Referees & Coaches Meeting
February/March 2011 Munster
Tennis Ireland Management & Development Team
•Tennis 10’s
•Competition Formats
•ITN & NPD
•Disciplinary procedures
•Tournament Regulations •Junior Tournament Categories
•National Irish Junior Ranking
•Child Protection
•Permit distribution
•Questions & Answers
COMPETITION ORGANISERS MEETING: TENNIS 10s
February 22nd 2011 Conor O’ Callaghan – Development Officer What does `Tennis 10s` mean? The ITF bringing formally into the game the principles of the `Play +Stay’ Programme: red, orange and green balls and courts
2007…
What does `Tennis 10s` mean? The ITF have changed the rules of tennis (only 5 th time!) ITF: From January 2012 modified balls/courts mandatory. Tennis Ireland: strongly recommended since 2007 and mandatory in 2011 CHILDREN LOVE TO COMPETE!
“Healthy, enjoyable, easy to access competition is arguably the biggest contributor to retaining players in the game” LTA (UK) Blueprint 2006
Those who organise competitions and tournaments play a vital role in Irish tennis by providing the events children love to play! It is vital that the type and circumstances of the competition are suitable to the age group .
SCALE is so important… SCALE and Tennis Development…
FOUR TENNIS HOW AFFECTED BY SCALE? `AREAS` TECHNICAL Height and speed of ball bounce affects development of grips, strokes, footwork TACTICAL 1. Young players on a large court tend to stay at the baseline, and will be reluctant to develop a net game. 2. Never learn to play with consistency. PHYSICAL 1. Inability to `get around` a large court 2. Repeated impact of `heavy ball` - arm injuries PSYCHOLOGI A fast and heavy ball whizzing around a CAL large court – “I’m giving up tennis!”
SOLUTIONS…
• Use the correct ball • Use the correct court size • Use the correct format for your competition • Use the correct racquet size PRIZES for Junior Tournaments…
The ITF and Tennis Europe both state that giving cash prizes is not good practice in junior tennis
Instead: prizes in the form of gifts/vouchers TE: “value of not more than $500 ( €375)”
Tennis Ireland has decided to phase out cash prizes at junior events over a two year transition period (2013) Support from the top…
“Young kids don’t play soccer on a full pitch, so why should they play tennis on a full court? Support Tennis 10s” Roger Federer
“That’s how I started to play...I think when you are 6, 7 , 8 years old, and you’re not tall, you’re not strong, it’s great to have soft balls and smaller racquets” Justine Henin
“If you play with slower balls on a shorter court, everything is going to be better and easier” Rafael Nadal
Competition Formats
• Health Benefits • Competition an integral part of sport • Appropriate Competition Competition Formats
• Avoid elimination events • Develop appropriate competitive situations • In order to achieve this Multi match format’s are crucial
Recommended Formats
• Round Robin’s • Challenge Formats • Rotation Formats • Team Formats • Modified Scoring • www.tennisplayandstay.com Why new Competition Formats:
• Player retention • Competition adapted to needs of majority of players • Enjoyable competition…continuation in the sport • Further desire to participate
Importance of Competition
• Vital element in sustaining interest • Rating system facilitates appropriate playing categories • Radical competition formats and scoring systems Positive Aspects of New Formats • Benefit recreational player • More emphasis on participation • Realistic goals • All players engage in a number of matches • More scope to arrange social activities
Tennis10s Circuit
• Children’s version of ‘Play and Stay’ • Low-key competition for recreational players • Intermingling of participants • All types of clubs facilitated • Overall Competition Co-ordinator ensuring continuous club rotation COMPETITION ORGANISERS MEETING: The ITN/National Player Database Project
February 22nd 2011 Conor O’ Callaghan – Development Officer
What is the ITN?
The International Tennis Number rates all players on a scale from 1 to 10. An ITF initiative, in use in many countries: • Australia • Czech Republic • France • Portugal • Spain • United States… “The implementation of a national rating system has proven to be very successful in maintaining high levels of tennis participation in a number of countries” (International Tennis Federation)
Initial allocation of ITNs:
1. ON COURT TEST (15-20 minutes…sample? )
2. Use ITF `Description of Standards` sheet, combined with Tennis Ireland `ITN Grid` . Initial allocation of ITNs:
3. Clubs Knowledge of the player
4. In time Results will be the best measure of a players rating
None of the above should be used in isolation, a combination is most accurate
ITN – The Benefits
1. TO THE CLUB • Organizing Tournaments – divide/seed the draw objectively • Team Selection – objective method • Quick Integration of New Members – first impressions vital • Inter-club and Open events - will be linked to ITN ITN – The Benefits
2. TO THE MEMBER • Find partners/events at your own level • Measure of Progress – as ITN improves (objective…) • Pinpoint strengths and weaknesses objectively (on court assessment) • No more mismatches…
ITN – The Benefits
3. TO THE COACH • Income from on court assessments • Motivation to take lessons • Organizing coaching groups objectively ITN – The Benefits
Conclusion • Accurate Rating system • Easy access to competition for beginner adults • Easy transition from Junior to Senior • Facilitate the movement of players between counties and countries • Unite Tennis with common rating system
What is the National Player Database? A database of members of Tennis Ireland affiliated tennis clubs in Ireland
•A total of approximately 80,000 members •Currently 13,500 on the NPD Sample Page:
Why an NPD?
Two Key Objectives: 1. The ongoing update of a members ITN 2. To allow Tennis Ireland to communicate with Irish tennis players – offer benefits and services. Uploading to the NPD
• Initial Steps – inform members (data protection) and assign ITNs • Install `Club Manager` ( €150) • Create `account` for each member • Upload results at end of each event
Data Protection
The information held on account profiles is • managed in a secure manner • in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act • held subject to a comprehensive TI privacy policy WHO?
Norman Conor O Walker – Callaghan – IT Munster Consultant
Complaints & Disciplinary Rules and Procedures
• New and very comprehensive draft approved by the TI Board in July ’10
• New procedures effective 1 st Jan ’11
www.tennisireland.ie Complaints & Disciplinary Rules and Procedures
• Each Club and Branch must incorporate new rules and procedures into their Constitution • Clubs must inform their members (individual associates) of the introduction of new procedures • Ditto for tournaments, events etc
www.tennisireland.ie
Complaints & Disciplinary Rules and Procedures
Main features : • Arbitration – Just Sport Ireland (JSI) • Covers complaints, objections & disciplinary actions • Hearings and appeals Committees at all levels • Disciplinary Officers within Clubs/Branches/TI • First instance matterswww.tennisireland.ie go to TI HC Complaints & Disciplinary Rules and Procedures Exclusions : • Employment • ITF/ATP/WTA events • Complaints against TI Board members • Child abuse • Criminal matters • Anti-doping
www.tennisireland.ie
Complaints & Disciplinary Rules and Procedures What does it cover? : • Breach of Code of Conduct, Rules & Regulations at Club, Provincial & TI level • Aggresive or threatening behaviour, verbal assault, physical assault, bullying, ineligibility, racial harrassment, sexual harrassment, discrimination, forgery or falsification, corruption, misconduct likely to bring the game into disrepute, criminal investigation, criminal conviction, mischevious or vexatious complaints.
www.tennisireland.ie Complaints & Disciplinary Rules and Procedures
Procedures : • Fastrack hearings • Mediation • The role of leader/official/hearings committee/TI • Formal procedures for complaints, hearings & appeals
www.tennisireland.ie
Complaints & Disciplinary Rules and Procedures Action : • Incorporate into Branch rules • Incorporate into Club rules • Tournament & event rules
www.tennisireland.ie TOURNAMENTS
Updated Rules Tennis Tournament Planner (TTP)
February 2011
UPDATED RULES
• Entry Forms: – Player ID – Child Protection – Ranking & ITN (Rating) UPDATED RULES
• Types of Draws • Modified Scoring • Weather (Rule 7.8) • Seedings
TYPES OF DRAWS
• Traditional knock-out draws do not encourage new players • Whenever possible use draws that guarantee more than 1 match to everybody: – Round Robin – Compass Draw – Continuous Feed-In COMPASS DRAW
MODIFIED SCORING: REASONS
• Players: – Busy lives – Less travel & accommodation costs • Organizers: – Not enough courts – Time commitment MODIFIED SCORING: POPULAR TYPES
• 3rd set Champions Tie-Break • Short Sets • No Advantage • Combinations of them
WEATHER
• Whole round same scoring • Follow this order: 1. Consolation abbreviated scoring 2. Consolation cancelled 3. Doubles abbreviated scoring 4. Doubles cancelled 5. Singles abbreviated scoring • Short sets with deciding tie-break is the briefest scoring recommended SEEDINGS
• Incorrect seeding produces unreliable rankings
• Correct seeding provides good quality quarter and semi-finals
How Many Seeds?
Up to 8 entries 2 may be seeded With 8 or more entries in an event 2 to 4 may be seeded With 12 or more entries in an event 4 may be seeded With more than 24 entries in an event 8 may be seeded With more than 48 entries in an event 16 may be seeded Who Should be seeded?
• Seeding is never easy. Proper research makes it less likely to be a problem
• Player match history is available in: http://ti.tournamentsoftware.com
Seed Withdrawal
If a seeded player withdraws, the remaining seeded players shall stay in their positions and the next highest ranked previously un-seeded player inserted in the vacated position. NATIONAL IRISH JUNIOR RANKING INCLUDING JUNIOR TOURNAMENT CATEGORIES
February 2011
Ranking System
REASONS : • Provide the country with a reliable ranking system • Give’s players opportunity to strive towards a ranking goal • Give selectors both Provincial/National added reliable information for the selection of teams and squads JUNIOR NATIONAL RANKINGS and TTP
• Tennis ID – All the information is stored under the ID • How Rankings Work: – Tournament Categories – Points – http://ti.tournamentsoftware.com
JUNIOR NATIONAL RANKINGS and TTP
• Tennis ID – Why? • How Rankings Work: – Tournament Categories – Points – http://ti.tournamentsoftware.com WHAT Category ?
• Each event within one Tournament is categorized separately • Categories are allocated according to the event’s strength in the previous year • Championship Tournaments: – Fitzwilliam Junior Open – National Indoors • All other events: Category 1 to 4
Grade Minimum Requirements
No. Of Players Ranking Grade No. of entries Top Seeds Top 30 Top 20 10 Category 1 more than 24 8 8 4
more than 24 Category 2 8 (4) 8 4 2 (12)
more than 16 Category 3 4 (2) 4 2 0 (8)
Category 4 more than 8 2 0 0 0
(minimum for Girls Under 18 Events) EVENT REQUIREMENTS
• Under 12 and 14 events should meet all requirements • Under 16 and 18 at least four of them.
How Many Points will I get?
• Players are guaranteed to get the points awarded to the Grade of the event they enter • Events that meet requirements of a higher grade are automatically upgraded
U12 U18B Brookfield B (A) D (B or C) RANKING POINTS
• All Irish Junior Open Tournaments are included in the Ranking • Players must win one match to get any points • Players are ranked on their BEST 6 tournament results
Total Points & Ranking Points BENEFITS OF A NATIONAL IRISH JUNIOR RANKING
• Players have an opportunity to gain points in every region • Gives tournaments equal opportunity of attracting players from outside their province • Improve the competitive structure in the country
Protecting our children
Code of Ethics & Good Practice for Children’s Sport Media Coverage
Its very difficult at times for tournament organizers to get the media coverage they deserve and we all know that you all have to work extremely hard to achieve the little bits you do get
Contrary to some walks of life, however, not all publicity is good publicity
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We can, however, reduce the risks to a minimum by following what the code recommends
Sex Offenders
• 11,500 people on the Sex Offenders Register in Northern Ireland • Since 2004 in the Republic of Ireland there has been 11,159 sexual offences • Of those 729 have been against u17 boys & girls Sex Offenders in Perspective • Most people do not abuse or harm children • We all have strong feelings and views about those who sexually harm. Our views may be based on misconceptions rather than reality. • Sexual offenders are not ill and cannot be cured- risk must be managed. • Abusers can come from all walks of life; they can be male or female, come from all classes, able bodied or with a disability, from all races and religions and be of any age.
What the Code recommends •Children’s Officers (gender specific) •Designated Officer •Constitutional arrangements •Child centred environment and ethos •Child Protection Policies •Codes of conduct for 1.Parents 2. Children 3. Coaches 4. Officials •Effective proactive and reactive procedures to 1.Reduce risks (recruitment, vetting) 2.Deal with concerns(complaints procedures) •Education and training for all Who do these guidelines apply to?
EveryoneEveryone working with children, in a voluntary and paid capacity
Thank You!