Diane
Spangler: NC’s Top Tennis Official
To be on the same tennis court with Serena or Venus Williams,
Lleyton Hewitt, Pete Sampras, Martina Hingis, or Andre Agassi
during the U.S. Open is more than just a dream to Durham’s
Diane Spangler. In fact Spangler has never lost a single
game, set or match to these icons or any other world class
netters since she began gracing the renown Flushing Meadow,
New York abode six years ago. Nor does Spangler have a Sampras
buggy whip or bullet, an Agassi two hander, or the power
and speed of the Williams sisters.
As a 4.0 NTRPer, in various United States Tennis Association
leagues
around the Triangle, the new quinterian will for sure never
play a match
at the professional level. No, we don’t have another
net conundrum. The
simple truth is that Diane Spangler has become the only
currently active
professional level linesperson from North Carolina, and
according to
many of her peers one of the best in the whole country.
“It takes most officials a lot longer to reach her
level” says veteran
NCAA and USTA lead official Scott Dillon about Spangler,
who has risen
without the benefit of any special connections within the
USTA hierachy.
Put another way, Spangler stays clear of tennis political
maneuvering.
Spangler is quick to share her late summer Big Apple enthralment.
“I really love being at the Open, especially when
I am on Arthur Ashe
(the stadium court). The enormity of the event, that there
can be 22,000 in
the stands, and seeing all the top male and female players
at their best
make it my favorite tournament,” says Spangler.
Davis and Federation Cup competition rate just behind the
Open as the
most fun for Spangler, who started her tennis officiating
career in 1993
after refereeing basketball for five years. The Pittsburgh,
PA native
started calling lines at ATP and WTA events in 1998. Indian
Wells, Miami,
Scottsdale, Cincinnati, and Washington, D.C. are among her
other favorite
major tour stops.
In addition to her calling lines, the somewhat adventurous
and
independent Spangler enjoys chair umpiring (as she often
does at area
major dual college matches) and refereeing. Spangler is
also the chief of
umpires of many regional sub WTA and ATP events such as
the men’s Futures
in Elkin (since 2000). The chief lines up the umpires, assigns
their matches,
and oversees the work.
Big names and events are not all that appeal to Spangler.
“My favorite
refereeing experience has been with the Durham Parks and
Recreation
Department’s Junior-Novice Tournament at Rock Quarry
Park,” she says
with a smile. “Those kids really enjoy the sport more
than advanced
tournament players and never display excessive temper or
bad lines calling
tendencies.”
Spangler would also like to see Durham and Chapel Hill area
tennis
players and fans come together for a big time common cause,
such as a pro
tournament. “This event would give people here a chance
to see great
tennis and support grass roots growth. Eventually I would
like us to get a
big new facility like the one in Cary,” she adds.
College tennis matches are the hardest to officiate according
to
Spangler because coaches and fans are biased, which at times
accentuates
problems between players. “Over-ruling line decisions
and giving code
violations can be especially difficult”, says the
MBA degreed accountant,
who spends over-half of her working time with tennis and
one-half with the
Alcohol and Drug Council of NC in Durham.
Spangler is the first official ever from North Carolina
to be awarded the
International Tennis Federation White Chief of Umpires Badge,
which
allows her to referee international junior events.
Dillon sums up the reasons for Spangler’s fast rise
to the top. “She has
exceptional interest and appreciation of the game, and is
a perfectionist at
learning how to officiate the best way.”
- Andy Landes -
Diane ,on behalf of DOCTA, we say thank you for your efforts
and support
to tennis in NC and Durham.
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