PLAYING PARTNERS TAKE ON NEW CHALLENGES AS CERTIFIED REFEREES
By Doug Bates
CERTIFIED REFEREE
Meet the duo from Oklahoma — Ron Ponder and Tom Whitson — both well-known referees . They became friends after meeting at a rec center in Norman and played in tournaments together . Those tournaments often needed referees and both jumped in to help .
They took it a step further and decided to learn more about the rules . Finding out how difficult it is to become a certified referee , the retirees decided to attack the problem together and became certified within a day of each other in March of 2019 . As Ron , a former wedding chapel owner , never hesitates to point out , he has one more day of experience than Tom , formerly a transportation coordinator for the U . S . Postal Service .
USA Pickleball : What do you enjoy most about being a referee ?
Tom : Most of the time , there ’ s a very satisfying feeling that you ’ ve helped someone in the tournament setting . So many times , the new players will thank you , even if it ’ s just for keeping score . In the end , it ’ s the feeling that you ’ ve helped someone that makes it enjoyable for me .
Ron : Who said I do ?! I like the level of respect we get from players . When a certified referee steps onto your court , you can be pretty sure it ’ s a positive .
USA Pickleball : What is your favorite rule and why ?
Ron : Definitely 13 . C . ( referee duties ) because sometimes things happen that even the rule makers didn ’ t foresee !
Tom : 6 . D ., 6 . D . 3 ., and 6 . D . 7 . ( code of ethics for line calling ) get quoted by me a lot . I ’ ve refereed a lot of matches and I ’ ve noticed players who are generous in their line calls always get the same treatment back .
USA Pickleball : What are the most common rule questions you get ?
Tom & Ron : Section 9 — nonvolley zone ( NVZ ) rules . Questions like , “ When can I go into the NVZ ? Someone told me I can ’ t go into the kitchen .”
USA Pickleball : What is your favorite rule update in the last few years ?
Ron : Let serve is no longer a thing . I never understood why we treated serves differently than any other shot .
USA Pickleball : What advice would you give to anyone who is interested in learning to referee ? Tom : Most of the time we are on a court , referees keep and call the score as their primary duty , and new referees need to become unconscious at that job . It is being clumsy and lacking confidence in the scorekeeping and score-calling part that causes new referees to miss some of the referee parts .
Ron Ponder , left , and Tom Whitson started as playing partners then decided to step up their pickleball involvement and become certified referees .
Scoresheet practice is a huge part of becoming better .
USA Pickleball : What do you see for the future of the sport ?
Tom : I see lots of growth in two areas . First on the grassroots side , where new players are trying the sport , playing recreationally and then playing in local tournaments , meeting new people , and just having a blast . And second , the incredible growth on the professional side . It seems to have limitless upside .
New Certified Referees Joel Alnes , North Carolina Chris Johnson , Oregon Maddie Toren , Arizona DeeDee Jackson , California Gary Miller , South Dakota Reg van Drecht , New Brunswick , Canada Brooke Hollis , Texas Sarah Smith , Nevada
Referee Corner
JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2023 | MAGAZINE 59