I agree with our TRUE members who feel it would be more convenient to have the referee camp combined with a National USAT tournament.

In addition, I have been kicking around another idea concerning referee training:  

It might make a big difference in encouraging more referee participation and more new referees if every time there is a National USAT Taekwondo tournament we all showed up at the referee seminar to pick up the latest rule changes and emphasis points, to spend TIME practicing our coordinated paddle work as judges, to lend a helping hand to our new recruits, to extend fellowship, unity, and friendship to each other.  Our experienced International Referees could split off some of the more advanced referees and work on their leadership, ring management, TA skills and dealing with fast, difficult matches and complicated scenarios.  The more we train the more comfortable and skilled and consistent we will become.  As one of our distinguished IR's has said, this is a "potentially lethal combat sport".  There is no such thing as over-preparation.  Spending a day studying, practicing, and drilling with our top instructors, and then getting the opportunity to practice for two days following, is an absolutely ideal training ground. 

One thing that would help this process significantly would be if we could get USAT to provide a room (with a referee room-mate) the night before the referee seminar.  We need to be settled in, relaxed, and well rested, not drained by the traveling process.  We can provide our own food.   $45 or $50 is a reasonable instruction and materials fee for a full day expert seminar.  But having to pay the fee plus a $80 to $120 hotel bill is not nice.  I realize it is an additional expense for our NGB.  It would REALLY be worth their while in the long run in developing the finest referee corps ever.  They could stipulate that they would only pick up the room for USAT referees who had signed up in advance to do the entire Qualifier or Junior/Seniors and prepaid for the referee seminar.  Then they could assign room-mates and get the rooms comped.

This would be easy to do and might be extremely productive.

Respectfully,

Susan Lewis