Officials give back and help grow the game of tennis. 

 

While the players are usually the main attraction at a tennis match, it is the tennis officials that are on the sidelines or up in a chair ensuring matches run smoothly and are conducted with the fairest possible conditions. They are the keepers of the “Friend at Court,” and there are many roles they play from a roving umpire to chair umpire, line umpires and more.

 

There are more than 2,500 USTA-certified officials in the U.S., and each one plays an integral part in the game of tennis at all levels. They get to be a part of the game while making an impact in the sport ensuring that everyone has a great experience. 

 

In honor of Officials Appreciation Week, we caught up with our Mid-Atlantic tennis officials and found out why being a tennis official is important to them. 

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“The thing I enjoy most about officiating is being around passionate athletic individuals who enjoy playing the game of tennis,” said Dzarr Daniels, a veteran Mid-Atlantic tennis official of 19 years. 

 

After playing tennis at the Junior College and Division III level, Daniels wanted to continue to play tennis while finding a new way to give back to the game he loves. So he became a tennis official. “This is my way of giving back to the sport that has given so much to me and opened up so many new opportunities for me as well,” he said. 

 

Not only will you find him on the court as a tennis official, but he is a coach as well. He uses the wealth of knowledge he learns on the sidelines and applies that to the way he plays and coaches matches. 

 

“I’ve picked up some tricks to the trade from watching a variety of different levels of players,” Daniels said. “I also passed down some of these strategies to my high school tennis team.”

 

The benefits of becoming a tennis official are endless. You’re a vital component of the game, calling the shots while witnessing incredible tennis. And those are only some of the reasons why people become certified USTA officials. 

 

As for Jack Brown, he decided to embark on this journey because he wanted to find something meaningful to do after he retired from the military. “I retired from the U.S. Navy after 38 years of service as a Naval Officer, and I found tennis officiating to fill a lot of my time during retirement - and I have been officiating in the Mid-Atlantic for the past 27 years,” Brown said. 

 

In his officiating tenure, Brown cites that his most memorable moments of officiating have been at large tennis tournaments. “Working an NCAA regional championship would have to be my most memorable moment, as well as other large team tennis events.”

 

Our Mid-Atlantic Section officials are at the core of all tennis tournaments. They are the ones that enable events to run smooth and fair. We would like to thank all the tennis officials that support the game, and make an impact. 

If you are interested in learning more about becoming a USTA-certified tennis official, click here. USTA Mid-Atlantic is always looking for more officials to attend tournaments and other tennis events, so start your training today. Give back and help grow the game of tennis through officiating.