RECF Achieve Robotics Competition Referee Guide

Overview

This guide has been prepared for use by RECF Achieve Robotics Competition head referees and scorekeeper referees. This guide does not replace the RECF Achieve Game Manual or the Head Referee Certification Course, but rather assists referees in finding those resources and learning best practices. Refereeing is one of our most challenging and rewarding volunteer positions. Thank you for your willingness to make the RECF Achieve Robotics Competition a success by volunteering as a referee.

Referee Types

There are two different types of referees, head referees and scorekeeper referees. Each event (or division if an event has multiple divisions) should have at least 1 head referee and each field should have 2 scorekeeper referees. All alliance matches & elimination matches must be watched by at least one certified head referee, and a head referee may only watch one match at a time. For large events, it is valuable to have multiple head referees to ensure that teams have the opportunity to discuss rulings and scores without negatively impacting the event schedule. Each solo match field should have 1 scorekeeper referee. Scorekeeper referees stay at their assigned alliance match fields, and the head referees rotate to each of the competition fields so that they can observe every match. For example, to properly staff 3 alliance match fields, you will need at least 1 head referee and 6 scorekeeper referees.

Referees observe matches, identify rule violations, and enforce the RECF Achieve Game Manual as written. They keep track of all game objects scored and record these results on a score sheet or scoring tablet. Referees also keep track of the match time and ensure that matches are running in a timely fashion.

Refereeing at an RECF event is different from a traditional sporting event in that RECF referees actually help the competitors avoid breaking rules. For example, we like to caution drive team members when they are getting close to an infraction, rather than watching passively until a foul has occurred.

Key Attributes

Referees interact directly with teams and other event staff and need to have the following skills:

1. Thorough knowledge of the current game and rules of play.
2. Effective decision making.
3. Attention to detail.
4. Ability to work effectively as a member of a team.
5. Ability to be confident and assertive when necessary.
6. Strong communication and diplomacy skills.

Qualifications

RECF Achieve Head Referees Must

1. Be at least 20 years of age.
2. Be approved by the Event Partner.
3. Possess all the attributes in the Referee Key Attributes section above.
4. Be a RECF Certified Head Referee for the current season if volunteering at an event that posts official results to RECFevents.org.
5. Avoid apparel with messaging that may be inappropriate for student events, and anything that represents a specific robotics team.

Scorekeeper Referees Must

1. Be at least 15 years of age.
2. Be approved by the Event Partner.
3. Possess attributes 1-5 in the Referee Key Attributes section above.

Responsibilities

Head referees and scorekeeper referees work together, but each has specific roles and duties.

Head Referee

Head Referees have the following responsibilities at an RECF Achieve tournament:

1. Train scorekeeper referees, ensuring they are fully versed in key game rules.
2. Act as the liaison between the teams and the scorekeeper referees.
3. Work with other event staff to ensure that matches are proceeding on time.
4. Work with the lead inspector to ensure that all robots are safe and rule-compliant.
5. Make all final scoring decisions and rulings.
6. Discuss any rules or ruling questions with teams.
7. Make the final check that the field and teams are properly set before the start of the match.

Scorekeeper Referee

Scorekeeper referees have the following responsibilities at an RECF Achieve tournament:

1. Bring possible rule violations to the attention of the head referee.
2. Discuss possible rule violations with the head referee after the match.
3. Record the numbers of scored objects or field elements and communicate those to each alliance.
4. Communicate with the teams and event staff when the field is ready to be reset.
5. Ensure that the field gets reset properly and that the robots are positioned correctly with preloads before the head referee’s final check.
6. If serving as a scorekeeper referee for a solo match, communicate final scoring decisions and rulings to teams. If there is a dispute of the score or ruling, the head referee should be asked to make the final scoring decision and ruling.

Referee Task List

Referees are responsible for the following major tasks during each match cycle.

Pre-Match

1. Check to make sure game objects are in the correct places after the last field reset.
2. Ensure that all team members are within their driver box and that no more than 3 drive team members are present for each team.
3. Check that each team has securely connected the field control cable to their main controller.
   1. Turn the robot and controller off when coming to the field.
   2. Connect cable from the field control to the main controller of each team.
   3. Turn on the robot and the controller(s).
   4. Start program.
   5. The radio LED should turn from red to green to indicate that the robot is connected to the field with the correct firmware, and is ready for the match to start.
4. Verify all robots are turned on and the controllers have connection to the robot.
5. Verify all robots are of a legal starting size, have the correct number and color of license plates, and that all robots and preloads are in legal starting positions.
6. Verify that all drive team members are wearing eye protection.
7. Verify that no spectators are in the competition area.

Are Teams Ready?

The head referee or emcee asks if the blue alliance is ready, then asks if the red alliance is ready before starting.

1. If they are not ready, look at the scheduled start time and then decide how much time you can give them before starting the match without them. Try to give as much time as possible without running behind schedule. Waiting 5 seconds for a robot to connect is better than having that team sit out a match. But waiting 3 minutes for a team to fix a broken robot is probably too much time to wait.
2. If a team is not present, wait until the scheduled start time, then start without them. If you see them approaching the field, use your best judgement on whether you can wait or have to keep things moving.
3. If a team cannot get their robot into a proper configuration in a timely manner, you should remove the robot and start the match.

Autonomous Period

1. Communicate with the emcee to begin the match.
2. Watch the drive team members in their driver boxes to be sure that they are not controlling the robot, touching the robot or any game objects. 
3. Watch for movement from each robot to track teams that may be allowed to interact with their robots during the driver controlled period. If the robot isn’t working, they may not touch the robot during this period.
4. Watch for any robot actions that are prohibited or limited during the autonomous period in the game manual; for example, crossing the autonomous line; contacting game objects on the opponent's side of the field; or contacting opponent robots.
5. Quickly determine whether one or both Alliances have earned an autonomous ranking point. Enter these results on score sheets or the scoring app, and communicate them to the emcee and teams.

Driver Controlled Period

1. Immediately start the driver controlled period after the head referee announces the outcomes of the autonomous period. Do not ask if the drive team members are ready again.
2. Watch for any instances of drive team members touching robots or contacting things inside the field when not explicitly allowed by the game manual.
3. Watch for any fouls, verbally cautioning the team when you see a robot come close to a foul. This is not a foul. Give out cautions all day long. If a rules violation calls for a robot to be grounded, call that immediately. If a rules violation calls for another penalty, wait until the end of the match (see Post-Match).

Post-Match

1. Discuss any possible fouls among the referees. Refer to the RECF Achieve Game Manual to determine the appropriate criteria and consequences for the specific violation. The head referee MUST talk to the drive team members about any fouls. In most cases, the head referee will need to know the final score to determine whether a specific foul has changed the outcome of the match. When this happens, go through the process of scoring the match to determine whether the foul impacted the match, and use this information when discussing the match outcome with the teams.
   • If giving a foul card, the head referee MUST tell the drive teams the exact rule and number that was violated. If the head referee cannot find the rule, then the team cannot be penalized. Use the other referees or event staff to help look up a rule if needed. There is no fixed time limit on this. Tell the team that you need to find the rule and will determine if the rule was violated before they play their next match. Record the foul and any penalties on the Head Referee Match Anomaly Log and on the score sheet or tablet.
   • Note that all sessions of a league are considered a single event, and the same anomaly log should be used for all sessions (i.e., a minor violation that is recorded at the first session compounds with any violations at the 2nd session when considering repeated violations).
2. The head referee should survey the field and make any scoring calls that are close.
3. The head referee should determine whether one or both Alliances have earned an endgame ranking point. Enter these results on score sheets or the scoring app, and communicate them to the teams.
4. Head referee moves on to the next field to start the next match while the scorekeeper referees record the score of the match.
   • When scoring the match, count out loud so that both alliances hear what is being scored.
   • After the match is recorded, but before saving, show both alliances the score sheet or tablet to confirm.
5. If there are unanswered questions or disputes, the scorekeeper referees will get the head referee to come back and resolve any dispute or answer any questions from the drive team members as soon as the head referee is able. This might be after the next match.
   • The RECF Achieve Game Manual explains that the drive team must stay in their driver box if they want to appeal a decision.
   • When the head referee comes to talk with the drive team, the head referee can either settle the dispute immediately, or can ask that the drive team come back at a specific agreed upon time, giving the head referee time to gather all of the facts and look up the exact verbiage of rules.
6. Once the score has been confirmed, signal the field reset crew to reset the field and have the next teams prepare their robots for the next match. Note: Do not reset the field if a drive team is standing in their driver box waiting to appeal a ruling!
7. Indicate to the queue managers that you're ready for the next match to come to the newly reset field.

Referee Best Practices

Other than scoring, a referee’s primary role is to watch for fouls and “call” them. Since penalties in zero scores for a match, please help to caution and guide teams before they break the rules.

The teams have put a lot of time and effort into the competition; it is the philosophy of the RECF to be helpful rather than punitive when it comes to refereeing.

Waiting more than a few seconds for a team to be ready will have a compounding effect on the match schedule. Instead, help the teams get set up and prepared for the match so that when the start time approaches, the teams are already in place and ready to compete. If the scorekeeper referees can have everything set up by the time the head referee gets back to the field, the event will run on time and at a more relaxed pace for the staff and competitors.

Scorekeeper referees must be careful to not answer rule questions to the teams. The head referee does this and needs to be consistent in the answers given to all teams. If there is disagreement between the head referee and the scorekeeper referees, look up the rule. If you cannot find it, then it might not exist. Don’t make up rules based on how you think the game “should be” played. Games are designed without one strategy in mind, so teams will play the games very differently from each other. To an untrained eye, this can look like breaking the rules.

Referee Tips

1. Caution teams if they are close to being penalized.
2. Make the necessary calls, even if violations happen unintentionally.
3. Be fair and consistent to all teams.
4. Be friendly and positive.
5. Remember that a referee’s job is to enforce the rules as written, not as a referee thinks they should be written. Global consistency is key in ensuring the integrity of competition.
   1. Do not invent, modify, or ignore rules.
   2. Do not penalize teams who are not playing in a way that a referee “feels” is right.
6. If a team violates a rule that calls for the robot to be grounded, the easiest way to ground them is to have the drivers turn off their controllers and place them on the ground.
7. Be very vocal and visual when making calls. This way the audience and the teams will be aware of what is happening. For example, when counting a team who is trapping, make large arm gestures as you count. This way the team will know that they should back off, and the audience will be aware of the infraction.
8. When counting a team for trapping, add an alliance color or the word “trapping” before each number (e.g., “Blue 1, Blue 2, Blue 3” etc.) to ensure that you're not counting too quickly.
9. When deciding whether tipping, entanglement, or damage should be penalized for being intentional or egregious, pay attention to whether the 'pushing' robot backs away when their opponent begins to tip, become entangled, or risk damage or if they continue to force the other robot over or into an entanglement or damage. A team that backs away should generally *not* be penalized based on intent, and the one that continues to push probably should. Clear verbal warnings are important in this situation, to give all teams opportunities to avoid violations.
10. Direct all team questions to the head referee. The Head referee should be the only person discussing rulings with the teams. When multiple referees are explaining rulings to the teams, inconsistencies in verbiage can easily arise.
11. The head referee (and only the head referee) should explain all controversial rulings and close calls to the teams. This level of communication is a positive experience for the teams.
12. When it comes to issues such as red card fouls and zero scores, often referees will want to rule leniently to avoid being too harsh. Unfortunately, by not punishing a team for breaking a rule, you directly punish their opponent. As unpleasant as it is, if a team violates a rule that is punishable by a red card, the team must get a red card and a zero score. It is the only fair thing to do.
13. If possible, attend some practice rounds to get the feeling for a typical gameplay and start establishing a match flow system between all referees and other event staff.

Training

In addition to this guide, the following resources are essential in preparing you for your referee role. If this is your first time being part of an RECF Achieve event, we recommend that you do these in the following order to help you best understand your role and the game.

Essential Resources

Please review these essential resources:

1. Official Game Manual
2. Official RECF Achieve Q&A system - coming soon!
3. Head Referee Certification
4. Robot Inspection Checklist
5. Head Referee Match Anomaly Log
6. Field Note to Judges

Head Referee Certification

Head referees are required to be certified. The team experience is much more positive when the head referee is fully versed in the rules and how to manage the competition area. There is no fee or charge to become a certified head referee, and the RECF Achieve Head Referee Certification Course is accessible on any device. An exception to this requirement can be made if the event takes place before the head referee certification is available for the season. In that case, head referees should ensure they have fully read the RECF Achieve Game Manual and are up to date on the rulings in the official Q&A system.