This past weekend I judged the Alberta Provincial Gymnastics Championships.
For the most part, it was a good competition. Coaches were calm and cooperative. The atmosphere between judges and coaches was positive.
Did we do a PERFECT job? Certainly not though there were no major errors on my rotations.
Tom Burgdorf called for something every coach would love to see:
Would someone please invent a robot official who is perfect in every situation.
It was in Tom’s Apr. 2, 2007 Parenting An Athlete Newsletter. He discusses how coaches should react to a bad score:
… Is it okay for an athlete to train 12 months a year and then get ripped off on bars where she should have been State Champion? But because of the judge your daughter takes 3rd?
Good question. There is no definitive answer.
Coaches walk a fine line. We are supposed to be competitive. We are supposed to care. We are supposed to protect our athletes. Do the parents expect us to blow up on a bad call to protect the team? …
The officials are right 98 – 99% of the time. And we certainly don’t complain when the officials goof “in our favor.” …
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