DESCRIPTION OF JUDGING POSITIONS
(...from page 19 "Tournament Setup Guide", © Copyright 2001 ---Creative Competitions, Inc.)

 Head Judge

 Problem Judge

 Staging Area Judge

 Style Judge

 Time Keeper

 Weigh-In Judge


Head Judge (one per long-term judging team and one per spontaneous judging team.) At WV State Tournament, the Long Term Problem Captain will fill this judging role.
The Head Judge for long-term or spontaneous is the leader of the judging team. The Head Judge must keep the judging team on time and on task. In long-term the Head Judge reviews the score sheets, compiles the scores and prepares the master score sheet. He/she presents the scores to the team coaches (or Division III or IV team captains) and answers their questions regarding the teams' long-term scores. Should a coach or team captain raise an issue that the Head Judge cannot resolve, the HJ then contacts the Problem Captain and has the Problem Captain take over. The Head Judge must be thoroughly familiar with the long-term problem and have the ability to handle people in a friendly, but firm manner. The long-term Head Judge sometimes doubles as a problem or style judge.
In spontaneous the Head Judge reviews the score sheets to ascertain that in verbal problems that all the judges have recorded the same number of responses and in hands-on that the judges have filled out the score sheets correctly. The HJ compiles the scores and prepared the master score sheet. The Head Judge designates who reads the problem to the teams, who ascertains the correct team entered the room and who "chats" with the team. The spontaneous HJ always scores the teams.


Problem Judge (Generally two or three per long-term judging team and one per spontaneous judging team)
The long-term Problem Judge is assigned to evaluate the team's long-term solution. In a performance problem this is generally a subjective opinion and the Problem Judge generally scores all aspects of the solution except style. In a technical problem the Problem Judge is usually assigned a specific area(s) or task(s) to observe and scores only that portion of the team's solution. The Problem Judge gives his/her score sheet to the Head Judge to compile onto the Master Score sheets.
The spontaneous Problem Judge in a verbal problem evaluates the team's answers as well as interrupts the team if it repeats answers or gives inappropriate responses. In a hands-on problem the Problem Judge generally scores some specific aspect(s) of the problem.


Staging Area Judge (one per long-term judging team)
The Staging Area Judge is the first official to greet the team in long-term. He/she puts the team at ease while reviewing the team's paperwork. The Staging Area Judge forwards the paperwork to the appropriate long-term judges and inspects the team's props, membership sign, etc. that it will be using. He/she evaluates the cost, the legality of the solution (if there are specific parameters), and whether the team members made items. The Staging Area Judge may ask the team members some basic questions in this regard, but should pass along any reservations he/she may have to the other judges for questioning after the team has finished its performance. The Staging Area Judge generally introduces the team to the Timekeeper. Sometimes the Staging Area Judge also serves as the Timekeeper.

Style Judge (SJ) (two per long-term judging team)
The Style Judges receive the Style Forms from the Staging Area Judge. The Style Judge reviews them for accuracy and to ascertain which areas he/she is to score. The Style Judge scores these areas and gives his/her scored Style Form to the Head Judge for compilation onto the Master Style Form. Style Judges do not confer with each other in order to ascertain the scores. Style Judges sometimes also serve as Problem Judges.


Timekeeper (one per long-term judging team and one per spontaneous team)
The Timekeeper is responsible for giving each team the exact amount of time allowed for the problem or, in problems which do not require the team to stop, to keep exact time of its presentation. It is critical that the Timekeeper be precise and exact in this regard.
In long-term the Timekeeper introduces the team to the judges and the audience. In problems where a penalty for overtime is shown, he/she assesses a penalty for teams that go overtime. In other problems he/she stops the team when the allowed time has elapsed.
In spontaneous the Timekeeper reviews the various times that will be given, e.g. think time, practice time, response time, and clearly tells each team when to begin and end each timed portion. The spontaneous TK generally serves as a Problem Judge as well.


Weigh-In Judge (WI) (one or two)
Weigh-In Judges are assigned to the structure problem. They ascertain that the structures meet the height and weight requirements and fulfill the other requirements for their construction. If a separate weigh-in site is used, once the Weigh-In judges finalize their check of the structures and either approve them or assess appropriate penalties, they retain the structures in a container until approximately 25 minutes before the team is to compete. Weigh-In Judges must be available at least one hour before the first team is to compete until 15 minutes before the last team for the day competes. In a small competition, the Weigh-In judge may also serve as a Problem Judge.

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