Ideas and Options

 To obtain certification, all Colorado judges must attend the official training clinic and must pass the judging exam with a minimum score of 80%. Additional requirements vary depending on judging status: ◦ IC= inexperienced certified officials have judged for less than two years ◦ EC= experienced certified officials have completed two full seasons of judging

 Experienced certified officials are required to attend a minimum of five (5) hours of training each year and pass the exam with a minimum score of 80%  This requirement is fulfilled by attending the annual training clinic, which is held in August each year and exceeds five hours in length

 Inexperienced certified officials are required to attend a minimum of eight (8) hours of training each year, which includes a classroom session, a video session, and an “in-gym” session as well as a portion of the annual training clinic.  IC officials are trained on only two events per year; training years alternate between Bars and Beam/Floor and Vault  IC officials must take the appropriate section of the exam (Bars/Beam or Floor/Vault) and pass with a minimum score of 80%  After passing their exam, IC officials must sign up and attend two ‘practical judging’ sessions before becoming certified ◦ Practical judging sessions occur during actual competitions in the first two to three weeks of the season

 Covering current year interpretations and rules changes  Discussing FAQ’s and situations  Enhancing consistency throughout the State  Ensuring that officials are prepared for the season  Encouraging interaction between experienced and inexperienced officials as well as officials from all areas of the state

 Every other year, Colorado plans and hosts a Statewide training clinic which all areas attend  On alternate years, the executive board and area directors choose a training focus and each area hosts a local training clinic (Metro, North and South)

 Interp Session is always included at the outset of training  Colorado coaches are invited to the interp session portion of the day, and are welcome to attend the full training if desired  Annual training clinic is usually scheduled from 8:30- 3:00 (including a lunch break)  During the final 30 minutes of the clinic, officials break into their local area groups to discuss scheduling and other details specific to their region

 Pros: having live gymnasts on site allows for flexibility in skill requests and comparisons  Cons: difficult to maintain consistent discussion between groups Past Breakout Session Topics/Titles:  Judging 101  Coaches Q&A  Degrees of Separation…judging high level routines  In-depth UPB  Chief Judge training  Becoming an Effective Meet Referee  Helpful Hints for Floor and Beam  Shorthand Shortcuts  Judges Etiquette and Code of Conduct (or…”She was wearing what?”)

 Video routines are pre-judged by a panel of EC officials  Score ranges are set and a training script prepared  Judges simultaneously view and judge video routine, then the panel discusses routines and scores per script  After several routines are judged/discussed, all judges view two routines per event, judge them, and hand in their score with no discussion  Individual judges scores are given a number from zero to five depending on how closely they aligned with the panel/average score range ◦ PROS: Statewide consistency is enhanced through group discussion and viewing; individual judges can be monitored and problems detected ◦ CONS: advance prep is time-consuming

 Setting up clear training requirements is essential for success  Varying training formats, styles and venues helps to maintain interest and participation  Consistent, mandatory statewide training can minimize coach complaints during the season Additional thought/comment: Tyros Online Video Questions? H. Messer/Colorado