Welsh Open 2007
Cindy Ferguson asked:
Michaela Tabb, a 39-year-old female from Dunfermline happens to be the first female ever to arbiter a snooker ranking tournament final when she acquires charge at the Welsh Open. Tabb has formerly managed at all major events, including the 888.com World Snooker Championship and the SAGA Insurance Masters, but considers arbitrating her first final will be the most important component of her career.
And 29-year-old, Matthew Stevens, from Carmarthen has dropped down to the 21st spot in the provisional world rankings but is convinced he is returning to his championship winning shape as he anxiously awaits next week’s tournament and is aware that he must work hard to maintain his position in the official cream of the crop top 16.
Other players in anticipation of the Welsh Open include Snooker super star Ryan Day, a 26-year-old from Pontycymmer, who presently holds the 18th spot in the provisional rankings and is hoping for an excellent second half of the season that will lead him into the elite for the first time in his career.
And last but not least, top of the class snooker player, Stephen Lee, who won last year after defeating Shaun Murphy in the final, returns to the this year’s tournament for a shot at taking home the Trophy once again.
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Michaela Tabb, a 39-year-old female from Dunfermline happens to be the first female ever to arbiter a snooker ranking tournament final when she acquires charge at the Welsh Open. Tabb has formerly managed at all major events, including the 888.com World Snooker Championship and the SAGA Insurance Masters, but considers arbitrating her first final will be the most important component of her career.
And 29-year-old, Matthew Stevens, from Carmarthen has dropped down to the 21st spot in the provisional world rankings but is convinced he is returning to his championship winning shape as he anxiously awaits next week’s tournament and is aware that he must work hard to maintain his position in the official cream of the crop top 16.
Other players in anticipation of the Welsh Open include Snooker super star Ryan Day, a 26-year-old from Pontycymmer, who presently holds the 18th spot in the provisional rankings and is hoping for an excellent second half of the season that will lead him into the elite for the first time in his career.
And last but not least, top of the class snooker player, Stephen Lee, who won last year after defeating Shaun Murphy in the final, returns to the this year’s tournament for a shot at taking home the Trophy once again.
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Is A Woman Referee Such A Big Deal?
Gordon Bryan asked:
May 2009, and Michaela Tabb becomes the 1st woman to referee the snooker world championship final. It gets a lot of publicity, but is a woman referee really any big deal?
Well the short answer is that yes, it is a big deal. A lot of people say it’s sexist to focus on the issue, that women officials in sport are no different to their male counterparts. Hmm, I think that’s wrong, and here’s why…
Woman refs in sport *are* different than the men, precisely because there are so few of them. In Michaela Tabb’s case, she freely admits she was fast tracked up the ladder by the world body, but let’s get things in perspective. When she says ‘fast tracked’, it still took her nearly 10 years to get to the top, i.e. the world final. Also, although world snooker helped her get through the door, it was then up to her what she did with it.
Tabb is a realistic woman, who says she got where she is by some good fortune, coupled with ambition and hard work. The fact that she is the first is a reflection of her hard work, and a superb example of goal achievement in action. It takes a lot for a man to referee the world final, so for a woman to do it in such a male dominated field is worthy of note and congratulation. To avoid doing so for fear of being labeled sexist is nonsense in my view.
Whether there should be more women officials is another discussion – my view is that there certainly should. My (well read) copy of ‘Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus’ tells me that women can take a more objective view, and stay calm under pressure, perfect for top level sports officiating. Look at the NFL, never a woman umpire, look at the football Premier League, no women refs, and even women assistant refs have come under fire from managers.
So to sum up, yes a woman referee is a big deal, the time will come when it isn’t, but at the moment Michaela Tabb and people like her are breaking down barriers, and more power to them is what I say!
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May 2009, and Michaela Tabb becomes the 1st woman to referee the snooker world championship final. It gets a lot of publicity, but is a woman referee really any big deal?
Well the short answer is that yes, it is a big deal. A lot of people say it’s sexist to focus on the issue, that women officials in sport are no different to their male counterparts. Hmm, I think that’s wrong, and here’s why…
Woman refs in sport *are* different than the men, precisely because there are so few of them. In Michaela Tabb’s case, she freely admits she was fast tracked up the ladder by the world body, but let’s get things in perspective. When she says ‘fast tracked’, it still took her nearly 10 years to get to the top, i.e. the world final. Also, although world snooker helped her get through the door, it was then up to her what she did with it.
Tabb is a realistic woman, who says she got where she is by some good fortune, coupled with ambition and hard work. The fact that she is the first is a reflection of her hard work, and a superb example of goal achievement in action. It takes a lot for a man to referee the world final, so for a woman to do it in such a male dominated field is worthy of note and congratulation. To avoid doing so for fear of being labeled sexist is nonsense in my view.
Whether there should be more women officials is another discussion – my view is that there certainly should. My (well read) copy of ‘Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus’ tells me that women can take a more objective view, and stay calm under pressure, perfect for top level sports officiating. Look at the NFL, never a woman umpire, look at the football Premier League, no women refs, and even women assistant refs have come under fire from managers.
So to sum up, yes a woman referee is a big deal, the time will come when it isn’t, but at the moment Michaela Tabb and people like her are breaking down barriers, and more power to them is what I say!
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