August 26, 2016

Coaching During a Game, Part 2
I blogged about this last Friday, where I explained why I'm opposed to the rule - and gave 14 different reasons. Bottom line - I think the ITTF has made a dumb mistake here, and I expect the rule will eventually be rescinded. When? I don't know; maybe in a year, maybe ten, maybe never. The rule takes effect on Oct. 1. 

But now we have to make a separate decision, one that requires nuanced thinking. Given that the rule is not a good one, should USATT adopt it? At first, the obvious thought is "Heck no!" (Ah, a G-rated column blog....) Why in the world should USATT adopt a rule we consider bad? Even the USATT Umpires and Officials Committee has come out and voted unanimously that we should not adopt this rule. 

But here's the problem. Even if we don't adopt it, it will still be the rule at ITTF tournaments. That means the U.S. Open; continental Olympic and Pan Am Trials; overseas tournaments that our players go to; and I believe the North American Teams. If USATT does not adopt the rule, then what happens to our players and coaches at these events? They'll be at a terrible disadvantage. While opponents will have had lots of time to develop signals and other ways to communicate with their coaches without opponents being able to read them, and coaches and players will be used to this new style of non-stop coaching (like a cornerman in a boxing match screaming non-stop instructions), our players and coaches won't. 

It's going to take a lot of getting used to, and the methods used for communication will continually evolve, as I wrote about last week. We'll be way, way behind. USATT coaches like myself are going to be very uncomfortable - and less effective - when we go up against coaches who are used to this rule. We'll be like someone from organized boxing in a street fight where there are no rules. We'll be bringing a hardbat to a sponge battle. 

So the question is - should USATT adopt this rule? We have to decide soon. I'm on the USATT board, which has its next meeting in Philadelphia on Oct. 10, the day after the Women's World Cup. Because that's after the Oct. 1 date that the rule comes into effect, the USATT board may have a teleconference call on this before that. I've already asked for input from the USATT Rules Committee, and would also do so from the USATT Coaching Committee except it currently (and temporarily, I hope) has no chair. This is a hugely important issue that is not to be taken lightly. 

I am quite frankly undecided about this one. I'm leaning - slightly - toward adopting it, for the reasons given above - we're going to have to deal with it anyway, and I'm a bit leery of the affect it'll have on our national teams. (Men; women; paralympic men and women; and junior, cadet, and mini-cadet boys and girls - that's at least ten teams right there.) At the same time, I loathe adopting what I consider a dumb rule. 

So . . . anyone want to chime in on this one?

On a side note, some will notice the similarity here with the illegal hidden serves that are allowed by umpires and referees worldwide, with both ITTF and USATT reluctant to step in and stop all the rampant cheating that takes place right in front of us. Because it's mostly allowed internationally, many believe USATT should just accept this cheating as part of the game, while others (including me) do not believe we should do so. There are similarities, but there are two big differences.

First, illegally hiding a serve is illegal, while legally giving coaching under the new ITTF rule is legal.

Second, even players who regularly use illegal serves - nearly all top players have to if they want to compete successfully - have to have legal serves as well, in case their illegal serves are called. So even though I've argued that USATT should take the lead in cracking down on illegal serves (i.e. cheating), I've also argued that our players should learn illegal serves as well, but use them only when the umpire allows the opponent to do so, i.e. the game is no longer being played by the rules, and serving illegal, like the opponent, no longer is giving an unfair advantage. It's an unfortunate situation that our culture of cheating has created, and it forces players to develop their service games around both legal and illegal serves, but that's the situation we have until ITTF and/or USATT leaders take action and lead. (I tried – Motion 6 - but was voted down.) But that's a separate issue - back to the new coaching rule. 

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