Judge Feedback

[Terry Terrenoire]

While I certainly respect Earl's comments, he has a long history that
gives him some insite, I cold not disagree more. Taken as a whole they
have great merit, but i don't see them applying to the Sportsman level. I
some cases I have seen Sportsman entrants fly maneuvers the way they
believed they should look, but were completely wrong. most of the
constructive criticisms I have rendered from the chair were of a very
general nature. "establish a line between manuvers", "call box entries
and exits" "if you get the wings level before entry your loops will be
easier to keep on path"

I don't think the judes will be saying anything that causes conflict
between them when critiquing at the Sportsman level. All the comments I
have made to these pilots has been genuinely appreciated.

We have to remember that a lot of them have noone at their home field to
help them. They may be trying this for the first time, and if we can give
them some good help, it may bring them back!!

Terry T.


On Wed, 12 Jan 2005 08:15:04 -0600 "Earl Haury" <ehaury at houston.rr.com>
writes:
Here are some considerations regarding judges providing feedback to
competitors the we should address. 

The key word is "competitors". Judges score individuals performances in
competitions that are held to ascertain the relative skills of
competitors to perform according to stated rules and descriptions. Being
a competition - one should assume that flyers present their patterns to
the unbiased judge sets and the let scores describe the ranking. 

The presumption is that the competitors arrive prepared to compete. Those
who have worked the hardest on this preparation will (and should)
generally excel. A pattern contest isn't intended to be a training
ground, but a review of achievement and peer comparison. Judges who
provide feedback have good intentions, but there are questions that
deserve attention. Isn't the job of the judge to provide the correct
score for each maneuver? Is it appropriate for the judge to (mis)direct
attention to make notations for post flight feedback? Will the feedback
be consistent to all competitors, or "buddy biased"? Is it fair to my
competition for judges to point out my errors so that I can correct them
in subsequent flights? If judges with largely different scores on a
specific maneuver offer feedback and disagree - then what? In the latter,
will this disagreement influence a judge to change standards mid-round?
What if some wish to discuss feedback, or argue with it, at the expense
of  delaying the next flight?  What if this agitates the judges and
you're next up? 

I realize that the gist of the feedback issue is to benefit the newbie,
but the above points apply here also. We seem to accept that anyone,
without practice or proper equipment or preparation (reading the rules),
should be able to fly successfully in some form of "beginner" class. This
doesn't happen - and we've fiddled with the rules of the beginner class
for years to little avail. Unfortunately, the judges feedback at a
contest isn't going to help the unprepared. What will help is mentoring -
but not from the judges chair! 

The best place to help the newbie is at the practice field where
everything can be addressed. Coach these folks, provide feedback and
assistance. Judge flights, take notes, and critique. Help trim their
airplane, be supportive with equipment maintenance, etc. Get them
prepared for those first contests, call for them, critique their flights,
evaluate their scores, help them in every way as a coach and friend, and
pattern will gain in numbers. Just don't do this from the judges chair -
judging is the only job then. 

Earl
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