Referee Training and Certification Q&A
Referee Certification Phase III Goes Live
This month the USAPA Referee Certification program went live on June 8 with the addition of the Certification Application to the Rules & Referees section of usapickleball.org. In addition to numerous applications, we have received a number of questions about the prerequisites and process for application and evaluation. Following are answers to the most frequently asked questions.
Q: I have been refereeing for years. Do I need to be re-trained according to the standards and procedures in the Referee Handbook and Trainer Guide?
A: Yes. The Referee Handbook contains the official USAPA refereeing standards and procedures, which standardize the officiating process. Prior training and experience are of value, but the purpose of the USAPA Referee Training and Certification program is to raise the level of overall competency and ensure that players and tournament directors can count on the referees performing their tasks in a consistent and standardized manner.
Q: How do I find out if there are any registered trainers in my area? And what do I do if there aren’t?
A: The way one becomes a “registered” trainer is by simply downloading the Referee Trainer Guide. This says nothing about the individual’s ability to train, their refereeing experience, or even if they will train anyone. Screening the hundreds of members who have downloaded the Trainer Guide for qualifications would be an insurmountable task. Some members downloaded the document just to see what was there; they were not necessarily trainers and had no intention of using the material to train anyone. The idea of registered trainers was that IF they do any training they will use the new materials that contain the USAPA refereeing standards and procedures; when they downloaded the materials they were required to agree to follow them. At some point in the future we do plan to compile a list of registered trainers who have been proactive in training others; however, that is somewhere down the road. If you cannot locate a registered trainer in your area, it is possible to be self-trained, but that is taking on a lot of responsibility. You must first download the Referee Trainer Guide, which automatically makes you a registered trainer. From there you must study the USAPA refereeing standards and procedures contained within until they are well ingrained. Once you feel confident that you fully understand the process you need to apply those standards and procedures while refereeing 30 matches (at least 15 in a sanctioned tournament). After fulfilling those and the other prerequisites you may apply for certification, listing yourself as your trainer, along with the associated dates and locations asked for on the application. We do not recommend this approach, but in some cases it may be the only way to acquire the training.
Q: Why must the 30 matches required to qualify be after I have taken training according to the new standards and procedures?
A: The requirement to referee 30 matches (at least 15 in USAPA sanctioned events) after being trained on the new standards and procedures gives the referee an opportunity to master and become comfortable applying the new standards and procedures during actual matches.
Q: Why is there a fee to be evaluated for referee certification?
A: Candidates who pass the on-court evaluation and subsequently become certified will receive the USAPA Certified Referee benefit package, which includes:
- USAPA Certified Referee Dry-Fit Shirt
- Certified Referee Photo ID Card
- USAPA Certified Referee Lanyard
- One-time Acknowledgement in Pickleball Magazine
- Listing in the Certified Referee database at usapickleball.org
- Priority for referee assignments at USAPA managed events
- Certified referee compensation, when available
The application fee covers the cost of the credentials package, program administration and evaluator travel expenses, when applicable.
Q: When will I hear about the status of my application?
A: Applications are processed as quickly as possible. If there is a delay you will receive an email confirming that your application was received. Processing involves reviewing each application to confirm that the candidate has fulfilled the required prerequisites, as well as validating test scores, training information (including that it was administered by a registered trainer) and matches refereed since training.
Q: How soon can I be evaluated?
A: Once accepted into the program you will be provided a link where the fee can be paid. When payment is confirmed you will be given the opportunity to select an on-court evaluation location and date from the list provided.
Q: To what e-mail address should I send questions about referee certification?
A: Send all inquiries about referee certification to ref-certification@usapickleball.org. To apply for certification, you must go to the USAPA website under Rules & Referees/Referee Materials/Certification Application.
