Officials Appreciation: Noelle Wegiel
November 6-12 is Officiating Appreciation Week and USTA Nebraska is featuring Noelle Wegiel, the Umpires/Officials Chair for Nebraska.
“I've always felt the best officials are those that you don't even notice they're there,” Wegiel said. “They do their jobs and promote fair play without interfering with play. So having a time set apart to recognize their work and contributions is very important and gratifying.”
Wegiel decided to become a tennis official in 2019, when a good friend suggested it. She’s been hooked ever since. Her friend’s support and encouragement helped her believe she was capable, and she's enjoyed it even more than she thought.
“This has been more rewarding for me than I imagined it would be,” she said. “I've learned so much about the game and have gained a new level of appreciation for USTA as an organization. It's made me a better player too.”
In addition to officiating USTA matches, Wegiel also works ITA (Intercollegiate Tennis Association) events as well. Both are very different, yet equally rewarding, she said.
“With ITA, I love the tense, high energy, amazing level of play,” she explained. “Being up close to such talent is inspiring and exciting. With USTA, I love the aspect of junior events where you can support young players and help them grow to learn the rules and be fair players. Seeing two young kids play an amazing point and then be proud of themselves is special.”
Noelle added that the most challenging aspect of officiating isn't knowing the rules or understanding how to apply them, it's being able to do it quickly and decisively when you need to do it.
“So many things are happening all at once and being able to be aware of as much as you can and reacting quickly is tough.”
When she’s not playing or officiating on the tennis courts, Wegiel likes to stay active. She’s been doing triathlons for the past 13 years. She recently completed the 70.3 Ironman Arizona race, which consists of a 1.2 mile swim, a 56-mile bike ride and 13.1 mile run.
“The community is special, and I love the personal mental and physical challenge,” she said. “Crossing the finish line is a huge feeling of accomplishment.”
If you are interested in officiating, you can fill out this form: https://www.usta.com/en/home/coach-organize/officiating/national/interested-in-becoming-an-official.html
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