FROM THE USAPA
USAPA BOARD MEMBER PROFILE
Linda & Lynn
Laymon
Take on Referee
Certification
BY KEVIN CURLEY
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Over the years, Linda and Lynn Laymon have proven their value to the
USAPA and Board of Directors. They live and breathe the sport. And while you
may not always see them on the podium, they are often running or helping to
run some of the top tournaments in the nation. Their most recent endeavor
has been to establish a Referee Certification program for the USAPA; no small
feat considering there were 115 USAPA-sanctioned tournaments held last year
(all which require the use of referees).
The Laymons currently sit as the Co-Training Chairs on the USAPA Board.
They previously worked with the Communications staff to publish the
newsletter, as well as a myriad of other responsibilities. Their dedication
and support to the USAPA is unwavering. Their journey to pickleball is an
interesting one, a journey that started when they both worked at AT&T
in New Jersey. If you know Linda and Lynn, you know they’re virtually
inseparable; that all started in 1982 when they met on a ski trip. At AT&T,
both Linda and Lynn held various project management positions for 16 and
20 years respectively. After the breaking up of the Bell system by the federal
government in 1984 drastically changed the workplace, they both voluntarily
departed the company on “buyout” programs in 1986. As part-time scuba
instructors, they decided to sell their home in New Jersey – and just about
everything they owned – and move to the Caribbean to teach scuba.
After a couple of years in the Cayman Islands, they moved to Hawaii to
continue teaching scuba and they also became involved with underwater
photography and video and began writing for a new scuba magazine. For 25
years they have been writing for magazines in a number of fields, including
scuba, RVing, airlines, piloting, wine and other small business publications.
They have edited newsletters and books, written training manuals and
published two books of their own. In 1996 they returned to the mainland
(from Hawaii) and began full-time RVing. It was through their RV travels that
in 1998 they were introduced to pickleball, and have been involved ever since.
As the USAPA’s Training Chairs, they are always working on new initiatives.
The need for certified referees is at the top of their list and there is rarely any
time for breaks. But, when they do get time off they try to make time to hike
and kayak in Star Valley, Ariz., where they now call home during the summer,
and Surprise, Ariz., the rest of the year. They also try to squeeze in an annual
ski week in Vail and a Sandals scuba vacation, or take a staycation and just go
to a movie.
No doubt about it, the Laymons believe whole-heartedly that the Referee
Certification program is the most important initiative the USAPA has rolled
out in the past 12 months.
“Two years ago there was a big outcry about the lack of competent referees,”
they explain. “We have been working with a committee for most of that time
to create a truly worthwhile program that, when referees are trained using the
Referee Handbook and companion Trainer Guide, provides standardization,
consistency and professionalism in pickleball officiating.”
So what comes next for the Laymons? Now that the Handbook and Trainer
Guide are out, their focus is to support the people on the ground: “We will be
rolling out a program to assist those charged locally with teaching pickleball
to new players, including a directory listing on the website. Members can also
look forward to new training materials on the website.” •
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 |
MAGAZINE
7