Director Directory

[reawl]

Is there a listing of directors and contact information anywhere?

I found this: http://foc.usfencing.org/Refinfo.asp, but generally our club is hosting events that don't warrant a need for rated directors, just competant ones.

So here's what I was planning to do unless something exists:
1) create a website where people who want to be hired for directing can submit their information (email, name, any ratings, etc.)
2) allow people "review" directors, much like ebay lets you review a seller/buyer.
3) initial contact between the public and the director will go throught the website so as to protect the directors' privacy.

Thoughts? Ideas? Would this be useful to other people? WOuld directors want to use such a system?

[edew]

We have, in the Bay Area, a list of referees (ok, list needs updating...) available for local competition:

www.thebaycup.org/MAIN/referees.html

Unfortunately, it's not used as often as I like. And it's not populated with as many people as I would like to see.

[Craig]

My only concern would be that some people could "rig" the reviews - overload them one way or the other.

[reawl]

If it was limited to one review per director per IP number would that be sufficient?

[damianip]

I think reviewing directors through what is essentially an anonymous forum is asking for trouble: from the "reviewee", the USFA, your ISP and the fencing community in general.

I'm sure folks who perform a very demanding job for essentially nothing would love to be slagged anonymously in public.

Paolo

[Peach]

I've found that people dealing with unrated directors for non-USFA events prefer to:

(a) pick former or current students whom they've seen referee in the club, and supervise them closely (usually using more experienced referees to keep an eye on them)
(b) rely on recommendations from other people they trust
(c) observe the potential referees at someone else's event or
(d) beg, plead, and coerce rated referees to come.

If I were putting on a tournament, I wouldn't want to rely on anonymous reviews, and I'd be afraid that if you required people to review referees publicly they'd be inclined to flatter rather than critique.

[reawl]

perhaps then a moderated comment system?

My goal here is that I don't want Director Joe to sign up not knowing the first thing about fencing and then Club X hires him since he's listed on the site, assuming that since Joe is listed he must have some knowledge of the job.

The event that initiated this idea was my experience at this past Saturday's Turkey Shoot, hosted by the Indiana Division. Foil pools were self directed, not what I expected. Part of the problem was that there were larger tournaments in the area that weekend that drew away some regular directors, but then finding directors has always been a problem for our club and other clubs in our division as well. I know there are people out there who can direct, they're always willing to pitch in when they come to our Open, I'd just like to make that list more complete and accessible.

I'm starting to see that this is a larger undertaking than I had initally imagined, though I am still up to the challenge. Please keep the critique, expected pitfalls, and comments coming!

[CarlKnoch]

I think that all USFA sanctioned tourneys should have rated referees. Not just fencers who think they understand the rules, but actual referees. I like to think that my division is doing a fantastic job of getting rated referees to work our tourneys! Even the novice tourney that just happened in my division had 5 rated referees working it. (6 if you count the division chair)

Any division or club should use rated referees whenever possible at tourneys. It's an important position to fill.

PS: The FOC website list is not even close to updated! We have several (at least 7, and probably more) new referees in our division who have been rated since September and aren't listed there.

[MyraTrue]

Well... there is the issue that many clubs cannot afford to pay the fees for a rated referee. And if you can, there seems to be a painful lack of people who will do it, or that even HAVE a ref's rating.

I actually agree that it would be nice to have a listing of people capable and willing to direct. Hey, they may not be rated, but as long as they're competent, its better than a self-directing pool of foil. You ask most people fencing foil (at least in my experience) and they'd rather take their chances with a director (even if unrated) than to have to try to manage it themselves.

If you want reviews, maybe asking for previous venues these people have directed at? That way, you might be able to contact club X and ask "did this director work out for you?" And you get an idea where they've been working. Its not asking for reviews on the site, just a little previous history. But then you may have a good director who's out in the cold because you've got to start somewhere. Hmm...

But, being that of the last 7 tournaments I've been to, only TWO had directors who were there just to direct, not "we need you on this strip, will you direct?" types of coerced individuals. Its REALLY REALLY nice to have someone there to just direct, even if its just they direct foil and then fence epee.