Striving for Excellence

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What must however be your constant guide is your insistence that you are always reading and studying the Rules; that you are always reflecting on the way that they can and must be applied at different times in given situations.
While you may have different ideas about the intent of the Rules, there is an appropriate forum created by IFNA that allows you the opportunity to call for the changes you propose and the majority of voting members of the organisation would take the decision.
While you may think differently about the Rules, as long as they are in force, according to IFNA, they must be applied to the full.
The matter of use of your discretion in respect of the application of the Rules to any given situation becomes decidedly easy once you are proficient. Once you have developed overwhelming knowledge of the Rules and how they are to be interpreted in any given situation, the use of one’s discretion becomes almost second nature.

Pursuit of excellence

  • For you the pursuit of excellence begins with studying the rules and their interpretation in any or every given circumstance.
  • Pursuit of excellence means training in different situations to perfect your umpiring skills.
  • Pursuit of excellence means never taking any game for granted, regardless of the level of the Tournament and the perceived performance level of the players.
  • Pursuit of excellence means taking each game as separate and distinct for any other you would have umpired and applying the Laws without fear or favour, always with a clear conscience.
  • Pursuit of excellence means understanding the stakeholders – the players, the fans, the team’s management, other umpires and the media; understanding that whatever their roles they are not the presi
    ding umpire. You are. They have no choice but to observe your excellent performance.
  • Pursuit of excellence means your attention to detail in all aspects of the game over which you are presiding.
  • Pursuit of excellence means being the best at playing the part. Your dress code must always be impeccably followed. People are always aware that the judgement of an individual begins with the impression given by the way one dresses and the way one carries oneself. We tend to underplay this aspect of our involvement as officials. All too often we fall into the trap of believing that it is good to be hip and to pay less attention to how we look. That is a major problem.
  • The players and every stakeholder quickly lose respect for those who, by their manner of dress and their carriage reflect a tendency towards being at variance with the Rules of the game.
  • Pursuit of excellence means always being well mannered to such an extent that your self-respect becomes a worthy example for all those around you on and off the court.
  • Pursuit of excellence means forever striving for higher standards in your umpiring.
  • Pursuit of excellence means never allowing your own standards to fall, and this even if everyone around you are doing otherwise; even if you are often ridiculed for being so well-kept and well mannered.