by DOUG BATES

USA PICKLEBALL CERTIFIED REFEREE

Referee Corner

This issue we meet two couples who help pickleball tournaments run smoothly — both as certified referees and behind the scenes .

Bill and Nancy McManus hail from Mesa , Arizona , the home of the 2024 Biofreeze USA Pickleball National Championships , in which both will be heavily involved . Bill is a certified referee , and Nancy got involved later , helping assign matches to referees and keeping events running smoothly .

Bill and Lynn Plesha of Pebble Creek , Arizona , are involved in similar roles , with Bill as a certified referee and Lynn helping to run the referee desk .

USA Pickleball : When did all of you find pickleball ?

Bill & Lynn : We discovered pickleball when we moved into our active adult community in 2013 and immediately became hooked !

Bill & Nancy : I have been playing for about nine years . We found it after moving into a 55 + community . Nancy was forced from playing by a bad knee , a scourge for many of us !

USA Pickleball : How did you become referees ?

Bill M .: I was a high school and college referee in multiple sports . After playing in a tournament , the organizers asked for volunteers to referee . I thought , “ Why not ?” After I was done refereeing and getting ready to leave , the head referee , George McCulley , said I

should consider getting certified . That started my journey .

Bill P .: In 2016 our community offered a class on refereeing . I enjoyed it , so I started practicing on social games . I received my official USA Pickleball referee certification in 2018 .

USA Pickleball : Lynn and Nancy , how did you become the people in charge of referees at tournaments ?

Lynn : I started line judging at local events . Bill had signed up to referee at the West Regional and I decided to go with him and volunteered for line judging . However , I ended up helping run the referee desk .

Nancy : Once Bill got into working more tournaments , he needed help . So he asked me if I would be interested in learning pickleball desk . It sounded like fun , and we could do it together . USA Pickleball : Bill and Bill , how did you meet ?

We first met when we traveled together to the West Regional in Fountain Valley , California , several years ago . We hit it off and started working tournaments together . We have known each other for about six years now .

USA Pickleball : Lynn and Nancy , I always enjoy seeing you at tournaments , having fun and keeping the referees in order . Tell us about your experience together .

Lynn Plesha ( left ) and Nancy McManus

Bill Plesha ( left ) and Bill McManus

Nancy : We did not know each other before pickleball . Our husbands knew each other first . We are friends and enjoy working tournaments together . We have worked the last three Nationals together and will be working the 2024 Pickleball Nationals together . Lynn : I met Nancy and Bill at Nationals in 2021 . Nancy and I have successfully worked the desk at tournaments since that time . We work very well together and have been called the “ A-Team ” a time or two . •

New Certified Referees Ross Priebe — Canada Sharon MacDonald — Arizona Tammy Calef — South Carolina