NPPL to Revamp Referee Program and Hold Open Meeting in San Diego

[Junkie]

The National Professional Paintball League (NPPL) is pleased to announce a new focus on training and selecting of Referees as well as a reinvigorated process to incorporate thoughts and ideas from teams, players, sponsors and industry personnel into the direction of the NPPL.

“We’ve had a whirlwind of a year at the NPPL. We’ve accomplished so much that we set out to do, including investing in high quality turf, launching the successful free hosted live webcast, producing the Xtreme Paintball television series on Fox Sports Net, merging in PB2X Magazine, and bringing on new outside industry sponsors like the US Marines, Mad Croc and more” explained NPPL President Shawn Walker. “We’re now dedicating more of our resources for the paintball aspect of the events, especially the referee program. Players have voiced concerns and it’s important for the league to respond and take action.”

Pre-San Diego Event Referee Training
The full program will be launched in 2008 but some immediate changes are being made before this month’s San Diego Event including an intense referee training workshop at Raza Park in Escondido, California this weekend. The Center Court and Field 2 referee crews for the San Diego event will be at the field Saturday and Sunday working with NPPL teams on a variety of training exercises. Dave Zinkham, NPPL Ultimate Ref, will be on site running the session.

Referee Program Advisors
The NPPL has also enlisted the help of current and prior Professional Paintball players to help train and shape the new program. Ron Kilbourne, Tom Cole, Rich Telford, Chuck Hendsch and many others will be instrumental in building the new Referee program for 2008 as well as giving input and help to get the referees ready for San Diego.

Walker pointed out that “this is a small but meaningful first step. The most important thing teams should know is we are working hard to improve and taking all input seriously.”

Open Meeting at San Diego
Also happening in San Diego, the NPPL is hosting an open meeting to allow anyone involved in the league to give input and feedback to NPPL representatives. This will be a great forum to discuss both positives and negatives from 2007 and prepare for a great 2008 season.

Everyone is invited to the Open Meeting which will begin at noon on Thursday November 29th at the Town & Country Resort & Convention Center located at 500 Hotel Circle North, San Diego, CA 92108.

To RSVP for this meeting please email your name, company and/or team name and phone number to Travis Runyan at travis@nppl.com by Wednesday, November 28th.

The 2007 NPPL Commander’s Cup will take place outside of Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California November 30 – December 2, 2007. For more information about the event and the NPPL, visit NPPL or call 888-834-4774.

[SirRod]

I was a NPPL Ref took the course at Tampa Stadium, in 2004. I realy enjoyed being a Ref with the profesional recognition that should come along with it.
I find that no matter how great a job I did that didn't make any differance to thoes in charge. The Chronic field I was involved in running, was on time and made arangements for teams who were cross schedueled at the same time with other fields.
Every team got its time to play. I'n fact I did so well that I was asked by the management to come to the Main NPPL field to Ref the finals.
I didn't ever get my Ref's certificate and it took almost a year for the management to pay me which was only $85 dollars a day. When I did get Chuck on the phone then the Presedent of NPPL he didn't want to pay me for 3 days said I'd only been there for 2. Well with all that said. I would Ref another NPPL torunement but I don't expect to be asked. NPPL Ref's work hard I think that some of them are too young but thats another post. They aren't given the respect they are due, maybe thats part of the problem. The players not respecting the people chosen to control the uncontroable. At the same time the Ref's not making the decisions and calls that the players expect. Its all a part of what do you expect when you treet the peopel making cutting edge decisions like crap. Go be a Ref and then see how you like being screamed at for a call you didn't see. Ref's are people too and the Producers as well as NPPL and the other tournement producers need to get quality people to do the job. Quality people wont Ref because they know its a thankless job and no matter how good thay are they will go unrewarded with the exception of the small pittance that we are paid.

[warpedx]

Originally Posted by NPPL

We’re now dedicating more of our resources for the paintball aspect of the events, especially the referee program.

Originally Posted by NPPL

Walker pointed out that “this is a small but meaningful first step. The most important thing teams should know is we are working hard to improve and taking all input seriously.”

Is it too little too late? So many of the players I've talked to had nothing good to say. I'm a fan of the format, but I wonder how big of hole the NPPL has dug for itself. Go back a couple seasons, and the Commander's Cup was the big end of the year event. Now most of the vendor support has jumped ship, with their 08 lines launching at World Cup.

SirRod, I've heard similar stories from the fields. While I am not a NPPL ref, I do have a couple of friends that travel with the series. Seems like most of their good refs took off due to treatment, and they are relying on minimally trained personnel to ref an event that costs $2k to enter, and thats at the D3 level. If they screw up next season, I could see it being their last year. Hopefully they take the players comments seriously, and make big efforts to change.

[Dank_PB]

I know some refs from the cfoa that have been ask to work at the nppl this year. Along with the reconstrution of the reffing program i hope the nppl can turn it around.

[SirRod]

I think The NPPL has lost the trust that is necessary to maintain credability with major sponsers and teams. I beleave like Warpedx if they screw up this season well...audios muchacho's!