Mentoring Level 1 Judges

By Kreon Tseroulis

Step 1 – Find Candidates

• Be Accessible

• Social Media (Twitter, Facebook, etc)

• Network at tournaments you judge or attend

• Inform L1’s of your area to direct candidates to you

Step 2 – Assess the Candidate

• Find out his knowledge of the REL

• Ask why he wants to become a judge

• Is he a Rules Advisor?

• Is he a Tournament Organizer?

• Does he have experience running tournaments?

Step 3 – Make the candidate familiar with the test procedure

• Practice Tests

• Rules Advisor

• Level 1 Practice Test

• Focus on areas where your candidate makes the most mistakes.

Step 4 – Working at Tournaments

• Have him arrive early and explain the procedures

• Pairings/Slips

• Have him on the floor

• Ask him questions

• Note any mistakes he makes

• After the event discuss any mistakes made and point out any areas he excelled

Step 5 - Exam

• If you test during an event, make sure the candidate is well rested and has had something to eat and drink

• Ask him some questions before the exam to get him in the “mood”

• Make sure the testing area is reasonably quiet

Step 6 - Aftermath

• If your candidate passed the test, congratulate him! Explain to him his new responsibilities and make sure to notify your RC and add him to any Groups, mailing lists, etc you have for your region.

• If he failed, point out the parts of the rules he needs to study better and explain to him when he can test again if he wants.