Officiating can be a very rewarding experience that is available to all members across Canada.
We strive to provide excellent training for officials and to provide the best officials possible at all tournaments. To achieve this goal, we have developed an Officiating Pathway that provides a systematic program of training, evaluation and mentoring. In addition, Racquetball Canada does not collect fees for our Officiating Certification Program.
At most tournaments in Canada the participants are also the officials. At the national level, Open level matches are refereed by officials appointed by Racquetball Canada and all participants must be certified as a Technical A Official.
There are many opportunities for officiating at an elite level. We appoint officials for the National Championships and the National Team Selection Events. We also nominate our officials for assignment at the International Racquetball Federation sanctioned tournaments.
There are five levels in the Racquetball Canada Officiating Certification Program:
- Technical A Official
- Technical B Official
- Level 1 Official
- Level 2 Official
- Level 3 Official
At a minimum, you must be certified as a Technical A Official to officiate at a sanctioned tournament.
Officials wishing to work through the pathway should contact Racquetball Canada to find out more about training and evaluation opportunities.
Technical A & Technical B Certification
To ensure ease of certification at the introductory level, we provide two ways of becoming certified as a Technical A & Technical B Official.
You have a choice of doing this by:
- completing an online eLearning module OR
- completing an in-person clinic and an online exam
Online Learning
Taking the free eLearning module is the quickest and most convenient way to become certified as a Technical A and Technical B Official.
Our easy to use eLearning module will help both new and experienced players become more confident about the rules of the game.
Click on our infographic to download the instructions including all the links you’ll need to access the eLearning module.
Or click below to link directly to The Locker, which is the Coaching Association of Canada’s training portal and get started.
Once you begin the eLearning module you can leave and return at any time to continue.
Technical A Certification Clinic
- Certification is accomplished by participating in a 90 minute clinic usually offered by Provincial Associations in conjunction with a sanctioned tournament.
- A clinic is offered annually at the National Championships by Racquetball Canada.
- The course covers basic rules and situational analysis in an interactive setting.
Technical B Exam
- Certification is accomplished by successfully completing the Technical B Officials Exam, which is accessible online.
- You can opt to write your exam at any time; however it is recommended that you complete the Technical A Officials Clinic or the eLearning module prior to writing the exam.
- For the exam, you should be completely familiar with the Official Rules so that you can answer questions such as: “what happens if a server takes too long to put the ball into play?”
Level 1 Certification
Certification is obtained by successfully completing a refereeing evaluation of a match at a sanctioned tournament. The evaluation is done by a certified Level 2 or Level 3 Official and the official being evaluated must demonstrate a basic level of proficiency.
Those interested in certification as a Level 1 Official should contact their Provincial Association to complete their evaluation at a provincial or local tournament or Racquetball Canada to be evaluated at a nationally hosted tournament.
Level 2 Certification
Certification is obtained by successfully completing a written exam and a refereeing evaluation:
- The written exam includes knowledge of rules, visual analysis, and interpretation of rule application as it pertains to court situations. The emphasis is on game situations, as proper interpretation of the rules is critical.
- The official is evaluated refereeing two Open level doubles matches and two Open level singles matches at a sanctioned tournament.
Those interested in certification as a Level 2 Official should contact their Provincial Association to complete their evaluation at a provincial or local tournament or Racquetball Canada to be evaluated at a nationally hosted tournament.
Level 3 Certification
A certified Level 2 Official is required to wait one year prior to being evaluated as a Level 3 Official to allow time for mentorship and practice.
Certification is obtained by successfully completing a refereeing evaluation of two Open level doubles matches and two Open level singles matches at a sanctioned tournament.
Those interested in certification as a Level 3 Official should contact Racquetball Canada.
Once certified as a Level 3 Official, certification as an International Official can be achieved by successfully completing a written exam and an officiating evaluation at an IRF sanctioned tournament.
All certified Racquetball Canada Level 3 Officials are eligible to apply for officiating positions at IRF tournaments. Individuals who contribute to local and provincially sanctioned tournaments will be given primary consideration.
The International Racquetball Federation Official Rule Book is used for all sanctioned tournaments in Canada, including the Racquetball Canada National Championships, Junior National Championships and National Team Selection Events.
Rule Changes
Any participating country may propose a rule change to the International Racquetball Federation Rules Committee.
Racquetball Canada’s Sport Development Committee accepts rule change proposals at anytime for consideration for submission to the IRF on behalf of Racquetball Canada. The IRF only considers rule changes submitted by January 15th of the years in which World Championships are held.