Efforts To Improve Tennis Umpiring

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29008, 24 September 1959, Page 17

Efforts To Improve Tennis Umpiring

pROPOSALS “designed to stimulate interest in and to raise the standard of efficiency of the country’s umpires and umpires’ associations” are incorporated in 15 motions on the constitution of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Umpires’ Association which will be moved at the association’s annual meeting on September 26. The motions have been circulated with the annual report. Explanatory notes with the motions say that at present, in some centres at least, umpires are regarded much too frequently with lack of enthusiasm by players, tournament managements and spectators. Theory “The reasons for this are not hard to find. Players, tournament managements and spectators often find the efficiency in umpiring that persons advertise they have by wearing the N.Z.L.T.U.A. lapel badge or by getting up into an umpires' chair is lacking in practice,” the notes say. “Further, too many of our umpiring procedures are so long-winded and outmoded that their use prevents matches from running smoothly. The accusation has even been made that these procedures seem designed to glorify umpires and umpiring. Furthermore, tennis associations become rather cynical because, whereas plenty of umpires and linesmen are available for important occasions such as the Kramer professionals, there is a lamentable dearth of such officials on less important occasions.

“It is not surprising that these diverse groups, whom we umpires desire to serve, hold the views

they do because, unfortunately, in too many cases their opinions are correct,” the notes say.

Action

In an endeavour to remedy the situation, the association proposes several courses of action summarised as follows:

(1) A general revision of the procedures for umpires and linesmen. This is under action, and the amended procedures will be published in the association’s handbook early in 1960.

(2) A revision of the conditions covering the Kramer and Salek trophies. This has been done.

(3) A revision of the conditions for the examination by the association and of the examination questions. This has been done. (4) The implementation of a proposal to have individual members of the New Zealand association so that the whole of New Zealand can be tapped for new umpires and also that the interest of qualified umpires who shift away from main centres where there are associations can be maintained.

(5) The introduction of a scheme regarding . pass certificates, practising umpires and lapel badges.

(6) A number of other alterations to the constitution to make the efforts more productive and efficient.

The notes say that the over-all ideas behind the proposals are to try to obtain many more new umpires and linesmen, to encourage umpires, both old and new, to officiate at matches to a greater extent than they have done in the past, to improve the standard of umpiring, and to raise the status of umpires.