EPF Level 1 Referee Certification Achieved

A new milestone for Pickleball Olomouc!

We are proud to share that Nadiia Kruzman, founder of Pickleball Olomouc, has officially become a European Pickleball Federation Level 1 Referee!

After two months of intensive study, online testing, practical preparation and on-court training, Nadiia successfully completed her final assessment in Prague on 20 September 2026. The final examinations and on-court assessments were personally supervised by Gail Scavonelli from USA Pickleball, adding a particularly valuable international dimension to the certification.

Certified through Czechia, Nadiia is now one of the first three EPF Level 1 referees in the Czech Republic — and, as a Ukrainian, the first Ukrainian to achieve this qualification.

The EPF referee programme is closely aligned with USA Pickleball (USAP), creating a shared international standard for referee education, testing and officiating. EPF and USAP mutually recognise their Level 1 and Level 2 referee credentials.

This means that Nadiia’s European qualification is recognised at the corresponding USA Pickleball level, opening opportunities to officiate official competitions across Europe and, under the applicable USAP requirements, in the United States as well. 🌍🇺🇸

For Pickleball Olomouc, this is more than a personal achievement. It brings internationally recognised officiating knowledge directly to our club and is another important step towards organising tournaments in Olomouc according to international standards.

A personal note of gratitude: I would like to sincerely thank my mentor, Adrienne Frasco, who supported and guided me throughout these two months, my assessor, Christine McConnel, for believing in my abilities and encouraging me with her optimistic approach. And Cecilia d`Avos - your support gave me the confidence to achieve this goal.

I am also grateful to Maria Munz, Head European Referee, for her dedication to bringing pickleball referee education to Europe and for her efforts to support the development of the sport across the continent.