USFA referees study guide

[foiled again]

Does anyone know if the answers are posted somewhere? I'm particularly interested in the epee section but don't have the time right now to pore through the rule book to check my answers.

fa

[edew]

The answers are posted in the rule book. :-)

[Peach]

And if you wanna pass it, you better pore through the rule book because some of those questions are picky. I have done it both ways and on the whole I recommend the studying method <grin>.

[Link14]

Peach, your chosen profession is shining through there.....but I agree with you.

I basically read through the entire manual (that materials section took care of plenty of sleepless nights "yawn")then went through the study guide and picked out as many answers as I could. With about 20 questions that didn't look like had a right answer, I waited 'til a big meet and pounced on the most experienced refs around to get "their" answers. Still ended up with one or two questions I couldn't get consensus, but that was better than when I started.

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If the pen is mightier than the sword, the writer must have a heck of a reach!!

[foiled again]

Actually, I was just trying to see how much (or little) I knew about the rules. I would definitely plod through the rule book if I was really taking the exam.

fa

[Purple Fencer]

While I haven't taken the actual test yhet, I did go through the study guide. According to Larry Dunn, I actually did fairly well. The only consistent problem areas were in awarding penalty cards and right of way (which would explain my foil/sabre results on the strip).

I STILL have difficulty find ing some of the relevant answers in the rule book, even if the chapter and section is provided. It's a little vague sometimes.

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Sam Signorelli -- Boldly going forward...'cause I can't find reverse!

[Peach]

Actually, I'm not speaking as a teacher, but as a learner - I had to study the dern thing like crazy to pass, and last time I took the referee workshop most people didn't pass because they didn't study. I have yet to pass the foil test (which is a relief, as I hate refereeing foil, I don't get--no, don't LIKE--the differences in ROW) but passed the epee test finally last time; OTOH, I passed the sabre test with all correct the second time I took it (the first time I didn't study and took it on a whim).

Some of the test is sorta wrong here and there, and there are multiple interpretations of some of the answers.

[Purple Fencer]

Yeah, that's oen of the things that kept tripping me up, too.

The last time I took the clinic, Derek Cotton did NOT give the test 'cause no one had thought to (or been able to) study. I think Conejo Fencers are going to set up another clinic, this time with Ed Richards running it. I'll probably take the test then.

Even so, I've got a fair amount of practical experience at local tourneys. Almost black carded one kid in San Diego a few weeks ago 'cause he swung his blade in anger after losing DE 15-14. Claled him ont he carpet right there on the strip. Did it loudly, too. Everyone at the BC backed me up later.

Ahhhh...the power!

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Sam Signorelli -- Boldly going forward...'cause I can't find reverse!

[Peach]

Larry Dunn and Derek Cotton! You've had a couple of good people. We had Charlie Washburn for our referee clinic, and he is wonderful (though weak on minor details of sabre, which he doesn't referee, but that didn't bother me and probably wasn't important for anyone else). I actually have done the clinic twice. The first one I attended was run by someone I think well of who is primarily a coach, but it wasn't nearly as useful. There was another one in my division which was conducted by someone I wouldn't use as a primary source of information, ever.

I think it should always be run by an experienced, highly rated, and well-regarded referee, but the people who get certified are the ones who volunteer, I guess.