Edward
Joseph "Ned" Cooney
1931-2007
The Colorado tennis community lost a marvelous friend during the summer of 2007,
when long-time umpire and volunteer Ned Cooney passed away on August 31. Ned was
a fixture at adult and junior tournaments, high school and college matches,
adult league championships and as a correspondent to Colorado Tennis newspaper.
He will long be remembered for his incredible dedication to, and passion for our
sport.
The following are archives from his immensely popular “Ask Ned” column.
I’ll be Darned!
Ned, Hope your summer went well! I am coaching a high school
boys’ tennis team. Questions have come up as to what constitutes a cuss word.
The words in question are “hell” – in the Bible, “ass” – a donkey, and “damn” or
“damn it”. Please let me know if tennis considers this cussing. Thanks, Mark
Mark, Determining cuss words that are subject to the USTA Point Penalty System
(PPS) and are code violations depend on local community standards.
Self-admonitions fall into this same category. Some of the examples you give are
probably inappropriate in some parts of the country.
Further see, Regulation I.P-15: 2004 Friend at Court page 118.
What shall an official do when a player engages in loud out-burst in a
foreign language? If the loud outburst is in a language the official does not
understand, the official should caution the player that further foreign language
outbursts that are not understood by the official will be penalized under the
Point Penalty System as unsportsmanlike conduct.
Nednote: As a good leader I suggest you have your
players totally avoid this spot. Have them adopt some more appropriate language
in demanding situations, such as “Come On!” or “Darn It!”
The Coaching Dilemma
With all of the team play in tennis today (various leagues, clubs, high school,
college), each having its own set of rules, I am continually asked questions
about coaching. Here is my attempt to answer many associated questions.
Sidenote: Did you know in tennis coaching originally was constrained to
reduce the advantage a player could have over a less affluent competitor who may
not be able to afford a coach?
According to -2004 Friend at Court (FAC) Rule 30 pages 31-32, coaching is
considered to be communication, advice or instruction of any kind, audible or
visible to a player.
In team events where there is a team captain sitting on-court, the team captain
may coach the player(s) during a set break and when the players change ends at
the end of a game, but not when players change ends after the first game of each
set, and not during a tie-break.
Pretty simple??? Not! Read on!
USTA comment 30.2:
Is coaching permitted during authorized rest periods? Yes. However, an
authorized rest period does not include a Toilet Break, a Set Break, Medical
Time-Out, Bleeding time-Out, when play is suspended but the players remain on
the court, when a player leaves the court seeking the assistance of the Referee,
or when equipment or clothing is being adjusted.
USTA comment 30.3:
Is coaching permitted in the USA League Programs? No. Even though the USA
League Programs are team competition for adults and seniors, coaching is not
permitted under league rules, except during authorized rest periods or as
otherwise permitted. When a Match tiebreak in lieu of a third set is used, a two
minute set break without coaching is permitted.
Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) permits coaching at most any time the
ball is not in play. Be sure you understand the coaching protocol for the event
in which you participate.
Nednote: I have a little rule that sometimes helps to identify coaching.
Coaching is generally considered to be communication regarding the future and
not permitted: “Rush the net!,” “Hit lobs!” or “Get your toss higher!”
Cheering is generally considered to be communication regarding the past and is
permitted. “Good get!,” Great shot!” or “Good hustle!”
But maybe the best rule of all: when in doubt—don’t!
Whose Call is it Anyhow?
Dear Ned
In a league match last week, I hit a awesome overhead for a winner. My opponent
claimed the ball went through the net. Since I struck the ball and had a clear
view of the shot, I say it went over the net and therefore it’s my point. Whose
call is it anyhow? There is an expensive latté riding on this answer!
Betsy
Betsy,
Keep watching your carbs and not the net. It is your opponent’s right to make
the call. In unofficiated matches, the tennis
Code is quite precise on whom (striker/receiver). has primary
responsibility for making all calls. In any disputed case the responsible
player’s call prevails.
See 2004 Friend at Court, The CODE page 55
20. Touches, hitting the ball before it crosses the net, invasion of opponent’s
court, double hits, and double bounces. A player shall promptly acknowledge
(lose point) if:
- a ball touches the player;
- the player touches the net;
- the player touches the opponent’s court;
- the player hits the ball before it crosses the net;
- the player deliberately carries or double hits the ball;
- the ball bounces more than once in player’s court.
21. Balls hit through the net or into the ground. A player shall make the ruling
on a ball the opponent hits:
- through the net; or
- into the ground before it goes over the net.
Ned
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