FROM THE USAPA
MEET THE
USAPA
Training
Department
BY LYNN & LINDA LAYMON – USAPA TRAINING CHAIRS
S
ince the inception of what is now known as the USA Pickleball
Association, responsibility for providing the sport with
training‑related documents and aids – instructional videos and text
materials – has fallen under the Grant/Training Chair. This board
position has been filled by one person who divided his time between
the two responsibilities. With the grant program exploding and the
need for training materials becoming even more critical, that no longer
is the case.
In July 2015, training was spun off from grants and became a
department of its own. With our election to this position, the USAPA
gained the experience, enthusiasm and labor of two bodies with a
single, combined voice on the board.
Building on the preliminary work of the Referee Certification
Committee, headed by John Grasso, Referee Training/Certification
became our initial undertaking. After devising a three-phase
development and implementation plan, our first priority became one
of fine-tuning the Referee Rules Test, which is Phase I of the overall
program.
Next came the task of developing a set of referee standards and
procedures – Phase II. After gathering input from the original
committee and other experienced, highly respected referees who
routinely officiate USAPA sanctioned tournaments, we presented the
initial draft of the Referee Handbook and Referee Trainer Guide for
USAPA Board concurrence. With their blessings we continued into Beta
Testing.
After advertising the opportunity to participate as a Beta Test
trainer, of 75 applicants, 10 were selected based on geographics,
refereeing experience and training qualifications. Each was instructed
to use the new Handbook and Trainer Guide to teach a minimum of 10
students. At completion, all students and trainers were sent feedback
forms. The responses were overwhelmingly positive and contained
many worthwhile suggestions, which were incorporated in the
documents before they were finalized.
On December 1, 2015, both the finalized Referee Handbook and
Referee Trainer Guide were made available to USAPA members via
usapa.org by hovering the cursor over Referee Materials on the Rules
& Referees dropdown menu. When clicking either document, you
are asked for your member password. Every USAPA member in good
standing has a password; if you don’t know yours, click as instructed
and it will be emailed momentarily.
To access and download the Referee Trainer Guide, members
must first register by providing contact information and refereeing/
referee training experience, as well as agree to the Referee Trainer
Responsibility Acknowledgement. This registration process, however,
does not necessarily imply that the person is qualified to train referees
or even plans to train referees; it simply provides the member access
to the Trainer Guide and allows USAPA to track registrants. Therefore,
having registered as a trainer is not an endorsement by USAPA.
Phase III, the Certification part of the Referee Training/Certification
program, is currently under development. The basic concept has been
approved, but there are still a number of details to be worked out. We
do know, however, that the prerequisites for applying for certification
will be: complete a referee training course using the official Referee
Handbook and Referee Trainer Guide, referee the required number and
type of matches and obtain a recommendation from the candidate’s
trainer. After the prerequisites are completed and the application
submitted, along with the certification application fee, the applicant’s
on-court refereeing performance will be evaluated by one or more
members of the USAPA Referee Certification Evaluation Committee,
who will determine if the applicant requires additional instruction/
experience or successfully meets the requirements for certification.
Those who pass will be issued USAPA Certified Referee credentials and
materials and receive other benefits.
The initial Referee Certification Evaluation Committee will consist
of 4 to 10 highly experienced and respected referees who possess
the knowledge, temperament and discipline to objectively apply
the certification requirements. John Grasso and USAPA Southwest
Regional Director Linda Hoggatt have been selected to fill the initial
two openings. We are working with them to finalize the Phase III
implementation plan.
In the meantime, in early January, we will be making the USAPA Line
Judge Guide available at usapa.org and putting up a new Line Judge
Quiz. The Guide contains detailed USAPA line judging standards and
procedures, and the quiz provides line judges with an opportunity to
test their knowledge of the task.
Although it may appear that way right now, the Training
Department’s efforts are not limited to refereeing. We have assembled
a committee of top pickleba