All official REC Foundation events that qualify teams to a Championship event are required to have a Certified Head Referee, and all Referees are encouraged to use this certification course for training. If there is anything in the certification course that is in disagreement with the Official Game Manual, the Official Game Manual should be followed.
This course takes an average of 1 hour to complete, and represents 1 hour of professional development and training when completed. VEX AI Robotics Competition Head Referees are expected to recertify each season.
Need to reach us about a course or certification? Email us at volunteercerts@recf.org.
Unit 1: VEX AI Robotics Competition High Stakes Modifications
Introduction
This certification course is designed to teach volunteer VEX AI Robotics Competition (VAIRC) referees the nuances of the VAIRC game and robot rules and highlight ways the VAIRC rules vary from the rule sets for the VEX V5 Robotics Competition (V5RC) and the VEX U Robotics Competition (VURC). Qualified and certified Head Referees help provide a consistent experience for participants within and across local, regional, national, and World Championship events.
As a VAIRC Head Referee, you are required to pass the certification exam at the end of this course in addition to passing the V5RC Head Referee certification and VURC Head Referee certification exams before volunteering as a VAIRC Head Referee at a qualifying event. VAIRC Scorekeeper Referees are encouraged to take all three courses, but they are not a requirement for that volunteer position.
If you have not already passed the V5RC Head Referee certification exam and/or the VURC Head Referee certification exam you should stop here and do that first.
Throughout this course, you will find links to external resources that include important information for Head Referees. Please take time to read the identified sections of each resource before moving on to the unit exam.
This unit presents the game, tournament, robot, and skills rules for VAIRC High Stakes events.
Learning Outcomes
After completing this unit, a referee should be able to:
- Describe the differences between VAIRC and VURC head-to-head Matches
- Identify Violations that can lead to a Robot being disabled during a Match
- Recognize the guidelines for use of the Ladder in head-to-head Matches
- Describe the rules and limitations on sharing Robots between Base Teams and Crossover Teams
VAIRC High Stakes Modifications
Most of the V5RC and VURC game, tournament, robot, and skills rules also apply to VAIRC Matches, but there are key differences that a Head Referee must understand.
Read Section 7 in the High Stakes Game Manual now. Visit and review any questions and responses in the official VAIRC 2024-2025 Q&A.
- Review the differences between VAIRC and VURC head-to-head Matches
- Learn which Violations can lead to a Robot being disabled during a VAIRC Match
- Discover which sides of the Ladder a Team can use in VAIRC head-to-head Matches
- Review the rules and limitations on sharing Robots between Base Teams and Crossover Teams
When you’re done, return here to check your understanding of what you’ve learned.
To translate this quiz into a language other than English, open it through this link and use the translation options built into your browser.
VAIRC Head Referee Certification Exam: 2024-25 High Stakes
Congratulations! You've reached the end of the course, and are ready to assess your knowledge in the final exam. Click this link to proceed to the final exam. To translate this exam into a language other than English, use the translation options built into your browser. Note that to fill the role of a VAIRC Head Referee at a Qualifying Event, you must be at least 20 years old, must be a certified Head Referee for both V5RC and VURC, and must pass this final exam with a score of 80% or better (at least 4 of 5 questions answered correctly).
If you meet the following criteria, you will be given access to post questions in the official VAIRC High Stakes Q&A on Robot Events. Permissions are generally assigned within 2 weeks of the date that you pass the final exam.
- Must be at least 20 years old at the time you pass the certification exam
- Must pass the final exam with a score of at least 80% (4 of 5 questions)
- Must have a user account on RobotEvents.com
- Must provide the email address associated with the RobotEvents.com account when prompted on the final exam
Certificates are emailed approximately once per week, and are sent to the email address entered during the exam. You can confirm your status as a Certified Head Referee by contacting your Regional Support Manager.
Need to reach us about a course or certification? Email us at volunteercerts@recf.org.