Missouri Valley / Kansas

Q&A: Simon Norman discusses road to officiating, how to get involved

Sydney Hamilton | November 12, 2024

November is Officials Appreciation Month, and Nov. 10-16 is USTA Officiating Appreciation Week. We’re excited to highlight one of our top officials here in USTA Kansas, Simon Norman, who was recently selected as the district’s 2024 Outstanding Official award winner.

Originally from New Zealand, Norman moved to Wichita in 1981 to start his career playing Division I tennis at Wichita State University, where he won titles in both singles and doubles for the Shockers.

He went on to play professionally throughout Europe before beginning his tennis teaching and coaching career, during which he earned several accolades for his work. He has taught full-time at Genesis Health Clubs in Wichita for several years. Norman also serves on the USTA Kansas Board of Directors as second vice president and oversees junior competition.

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Beyond his illustrious career as a player, coach and board member, Norman works as a certified official and referee as well as a chair and line judge. Here, Norman discusses how he got involved in officiating, some highlights of his officiating career and he shares advice on how individuals can get started as an official.

When did you start working as an official? What drew you to officiating?

I got certified as an official in 2015. At that time, I was the tournament director for numerous USTA junior tournaments, ranging from L3-L6 tournaments. Because of the scarcity of officials, I was having to bring in officials from as far away as St. Louis. I asked my wife if she would consider getting certified as an official so I wouldn’t have to bring people in from out of state. She agreed to get certified, but only if I went through the certification process with her.

Once I got certified, I looked into college officiating because I attended a lot of Wichita State University college matches and at that time, Wichita State was struggling to get enough officials. My wife and I both went through the college (ITA) officiating process, and now we’re very active in officiating college tournaments and dual matches. My strong preference is to officiate college dual matches. I enjoy the tense on-court atmosphere as well as being around high-level tennis.

Probably 90% of my college officiating is Division I men’s and women’s matches. I am the referee for Wichita State (men and women) as well as a Big 12 referee and chair umpire. Last spring, I officiated close to 50 dual matches and enjoyed traveling to the University of Kansas, Kansas State University and Oklahoma State University, as well as a full schedule of Wichita State men’s and women’s matches.

My wife works full-time at another job but joins me as an official for Wichita State and Big 12 matches on weekends and some weekdays when she’s available. We often have interesting conversations on the drive home from these college matches concerning specific situations that may have arisen.

I also officiate at professional tournaments calling lines. For the last six years, I’ve called lines at the men’s $25K tournament here in Wichita and for the last two years when Wichita added a women’s pro tournament. I’ve also traveled outside of Kansas to officiate at professional tournaments.

In what ways would you say being a player, then a coach, helped your officiating?

Being a player and a coach has been helpful because I’ve seen many of the stressful situations that might occur during a match.

What advice would you give a player or tennis fan who wants to become an official but doesn’t know where to start?

If you love tennis, you should give serious consideration to becoming an official! You can officiate at any level you choose, and you can also manage your schedule and availability to suit your personal schedule. Different opportunities to officiate range from USTA junior tournaments, high school state tournaments, USTA adult leagues, small college conference duals and tournaments, major conference duals and tournaments, wheelchair tournaments—a favorite of my wife’s which I have not yet done but intend to—and professional tournaments.

The education requirements and continuing education are detailed and time-consuming, as they should be. But once you get through the original certification process, the continuing education requirements are manageable and reasonable.

Officiating is calling! Learn more about becoming a tennis official by clicking here.

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