Report by Sophie Ardenoy
Alice Vrinat (Inclusion Committee) and Sophie Ardenoy (TUIC) followed the ‘Primer Curso oficial de Umpire Adaptado’. This course was given by Grandmaster Abelardo Benzaquen and Sabum Anabel Vicario, chairs of resp. the ITF TUIC and the ITF Inclusion Committee.
Comments from Sophie, as umpire : “In my opinion, this course should be a requirement for all umpires. You get a different perspective on being an umpire and this not only in adaptive compititions, but also in ‘regular’ compititions. Rules can be learnt, but being human also plays a very big role here. The presence of the coach has always been very important, but here now also, in some cases, the presence of a therapist is added.
As an umpire, you obviously continue to score the best performance, but sometimes you have to look at it through a different lens.”