This article provides best practices from experienced Head Referees. Some are specific to this season's game, and others reinforce guidance from the VEX IQ Robotics Competition Head Referee Guide and the Head Referee certification course.
Last updated on October 18, 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 (2 per teamwork field and at least 1 per skills field if possible!)
- 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
- 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)
- Be sure to remind teams that there are options for 2-student teams to “borrow” loaders, and have them check with you for details
- Some events also like to have a “coaches meeting” that covers event layout, norms, and guidelines, especially G1 & G2.
As Volunteers Check In
- Train robot inspectors
- Train skills scorekeepers (training materials coming soon!)
- Train head-to-head scorekeepers (training materials coming soon!)
- 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 - works best if you use a field to check the horizontal measurements; you can build a simple tool out of IQ parts to check the 15” height limit
- Software check
- General parts check
- Use a zip tie, sticker, or other marker to signify that the robot has passed inspection if requested by the EP
Field Setup and Pre-Match Checks
- Check starting positions, sizes, and preloads
- Remember that students must set their robot up from outside of the field, and there’s a rule (S1) against stepping into the field
- G8 - no powered earbuds or headphones; need to enforce that locally; good thing to have your queuers check if possible
During Teamwork Matches
- Be sure to verbally or visually confirm passes and goals with the drive teams as they occur! It will streamline scoring and disputes after the match.
- If you’re not sure about whether a pass should count, give it to them. Rule SC8 (can’t have more passes than goals, except when there aren’t any switches cleared) will keep it from becoming a problem.
- Small dry erase boards and markers are a great way for Scorekeepers to track goals and passes in a way that everyone can see
- If you have two Scorekeepers, the Head Referee can try to track goals and passes as a backup; manual “clicker” counters (one in each hand, ideally different colors) are great for this.
- Don’t forget the driver switch amidst everything else! Remind them so you don’t have to penalize them!
Skills Matches
- Skills referees need to be well trained and have to understand the rules for rapid loading!
- Make sure your skills referees know to check with you for any rules calls or scoring edge cases
Pro Tips and General Best Practices
- Most importantly, don’t forget that these are young kids, and give them time and the benefit of the doubt when you can.
- Never let a team leave the field without verifying the score/counts.
- If you make a ruling or judgment call on a gray area, be sure you apply the same ruling consistently during the event.
- IQ teams are still trying to adjust to having 3-member drive teams and match loads. Be patient and kind.
- It can be helpful to remind the teams about when they’re able to rapid load based on the match type (Teamwork = last 15 seconds; Driving Skills = after driver switch; Autonomous Skills = entire match).
- Running a “coaches Q&A” for the 2nd half of lunch or while people eat before matches resume can give new coaches an opportunity to ask and learn.
- It’s helpful to print color copies of the field image from Appendix B (which labels and color-codes the named areas of the field) for use in conversations with teams.
- Keep an eye on the Load Zone while balls are being introduced through the loading station; teams forget that the robot has to be out of the zone until the ball is released.
- Elevated fields help a lot with this game, and are recommended if you have the option.
- It gets crowded around the field between team members and referees, especially if there’s a field monitor and two scorekeepers. Here’s a set of recommended positions for everything, from an experienced Head Referee & EP. The black stripes mark Scorekeeper positions, the green shirted volunteer is the Head Referee, and the students outside the driver station are the Loaders.