<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Trial Balloon Email (beware) :)</font>
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<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Hi All,</font>
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<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">I'm going to propose a different way
of looking at judging. Of course, the pilot is the "performer"
that is on stage for all to see, however, at the same time the judge(s)
are performing as well. At the US Nationals, the judging committee
is calculating persons judging marks, and continuing to rank the judges.
Thus, the judges are performing at the same time as the pilot. However,
we typically do not ever get to see how the performance of the judge ranks
against the pilot, or peers in an open forum. The current atmosphere
is sort of hush quiet, or a "don't tell" type in regards
to what judge gave what score. Almost as if, its considered good
pilot etiquette not to ask judging questions. Many judges do not
like to be approached after a round to discuss scoring. Instead of
this, we could turn the tables completely 180 degree around. </font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Judging could be made to be a completely
open from start to finish of the contest. Perhaps within the scoring
system, after each round, judges scores for all pilots are posted (tear
sheets essentially) at the same time as the round postings. The posting
of side-by-side scores, could become a POWERFUL training tool for younger
pilots (judges). Currently, there is no award for the "performance"
of judging. Flyers go to a contest to fly, yet the task of
judging takes double or more of the combined numbers of people than contestants
(at least in total effort). </font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">If we acknowledge that in the current
local contest and Nationals setting, there is already volumes of discussion
going on between pilots regarding scoring (is there any bigger topic with
90% of the pilots?), we can then foster an environment which turns what
is currently ambivalent or negative judge critiquing, into one in which
takes these volumes of discussion and focuses on "constructive"
or "objective" results - results beyond simply complaining amongst
each other (avoid the misery loves company syndrome). </font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Doing something like this will address
two important issues. 1.) The contestant should feel more "in-tune"
with scoring, and perhaps use this feedback to better their own flying
and judging. 2.) The judge should feel satisfied in knowing
at the end of a round, whether or not his/her "calibration" is
more or less correct (I'm tending to think that within a few posted rounds
of these scores, judges will "self-correct" any trends without
asking if such a trend has become obvious). Individually, I hope
each judge feels compelled to "talk" to pilots about the round
if asked. </font>
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<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Finally, recognizing that judging is
an important criteria, I recommend a "District Award" for the
top 1,2,3 persons who performed the most amount of judging in the district
(or most accurate if possible to calculate). Also possibly a District
award for the "team" that performed the most contest scoring.</font>
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<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Key thoughts:</font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">1. Contestants are more in-tune
with total system of contest running/scoring, etc.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">2. Judges (or CD's???) offered
an avenue to "self-correct" if & when necessary (... could
happen to anybody)</font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">3. District awards for the massive
judging/scoring effort already taking place.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">4. Re-focus the INCREDIBLE VOLUMES
of discussion already taking place regarding scoring into a beneficial
training event</font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">5. Possibility: Upon the
conclusion of Saturdays competition, the CD could offer an open-discussion
or review of the days scoring and judging - read as, a quick pilots
meeting that gives folks the open forum to discuss anything - which can
also be viewed as mini-judge-training-event.</font>
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<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Anyway - just thinking of ways to take
the effort that is already going on, and refocusing into beneficial paths.
Definitely open to other ideas and suggestions.</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Jim W.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif"><br>
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