WHO ARE WE

The Houston Tennis Umpires Association (HTUA) is the only professional tennis umpiring organization in the City of Houston. We are an organization specifically devoted to providing certified, qualified, professional tennis officials for all levels of tennis events; Amateur, Recreational, Junior, Collegiate and Professional.


 

Please be aware Vision tests are mandatory for this year the attached link will take you to the necessary form

2013 Vision Form

 

New ITA Rules not in FAC 2013 are available on following link ITA Rules New

The Following e-mail was sent to all ITA officials it is also attached for your convenience

E-mail from ITA

 

Folks the 2013 certification tests are online at the following link:

 http://www.usta.com/About-USTA/Officials/Officials_test_new/ 

These tests will reference the 2013 FAC. It is now available on-line. 

Everybody must take the USTA test—not the provisional test. The referee and ITA tests are optional. 

You must also bring proof to the certification class that you passed the test.

You will also need to print and bring the appropriate handouts.

Here is the link

http://www.usta.com/About-USTA/Officials/officials_school_handouts/

Please find new link for ordering ITA clothing.

Please note if you are registering for the Houston school you can do it on Nucula. for all other Texas Schools please register at the link below at least one week before the desired school. e remember that you must register for your 2013 Officials School at least ONE WEEK PRIOR to the date of your school at the foll remember Please remember that you must register for your 2013 Officials School at least ONE WEEK PRIOR to the http://www.tx10isofficials.com/ that you must register for your 2013 Officials School at least ONE WEEK PRIOR to the date of your school at the following link:

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Hi ITA Officials,

 

Following is the information about the Plano ITA Chair School. Please let me know if you are available. Most of you have already attended either this school or the one last year in Tyler. It’s possible that not everybody who is available will be selected, but we will try to get all of our HTUA ITA officials into this year’s school.

 

Attending an ITA Chair School is now a requirement for all our HTUA ITA officials.

 

Date:  May 12-14, 2013                                                              Location:  Plano, Texas.

Academy Hotel:  Southfork Hotel, Plano, Texas

Tournament:  Men’s National Junior  College Tournament, Collin College, Plano, Texas.

 

The 2013 Texas Section Chair Academy is a unique training opportunity for officials from throughout the state.   All participants are required to have some chair experience as you will be chairing matches at the National Junior College Men’s Tournament.

 

The Academy will be taught by National Instructors as well as  Texas Instructors.  Listed below is the training schedule:

 

               Sunday, May 12th             Hotel check-in after 4:00 p.m. and classroom instruction at 6:00

               Monday, May 13th           On-court training in conjunction with the NJCAA Tournament.

               Tuesday, May 14th           On-court training in conjunction with the NJCAA Tournament.

 

The goal of the 2013 Academy will be to train our officials in advanced chair techniques.  In order to be invited, a participant must commit to the entire three-day training period unless given prior approval by Randy McDonald.

 

Listed below are the expenses that will be covered by the Texas Section:

 

*  Hotel and noon meal each day.  You will also be part of a special evening meal on May 13th.  *  Gas allowance of $50 for those traveling over 75 miles.

 

Tennis Attire Requirements:  All officials must wear khaki shorts and an NJCAA shirt which will be provided for you when you arrive in Tyler.

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HTUA National Certification School:

 

Date:
Saturday, January 19, 2013 - For Officials with more than 3 years’ experience

Sunday, January 20, 2013 –  For Officials with fewer than 3 years’ experience (including new officials)

 

Time:

Saturday:   8:00 a.m. -  5:00 p.m.           Sunday:      8:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Location:

USPTA World Headquarters

3535 Briarpark Drive, Suite One

Houston, TX 77042

http://www.mapquest.com/maps?address=3535%20Briarpark%20Dr&city=Houston&state=TX&zipcode=77042

 

Registration for Class (Required):

http://www.texas.usta.com/Officials/certification_schools/?intloc=headernavsub

 

Food:

         LUNCH WILL BE SERVED BOTH DAYS. THERE WILL BE A $10 FEE FOR EACH DAY PLUS YOUR $20 HTUA DUES.

 

There will be no tests given during the classes.  All tests must be downloaded from the USTA website and completed online. You must PRINT OUT THE PROOF OF PASSING AND BRING IT WITH YOU TO THE CLASS.  You will not be admitted to the class unless you bring this proof! These tests are open book using the 2013 Friend at Court (FAC).

 

Yes, it’s not a typo, the current plan is to use the 2013 FAC for the 2013 certification school tests. The plan is for the FACs to be online in time for our school. If not, we will all need to use the online version of the FAC for the tests. I do not recommend printing out the FAC, unless you have lots of paper and ink available. The book is HUGE when printed out on a local printer.

 

The 2013 tests and FAC are not currently online. This is the link to the USTA officials site where the information will appear soon:

http://www.usta.com/About-USTA/Officials/Officials/

 

It is a good idea to download each test, print it, and mark your answers before entering the answers online. Bring your test(s) with you to class, so that we can discuss some of the questions. Everybody must take the USTA test, but you do not need to take the referee and ITA and Referee tests unless you plan to attend the certification class for them on Saturday.

Best wishes to all for a safe and happy holiday season!!!

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At our Annual Meeting twenty three ballots were cast and counted by April Hadley and Danny Tangri. We are pleased to announce the results as follows.

The following persons were elected to your 2013 Board of Directors: 

John Mullins, Ginny James, Nancy Vivero, Harriett Hulbert, Chuck Emmerich, Gloria Dial and Buffy Powell.

Thanks to all the applicants.


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It is time to complete your Recertification Requests for 2013 Certification, if you did not already know or completed your recertification request.  If you have already done so, thank you.  If not, please read:

 

  1. It is time to recertify for 2013.  Please go to Nucula and enter your work record, including your certification schools and exam scores.  Once you have entered the events you worked in 2012 (and any events to which you have already been assigned between now and December 31, 2012), click on the “Recertification Request” button to complete the process.  If you do not see it, go to “My Account” and then “My Settings”.  Select the Certs. Tab and you should see a button that says “Recertification Request”.  If you do not, please let me know and I will get it reset. 

 

  1. You must also go through the Background Check again between now and the end of the year.  The system has now been reset to accept everyone now that went through the process a couple of years ago.  You should have received a Newsletter from Julio Echavarria (USTA National) describing this process.  Look in your spam box if you did not receive it.  The link is in the newsletter or also on the main page of Nucula after logging in.  You must use this link to avoid being directed to the wrong site.  You must also complete the process in one sitting to avoid being blocked out.  If you have trouble with the process, you can email me, but a more direct answer can be obtained by contacting Julio at echavarria@usta.com.  

 

Your recertification will be pending completion of your background check and verification of that in New York by USTA National.  Also, please be looking for notices of our 2013 schools coming soon from your local coordinators or the USTA Texas Section website Officials page. 

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If you are ever asked about the rule for videotaping a match, there are different rules for UIL (High School) and USTA matches. Keep this information handy so you will know make the correct decision about whether or not to allow videotaping.

 

USTA RULES ON VIDEOTAPING

 

The videotaping /photography for personal non-commercial purposes of any portion of a sanctioned USTA event is permissible under the law, much like any event in a public place (Zoo, Park, Mall, etc.) If a parent or party objects to their player being photographed, they may ask the TD to intercede on their behalf and request that any photographer stop photographing or reposition their camera to exclude their player. However, other than optional compliance or respectful consideration , there are no grounds to DENY anyone the right to photograph

 

 

UIL RULES ON VIDEOTAPING

According to section 1208 (m) of the UIL Constitution and Contest Rules:

 

(m)  VIDEOTAPING AND FILMING.

(1)   Non-Conference and District Contests.

(A)  Videotaping/Filming by Schools.

(i)     It is a violation to videotape or film a non-conference or district athletic contest in which your school or team is not competing unless prior consent of the two schools involved has been obtained.

(ii)    A school does not have to obtain permission to film or tape a non-conference or district contest in which it is competing. However, the film or videotape may not be utilized until after the contest has been completed.

(iii)   Films and videotapes become the property of the school doing the filming unless by district rule or by consent of the schools involved in the contest.

(B)  Videotaping/Filming by Individuals. Any individual taping or filming must have permission from the schools involved in the contest and may not obstruct the view of other spectators of the contest.

(C)  Commercial Uses. Use of the films or tapes for commercial purposes must be approved by all schools involved in the contest.

(2)   Regional and State Playoffs.

(A)  Schools and/or individuals must have prior approval of the tournament director to film or videotape a regional or state tournament, and may not obstruct the view of other spectators of the contest.

(B)  Commercial enterprises must have prior approval of the tournament director and the UIL director to film or videotape a regional or state tournament, and may not obstruct the view of other spectators of the contest.

UIL TENNIS RULES AS OF FALL 2012

 

1.                 Point Penalty System

All players are warned prior to the start of the tournament.

1st offense                 Point                   

2nd offense                 Game

3rd offense                 Default from Match or Tournament

Penalty points are cumulative throughout the tournament.

2.                  Playoff for Second Place

In tennis district and regional tournaments the loser in the finals will play the winner of the third-place match (to determine second-place) unless these two contestants (or doubles teams) played each other in the semi-final round.  The tournament director must start the finals and third-place matches at the same time.

3.                  Receiver’s Service Box

The receiver’s partner shall not stand in the receiver’s service box before or during the serve.  If a player does so, he shall be warned that if he does so again he is subject to being penalized under the point penalty system.

4.                  Coaching (by school personnel only) Effective Fall 2012

A) A coach may provide feedback to the player during the time limit for serving according to USTA Rules and does not interrupt the continuous play rule. Coaching is not permitted within the confines of the playing court and coached in a manner, which does not interfere with play on the adjoining courts.

B) A coach may coach his/her players during the 90 second changeover at the end of odd games, and during the 10 minute rest period for split set matches. . A coach may talk to the player during the 120 seconds Set Break and should remind the player that after the first game of each set and during a tie-break, play shall be continuous and the players shall change ends without a rest.

C) Only the school tennis coach employed by that school may coach and only in a manner which does not interfere with the play on adjoining courts.

5.                  Overrule

The umpire will call foot faults and overrule line calls when in direct observation of the court.

6.                  Scoring

The scoring for team tennis (Fall) is no-ad.  The scoring for individual tennis in the district, regional and state is regular scoring (ad) with the 12-point tiebreaker in all sets.

Here is the link to the UIL C&R. http://www.uil.utexas.edu/policy/constitution/athletics/06_07sec1300_10.pdf  

 

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The Texas Section has set up a Twitter account, and all officials are invited to follow their tweets.

 Please see the link to instruct you how to set up a Twitter account (in case you aren’t currently a tweeter). Once you set up an account, you can start to follow the tweets from the Texas Section.  

If you already have a twitter account, you can now follow the Texas Section tweets.

 

 

The Ita Season is upon us,

Attached are the procedures for all ITA officials to ensure that we have officials at the match and that we get paid for the match. Please take a moment to review what should happen for each dual match. If you need the coaches roster please email Ginny James

 

The ITA clothing website is now up and running if you would like to order ITA apparel. Just click on the new link in the links section

Be sure to order the correct ITA shirt. There is one for “Officials” and one for “Referee.”  You cannot wear the referee shirt unless you are the referee of the match. However, you can wear the generic “Official” shirt for all matches.

If you do not want to invest in a black ITA shirt now, you may substitute a plain black polo shirt with no logos. For outerwear, you can wear a plain black jacket or vest.

 

 

Regarding wearing of USTA clothing at other than USTA events please go to the following link USE OF USTA SHIRTS

 

 

CONTACT INFORMATION
Ginny James
President/Operations
Phone: 832-646-9250
11506 Pebbleton
Houston, TX 77070

John Mullins
Vice President/Membership
Phone: 281-487-8926
Email: Vice President HTUA
4611 Merion Circle
Pasadena, TX 77505
 
Chuck Emmerich
Treasurer 
Phone:281-997-1621

Email: Treasurer HTUA

2203 Sleepy Hollow
Pearland, TX 77581
 

Nancy Vivero

Secretary/Training

Phone: 281-835-9573
Email: Secretary HTUA
3911 N Sandy Court
Missouri City, TX 77459
 
Directors at Large
Harriett Hulbert
Email: Harriett Hulbert
 
Gloria Dial: Membership/Training
Email: Gloria Dial
 
Danny Tangri: Web site
Email: Danny Tangri

HANDY WEB LINKS

USTA HOME

USTA Texas

USTA Shop

For Uniforms

 

 

 

 



        



 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

Please find link to the various Texas Schools on the Handy Web links

Please send your messages regarding the Web site and any comments and requests to Danny Tangri

Any member that would like a copy of the current roster please email Danny Tangri

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One of the most frequently asked questions that we receive is, "How do I get ITA training?"

The following is an excerpt from a blog post by a senior USTA, ITA official.
First, we all need to understand that ITA officiating is really a creation all its own. Its not the same as USTA tournaments and certainly isn't the same a pro level tournaments. As an ITA official, you have coaches and players right there on the court with you and many times are placed in a high-charged and adversarial atmosphere--so you need to know your stuff!
Here are your options for training:
1. Contact your local ITA coordinator.  For Houston, this would be Ginny James.
2. Ask your coordinator to submit your name to the Chair Academy in Plano in May, or the Live Fire Workshop at Baylor in September. These are the two highest quality training opportunities in the nation but it is by invitation only and you can only be recommended by your local coordinator.
Here are some things to remember when you are looking for ITA training:
* You must know the ITA rules backwards and forwards. There is no substitute for this quality.
* You must have a teachable spirit.
* You must be willing to rove as well as do chairs.
* You must be willing to do matches without pay at the first.
* Make yourself as available as possible.
* Email or call your coordinator and let them know you are interested in training.


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Providing tennis officials for Houston metropolitan area tennis tournaments since 1975