Umpiring Accreditation Program

Introduction

Polocrosse Canada recognizes that a common interpretation and enforcement of the rules will promote an improvement in play. This umpire accreditation program promotes the education of all members and accredits umpires at the club, local and national levels. The multi level officiating program has the objective to:

• Educate all members in the proper and consistent interpretation of the rules
• Encourage and prepare members to become umpires.
• Establish a nationally recognized system of umpire accreditation.
• Upgrade the standard of play & umpiring.

The ethical conduct of the sport of Polocrosse in Canada rests EQUALLY with: officials, players, administrators, coaches, spectators, media, educators, parents and sponsors.

General Information

Roles

• Umpire Sub Committee: is made up of 3 members elected once a year at the same time and in the same process as Polocrosse Canada officials. Nominees are forwarded to the PC secretary and then voted by the membership of Polocrosse Canada. They will hold office for 1 year beginning in April, can only run for 2 consecutive years, and must take a year off before running again. The Committee is responsible for:
  • Selection, development, retention of certified umpires.
  • Promoting a common interpretation of the rules among all members
  • Revising and publishing Canada Polocrosse Rules as required.
  • Handling grievance disputes.
• Chief Umpire: is selected from the 3 voted in members by the 3 members, and has the final say in all discrepancies.
• Tournament Umpire: the Chief Umpire appoints a Tournament Umpire for each Polocrosse Canada sanctioned event. That Tournament Umpire is delegated the authority to enforce and interpret the rules of play at that tournament. They will approve the scheduling of Senior & Assistant Umpires for the tournament. They will have final say in deputes arising from on field play.
• Senior Umpire and Assistant Umpire: each match will include a Senior Umpire, appropriate to the level of play, who will have control the match and match officials. The Assistant Umpires assist the Senior Umpire.
• Goal and Line Judges: will assist in calling goals and/or watching lines for infraction by a player or calling out of bounds.
• Time Keeper: shall control the official time, start and stop time at the request of the Senior Umpire, and advise the Senior Umpire of time remaining.
• Scorer Keeper: shall complete the official score sheet, including names, ratings, score, and require all officials and team captains to sign the completed sheet at the completion of the match. The score sheet will be delivered to the Tournament Committee who will deliver them to the Chief Umpire.
• Tournament Committee: The Tournament Committees is responsible for arranging the fields, setting the draw and organizing start times for all matches as well as assigning appropriate game officials, (umpires, goal wavers, score and time keeper) for each match. The schedule should be forwarded to the Tournament Umpire at least 3 days prior to the start date for approval.
• Club Umpire Liaison: Each Polocrosse Canada member club will appoint a club liaison to pass umpiring and rule issues up to the Chief Umpire and the Chief Umpire will pass related information down through the liaison for distribution to the club membership. Information will be maintained on the Polocrosse Canada web site.
• Playing members of Polocrosse Canada: Each playing member of Polocrosse Canada is required to possess a current copy of the Rule Book and to complete an on line test for general knowledge of the rules.

It is important to note that all players are expected to perform some aspect of officiating at each tournament whether as a match umpire, a goal or line judge or a scorer/timer keeper. No member of Polocrosse Canada is exempt from participation during a match and all members of Polocrosse Canada are expected to respond positively to a request by an umpire for assistance in officiating a match.

Umpire Accreditation

Candidate Pre-requisites:

• Be at least 16 years of age.
• Be registered and in current standing with their local club and Polocrosse Canada.
• Have a minimum of 2 years playing experience
• Be recommended by a Polocrosse Canada umpire.

Qualities of a Good Umpire:

• Thorough understanding of the interpretation of the Polocrosse Canada rules and be able to clearly communicate rules.
• Understand & effectively apply the roles & responsibilities of a Polocrosse Umpire.
• Understand the legal responsibilities.
• Manage the safety of players, officials, spectators and facilities.
• Underpinning knowledge of the sport.
• Identify potential safety problems (risk management).
• Understand the welfare to the horse.
• Have good mediation skills to resolve disputes impartially.

Ongoing Responsibilities

To retain Umpire status, all Umpires must be actively involved in umpiring games every year as well as partaking in activities which will cause them to at minimum maintain their current level of knowledge or increase it:

• Assessing
• Mentoring
• Personal Development
• Sport-specific workshops/seminars
• Contribution to publication of technical articles

Umpire Certification Level:

A Level Umpires must have a minimum of :

• 4 years playing experience and 2 years umpiring experience.
• Can be the senior umpire of A level Games or lower.
• Pass the written test.
• Attend a clinic.
• Have a mentor sign off on their log book 120 minutes of umpiring experience
  • 30 minutes must be umpire in charge of A level games.
• Pass a practical exam.

B Level Umpires must have a minimum of:

• 3 years playing experience and 1 years umpiring experience.
• Can be the senior umpire of B level Games or lower and assistant umpire of A level game or lower.
• Pass the written test.
• Attend a clinic.
• Have a mentor sign off on their log book 90 minutes of umpiring experience.
  • 30 minutes must be umpire in charge of C level games.
• Pass a practical exam

C Level Umpires must have a minimum of:

• 2 years playing experience.
• Can be the senior umpire of C level Games or lower and assistant umpire of B level game or lower.
• Pass the written test.
• Attend a clinic.
• Have a mentor sign off on their log book 60 minutes of umpiring experience
  • 30 minutes must be umpire in charge of C level games.
• Pass a practical exam.

Certification Process

Clinics: The Chief Umpire should conduct or cause to be conducted an Umpire Clinic no less than one time per year. Candidates must participate in discussions & demonstrations in practical sessions. 100% attendance is required during the face-to-face training program and discussion.

Mentoring: This step of the training process is the most important. A person seeking to be certified must find and get the agreement of a certified umpire to act as mentor in the umpiring program. The mentor agrees to watch, work with and correct the mentee in the proper methods of calling a match, controlling the match or interpreting the rules. If you do not know who to ask to be your mentor – contact the Chief Umpire to help find a mentor.

Testing: This is to demonstrate proficiency and understanding of the rules of play including advantage, safety and how to control a field and its surroundings.  A player should contact the Chief Umpire indicating that he or she is ready to sit for an umpire test. The Chief Umpire or their designee may administer the test at any appropriate time. Passing grades on an umpire test constitute 80% correct answers or greater. The Chief Umpire will keep a record of persons who have taken and passed the test during her/his tenure. A person may take any test as often he or she likes at the discretion of the Chief Umpire or his/her designee.

Practical: For each level of Umpire Certification, A, B and Provincial there will be an assessment of the candidates’ practical ability to officiate effectively. This assessment is completed after the written exam. The assessor will be in attendance of the practical demonstration by the candidate, officiating 3 games of at least 30 minutes duration.  An assessment checklist is used to outline the skills/competencies that the official must demonstrate.  The candidate must be rated as competent on all aspects of the assessment checklist to pass.

Grievance Process

If a club or player makes a complaint involving the safety of play or the equipment of a player or the quality of umpiring by a certified umpire, that complaint should be made in writing to the Chief Umpire. Upon receipt of a written complaint, the Chief Umpire shall investigate the allegations, present them to the Umpire Committee and, upon recommendation of the Committee, determine what action to take to reprimand or sanction the person, if necessary. Any formal sanction by the Chief Umpire shall be in writing or made electronically to the player (or club if that is appropriate) and a copy shall be sent to the Secretary of Polocrosse Canada.

Umpire Accreditation Presenter

• Course presenters and assistants must have at a minimum the Polocrosse Umpiring qualification of the level of course they are presenting.
• Assessors of Umpires must have Polocrosse Canada accreditation at that level, or higher.

Insurance (Is this correct, the umpires will be under the jurisdictions of Polocrosse Canada?)

Polocrosse Canada holds a comprehensive insurance policy with Alberta Equestrian Federation & Capri Insurance. This policy covers public liability ($1 million) and professional Indemnity ($1 million) for all members and sport educators.

Complaints handling procedures

Candidates with grievances about the conduct of their training program or seeking appeals on their assessment process must submit them in writing to the Chief Umpire within 30 days of the completion of the training program or on receiving notification of their assessment outcome.

All grievances and appeals will be considered by the Chief Umpire who will inform the candidate of the process they use to consider the grievance and the outcome of the deliberations within 30 days of receiving the grievance/appeal.

Further grievances and appeals may be referred to the Polocrosse Canada Executive (with all relevant information) for consideration and decision.

Appendix 1

Umpire Assessment tool – Match Report

Assessment Task: Officiate a game safely in accordance with the rules and regulations.

Purpose of Assessment: This assessment task will enable the official to demonstrate competency in the areas of risk management, applying the rules and regulations of the game and communication skills (as set out in the performance criteria in the checklist below).

Assessment Conditions: The candidate will:

• Have access to an appropriate level of game for the assessment task
• Be permitted to re-present for assessment as many times as is necessary in order to achieve competency.

Evidence required: The candidate is required to demonstrate all of the performance criteria as set out in the checklist below. The candidate must demonstrate the performance criteria consistently throughout the game (i.e. more than once during the session).

Assessment arrangements: The assessment activity will take place on [date] at [location].

Name of candidate: ____________________________________________________

Organization/club: ____________________________________________________

Phone No.: ____________________________________________________

Assessor(s) name: ____________________________________________________

Performance criteria	Comments	Not yet competent	DemonstratesCompetency
Arrive at the venue at least half an hour prior to the game commencing
Organize human and physical resources appropriate to the needs of the competition
Undertake a risk analysis of the field of play
Apply the rules and regulations of the game
Ensure safety of self and others throughout the game
Demonstrate positioning skills relevant to officiating the game
Use effective communication strategies to officiate the game
Use appropriate signals
Use other appropriate non-verbal communication strategies (i.e. body language)
Provide constructive feedback to the group in a concise manner
Implement positive and appropriate strategies in one to one communication situations to prevent or resolve conflict
Respond promptly to an emergency situation if required
Develop a report after the game
Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of their officiating

Result:

Candidate has achieved competency   o Candidate is not yet competent

Reasons for decision: _______________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Assessor signature(s): ______________________________________________________________________________

Candidate signature: _______________________________________________________________________________

Date: ___________________________________

Appendix 2

	Score Sheet
	Host Club
Date		Time	Field
		Name		Name
A   B   C  E		Side 1	Rating	Side 1		Rating
Referees		1		1
		2		2
		3		3
Score Keeper		Total Rating		Total Rating
Time Keeper		Side 2	Rating	Side 1		Rating
		1		1
Goal Wavers		2		2
		3		3
		Total Rating		Total Rating
The difference between the side ratings is doubled and awarded the lower rated team.
Note any green horse adjusted rating with a G beside their rating and note horses name
		Goal Scored Team 1		Goal Scored Team 2
	Starting Score
	Chukka 1
	Chukka 2
	Chukka 3
	Chukka 4
	Chukka 5
	Chukka 6
	Chukka 7
	Chukka 8
	Final Score

Details (Important: use the backside to explain the incidents in detail)

Was a player injured during this game o   Was First Aid called o    Was a player sent off during this game

• Was a horse injured during this game o  Was a horse sent off during this game o Were spurs ordered to be removed oWhere stoppages involve an injury to a player the Umpire must also complete an official Accident Report Form.

The completed Accident Forms forwarded to the Chief Umpire within 7 days.

• The completed and signed score sheet will be forwarded to tournament organizer who will forward to

Points for and against

• Track the goals scored in each chukka by each section, be sure to indicate which side starts.
• Substitutions in the middle of a chukka give credit to the player that played the longest full credit for that chukka.
• Add the name to the roster and indicate which chukka the change took place.

Signatures: Scorekeeper:______________________________________________________________________________

Senior Umpire:______________________________________________________________________________

Team Captians:______________________________________________________________________________