Tennis Official - Chair Umpire - Line Umpiring - Referee

New state-based officiating development coordinators to be employed by TA in NSW and Victoria (full-time) and Queensland, SA and WA (part-time);

Provision of linespeople to all main draw Pro-Tour matches;

Engagement of five contracted ‘badged’ chair umpires for Pro-Tour; December Showdown and AO/AO Series events;

A Competency-based assessment program.

Breaking News: Tennis Australia names Davis Cup line crew

Tennis Australia has announced its 19-strong officiating squad for the Davis Cup World Group Qualfiying tie to be played in tropical North Queensland next month. Australia will host Belgium in Cairns from 17-19 September, as both countries play-off for a spot in the exclusive World Group. Tennis Australia has selected 19 line umpires from across the country to officiate the event. They are:

True blue umpires

TOA has introduced a new blue uniform shirt for Australian chair and line umpires. The current grey, long-sleeve shirt will be phased out by 2014 and replaced with the new royal blue shirt. The new shirt is available from TOA's uniform supplier, the Uniform Superstore, for $27.48. Members can still purchase remaining stock of the grey shirt at a reduced price. TOA will also introduce shirts and caps for referees (white) and court supervisors (red) in coming months.

Exclusive: Nine Aussies off to Flushing Meadow

Nine Australian officials will officiate at the US Open in New York in September. TOA Queensland members account for almost half of the Aussie contingent to officiate at the final grand slam event for 2010. The Australian officials selected by the USTA to officiate to Flushing Meadow are: Kerrilyn Cramer (VIC), Leanne White (QLD), Simon Cannavan (QLD), Shane Chung (VIC), Matthew Kellert (NSW), Abhaya Parthy (NSW), Tom Sweeney (VIC), James Tucker (QLD) and Shannon Walding (QLD).

Australian Open applications close

Applications to officiate at the 2011 Australian Open have now closed. Tennis Australia will undertake selections in consultation with TOA state divisions. Successful applicants will be notified in due course.

Exclusive: Our top chair umpire awarded silver referee's badge

Australia's top chair umpire, Kerrilyn Cramer, has been awarded a silver ITF referee's badge. Kerrilyn collected her badge after successfully completing the ITF Level Three Referees' Course in New Delhi, India, earlier this month. It's the latest in a long list of achievements for the long-serving TOA Victoria member, who controlled this year's Australian Open women's singles final between Serena Williams and Justine Henin. Kerrilyn already holds a gold chair umpire's badge and is contracted to the WTA Tour.

Exclusive: Bronzed Aussies

Four Australian chair umpires have obtained their bronze badges after successfully completing the ITF's Level Three school in India. TOANSW's Catherine Caswell and Matt Kellert, TOA Victoria's Tom Sweeney and TOA Queensland's James Tucker passed the three-day chair course held at the R.K. Khanna Stadium - soon to play host to the Commonwealth Games tennis tournament - in New Delhi. Congratulations to them all.

The Official Word: Edition One: April 2010: download here!

Tennis Officials Australia's new national newsletter is now available for download. The Official Word is the latest step in TOA's strategy to improve communications with divisions and its members. The bumper 12-page first edition is online now!

Cathy Smith calls ‘Game, Set and Match’ on distinguished career

One of our esteemed, decorated and long-serving colleagues has called “Game, Set and Match” on a career spanning more than 25 years. TOAWA’s Cathy Smith has announced that the time has come to step away from Tennis Officiating to travel the world. Cathy Smith formally joined Western Australian Lawn Tennis Umpires Association (as it was called then) in September 1988 - although she had been officiating tennis on an independent basis for several years before. She was elected to the WA Board of Management in September 1989 as an Ordinary Member and retained that position until 1991 when she was elected Vice-President, a position she held for two years. In 1993 she became Secretary of the WA Association, remaining in that position until June 1997 when she was elected President, a position she held until June 2003. For the following year she remained on the Board as Immediate Past President and then once again nominated as a Board member. In late 2006 she volunteered to take on the position of Treasurer after the AGM in June had failed to produce a nominee willing to fill the position. She has remained as Treasurer since then and in that time has restructured the role and updated all aspects of the accounting/pay systems. Cathy wrote and produced WA’s first ever Induction Manual for new members in 1990, and in 1994-95 she re-wrote the WA Constitution and effected incorporation of TUA-WA in December 1995. In 1996 she organised and coordinated Australia’s first ever Level 1 National Referee’s course. Her teaching background made her the obvious choice to be the State coordinator for Level 1 Umpires courses, and for many years she has run numerous information evenings for club officials, umpiring courses for the tennis programs at some Perth senior high schools, and all referee refresher courses for the division. She has had overall responsibility for and has overseen all the general training of all WA umpires. After the education/training courses restructure undertaken by TA/TOA in 2008, Cathy was appointed as one of the National Educators for the new system. In 1991 Cathy became WA’s first ITF White Badge official and worked as a line umpire and chair umpire at local and national events, including the Australian Open. After giving up on-court duties she became one of approximately 15 National Evaluators who officiate at all the major National events. In January 2002 she attained her Silver Chief of Officials Badge, the State’s highest-ever qualification and one of only four officials in Australia to hold this qualification at that time. She has also represented WA at numerous Davis Cups, Federation Cups and approximately 18 Australian Opens, both in on-court and off-court positions, and has officiated at every Perth Hopman Cup tie held since the inception of the tournament. Cathy was awarded an Honour Badge by TUA in 2000 for outstanding service, was voted a Life Member of TOAWA in 2004, and in 2010 received her Honour Star Badge. Aside from almost 21 years continuous membership of the WA Board of Management, Cathy also served many years on the National Executive before TUA became TOA. She became a Council Delegate in 1994 and then served two-year terms in the positions of National Vice-President, National Secretary and finally as National President. Cathy has worked at every major WA event since she joined the Division in 1988 and has certainly devoted her time to the Division at an organisation level above and beyond normal expectations. Her knowledge and experience have been invaluable and her willingness to take on tasks for the good of the membership is outstanding. Cathy and her husband Peter are now about to embark on a future life full of travel and adventure, and we wish them every happiness in their years ahead. We are reassured, however, that being a Life Member she cannot vanish totally from officiating and, therefore, will remain involved to the extent that she is able, even from afar!

Brisbane Davis Cup Squad announced

Tennis Australia has named the 21 officials to call lines at next month's Australia v Japan Davis Cup tie at Brisbane's Queensland Tennis Centre. TOAACT's John Blow has been appointed as the local chair umpire for the three-day tie to be held from 7-9 May 2010. The full list of line umpires is below:

National News and Information

For the new June 2011 edition of The Official Word, click here!

For the new June 2011 edition of The Official Word, click here!

For the December 2010 edition of The Official Word, click here!

Breaking News: Line umpires for Australia v Italy Fed Cup Tie announced

Member Alert: Line umpires sought for Burnie, Caloundra

Member Alert: Fed Cup tie to be played in Hobart

Nominations for TOA Board of Directors

For the latest edition of The Official Word - click here!

Exclusive: TA's $350,000 boost for officiating