OFFICIAL GUIDE FOR REFEREES

Transcription

1 OFFICIAL GUIDE FOR REFEREES Canadian Racquetball Association First Edition : January 1985 Revised : 1986, 1988, 1991, 1994, 1999 Reproduction of this manual in whole or in part without the expressed written consent of the Canadian Racquetball Association is prohibited. Acknowledgements: Racquetball Canada recognizes and thanks the following people for their guidance and contributions to the development of this guide : Cal Smith, member of the Officiating Committee, Racquetball Canada; who contributed greatly to the development of the manual. David Hinton, former Managing Director, Racquetball Canada; who finalized all input and editing of the manual. Note: The Official Guide for Referees was developed under the guidance and is fully endorsed by the Officiating Committee of Racquetball Canada. CANADIAN RACQUETBALL ASSOCIATION OFFICIAL GUIDE FOR REFEREES

2 The following outline has been prepared by Racquetball Canada's Officiating Committee to initiate a program of standardization of refereeing. This outline can only serve as a base from which conscientious and dedicated individuals can build the necessary skills to become efficient referees. This outline has been adapted from one used by the United States Racquetball Association. I. Assignment of Referees A. Be sure to assign your most competent referees to the quarter, semi, and final round matches. B. In the early rounds, assign your less experienced referees to the higher seeds, and your more experienced referees to the matches in which players of equal ability compete. REASONS: 1. The experience will give rookie referees' confidence. by the referee. 2. The highly-seeded players will usually win early round matches easily, and be tolerant of a missed call 3. The toughest matches to referee are those of players with equal or near-equal ability who are unseeded, making for long rallies with few kills and a large number of hinders. Therefore, better referees are needed here. II. Pre-match duties of referees A. Be sure to have adequate supplies of towels, pencils and extra balls. B. Go on the court with players for a pre-match discussion involving: 1. Explanation of court hinders

3 2. Explanation of any rules on which players are not clear. 3. Alert players that avoidable hinders and technical fouls will be called and that no warnings will be issued once the match has started. 4. Ask for players help on double bounce and skip ball situations. 5. Explain the game format. If it is doubles, determine the order of the servers on each team. 6. Flip coin and mark on scorecard the player and team serving first. 7. Choose game ball and ball number 2 in case of breakage. III. Controlling the match A. This is the most important thing that referees can do. To be an effective referee (you, not the player) must control the match. B. How to control the match 1. Establish the pace - the pace and rhythm of a match must be set by the referee, again, not the players. This overall rhythm will make the players comfortable and create an atmosphere that is fair to both sides. 1. Calling the score: a) A set pattern should be established by the referee to call the score the same way before each rally. b) This pattern need not be overly slow, but should be in a calm, deliberate manner. score first. c) "12 serving 8", or "12 serves 8", with usage of the words "serving" or "serves", always giving the server's d) The score should be called after both server and receiver have had a few seconds of rest after the previous rally has finished. The server and receiver then have 10 seconds to start the next rally.

4 2. Calling the point: a) The correct term for a successful rally while serving is "point". b) Calling the point the same way will make it easier for players and fans to hear and understand. c) The correct term for change of serve is "side out". 3. Short Serves, Long Serves, 3-Wall Serves, etc. a) It is not necessary to recall the score after shorts, longs or 3-wall serves. b) It is necessary to recall the score after a hinder. c) It is necessary to recall the score after a time-out. 2. All calls should be made firmly and quickly a) No referee will be 100% accurate on the calls, just as no player will be 100% accurate on their shots. loud and clear. b) A weak or hesitant voice gives players the impression of a weak and unsure referee; therefore, call it 3. Never ask the players anything a) If a player volunteers that "it skipped", or "I got it on two bounces"; fine. b) Do not put a player on the spot by asking them, which in effect, is questioning their honesty. 4. Never argue with a player

5 a) A player may legally question a rule interpretation. b) A player may not question a judgment call, unless there are line judges. If they begin an argument, after an appeal, simply announce 'play ball', and call the score. 5. Technical Fouls a) One of the most powerful tools at the referee's disposal: it takes a point away from a player due to unsportsmanlike conduct. b) Automatic technical fouls should be issued for any obscenity, no matter to whom it is directed. c) Any unsportsmanlike conduct, whether gesture or vocal. d) Any excessive striking of the ball after the rally is over i) an automatic technical foul should be given if this excessive striking of the ball in any way threatens injury to another player. ii) in cases of striking the ball after the rally, if the ball is determined to be broken before being put into play again, the previous rally is NOT replayed, unless in the referee's judgment the ball was, without a doubt, broken during the rally. 6. Forfeiture a) The most powerful tool a referee has. b) Three technical fouls constitute an automatic forfeiture. c) Use the forfeiture rule sparingly and only in the most extreme of cases. Usually after a technical foul, the players will cooperate. d) Any forfeiture shall be reported to the Tournament Chairman or the Referee in Chief whom will forward the incident to the Provincial Disciplinary Committee. e) A game will be forfeited by a player using an illegal racquet. C. If the match is not controlled by the referee, by using the above means, such a referee is open for intimidation and confusion by the players. A match out of hand does not lead to good racquetball and could lead to injury.

6 IV. Serves A. Familiarize yourself with all rules pertaining to serves. B. Things to remember: 1) Any serve which hits on the short line is short, no matter what percentage of the ball is good. 2) The server may do anything they wish prior to the serve being called. Once the serve is called, they must serve within ten seconds. Failure to do so results in an out serve. 3) Crotch Serves: a) Defined as serves striking two junctions of the court at the same time (or so close that the human eye cannot distinguish which wall was struck first). b) All crotch serves on the front wall/ceiling or front wall/side wall are BAD and side out is called. GOOD. c) All crotch serves at junctions after the front wall has been hit, ie. back wall/floor; side wall/floor are d) SUGGESTION: Since there is much confusion on the part of most players regarding the crotch serve, you are better off immediately calling the serve "fault" when appropriate, than calling "crotch" since the term "crotch" creates nothing but confusion. 4) Deliberate Long or Short Serves a) Sometimes occur for fatigue aid or as an attempt at psychologically upsetting opponent.

7 b) Nothing the referee can do. It is legal. 5) Screen Serves a) No doubt one of the toughest calls of a match. b) Always a judgement call - no rule exists such as "arms length" or "3 feet" from server. Do not call a screen without some sort of indication from the receiver that they were screened and then only if you agree. c) Two types of screen serves: 1) Server is at center or near-center of service zone i) In such cases a screen would be any serve passing so close to the server's body as to create a hinder. ii) iii) Entirely judgmental on referee's part, but it's better to call too many screens than not enough. Often screen serves are mis-hit serves and will carry to the back wall. As per the rule 4.5 k), the receiving player shall be given the option of playing the serve off the back wall even if it is a screen serve. 2) Server near either side wall. (There are two Drive Serve lines 3 feet from each side wall dividing the service zone into two 17 foot zones for drive serves only. The player may drive serve to the same side of the court on which they are standing so long as the start of the service motion takes place outside the 3 foot line. The call or non call may be appealed.) i) The drive serve zones are not observed for cross-court drive serves; "Z" serves; or lob or half-lob serves. ii) iii) The racquet may not break the plane of the 17 foot zone while making contact with the ball. Violation is a fault. The 3 foot line is not part of the 17 foot zone. Dropping the ball on the line or standing on the line while serving to the same side is a fault. d) CAUTION: Do not let the receiver decoy you into a screen serve call. Often perfect aces to the forehand side catch the receiver off guard as they anticipate the serve to the backhand. They will

8 complain if they get aced to the forehand, but do not allow yourself to be taken, if in fact, the serve was an ace. V. During the Rally A. "Skip" balls 1. Definition: Balls that hit the floor prior to the front wall. 2. Most skip balls are easily detected, by bounce and/or sound. 3. When the ball pops up at the front wall, it is probably a skip. B. Two bounces 1. Encourage both players to call double bounce pickups on themselves, prior to the match. 2. This is a difficult call for the referee since the double bounce is often blocked by the player. In cases like this DO NOT CALL WHAT YOU DO NOT SEE. C. Hinders 1. Hinders are the calls that truly separate the good referees from the mediocre referees. 2. Hinders generally break down into when you should call it versus when you should not make a call. 3. Above all - be consistent in your calls. If you are allowing some close plays to continue, stay with it.

9 4. Some good points to remember: that shot. a) unless the hinder is blatant, do not take an offensive shot away from a player. They want and deserve not. b) Make all calls fast and loud, thereby eliminating any confusion as to whether the play was stopped or c) Whenever safety becomes a factor, call a hinder immediately. d) Contact does not automatically mean a hinder. If the player wishes to retrieve the ball and play the shot, they shall be allowed the opportunity. e) If the player could not have retrieved the ball anyhow (kill or pass), there is no hinder. 5. Player called hinders a) No player is authorized to call a hinder, except on the backswing or from accidentally stepping on an opponents foot, or if they are likely to strike the opponent with the ball or their racquet. b) The call must be made immediately. If it is not, the shot must stand. There is no option. c) Backswing hinders are often but not always avoidable hinders, so watch for this. 6. Hit by the ball a) If a player claims that the ball hit them on its way to the front wall, the rally should be replayed, if: i) You did, in fact, see it hit them. ii) You did not see it hit them, but the player made the call and the ball was close enough that in your opinion it could have hit them. b) If the call is not made immediately, no hinder should be given, because this, in effect, would be giving the player an option, ie. if the shot is a kill, - call the hinder, etc. c) If in your judgement the ball would have reached the front wall if it had not struck them. D. Avoidable Hinders 1. Avoidable hinders must be called when they occur in order to maintain control of the match. 2. Avoidable hinders do not mean intentional hinders, necessarily. An avoidable hinder does not put any stamp of guilt on a player. However, an intentional hinder would be avoidable.

10 3. Avoidable is interpreted as "could have been avoided", ie. if the player would have done, there would have been no hinder. 4. Audible avoidable. 5. Examples: a) Player X is pinned against the wall. They move into the open court and in doing so creates a hinder. This is avoidable because had they not moved no hinder would have occurred. b) Player X goes for a kill from center court, but leaves the ball up. The ball rebounds back to center court and Player X does not move in time for Player Y to take the shot. Obvious avoidable hinder. c) Player X is upset as the shot has gone to the back wall on a fly and is rebounding to front court for an easy kill for Player Y. So X starts stamping their feet and making loud noises to try and fake Player Y into thinking Player X is coming up to cover. Obvious avoidable. d) Player X is anticipating a kill and is moving forward when Player Y drives the ball down the line. Player X must reverse movement and used Player Y's back to push off. Avoidable. e) Player X makes a great diving get in front court, but the get, although good, is a setup for their opponent. Player X attempts to get back on their feet to retrieve and in doing so blocks Player Y's shot. This is an avoidable: Player Y must be allowed the shot. f) Player X is tired from the previous rally and calls time out after the score has been called. This is an audible avoidable, player Y gets a point. VI. The Tie-Breaker A. Players are allowed two time outs each in the tie-breaker. B. The player or side who scored the most total points in the previous games of the match shall serve first in the tie-breaker. In case of a tie of total points, there shall be a new toss. VII. Lines Judges A. The addition of lines judges has been one of the best new developments in racquetball. It has enabled the players to have a course of action if they feel certain calls have been made in error by the referee, yet the referee still maintains control of the match.

11 B. Two lines judges shall be used. C. The lines judges have one vote each on appealable calls, and the referee has one vote. Two out of three is necessary to either uphold or reverse a referee's call. D. If both lines judges disagree with the referee, the call is reversed. Players have 3 declined appeals per game plus a game ending appeal, if one of the lines judges disagrees with the referee's call the player keeps the right to appeal but loses the rally. If the player makes an appeal and the referees call is upheld by both lines judges, then they lose 1 of their appeals. If the referee is overturned by the lines judges then the player gets to keep that appeal. Once all 3 appeals are lost, the player must continue as if they had no lines judges for the remainder of that game until game point which is always appealable. E. What can be appealed: Everything but technicals and game/match forfeitures can be appealed. eg. Skips, kills, serves, receiving line faults, foot faults, drive serve line faults, avoidables, rule interpretations. F. There should never be any discussion during an appeal, except for the player saying "I appeal the serve", or whatever they are appealing. 1) The player says "I appeal". 2) The referee announces, "the call has been appealed", or "Mr./Ms. (Player) appeals the get", etc. 3) At this point the two lines judges give their signal a) The lines judges will signal either agreement or disagreement with the referee's call. b) The signal always refers to AGREEMENT or DISAGREEMENT with the referee's call. A lines judge never rules on whether a shot

12 was good, not good. etc. disagree with the referee. ALWAYS whether they agree or c) A signal of "thumbs down" means they disagrees with the referee. d) A signal of "thumbs up" means they agrees with the referee. cannot make a decision. e) A signal of "palm faced down" or hand in front of the eyes means they did not see it, or 4) Any appeal not made directly to the referee is not allowed. 5) No discussion may take place between the players and the lines judges G. The referee must ascertain whether both lines judges agree or disagree with the call or if only one disagrees to determine if the player shall lose one of their three appeals. H. On double bounce appeals, the player appealing must raise a hand to let the referee and the lines judges know which shot they will be appealing later. All appeals are made at the end of a rally. Therefore, if a Player X thinks Player Y picked up a shot on two bounces and signals so, but Player X then wins the rally, they will not appeal. I. It is not mandatory for you to have lines judges. However, whenever possible they are an excellent idea as they relieve the refereeing pressure. They are especially important from the quarter-finals on and any tie-breaker games. VIII. Time Outs A. Although players are allowed a specific amount of time outs, they will usually manage more due to wiping wet floors, etc. B. Keep time during time outs, - they are 30 seconds each.

13 C. It's a good idea to say, "10 seconds, may I have the towels, please", or something similar as the time winds down. D. If they wish, a player may take a time out for wiping of protective eye guards and glove changes, but do not have to call time out to wipe eyeguards. IX. Miscellaneous Situations A. If a player loses their eye protection, or a foreign object enters the court, or any outside interference occurs, the referee shall stop the play. B. If a player loses any part of their equipment, except the eye protection, the rally should not be stopped until after the point has been decided, providing the piece of equipment does not interfere with the ensuing play. If it does interfere, it is an avoidable hinder against the offending player. C. If a player holds up their swing - bend over backwards to give the player a safety hinder on this call. But if it's not - don't. D. A ball travels front-wall back-wall floor front wall the ball is still in play and must be struck before it hits the floor a second time. E. A player wants a new ball - both players should agree to a game ball and at least one alternate ball in case the first breaks. The referee at any time can change the ball. If both players request a change, it should be changed. If one player wants a new ball and the opponent does not, then it is up to the referee.

14 F. An apparent ace is served, called short, and the lines judges rule the serve was good - if the lines judges rule the serve good, and the referee believes that it could have been an ace, - then an ace is called. Otherwise, just reverse the call. G. If both players agree you missed the call - and there are no lines judges, you should reverse your call. H. If a spectator is obnoxiously rooting or coaching a player - ask them to stop, and if they do not, have them removed from the gallery. I. If a player does not return to the court on time from between games or after a time out a) the referee shall call a time out charged to the offending player. b) if they have not returned by the time this additional time out expires, a further time out shall be called. c) when all their time outs are used, the referee shall call a technical against the player and then wait an equal amount of time as if a time out has been charged. If the referee is forced to call three technicals, the match shall be forfeited. X. Laws of Refereeing A. Know the rules. B. Be fair, courteous and honest. C. Never second guess yourself. D. Always have control. E. Call it loud and clear. F. The less you talk to the players, the better.

15 Xl. And remember: A. Every player wants a referee. B. Every player really wants a good referee. C. In order to deserve a good referee, you, the player, owe it to the game to be a good referee yourself. FUNDAMENTALS OF REFEREEING There are a multitude of responsibilities bestowed upon any referee during a racquetball tournament, from house to National. Perhaps the biggest burden facing the referee is keeping control of the match, i.e., making sure it goes smoothly without arguments between the players or between the referee and the players. To accomplish this feat, the referee must be firm in tone of voice and consistent in the calls. Here is an insight into some secrets of refereeing. KNOW THE COURT Complete familiarity with the court on which the match is being played is an absolute must for all referees. Many courts will have "court hinders". These are obstructions in the court which cause the ball to bounce untruly. The referee must also be able to recognize these irregular bounces and make the appropriate call. As the referee, you must designate any court hinders before a match starts. If you don¹t, then any irregular bounce during a match must proceed as not being a court hinder Lights are also a problem in many four-wall courts. If the lights are not perfectly flush with the ceiling, the ball will not take a true bounce upon striking the light. If the light is loose, the ball will be deadened and the ceiling ball will not carry into back court. If the light is ajar, it will cause the ball to bounce erratically to one side or the other, rather than a straight rebound.

16 The gallery area is also a court hinder if the ball has hit the front wall before entering the balcony. However, the gallery is not a court hinder if the ball goes into the balcony without first hitting the floor. In this instance the correct call is point, or side out, depending on whose serve it was. The same is true in those courts where portions of the upper rear side wall are left open, and the ball caroms into an adjacent court through this opening. WHAT THE PLAYER CAN CALL The next step in being prepared for a match is for the referee to instruct the players as to what they can and cannot legally do on the court. Among the most important things are 1) The only time a player can call a hinder is on a backswing hinder, or from stepping on an opponents foot, or if they are likely to strike the opponent with the ball or the racquet. The backswing hinder is a touchy situation because it can possibly create an "option play". That is when a player is hindered on the backswing but goes through with their shot anyhow. If they hit a winner they will not call the hinder; if not, they will want the hinder. As referee, you cannot allow this. The player being hindered must call the hinder immediately, if they do not, the shot must stand. The referee should request that all players call their own skip balls and double bounce pick-ups. The referee should make a call, and if there is disagreement among the players as to whether the shot or pick-up was good or not, the referee's call will stand. For the sake of sportsmanship and a smooth running match, honesty on the part of the players is mandatory. The double bounce pick-up is probably the most difficult call to make when refereeing a match. This is because the speed of the ball, plus the poor vantage point of the referee make it almost impossible to see or hear the bounces in certain front court situations. If, as referee, you are not 100 percent certain that the ball bounced twice, do not make a call. Let play continue. This will not upset

17 the players as much as calling a double bounce that possibly was a clean pickup. CALLING THE SCORE One of the most important jobs the referee has is the often overlooked science of calling the score. Prior to the start of the match, the referee should inform the players that they cannot serve the ball, until the score has been called. The biggest reason for stressing this point, is that a well timed method of calling the score will set the tempo of the match in the referee's control, rather than that of either player. The referee should wait until both players have had a few seconds to recover from the previous rally, then call the score. The server and receiver then have ten seconds to start the rally. If the receiver is stalling until close to the ten second limit, you must still give the server time to check the receiver and then serve the ball. If the receiver or server takes too much time in getting ready, then call a loss of point penalty, which will cause the offender to pose a point but the serve remains the same. If the receiver is not ready, they should raise their racquet to show the server they are not ready. This, and turning their back to the receiver are the only options to show they are not ready to receive the serve. Use discretion and be reasonable with this rule. STOPPING PLAY During the course of a match the referee will have to stop play from time to time. If the reason for stoppage is not a hinder the referee should call "Hold it" or "Stop play". This could occur when the server serves before the receiver is ready, or in the case of court hinder. If the reason for play stoppage is a hinder, the referee should call "Hinder" loud and clear immediately upon recognizing the hinder.

18 Hinders fall into two categories, dead ball hinders in which case the rally is replayed, or avoidable hinders, in which case a point or side-out is called depending on the situation. A dead ball hinder is described in Official Rules as: Any unintentional interference by a player which prevents an opponent from having a fair chance to see or return the ball. This can be a number of things including: 1) the ball going through the legs of the player who just returned the ball (not automatic); 2) the ball passing too close to the body of the player who just hit it, preventing the returning side from seeing the ball; 3) any ball which hits an opponent on the fly before hitting the front wall; 4) any body contact with an opponent that INTERFERES with seeing or returning the ball; 5) any court hinder struck by the ball. It is the duty of the side that has just served or returned the ball to move so that the receiving side may go straight to the ball and not be required to go around an opponent...it is no excuse that the ball is killed, unless in the opinion of the referee they could not return the ball... Another reason for stopping play is a skip ball. There are two things which tell if the ball skipped in or not; sound and spin. A skip ball will generally have a rubber sliding on wood sound (squeak) and will always pick up backspin when coming off the front wall. A good shot will have a solid "thunk" sound when it hits the front wall and will usually have topspin coming off the front wall. These methods will enable the referee to call 99 percent of all shots. The one percent in doubt will come with experience. After you have seen 1,000 kill shots, you will know which ones are good and which ones are bad. Many players shy away from refereeing for a variety of reasons. We can only make an impassioned plea to all players: everybody wants to have a good, competent referee during their matches. Everybody should then volunteer to learn to referee properly. In order to demand a good referee, you should be one!

19 HOW TO REFEREE PART 1 As racquetball grows, refereeing becomes an increasingly sticky problem. Knowledge and interpretation of the rules and ability to correctly make calls relating to them is the essence of refereeing. This series of articles will deal with refereeing and the information, it is hoped, will serve to help standardize refereeing on an international scale. This installment deals with an overview and theories of refereeing, as well as the first step to refereeing a match, the pre-match duties. What is a referee's function? Without referees there would be no tournaments. In highly competitive athletics the need is obvious to have a controlling element to coordinate and interpret the rules of play. In some sports, i.e. baseball, football, or tennis, a group of officials perform this function. In other sports, the ultimate authority rests on one person, i.e. boxing, hockey, and of course, racquetball and handball. One of the difficulties of refereeing in the second category is the fact that a sole official finds themselves in a situation of high pressure. The need for an immediate and correct call, in sometimes highly explosive circumstances, is what usually scares away most potential referees. A racquetball referee is not a person who just calls and keeps the score. They are an arbitrator, interpreter and enforcer, as well. Yet, the best referees are those who seem invisible, whose calls are crisp and clear, and delivered with authority.

20 Since most racquetball referees are also players, a built-in awareness of rules and situations should be used as an aid to making calls. Players must realize the intense pressure a referee is under and referees must also be aware of the high degree of competitive spirit that the player has. It is only through this mutual understanding that order rather than chaos will emerge on the court. Rule 1 - Control the match. Above all else, the referee must control the match. By control we do not mean an iron handed dictatorship of "what I say goes, and don't you dare give me any lip". This is one method, although not the right one. There are many other, more subtle ways of controlling a match. Most of these will be described in detail in the next installment of this series. However, a few of the highlights should be pointed out. First of all, the referee can control the match, by controlling the pace, and they control the pace by their method of calling the score. A haphazard, "8-6, let's go, " will not do it. A rather slow, loud and standard phrase should be used, "Side out (pause), eight serving six". When and when not to talk with players, use of technical fouls, and developing the rhythm of the match are other means of maintaining control of the game. PRE-MATCH DUTIES Most of these control methods can be better understood if we start at the beginning. A good referee is an organized referee. Nothing should be left to chance. Players are entitled to, and will need, towels. They should be there. If a ball breaks, additional balls should be on hand. These are small items, but in the long run they help gain respect for the referee. For a player to have to run off the court, looking for a towel or wait around extra minutes for the referee to find a new ball, disrupts the play, could alter

21 momentum, and generally breaks the rhythm of the match. The less time unavoidable delays take, the better off the referee is. The referee should have a minimum of two game balls on hand prior to an open caliber match. As the players begin warming up, the referee should give each player one of the balls so that they both have a chance to hit with the ball(s) that eventually will be used. When the actual game ball is decided, the second ball should be handed to the referee and used as a replacement if the first ball breaks. After the players have warmed-up to the point of almost being ready, the referee should enter the court. This point in time is crucial. In face-to-face meeting with the players, the referee should deliver a pre-game speech of sorts. A well-done and authoritative presentation will get the referee off to a good start. The primary reason for this tactic is to be sure that you and the players are in agreement on all situations as they may arise. This would include court hinders, hinders, avoidable hinders, technical fouls, appeals and so forth. Any racquetball player competing in a tournament is expected to know the rules. It is not the duty of the referee to explain the rules to the players. However, it is the duty of the referee to be sure that both players feel comfortable with his knowledge of the rules and interpretation of them. If a player believes that you, as referee, do know the rules as well as they do, then you will gain their respect. As you begin your dissertation, make sure you have the complete attention of both players. Instruct them to cease warming up and that they will have additional time to complete their warm-up after you are done talking. What follows is a recommended pre-match speech. Although seemingly elaborate, this speech takes but a few short minutes, but these are the most important minutes of the match, for the referee. You have succeeded in putting the players at ease and informing them that you have control of the match. Let us analyze the speech.

22 All players should be addressed as "Mr. or Ms". This not only shows respect for the player, it also adds some class to the proceedings. A call of "Time out, Mr. Brumfield", is a lot better than, "Time out, Charlie". Also, by addressing the players on a non-personal level, you have succeeded in placing yourself above the players in a sense, as a figure of authority. As we have noted, this must be maintained at all times. It is important that you stress the fact that you will call avoidable hinders and technical fouls, for these are the referee's two most potent tools for keeping a match under control. IMPORTANT: Never give warnings on avoidable hinders. As for technical fouls, you must use your best judgement, and show some restraint. You should allow a player to question your call, especially if 1) you know you called it too soon or 2) they do so in a calm and respectful manner. Any player who goes wild on the court, acts disrespectful to the referee or racquetball in general will be hit with a technical foul and the resulting loss of a point. The reason you should allow a bit of bantering between the player and the referee is two-fold. First you should never reverse a call unless overruled by the lines judges, or if you realize you made a mistake on your original call, so discussion ends there on appealable calls. In other situations, since you should not reverse your call and the player knows it, they usually are just releasing some steam in the heat of the battle. Secondly the power to erase a point from a player's score is the second most powerful tool in racquetball, and must not be abused by power-crazed referees. A calm professional approach to refereeing must be maintained at all times. However, the very first obscenity uttered in your direction, should find a technical foul sent right back. The very first attempt to undermine your respect or authority will also result in a technical. But, you can allow a player to let off a little steam, as long as it is done right.

23 Backswing hinders are tough to call because they are tough to see. At no time can a player be allowed to take a shot, and if it is good, ignore the hinder; and it is bad, expect the hinder. If a player asks for a hinder even though a shot was taken and you feel it was just a reaction shot, or to show you that they could reach the ball, then you can replay it. This is a judgement call on your part. And that is the way it is. Authority, respect, restraints, common sense, and hopefully, a bit of class. Try it. See if your refereeing does not improve. HOW TO REFEREE PART II Controlling the match is the essence of refereeing. Without the control from a neutral party, racquetball matches would result in chaos, as would any competitive sport lacking a judge to enforce the rules. Yet a lame referee can sometimes be more disruptive than no referee at all, a situation that often leads to ugly scenes on the court. Therefore, for those who take their refereeing seriously, this article will give some insight on the ways and means of maintaining control of the match. As this series of refereeing develops, we will try and hit almost all possible situations that can occur on the court. However, for those of you who may have specific rule or situations that need clarification or interpretation, you can write to the Officiating Committee, c/o Canadian Racquetball Association, 12 Fulham Ave. Winnipeg, Manitoba R3N 0G2. CALLING THE SCORE

24 As touched on briefly earlier, control of the match begins with the method of calling the score. By the timing and tone of voice, the referee can project virtually any image they want; weak or strong, knowledgeable or confused, confident or apprehensive, professional or amateurish. The calling of the score is the starting point for each rally, and never should a second serve be allowed that is not preceded entirely by the expression "Second Serve". Often players who tend to "get hot" like to grab the ball and put it in play as soon as possible. It is the referee, not the "hot" player who controls the pace of the match. The receiver as well as the server is entitled to the appropriate time to prepare between rallies. When do you call the score? Generally after a few seconds has elapsed from the finish of the previous rally. You do not have to wait for the players to be ready before calling the score, but you can give them a few seconds so that if they want to call a time out, they can. If they ask you to wait a little longer before calling the score, you can use your own judgement as to how long you want to wait. Once you get into a rhythm, stay with it since the players will get used to it as well. MAKING THE CALL The sequence goes something like this: "Eight serving six". During the play a shot hits the floor: "Skip ball (pause), side out", (pause), "Six serving eight", and the process is repeated. The last thing you want is to have the rally-ending shot occur and the referee not say a word. Everybody is waiting for your call: players, fans, and lines judges. Every split second seems like an eternity. Up or down? Good or bad? After a rally ends, it should end on a referee's call: skip ball, point, hinder, etc. The worst call is no call at all.

25 Loud and clear. This all brings us to another refereeing rule for referees: call it loud and clear. Nobody is correct every single time. Just as the top players miss easy shots occasionally, the best referees will miss plays sometimes. Players do not expect perfection from the referee, but they do expect decisiveness. A hemming and hawing referee is the worst kind, the kind who will be eaten alive by a tournament veteran who relishes intimidation. If you make a bad call, reverse it and continue if you have the opportunity. If you are lucky enough to have linesmen, the call can be appealed. Otherwise, just keep on plugging. The one thing you should never do, is to ask the players their opinion. They are playing, you are refereeing. You are not a fan, not a spectator, you are an integral part of the match. This should not be misinterpreted as meaning that players should never be allowed to voice an opinion. If, in fact, two honest players are competing and the referee misses a call, one player might offer, "No, the ball skipped." Or, "No, I got it on two". In these cases, simply thank the player for their honesty, call the score and proceed. In any event, as a referee, welcome the player who calls his own. It shows sportsmanship, class and desire to win fairly, - the essence of sport. WHEN TO TALK WITH THE PLAYERS Seldom, if ever. The less discussion that goes on between players and referee, the better off you will all be. As stated earlier; you referee, they play and it's that way for a reason. If however, a situation pertaining to rules occurs, some discussion might be necessary. Player A felt that the ball struck a court hinder. You briefly and calmly explain that as in your pre-game instructions, there are no court hinders and you are very sorry.

26 Player B wants to know how many time outs they have remaining. "You have two remaining", is your reply. No more, no less. Do not comment on their play even if it is great or entertaining. The only real exception to this rule, is if you get stuck with a true rule interpretation. And the only way you can get stuck is if you are unprepared. In the middle of a rally, as Player A strikes the ball and loses a shoe. Player B returns the ball and Player A scrambles around trying to return it. When Player A cannot, he argues that he is entitled to an automatic hinder. You felt that Player A would not have reached the shot anyway, shoe or no shoe, and that your call against them would stand. Player A, certain of being correct, requests a ruling by the tournament chairman. This type of discussion could occur, although rare. By the way, if the shoe did not interfere with Player B or if it was not a safety hazard, the play shall continue until the end of the rally. If the shoe did interfere with the play, it would be an avoidable hinder on Player A. TECHNICAL FOULS Prior to the inception of the technical foul, the referee had two choices, allow abuse from players, or forfeit the match. The technical foul allows some leeway to both player and referee, with the technical foul resulting in deduction of one point from a player's score. What is a technical foul? Similar to basketball's technical, it is a situation of deliberate and excessive conduct and/or language directed toward the referee, lines judges, spectator or player. Examples of technical foul material are obscenities, which are instant technicals if there is any doubt that it was uttered a) in the direction of the referee or b) to a fan or opponent or c) at the player himself if loud enough for the spectators to overhear. Other examples of technical foul-like activities would be excessive striking of the ball after the play has ended, especially after a warning; yelling, screaming or hollering at an opponent, spectator or referee beyond decent limits; failure to return to the court after a time out when no time outs are remaining; general unsportsmanlike conduct.

27 Something good to know: if a player should strike the ball in anger (or for whatever reason) after the play is over, and that ball should turn up broken, the player has forfeited all rights to a replayed rally by their striking the ball after the play has ended. FORFEITING A MATCH Any physical violence whatsoever, in any way, shape or form, would compel the referee to forfeit the match. Such drastic action is not only warranted, in such cases, it is mandatory for the good of the sport. Sure, tempers flare occasionally, players sometimes get hit by balls, and even racquets. In the course of play, emotions often run high. But a players who cannot control his/her emotions without endangering the physical health of another player, does not deserve to play racquetball. There are other situations, such as a player who, despite two or more technical fouls, continues these outbursts of obscenities or other unsportsmanlike conduct. The forfeiture rule is there to protect the sport from those persons who do not care enough about it, to be willing to play in the spirit of competition and sportsmanship. We do not need these people. When their on-the-court conduct becomes so detrimental to racquetball that we are compelled to take action, they are only receiving their just due. INTIMIDATION Only the unprepared can be intimidated. A referee who does not know the rules or how to enforce them will find themselves on the defensive almost from the first

28 point. Players will test referees, see how far they can go with shenanigans, verbalizations and so forth. It does not take a great deal of time to read the rule book and become familiar with racquetball's rules. It only takes some desire to referee during a tournament, and it only takes some self-pride to take pride in one's refereeing ability. The best way to stop a player from intimidating you is to not let them start. Crisp, concise calls; affirmative, authoritative voice; and control of the match are all you need. Your call of "play ball" should be enough to get the game back on the track. If a technical is in order, dish it out. And above all, never allow yourself to be talked into reversing a judgement call. Never re-play a rally because one player feels you missed a call. Make your call, loud and clear, and stick to it. You can change your mind immediately if you feel you stopped the play to hastily. One of the major problems in racquetball over the past years has been inconsistent refereeing. In top flight pro play even more pressure is on the referee to make the correct calls. The use of lines judges has taken some of that pressure off the referee and enabled the player to have a course to follow in case of a missed call. The use of lines judges eliminates a great deal of this time-consuming bickering. Lines judges do a great job in helping the referee control the match and at the same time make the outcome as fair and impartial as possible. We urge all tournament hosts to consider the use of lines judges in their tournaments. It can be done without hindering the referee's authority, and it will make for smoother, more enjoyable racquetball, for players, referees and spectators.

29 POSITION OF THE LINES JUDGES Where the lines judges station themselves will depend on the type of court on which the match is being played. In all cases the lines judges should have vantage points as different from the referee and each other as possible. In a standard racquetball court with no glass, only the regular balcony viewing, the referee should be centered equal distant from the walls. If the court has no glass back wall and only balcony viewing, the lines judges will be at the side walls on the balcony with the referee in the center. In a court with a glass back wall, the same holds true, with the referee in the center and the lines judges at the sides. Duties of the lines judges Lines judges may not initiate any call at any time. They are there to give an opinion if the referee cannot make a call or if the referee's call is appealed by a player. Once an appeal is made the referee then must check the lines judges for that opinion. Again, lines judges cannot offer their opinion unless specifically requested by the referee. If the lines judge agrees with the referee's call, they say nothing, simply signals "thumbs up". If they disagree with the referee, they signals "thumbs down". If the lines judge did not see the play or cannot make a decision for any reason, they signal by making a sideways back-and-forth gesture with his hand palm down or places the hand in front of their eyes.

30 Two out of three makes a decision, so it takes both lines judges to overrule the referee. If one lines judge cannot make a call and the other lines judge disagrees with the referee, the rally shall be replayed. If the referee could not see the shot, they can say so and let the lines judges make the call. If they do not agree with each other then the rally shall be replayed. If only one official sees the call, then that call stands. There are no primary or secondary lines judges any more, they both make the call at the same time. How the system works. Let us take an example of just what everybody should do in an appeal situation, - the players, the referee, and the lines judges. Two players are involved in a rally and finally one of them goes for bottom board, hitting an apparent roll out, which was called "good" by the referee. Their opponent, feeling the ball skipped, simply turns to the referee and says, "I appeal the last shot". The referee then announces to the lines judges and gallery, "The call is being appealed", and immediately turns to the lines judges and says, "I call the shot good. Do you agree?". The lines judges then issue their "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" or "no call". If the referee is overruled by the lines judges, then the appropriate call must be announced. WHAT CAN BE APPEALED Most situations can be appealed during a match. Technicals and game/match forfeitures are the only things that cannot be appealed If you make an appeal and that appeal is unanimously turned down, then the referee's call stands, and you lose one of your three (3) appeals per game. If however, your appeal is upheld then the circumstances become a bit more complicated, and you keep your appeal. If you lose your appeal but one lines

31 judge disagrees with the referee then you lose the rally but keep your appeal. Let us make the examples one by one. You have shot the ball, the referee called "skip" and you appealed. Your appeal is upheld by the lines judges. In this case the call is then reversed and your shot is ruled good. You then are awarded a point or service depending on the situation and you keep your appeal. Your opponent shoots the ball and the referee rules it a good shot, but you felt it skipped. You appeal and your appeal is upheld. In this case the call is reversed and the shot called a skip. You then are awarded a point or the serve depending on the situation and you keep your appeal. The referee calls "short" on a serve you thought was good. You appeal and the lines judges rule that yes, it was a good serve. If the serve, in the opinion of the referee was a clear ace serve, you are then awarded a point. To receive an ace in this situation, your serve must virtually roll out of the crack at the side wall. If there is any doubt at all, the referee cannot award you an ace. If it was not an ace serve, perhaps a routine drive or lob then you simply are given two serves again. If your opponent serves a serve that you feel was short, yet no call was made by the referee, you must play out that point. If you win the rally, there is no sense appealing the call; however the server can appeal it. If they do and their appeal is upheld, then they serve again with one serve coming. If you lose the above rally, then you should appeal the "no call". If your appeal is upheld, then the rally is replayed with one serve coming to the server. If they already had one fault, then the side would be out if your appeal is upheld.

32 If you think you reached a shot on one bounce but the referee calls two bounces the rally has ended, so an appeal is easy. If your appeal is upheld the rally must be replayed because there is no way to determine if your opponent could or could not have returned your shot. If you feel your opponent picks up a shot on two or more bounces, but there is no call by the referee, you must continue to play. However, since you will want to appeal this particular play after the rally has ended, you must in some way signal the referee and lines judges so they will know which exact play you will be appealing. This is a difficult situation but the only way in which an appeal on this play can be made. In order to make this appeal you must raise your off hand. You will not want to keep your hand upraised very long since you still have to retrieve the shot just hit by your opponent. Just keep it up a second or so in order that the referee and lines judges see it. Of course, if you win the rally, no appeal is necessary. If you lose the rally you should appeal and the lines judges and referee will know which instance you are referring to. If you win your appeal, you win the rally. How to appeal. Appeals by a player must be made directly to the referee. Any appeal directed to any other person, including a lines judge is not an official appeal and will not be recognized. Lines judges must not make any call, either by voice or motion at any time, unless specifically requested to do so by the referee. If a player asks the lines judge if they thought a particular shot was good or not, the lines judge should remain silent with a blank facial expression, or look away. HOW TO AVOID THE AVOIDABLE HINDER The most confusing and sensitive rule in racquetball, for beginners and veterans alike is the avoidable hinder. It is a rule that has plagued players and referees since its inception and it will probably continue to do so.