Don't let their calm fool you; tennis umpires are hardened and trained professionals. Well, perhaps not hardened, but definitely well trained.
With Wimbledon quickly approaching, the sport's rule enforcers are getting ready for arguably the biggest tennis event of the year. Yet, it's not just about shouting 'Out!' when the ball goes passed a white line. Certain qualifications are needed before they'll let anyone even begin training and then the real fun begins.
You need to pass the first stage of the Lawn Tennis Association's training course by having the loudest voice and best timing — seriously. The courses are done at the National Tennis Centre in south-west London.
While anyone can take the test, only those with 20/20 vision (corrected or uncorrected) will have a shot at passing. Of course, then they must know the rules of sport. The USTA has a rule guide online that contains over 230 pages of questions that the umpire-in-training has to answer correctly, ranging from what to do if a player grunts too loudly to where to place their water bottle.
Even after all that, being an umpire on the court still isn't easy. A poor call can send players straight to the chair for an angry public discussion.