FROM THE USAPA
USAPA TRAINING COLUMN
REFEREE
CERTIFICATION
POISED FOR
LAUNCH
BY LYNN & LINDA LAYMON – USAPA TRAINING CHAIRS
I
t’s on the launch pad. Are you ready?
That’s the question every referee
seeking USAPA certification should be
asking. The first step, The Referee Rules
Test, has been online for over a year.
The required Phase II training materials,
the Referee Handbook and Referee
Trainer Guide, contain the USAPA
referee standards and procedures. They
have been available to members since
December 1, 2015. So what’s next?
Phase III of the USAPA Referee
Training and Certification Program, the
part that involves proving that one has
fulfilled the prerequisites, applying for
certification, and passing an on-court
evaluation, is poised to blast off. But
before you submit your application, there
are a few things to consider.
Referee Rules Test. First, a certified
referee needs to possess unquestionable
command of the official IFP/USAPA
rules. Although a score of 90% on the
Referee Rules Test is passing, answering
every question correctly leaves little
room for doubt. As a final confirmation,
a certification candidate should retake
the test just prior to applying for
certification.
Referee Training Course. The next
item is to complete a Referee Training
Course administered by a USAPA
registered trainer. Registered trainers
have agreed to teach the USAPA Referee
10
Standards and Procedures as presented
in the official Referee Handbook and
Referee Trainer Guide. These standards
and procedures are the foundation upon
which the referee certification program is
developed. Once the training is acquired,
it’s time to practice the newly learned
skills until they become second nature.
After training, a candidate must apply the
USAPA referee standards and procedures
while refereeing 30 matches (and at
least 15 of them in USAPA sanctioned
tournaments). This is a prerequisite to
applying for certification.
Professionalism. While beta-testing
the evaluation process, the committee
found that experienced referees often
have difficulty breaking old habits that
do not conform to the newly documented
standards and procedures. One of those
is professionalism. Certified referees
are expected to maintain a professional
demeanor. Social interaction with players
and spectators while on the court is
discouraged. The game is about the
players and the match, not the referee.
Tracking Servers. Another common
sticking point is the method used to
track servers. USAPA procedures strongly
encourage referees to simultaneously
use multiple techniques. Using a backup
system ensures that the referee is always
on spot with who should be serving and
whether he/she is first or second server.
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Some experienced referees find it easier
to continue using the simpler, but less
accurate, methods with which they are
comfortable. The certification evaluators
are expecting referees to use backup
systems.
Referee Handbook. The Referee
Handbook contains numerous procedures
and standards that many experienced
referees have not before seen. Potential
certification candidates have at least 30
matches to get used to following the new
standards and procedures before being
eligible to apply for certification.
Observation. Once the candidate
has completed the required number
of matches, it is recommended that
the candidate’s trainer observe him/
her in action. This gives the trainer
the opportunity to offer constructive
suggestions and provides grounds for
making an objective decision regarding
whether the candidate’s performance
warrants applying for certification. If the
trainer feels the candidate is following
the USAPA standards and procedures, the
trainer will recommend the candidate by
signing off on the application.
Application. At this point the
candidate completes the online
application, provides the required
backup information and pays the fee.
Although the process is not yet in place,