How to Become A Judge

            Because a player may enter their guard in a certain number of competitions throughout a season, there are times when competitions are being played that a given player is not registered.  This allows those who are not competing the opportunity to still play, but as a judge.

Certification

            The judging process from the player perspective actually begins by getting certified.  Just like WGI and associated circuits, every judge for the realistic version of winter guard must be certified by completing a series of intense steps and tested prior to becoming an official judge.  The same applies here with slightly less intensity.  The primary role of a player is as a directing instructor; a role that requires no experience or prerequisites.  Playing as a judge, however, does promote a privileged set of standards.  These standards are evaluated by a test completing the certification.
            After registering as a new member to play and by beginning your guard's rehearsals, you are eligible to apply for Judge's Certification.  Fill out the Judge's application form and submit it.   This is a background check to assess the amount of activity you have spent as a player within the association.  The criteria evaluated and the amounts necessary are:

Number of days as a member	minimum of 30
Number of rehearsals	minimum of 20
Activity Percentage (number of days/number of rehearsals)	67% or higher

If your background check meets this standard, you will be directed to the next step which is the certification process.
            This process trains your design/creativity eye to properly and morally evaluate a guard's show concept, theme, and design that is appropriate for the game.  You will receive an e-mail with a link to a judge's manual.  This manual will display text references to appropriate critique standards and provide examples.  Upon reading the judge's manual, you will be to take a quiz of the text for retention purposes.  A passing score must be achieved before the next step within the process begins.  The next step presents several lab portions to develop your eye and structure your opinion.  These labs are fictional guards with fictional shows; you will begin evaluating their structure according to the judging criteria.  After the labs, your initial testing begins.  For selected shows, you will be assigned to competitions as a mock judge.  Your opinion and scoring, at this point, will not affect the compassion you are assigned, however, you will submit a testing form to be graded.  The correctness of each area is based on the judging criteria and how your score ranged with the current judges of the same compassion.  After earning a passing mark, you will become officially certified and eligible on the judge's list for competitions.

The Judging Process

            This process begins as competitions are created.  Once a competition is created and placed on the calendar, the circuit chairperson on the Board of Directors for that competition will review the judge's list of certified judges.  They will then send an standardized e-mail to all those who are certified, but not in that circuit.  When a certified judge reads the requirements of the competition, based on date and time, they will either accept the position or respond with a polite unavailability.  The first three judges to accept the position will be the official judges for that competition.  The circuit chairperson then notifies the Board of Directors and President that the competition set-up is complete.  At this point the registration process is opened for the appropriate guards to enter.
            As the competition date draws near, the circuit chairperson will send a friendly reminded to the selected judges of the date/time.  If a judge is unable to make it, they will be replaced.   Formalities will occur and the competition info will be updated.