Fellowships serve several purposes. They give teams an opportunity to “audition” new players without having to make a season-long commitment. Teams can practice their new plays and get acclimated to playing indoors again. Most important, they are the Region’s only vehicle for certifying new referees and scorekeepers. If you have players on your team who plan to become certified officials, they will need to attend the appropriate referee and/or scorekeeper clinic(s) and then attend one or two Fellowships in order to get rated.

     When your team elects to play in a Fellowship, please remember these events are for PRACTICE purposes only, both for the players and the officials. Matches consist of two games. The first game will be rally scoring to 25 points. The second game will be played using the deciding game format of one game to 15 with a side switch at 8. The reason for this adjusted format is so that the referee and scorekeeper candidates can be rated in both formats. There are no playoffs, and, unlike the tournaments held during the regular season, you will not receive points for your play. Therefore, your record is for bragging purposes only and in some cases will also give you a sense of whether or not you registered your team at the correct playing level.

     Don’t forget that the majority of the referees and scorekeepers you will see during Fellowships are candidates, and it literally might be the first time they have stepped onto the referee stand or kept score. Occasionally, a game may be stopped for an extended time while a candidate is given a tip, or a scorekeeping error is fixed. Treat candidates with respect and courtesy — it could be you or one of your teammates the next match. Also, bear in mind this is a test of their skill. If a rater asks you or your team to “do something” such as wear jewelry on the court or deliberately use a wrong server, please do so. They are trying to ascertain if the candidates can handle a variety of circumstances that might crop up during a regular season match. Yes, your team could lose a point by complying, but Fellowships don’t count, so you aren’t really losing anything.

     Finally, we are looking for volunteers to help out as scorekeeper and referee raters, to serve as onsite Fellowship directors, and to help the Registrar with onsite player registrations. Referee raters must have Regional level or higher certification and are required to help rate new candidates in order to maintain that status. To rate scorekeepers, you must be a Regional scorekeeper in good standing who has kept score for at least two years. Don’t forget that you can also rate referees and scorekeepers as a player during your team’s work assignments. Don’t be surprised if you get tapped for duty during a “rating emergency.”

     To become a rater, contact Fellowship Chair Kelli Auletta at kelli.auletta@chrva.org or 202-364-4994.

     If you can help out as an onsite Fellowship Director, contact Fellowship Coordinator Julie Briggs at julie.briggs@chrva.org or 703-764-5215.

     To help the Registrar with onsite player registrations, contact CHRVA Registrar Janet Getz at janet.getz@chrva.org or 410-877-7934.

     As the Digs goes to press, the Fellowship schedule is TENTATIVE. Please make sure that you consult the CHRVA website (http://www.chrva.org/Preseason/2003_04/ felschda.html) and any handouts that you receive at clinics for the most up-to-date locations, as well as for contact information to register to play or make ratings appointments.

     Please note that most of these Fellowships are being hosted by different organizations. The hosts will contact you directly with registration forms. Once the schedule is finalized, we will post the information on the CHRVA website (http://www.chrva.org/Preseason/2003_04/ felschda.html) so that you can contact those hosts directly for forms or other information. If you have any questions, feel free to contact the Fellowship Coordinator, Julie Briggs, at julie.briggs@chrva.org. HAVE A GREAT SEASON!