must be thoroughly documented. One of our biggest internal issues right now is that neither our officials nor other spectators who have observed inappropriate behaviors report it to the Referee, Tournament Director or to USTA SC. We have heard many things, but many people do not want to go on record. For an official, this is unacceptable. To look the other way and not enforce an observed infraction is incongruent with the duty of an official. Sportsmanship and our tournament culture are susceptible to change, both for better or worse. We value all you do to support fair play and encourage your ongoing diligence to officiate with conviction and confidence.

22 USTA SC Matchmaking Service Using the TD and Officials Mailing list in the office to help obtain officials. (Helping TDs find officials need to be working this at least 4-6 week in advance, even for small tournaments. (Match making service

23 TD Resources Tournament Directors Homepage Interaction with parents: FAQs ntloc=headernavsub2 TennisLink (TD hotline)

24 TDM Watch this video here: I can send a packet to you that is a guide on how to use TDM.

25 Hosting a Sanctioned Tournament? Before Applying for Sanction: Update organizational membership Hire a referee and determine their role Agree to all USTA SC sanctioned tournament rules and regulations Determine Tournament Committee!

26 Tournament Committee At Least Three Members Chairperson: tournament admin before start of tournament Director: admin details once tournament begins (i.e., registration desk, posting results, etc.) Referee: makes draw, schedules matches, general supervision over play

27 Tournament Checklist Tournament Budget Tournament Desk Plan Hospitality/Amenities Emergency & Weather Plans

28 Important Timelines When Entries Open: Marketing Correct Info on Homepage After Entries Close: Post seeds 24 hours before draws Draws posted at least 24 hours prior to first match times

29 Tournament Promotions Contact Emily Russell for assistance Customized posters, flyer, or advertisements for you. Best practices on via the web, social media, or print. results of your tournament to local media to reach more parents and players and generate more publicity for your tournament. t_instructions.pdf

30 Tournament Promotions USTA Member Mailing Address Form Request a list of USTA member mailing addresses Submit your request at least 6 weeks before you will need it Submit a sample of your mailing Jot Form:

31 Tournament Homepage FAC I.H.2 pg Statement about use of 10 point tiebreak Seeding Clothing/Shoe Restrictions Time/Place of Player Meeting Number of balls for play and ball-change policy

32 Tournament Homepage

33 Marketing: Tips & Tricks COLOR poster! Bathroom, water coolers, churches, gyms USE SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook, Twitter, Instagram Partner with another club Advertise on CTA or league website

34 First Tournament Reimbursement bursement/

35 Rules and Regulations Policy on Officials Code of Conduct Head Taxes Inclement Weather Late Entries Discussion Participation numbers for Level 3 tournaments

36 What about officials? SC Level 1 & 2 Tournaments Referee + 2 certified Umpires per 8 courts SC Level 3 Tournaments Referee + 1 certified Umpire per 8 courts For L 1-3 tourneys, one relief umpire is required for every 4 umpires used SC Level 4 & 5 Tournaments Referee + 1 certified Umpire per 8 courts, recommended that 1+court monitors used

37 Code of Conduct National Suspension Point Functionality All code violations for your events will go onto the online system. The referee is responsible for entering all code violations within 24 hours of the tournament s end

38 Head Taxes Adult Head Taxes Level 1-4: $1.50 per player if both singles & doubles offered; $2.00 per player otherwise Level 5: $1.00 per player Junior Head Taxes Level 1-3: $2.00 per player, minimum $175 Level 4: $2.00 per player Level 5: No head taxes assessed *** Head taxes are due within 10 days of the invoice date or no sanction for the next year***

39 Inclement Weather Policy See handout Referee is responsible for final decision Player safety: top priority!! Cancelling a tournament requires approval

40 Late Entry Seeded Players FAC p. 71 I.H.3 The Tournament Committee may accept late entries, provided that if the draw has not been made, the committee may accept entries only of players who do not invalidate the seeding.

41 You want to maintain Level 3 Status? Minimum of 75 participants in SC L3 tournaments Tournaments with less than 75 participants in 2016, have been alerted about their participation numbers Probationary period for the following year S&S committee to reassess the level of the tournament on a case-by-case basis

42 Common Issues/Errors Players cannot finish matches outside of sanction dates Use of withdrawal vs. walkover Referees are responsible for making the draws and schedules Referee: we must be notified of any change Entry deadlines may extend one day only

43 General Updates Seeding Update Adult One-Days Late Sanction Period Sanctioning for 2017 Youth Tennis Progression Southern Updates National Statistics

44 Seeding Junior Levels 1-4 now use Southern Standings for seeding. Adult seeding: being voted on this weekend during adult competition committee meeting.

45 Adult/Junior One-Day Tournaments The Basics Level 5 Tournament (can be sanctioned any time) Short Set Scoring with 10-point tiebreak in lieu of the 3rd set $25 max entry fee for 1 event, $5 for 2nd event Maximum of two divisions offered Round robin or compass draw required

46 Late Sanction Period The late sanction period will be held in February for tournaments to be hosted July December, The late sanction fee is $83. Level 5 one-days can be sanctioned at any time throughout the year!

47 Sanctioning for 2018 The sanction period for 2018: late summer of All member organizations receive a sanction packet in the mail. A copy of the full sanction packet and all sanction info can be found on the tournament director s homepage on

48 Customer Service What do the parents want? They are the ultimate decision maker Make your tournament fun! Tournament Feedback What are they saying about our tournaments?

49 Make it fun! Ping pong Foosball Board games Frisbees Unique gifts Restaurant sponsors Personalized t-shirts

50 10 and Under Tennis

51 Youth Tennis Progression

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54 How does this affect the tournament structure? All tournaments will be tagged as 10U progression events! Each tournament level will now offer two separate divisions of 10U tennis (with the option of offering all three) SC will now have six levels of tournaments (L6 is non-elimination format) Players will not be allowed to play up into the next level of 10s or 12s, they can however play down one level. It is all about making sure the development of the player is priority!

55 Tournament Levels If you host a junior tournament, you will be required to host the following 10U divisions: Tournament Level 10U Level Level 6 Orange Level 2 Level 5 Orange Level 2 Orange Level 1 Level 4 Orange Level 1 Green Level 1 Level 3 Orange Level 1 Green Level 1 Level 2 Green Level 1 Level 1 Green Level 1

56 How will standings work? SC State Standings will now only be based off of Green Level 1 players and results Orange ball standings will be gone (following Southern) Qualifier and Southern 10 s will now be green ball (selections based off of Green Level 1 standings) As of January 1, 2017 we will have 40 10U green ball players!!

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58 Host a Level 6 in 2017! No sanction fee, no head tax Great entry level option for new tournament players Orange level 2 players are required to play these events Increases our inventory of tournaments in the state Recruiting tool for your programs/clubs

59 10U Parent/Player Meeting Welcome Check Racquet Size Review Scoring Format Line Calls Sportsmanship Explain Court Monitors/Roles Questions and Comments

60 Scoring Format 10 & Under Divisions: Singles - best of two short sets (first to four and win by two), with a set tiebreak (first to seven (7) and win by two) at 4-4 in each set, and a set tiebreak (first to seven (7) and win by two) for the third. Doubles - one six (6) game set, with a set tiebreak (first to 7, win by two) at 66. Level 1-3 Tournaments: Regular (Ad) scoring is recommended Level 4-5 Tournaments: No-Ad scoring is recommended for this level of play 8 & Under Divisions: 7 points in a game - the best of 3 games, and the first to score 7 points wins the game. The first to win 2 games wins the match. If players split games, an additional game to 7 points is played.

61 Where to find information on Youth Tennis Progression?

62 Adult Tournaments I need help! What is working? What is not working? What do you need from state office? How do we increase numbers?

63 What have we done? Rearranged the adult schedule Cleaned up the events, not offering every division Focus on survey results and what people are saying about our adult tournaments Proposed new budget items Increased the amount of One Day events

64 What s new?

65 Coupon Code & Promotional Discount

66 Fee Schedule & Member Discount

67 New Features

68 What are players and parents saying about SC tournaments?

69 Rules are rules and I have witnessed this violation in every tournament I have been to and it is summarily ignored. Some are so flagrant as to be SINFUL and embarrassing. Something must be done.

70 Everything ran perfectly on time!! Also, there were plenty of officials to make sure the matches went smoothly. Despite the rain & delays which no one can control, staff and professional tournament crew all weekend. People and food and hospitality were amazing!

71 Easy to get to. Liked that they had breakfast items and fruit out for the players. Beautiful day, so it was nice. Overall enjoyable experience. One of my kids had a bad experience with another player behaving in an unsportsmanlike manner. The officials were extremely helpful, so it made it less painful.

72 We always enjoy playing this tournament. Staff and referees are always courteous and professional. My son had popped 2 sets of strings in about 15 minutes and had popped another the day before, he was down to 1 racquet. The stringer restrung his racquet in 20 minutes. we were very grateful and impressed that he did that for us!

73 We have very little experience with tennis, so the scene at the end of my daughter's 2nd set was completely unsportsman-like and inappropriate. The opponent's father approached me afterwards and apologized for his daughter's behavior, but the damage was already done. I am disappointed the USTA did not have better officials at the tournament, and did not address the inappropriate behavior from the player, the parents, or the coach.

74 Staff is super friendly and helpful as always. Competition was great! Gifts and food were great too! Tournament was well organized and matches ran ahead of schedule which is always appreciated.

75 Tournament Evaluation Feedback The Good Clean Facility Courts in good shape Shaded area to rest in/watch matches Ice and water available Scores posted on time The Bad 1st Match times not posted on time Officials not in uniform Tournament desk unorganized Scores not updated in timely fashion

76 NOTHING WILL CHANGE

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78 Happy Holidays!

79 Please Contact Me! Patrick Yackmack Office: (803) Cell: (330)