PRIOR SERVICE REQUIREMENT
Time in service as CRO of 24 months.
Tournament staff experience.
Appointment as a Match Director for a match. (This can be simulated if required.)
COMPUTER
You will need a reasonably modern computer. We mostly speak Windows 98 or better around here. A good word processing program like Microsoft Word and a good spreadsheet program like Microsoft Excel will be useful. E-Mail makes the program go better but is not required.
THE PROGRAM EXERCISES IN SUMMARY
Below is a short outline of the program exercises that you will be required to complete. Each exercise is explained in more detail further in the program manual, but this should give you an idea of the trouble you are in. (You can quit any time. It's easy. This program is not.)
- MATCH-EX: Your previous match experience portfolio
Think of this as your resume. In this exercise you will present your previous match experience as a match director or assistant match director. The purpose is to determine your level of experience and help determine the areas you will need more training in.
- PLAN-EX: The Planning Exercise
In the beginning there was the plan and it was good or bad as the case may be. Before you can run a match you need to set-up a planning document to establish your timelines and benchmarks. Maybe you can keep all the dates and times straight but most cannot. This exercise guides you to set-up a roadmap to get to the match and not miss those important dates.
- JOB-EX: Job Description
You want to be a Tournament Director? Write a job description, discuss the responsibilities of the TD and describe how you expect to implement them. Anecdotal narrative is OK.
- CDR-EX: Reviewing and Selecting course designs
Course Design Review - The Gomerville Gun Club has selected you as the MD for the Gomerville Tournament of Champions. Your match committee has received some stages for the match. They are, of course, quite sure that each gem is ready for the Nationals. (You should be so lucky. But you won't.) Your first duty is to review the stages they have submitted for suitability, compliance with rules and policy, production problems, costs to build, etc.
You will tactfully discuss production and management concerns for these stages. You will recommend improvements ranging from modest fixes to bury it Downrange & Deep. You will, of course, find a tactful way to tell them to bury it Downrange & Deep.
This exercise goes together with -
- RANGE-EX: Range Analysis and Mapping
Prepare range layout maps for your favorite local range or the range you will be using for your match. Figure out where the selected stages will be placed in order to insure the match will run smoothly and on time. Make any needed changes due traffic flow, numbers of shooters, squadding and match schedule.
Now you can see about documenting the stages for the match booklet in..
- STAGE-DOC: Stage documentation exercise
Now that the stages have been reviewed, cleaned up, fitted to bays, made safe, it's time to document them. Prepare the following documents for each stage:
- Stage description and drawing - suitable for a match booklet.
- Prop & Gear List for each stage.
- Staffing summary- How many for each stage?
- A Master Prop List showing requirements for all stages combined (How many full targets, plates, poppers, partials of each type, etc.)
- Usage table - # target changes, amount of paint, tape, etc. to buy to run the match for X# of shooters.
- STAFF-EX: Setting up the match staff
Based on the tournament you are working you will develop and set-up the staffing requirements. You will be asked to give your input on how to attract and retain staff. How do you pick a RM or Stats crew? Are you going to use local help, import help or look to the National Office for help?
- SQUAD-EX: Prepare the squad model for the match
Show where each stage will fit on the range map; show the sequence of stages in the model, design a suitable model for expected attendance, days of match, etc.
- ARB-EX: Arbitration Issues
As the Tournament Director your job is to select and set-up the arbitration committee for the match. We will give a guideline to follow and some exercises to see if you have followed the guidelines.
- DETAILS-EX: Those little things that make the match
At the end of the day, there are many little details that make a good match. We will cover those issues and help you formulate a checklist so those "minor" issues are not missed. An example of this is rain and no bags for targets or overhead cover for shooters. Who was supposed to get them, MD? Or does it not rain where you're at?
- PROB-EX: Tribulations 201 - dealing with problems
I take as my text, the Book of Job 1:16, which I paraphrase in classic Wellsian allusion and metaphor (which you can enjoy):
'While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, "The Grand masters have found flaw with the match results and yea, they are lined up at Stats and screaming about the errors, the computers are down and I alone have escaped to tell you."'
- BUDGET-EX: Where does the money go?
We will cover how to set-up a budget, how to administer and where the money comes from and where does it go. Many matches have gotten into trouble because too much money was allocated to the wrong areas or spent on prizes and perks and bills did not get paid.
- PRIZE-EX: How do you set-up a prize system?
Of all the areas of match administration, this is the one area where there are many different points of view how this should be handled. We will give you some guidelines to follow. We will then ask you to formulate a plan to administer the prize system you decide to establish. We also will require you develop a materials for prize solicitation, advertising and ads for the match booklet.
- FINAL-EX: Design and Publish your Matchbook
The last exercise is to put all the parts together and design and prepare for printing the matchbook for your match. Remember that after the match is over, the shooters have all gone home, the matchbook will be the permanent record of your hard work and dedication.
Once all the exercises are completed we will expect you to put on your Tournament level match. Based on your success with the exercises, we expect things will go well and you will have a great match and good experience. Afterward, you will meet with senior members of the NROI staff and review the match, what you have learned and your plans for the future.
Download Tournament Director Application (in .doc form)
Download Tournament Director Application (in Adobe PDF form)
Have a question that isn't addressed here? Email: nroi@uspsa.org
