Datacards for 2008 recertification processed

Officials:
The bulk of the Midwest Officials' datacards have been processed. Those who submitted completed datacards will receive a 2008 datacard, a new certification card and a 2008 Friend at Court in late December or early January. Please check your certification levels and if incorrect, please contact your Section Chairman and submit any request for changes immediately. Changes not requested by March 1 will not be made.

Each datacard should reflect the work for the year. Do not add the late matches of 2007 onto your 2008 datacard.

Anyone who was certified at the provisional level because of missing eye doctor's signature may be raised to the proper level once their eye doctor's documentation is submitted. Otherwise, they will remain at the provisional level.

2007 Mel Bergman award to Lynda Hinshaw

Indianapolis, In. --- Lynda Hinshaw of Richmond, Indiana, will receive the 2007 USTA/Midwest Section Mel Bergman Award at an awards banquet on Saturday, December 8. The banquet is being held during the 2007 USTA/Midwest Section Annual Meeting at the Marriott Hotel in downtown Detroit, Michigan.

Hinshaw served as the Central Indiana Tennis Association (CITA) President from 1989-1990 and chaired numerous district committees including nominating, awards, tournament administration and special populations. She is a recipient of the 1985 CITA Stanley Malless Award.

At the Section level, Hinshaw is finishing a 14-year term as USTA/Midwest Section Grievance Committee Chairman. She was a previous member of the Officials Committee. Hinshaw is a recipient of the Midwest’s Frank Dowling Award presented to an individual who has displayed outstanding attributes as a tennis official in the USTA/Midwest Section for at least five years. Hinshaw has served as an official for many years for both the USTA/Midwest Section Closed BG16 and 18 Championships and USTA/Midwest Section Junior Wightman Cup.

Hinshaw has been involved with the USTA at the national level. She was a member of the Umpires/Officials Committee for 12 years, and has been a National Trainer/Evaluator for more than 10 years. She has been an umpire and referee at tennis events for 30 years, which includes the four Indiana High School Athletic Association State Championship tournaments for over ten years (Girls Team Championships, Girls Singles and Doubles Championships, Boys Team Championships and Boys Singles and Doubles Championships).

Recertification for 2008

Midwest Tennis Officials:
It's time to complete your 2007 datacard for submission for 2008 certification.
Be sure that your datacard contain:
-USTA membership number
-Membership Expiration Date
-Your Signature and date
-****Signature of your eye doctor and date****
-Information regarding the annual traning session you attended

Sendthe datacard to your district chairman - If you don't know who that is, check the officials' website at http://mwofficials.home.att.net Go to the link for your state and your district chairman's contact information is provided.

The district chairs must meet my deadline of October 15 in my hands, so please send it in time to your chairman.

Regards,
Joy Duerr

Officiating Tips Newsletter - June 2007

Good morning,

The June, 2007 edition of USTA Officials Department Newsletter is now available.

You can access the newsletter by doing one of the following:

1. Click on the following link http://www.usta.com/rules/default.sps?iType=923 in order to access the USTA Officials Department web page and click on the link that reads Officiating Tips Newsletter- June, 2007

2. Go to www.usta.com, click on the “Get Involved” tab, click on “Officials” and click on the link that reads Officiating Tips Newsletter-June, 2007

If you have any questions about or problems accessing the newsletter, please contact us at officiating@usta.com.

Sincerely,

Ryan Orner
Officials Coordinator-USTA
914-696-7280 (Phone)
914-696-7008 (Fax)
orner@usta.com

Jimmy Williams retires from umpiring

Jimmy Williams, formerly the chairman of officials of the Central Indiana district is retiring from umpiring. After his wife retired from work, they moved so Jimmy could spend more of his time fishing. However, he has experienced physical problems stemming from previous injuries causing back pain as well as buring sensations in his feet. Neither of these conditions are good when umpires need to stand for long hours with little rest. The medical condition is called neuropathy. Mayo clinic does not recommend further surgery, so Jimmy is calling it quits. You may contact Jimmy at wjwill2 (at) aol.com. He'll love to hear from you.

Steve Menoff from Chicago area was recently honored by the Chicago Tennis Patrons as the umpire of the year for 2006, awarded in 2007. Congratulations for a well deserved award.

Line Umpire Training Elm Grove - start is 6:00 pm

Line Umpire Training at Elm Grove Wisconsin, at the Western Racquet Club, Aug 6 starts at 6:00 pm instead of 7:00 pm as originally stated.