Assuming Overview
Whether you’re an experienced drill team pro with years of experience, a cadet grader stepping into the judging role for the first time, an alumni of a drill team program dedicating your Saturday to giving back to the activity, or someone who was asked two days ago to fill in as a grader for this “JROTC drill meet” thing happening at the local high school, congrats: you’re a judge now. And being a judge is a BIG responsibility. Why?
If you’re a drill teamer of ANY sort, we’re preaching to the choir here but honestly, it bears restating:
For many of the cadets you’ll grade today, drill team is the reason they go to school. For many, it’s the first place they’ve found their “home” and this will be “their thing” for 4 years. Many of the groups you’ll evaluate spend multiple hours every day honing their craft, practicing and training for the moment they step out in front of YOU, the judge.
Frankly, it’s a BIG deal to you because it’s a BIG deal to them.
This module will give you some specifics about how you can best put yourself in a place to do the best possible job as a judge – and how to avoid the most common pitfalls…
On the Competitions
The cadets you will evaluate have worked diligently in preparation to be graded by YOU. While the students are the ones being judged in competition, you can expect your every movement to be scrutinized.
Unlike many other sports and activities, drill has no season. It varies by region but it’s very reasonable to assume that a team began practice in the summer/fall timeframe and might continue on through the spring.
Competitions are a litmus test of excellence. They help the teams understand how far they’ve come and where they still have to go.
Competitions are about the CADETS AND TEAMS PERFORMING, not about the judges evaluating them. But you as the judge can make or break that experience, no matter your experience level.
Common Pitfalls:
- For Those WITHOUT Drill Team Backgrounds:
- Failing to understand how important a drill meet is the life of an individual student and treating the meet/their job flippantly.
- Failing to prepare with a base level of subject matter knowledge to assist teams in their climb towards excellence.
- For CADETS Judging For the First Time:
- Assuming THEIR experience is similar to that of the teams they’re grading and failing to empathize with how THEY’D want to be graded if the roles were reversed.
- Assuming what THEY know about drill team and the conduct of drill is sufficient to judge and failing to do their research to confirm their own knowledge, learn about other services, etc.
- For Those With Drill Team Experience:
- Failing to realize that this competition is likely part of a larger EXPLICIT (i.e. service-specific) or IMPLICIT (i.e. regionally-specific) ecosystem and porting their own understanding of what the meet “is” into their judging approach.
- Filling in ALL the gaps in the published SOP, scoresheets, etc. themselves without asking the host how THEY would like things interpreted (especially concerning applying penalties, etc.)
On Being a Role Model
Whether you’re activity duty/guard/reserve military, a veteran, a drill team alumni, a drill team trainer, or a cadet judge, stepping into the role of judging means that you are now held to a standard beyond that of a mere participant. Because judges control so much of the outcome of a meet, it’s important that we keep a few things in mind:
The cadets you’ll be evaluating are other people’s children. While they are enrolled in Junior ROTC and other military-style programs, they are NOT young Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, or Marines. They are someone’s daughter, son, niece, or nephew. To that end…
Cadets are NOT to be “toyed with” or treated as “playthings.” They are not recruits nor junior subordinates; please treat them with kindness, courtesy, dignity, and respect at all times. For our cadet judges, they aren’t friends or peers for the time you’re judging.
Cadets are NEVER to be physically touched by your person or with any item you are holding. Gesturing to a uniform deficiency is far different than physically poking a cadet’s chest to make your point.
The school & district are the hosts; please do not speak or conduct yourself in any manner which would place our host in a compromising or embarrassing position.
No matter who you are or what your background is, being a judge makes you an AUTOMATIC role model and you must conduct yourself beyond reproach from start to finish!
Common Pitfalls:
- For Those WITHOUT Drill Team Backgrounds:
- Treating cadets like recruits or subordinates, not someone else’s son or daughter thereby cheapening the experience for the student.
- For CADETS Judging For the First Time:
- BEING UNABLE TO PUT ASIDE “RIVALRIES” and carrying that bias into their judging. Remember: a rivalry is two-sided between teams who can meet on the field of battle. You are in a judging role, therefore NO team can be your rival. YOU CANNOT COMMENT ON, SPEAK ABOUT, OR CONDUCT YOURSELF IN ANY WAY THAT MIGHT LEAD ANYONE TO BELIEVE YOU HAVE ANY KIND OF EMOTIONAL FEELINGS ABOUT ANY TEAM, POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE!
- For Those With Drill Team Experience:
- Failing to police your language and behavior when on “down time.” Remember: you are always being scrutinized and your role as a judge makes you a role model to children!
On Judging Itself
A judge is first and foremost a teacher. As you read on, how that teaching takes place may vary but at the core, judging IS teaching through the scoresheet.
BAD teachers…
- Play “favorites” and give some more attention than others based on their own personal preferences
- Fail to prepare their “lesson” for the day and try and “wing it” based on their position of authority/power
- Don’t take their students’ needs into account but instead prioritize their own interests
- Demean, impugn, and speak derogatorily of those who fail to perform to standard, often under the guise of “tough love”
GOOD teachers…
- Understand that they teach through ALL their actions, words, etc. and are constantly aware of how their conduct and presence impacts their students
- Prepare diligently to do their best for those they’re teaching
- Want earnestly to do the best job they can for those in their charge
- Uplift and support those who fail to perform to standard by providing actionable information, positive encouragement, etc.
If, for whatever good or bad reason, you don’t feel you can do these things in your role as a judge, it would be best to recuse yourself now because…
Regardless of your experience, the motivation to judge should stem from an earnest desire to help others have a positive, uplifting competitive experience.
Common Pitfalls:
- For Those WITHOUT Drill Team Backgrounds:
- Failing to “make the most” of the situation, especially if you were volunTOLD and didn’t volunteer yourself.
- Commenting harshly on students’ performances when they may be deficient in some way.
- Providing errant advice or guidance based only on personal experience without bothering to check whether their guidance is accurate or not.
- For CADETS Judging For the First Time:
- Failing the “heart check.” You’re not a judge because you know more – though you may know quite a bit. You’re not a judge because you’re better than anyone – though you may have skill and experience. You’re a judge because it’s your earnest desire to help your peers improve and grow!
- For Those With Drill Team Experience:
- Making the meet about YOU by putting on a show without thought to its pedagogical benefit to the students.
- Failing to learn and grow in your judging craft through practice, reflection, mentorship, and community.
Let’s Practice
COMING SOON
This module is part of The Definitive Guide to Judging Drill Meets!