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How to Become a Snooker Referee?

December 20, 2020 by Bumeral

A snooker referee oversees the snooker matches and ensures that the players abide by the standard rules and regulations of the game. Referees play an important role in almost every sport. They are responsible for encouraging healthy sportsmanship and ascertaining the fairness of competition. If any player disobeys the laws, the referee would halt the game and assign a suitable penalty.

The exact procedure of becoming a snooker referee differs slightly from one country to another.

How to Become a Snooker Referee?

To become a snooker referee, you need to register with the particular country’s national sports governing board to work as a professional referee. In the next step, you need to attend seminars, pass exams about snooker rules. In the US, this board is referred to as the USSA (United States Snooker Association).

Below is an overview of the job description, eligibility requirements, salary prospects, and other information regarding the profession of a snooker referee:

Snooker Referee Requirements

If you want to be a licensed or certified snooker referee, you will need to do the following things:

  • Register with a local governing board associated with snooker.
  • Attend a few referee seminars or clinics.
  • Clear a specific written quiz that evaluates your knowledge of snooker.
  • Referee or officiate a match properly with the guidance of the governing board’s experienced member.

Usually, you are required to pay a small fee for getting the certification of being a referee. To contribute to the snooker’s game in a significant way, most snooker enthusiasts and players prefer refereeing their match professionally.

Snooker Referee Job Description

Officiating snooker matches implies observing them carefully and proactively sending a signal if any violation occurs. In case of disobedience, the referee is required to assign the appropriate penalty as per the laws and rules of the game. Sometimes, these tasks pose challenges, and the referee has to depend upon the instant video replays to make the right decision.

Snooker Referee Industry

The game of snooker is carried out on a table that looks like the one used for billiards. So, snooker competitions and matches are often held at billiard halls. Snooker has gained more popularity in Europe, Asia, and the UK as compared to the US. So, the US-based referees frequently travel to other countries when they are into a full-time profession.

In the US, snooker tournaments and leagues are supervised by the USSA, an internationally-recognized sports governing body established in 1991.

Snooker Referee Salary Prospects

While there are regular salaried snooker referees, most of them receive earnings per day or match. Some of the referees take up work on a part-time basis as it suits their normal work schedule. Likewise, some others adopt refereeing as their full-time job. For this reason, it isn’t easy to estimate their average salary. Further, since snooker is played more in Europe and the UK than in the US, most websites state the snooker salaries and fees in euros or pounds. When converted to US dollars, a snooker referee’s average salary turns out to be around $100 per day, besides $20 being paid for expenses.

A newly appointed snooker referee receives almost $90 per match. So, a full-time snooker referee will earn almost $50,000 annually. However, the exact salary of a snooker referee depends upon the employment location and the league for which he/she is refereeing.

As of 2018, the top professionals among the male snooker referees received as high as $250,000 annually. Similarly, the best female snooker referees were paid around $170,000 per year. During international snooker tournaments, the certified male referees got an average fee of $5000, whereas the female referees were given fees of $2500 for the same competitions and matches. In regular snooker matches, the top-level male referees received $500 per match, and the top-level women referees earned around $350 per match.

Snooker Referee Job Outlook

In the US, snooker is generally preferred by international visitors and immigrants. Though it is not witnessing much growth in the US, its popularity is rising in most other countries, especially China. This is mainly because it is somehow difficult to broadcast snooker matches and tournaments on TV. Besides, the snooker supplies and equipment are comparatively costly, discouraging billiard hall owners from adding the game to their facilities.

Filed Under: Snooker

How to Become a Minor League Baseball Player? – AAA Baseball Tryouts

December 5, 2020 by Bumeral

Several youngsters aspire to become professional baseball players, yet only a few get selected for the major league teams directly. Generally, players must play in the minor leagues before getting enlisted in the major teams.

If you want to be a MiLB (Minor League Baseball) player, you need to take part in an MLB (Major League Baseball) tryout camp, after which you will be enrolled in the MiLB team if you qualify. Minor leagues do not usually conduct tryouts.

How is Minor League Baseball Organized? In the video below, we can learn the structure of Major League Baseball.

Follow the given steps to become a MiLB player:

  • Firstly, download a tryout waiver form from the website of the MLB Scouting Bureau. In case you are below the age of 21, your parent or guardian has to sign the form.
  • While you can play for two or more positions at the tryout, you still need to choose one best or most preferred position. Remember that you will be considered only for one position that you mention on the registration card. So, choose the position wisely.
  • The schedule and location of tryout camps can be checked at the MLB Scouting Bureau’s camp information webpage. Various tryouts are conducted every year across different locations. Sometimes, you have to go outside your state or city to attend a camp. In such cases, you will have to bear the travel expenses yourself.
  • The only things that are given at the camp are the balls and bats. You have to buy other essentials like baseball pants, hats, gloves, and cleats on your own. If you participate as a catcher, you may also have to bring your catching gear.
  • If you do not get selected in your first attempt, take part in other tryout camps. You can play for as many tryouts as you want to.

Note: To participate in tryout camps, you need to be at least 16 years old. Further, you do not have to pay any fee to take part in tryouts. However, you cannot pre-register for the camp as the registration cards are distributed just 30 minutes before the tryout.

Filed Under: Baseball

How to Become a Badminton Referee?

by Bumeral

The game of badminton originated more than 2000 years ago. In the 17th century, it was called ‘Battledore and Shuttlecock’ in some European countries, including England. A similar version of badminton was known as ‘Poona’ in 19th century India. The modern sport of badminton is played worldwide and organized in over a hundred countries via hundreds of games-related associations. In the UK alone, there are 74 certified badminton clubs and 36 recognized associations.

Badminton officials qualifications
How to Become a Badminton Referee?
If you want to officiate badminton as a referee, you need to get the requisite training. The training generally begins at the local level and then you are expected to receive further training with the regional, state, and national associations respectively.

Selection Criteria for Certified Referees

The selection process for a badminton referee is more or less the same for every association. An aspiring referee is required to know about the laws of badminton so that he/she can interpret the same to other referees during a game. The referees should be aware of the rules and regulations of the badminton court including the game equipment, toss and scoring criteria, penalties for player misconduct, etc. Glance through the following points to know about the selection criteria at different levels:

  1. Learn about the updated laws of Badminton as given by the Badminton World Federation Annual General Meeting of May 15th, 2010.
  2. Study the badminton scenario of your city/town and join some local badminton club. For instance, USA Badminton (USAB) puts up the list of approved badminton clubs that you may join at local levels.
  3. After completing the training at a local badminton club, follow up with a relevant course at a national or regional level association. This will make you eligible for officiating badminton at these levels.
  4. Once you have acquired training at all the required levels, take the assessment for becoming a certified referee. Such as, in the UK, you need certification from the Badminton Referees Association of England. After 24 months of application, you will receive your certification.
  5. For competing at higher levels, it is recommended that you compile your ‘yearly work record’ containing the details of the tournaments and places where you performed as a referee. This data needs to be submitted to the accrediting association. A referee is usually nominated or proposed by the national associations for selection to international sports events.

If you are a beginner in this sport – please see the video and learn basic about this sport:

Selection Process for International Referees

Badminton World Federation (BWF) is a world-level governing body for badminton that has recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC). This federation holds major international tournaments including the popular Thomas Cup. BWF acknowledges two categories of referees namely, BWF Accredited Referee/Umpire and BWF Certificated Referee/Umpire. Competition generally gets tougher at these levels.

The number of main events of BWF is decided by the Sports Council and Committee. After the nominations have been made, the Sports Committee Chair and BWF unanimously agree as to which referees are to be chosen for events. The ultimate selection also depends upon the format of the competition and other factors like financial resources.

The Continental Confederations of the BWF is the higher-most level of badminton. It consists of Asia, Africa, Oceania, Europe, and Pan American Confederations. These continental bodies suggest the best referees, and reserves some others, according to the quotas allotted by the BWF. The nominations are further arranged in priority order, after which the advice of senior referees is sought. Following the finalization and approval of the nominees by the Sports Committee and BWF Council respectively, invitations are sent to the selected referees.

Things to Remember

  • Always keep yourself updated with the changes made in the regulations concerning the game and its equipment. A referee’s duty is to ensure that all the regulation standards are met in the court.
  • The age criterion of Badminton Europe is different than that of BWF. While Badminton Europe allows a referee’s assessment until the age of 55 years, BWF doesn’t permit such an assessment if the referee is above 50 years of age.
  • Besides, all the technical officials of BWF are required to stick to a stringent code of conduct. For instance, if a referee is inactive for two consecutive years in any association, he/she stands eliminated from the official list.

Eventually, you need to stay dedicated to the game, connect well with the association officials, and take part in the organizational affairs at your officiating levels.

Filed Under: Badminton

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