This article provides best practices from experienced Head Referees. Some are specific to this season's game, and others reinforce guidance from the VEX V5 Robotics Competition Head Referee Guide and the Head Referee certification courses.
Last updated on September 26, 2024
Before the Event
- Communicate with the Event Partner about your needs
- Head Ref & Scorekeeper shirts
- Lanyards or name tags
- Anti-fatigue mats or field tiles to stand on
- Tablets for scorekeepers
- Quantities of scorekeepers
- Printed field layout for field resetter and referee reference
- Who will run alliance selection, and whether the event will play the new alliance selection explanation video (recommended!)
- Install the referee.fyi electronic match anomaly log on your mobile device (not required, but recommended!)
- Review the Q&As, especially those that are new or linked in the game manual
- Help set up and check fields if possible
- GPS 0 degrees should be at the back of the field, opposite the High Stake
- High Stake should be on the audience side
- Red alliance should be on the audience’s left
- Check that tape lines & corner markers match the current version of the manual
- Ask the EP to provide a 'trainee' head referee to work alongside you to grow the skills of your region
- Prep for the event meeting (here’s a starting point)
As Volunteers Check In
- Train robot inspectors
- Train skills scorekeepers
- Train head-to-head scorekeepers
- Train field resetters
- Train queuers (might be handled by the EP)
- Know the agenda so you can stay on time
Robot Inspection
- Lead robot inspection if it’s possible; at a minimum provide some training for inspectors before they start
- If you have enough inspectors, it can help to break the process down into multiple specialized stations
- Sizing & expansion
- Software check, including brain named with team number
- General parts check
- Pneumatics and plastic check
- Use a zip tie, sticker, or other marker to signify that the robot has passed inspection, and position it to identify the side the robot will expand from
- If a team has a zip tie longer than 11" it's illegal; width also matters, but varies by VEX zip tie length
R26 & visible robot brain screen; try to enforce this during inspection because it helps with fieldside troubleshooting - R19 & non-shattering plastic; be careful about what's functional vs decorative; ask for plastic maps if robots use a lot of plastic
Scorekeepers
- Make sure your skills referees know to check with you for any rules calls or scoring edge cases
- Ask head-to-head scorekeepers to serve as extra eyes during a match, including watching robots at the autonomous line
- During elimination matches, put experienced eyes at the positive corners if possible
- Express to the scorekeepers that they're your extra eyes and ears, and that you'll be asking what they saw
- Live scoring is not recommended in most cases; have scorekeepers watch corners instead
Field Setup and Pre-Match Checks
- Make sure the field resetters don't put the preload rings on the alliance wall stake; can be forgotten
- Check starting position, size, match load, mogo rotation
- Check robot heights against the top of the black rung of the ladder (protruding zip ties, etc.); Teams are using vertical extensions to contact the ladder during the autonomous period; it’s useful to do a full round of size check before elimination matches start, because the kids legitimately just miss that their robot changes during and event
- Ask students to set their robot up from outside of the field; there's no need for them to be in there (although there’s not currently a rule against it)
- G8 - no powered earbuds or headphones; need to enforce that locally; good thing to have your queuers check if possible
Autonomous Period
- Keep an eye on the mogo that begins on the starting line; it’s where most line crosses will occur
- Train your scorekeepers, and have them help watch robots at the autonomous line
- Autonomous scoring trick: count top rings first, then others; don't forget wall stakes (count up the 3s, then add the 1s)!! Confirm with teams before moving on.
- Check AWP first so you don't forget!
During Matches
- “Camping” at the corners to defend them isn't the same as holding; check the wheels and whether they have an escape route before assuming holding
- There's not a clause or rule that limits robot actions when a robot is out of size in this game
- For horizontal expansion, mogo grabbers *do* count as an expansion in a 2nd direction unless it's part of their starting config
- Keep an eye on potentially damaging interactions at the corners (grabbing, pulling, lifting, etc.)
Pro Tips and General Best Practices
- Your role is to help teams play their best game.
- Head Referees should prevent teams from breaking rules if possible (verbal warning if you see a violation about to happen); DQs should be rare
- Give the benefit of the doubt when you can, but be consistent and fair to both alliances
- Always have the game manual open, in hard copy or an app; when you’re issuing a violation, provide the rule number and have the manual open to that rule
- Let the rules & Q&As do the talking, and try not to argue with teams
- Be willing to learn, and admit when you’ve made a mistake
- If your mistake changed the outcome of a match, consider a replay
- Replays require the EP’s agreement, and should be rare; best practice is to run them just before the lunch break or at the end of qualification matches
- Ask for help, and for other perspectives; we’re all in this together!
- Listen to the students when they have questions or concerns
- Don’t make rulings based on things you and other referees didn’t see
- Hydrate, take bio breaks, and sit down when you can!