USA Fencing
Fencing Officials Commission
Guidelines for Referees Hired for Domestic Tournaments
I. General Principles
A. Fill out the online Season Referee Availability Form
1. Available from the FOC website http://www.fencingofficials.org (under Calendar tab).
2. Submit as soon as possible, but for each tournament you wish to work, no later than 10 weeks prior to that competition. Referees are often chosen eight weeks in advance of a competition.
3. Be sure to fill in all fields of the online form. Keep personal information updated such as division, new email addresses, your mobile/cell number so that you may be contacted while away from home. If there are any changes to the information you have submitted, let your DAC hirer know immediately.
B. Two to three months prior to a tournament, a request confirming availability will be sent via email from an FOC Domestic Assignment Committee (DAC) member.
1. Check your email often. Referee spots fill up quickly.
2. The availability confirmation request will have a website for you to go to, to complete and submit an online availability form specifically for the tournament.
3. Referees who can work for the duration of the tournament are chosen first.
4. If you are hired, the DAC member will send a subsequent email after receipt of the online tournament specific availability form.
5. All referees – both those who are already certified and those in training at USA Fencing sanctioned tournaments – must complete a background screen as mandated by the USA Fencing Safe Sport policy. Currently, USA Fencing is managing the background screen process through the membership type of Professional or + Professional. Both membership types include the cost of the background screen. Click here for more information on the Safe Sport policy and the background screen process, or copy the address http://assets.ngin.com/attachments/document/0042/3384/Safe_Sport_FAQs_9.23.13.pdf to your web browser.
C. If you haven’t heard from the DAC within two weeks of submission of your availability form, send the DAC member an email. Contact information can be accessed via the FOC website (under About Us tab).
D. Tournament Information
1. Download information on the tournament from the USA Fencing website http://www.usfencing.org Included:
· Ground transportation.
· Address of the host hotel and venue.
· Start times for the competition.
II. Travel arrangements
A. Book your plane ticket immediately after you’ve been informed by the DAC member that you’ve been hired for a tournament. Do NOT book a flight without written hire confirmation.
1. Please attempt to book a ticket with United FIRST, using the USOC Olympic Travel Desk at: 1-800-841-0460.
2. When booking, tell the United Travel Desk agent that it is a VIK ticket for USA Fencing.
· Tellthe Travel Desk agent to send the itinerary to Kate Drummey, National Events Manager, for approval.
· Additionally, send Kate Drummey () the ticket confirmation number.
3. If United does not adequately service your airport, please send a message to the DAC hirer with a full explanation as to why you cannot use United. The DAC hirer may authorize you to book a ticket on another airline using Cain, and only Cain (www.concursolutions.com or 1-800-346-4747). DO NOT CONTACT CAIN OR ANY OTHER TRAVEL AGENCY OR AIRLINE WITHOUT WRITTEN APPROVAL OF THE DAC HIRER.
4. Make your arrival reservation for the day before you begin to officiate.
5. You must be available to officiate until at least 5:00 pm on your final day for it to be considered a “full day.” If the last flight out is before 6:30 pm, plan on staying over until the next morning.
6. Once you have requested your air travel itinerary from the United Airlines Olympic Travel Desk or Cain, send the requested itinerary to Kate Drummey and your DAC member.
7. Kate Drummey will confirm with your DAC member your acceptance as a Referee for the tournament before giving the OK to finalize your travel arrangements.
8. Generally the National Office tries to spend $400 (or less) per airline ticket (if you are not using a United VIK ticket) and will arrange flights so that the ticket cost falls within $50 of that goal.
B. If you are Driving to the tournament
1. USA Fencing will reimburse you at the rate of $.56 per mile to a maximum amount of $400.
III. At the Competition
A. Wear proper Referee attire:
1. For Men – Navy blue blazer, grey slacks, shirt, tie and comfortable dress shoes or black sport shoes.
2. For Women – Navy blue blazer, grey slacks or skirt, blouse and comfortable dress shoes or black sport shoes.
B. There will be a mandatory referee meeting 30 minutes before the close of registration of the first competition on the first day of the tournament.
1. Subsequent meetings are at the discretion of the Lead FOC Assigner.
2. The meetings are usually in the referee lounge at the competition site.
3. For each subsequent day, there may be a mandatory meeting 15 minutes prior to the close of registration of the first event for the referees called in for that event.
4. Referees called later (if any) will be notified of the time to report at the end of their prior work day.
5. Check in with the FOC upon arrival in the venue each and every day.
C. Weights and shims are provided by the vendor, Absolute Fencing Gear, at their booth at the venue.
1. Sign out the pack at the booth when you arrive at the venue for the start of the day and return the bag at the end of your day.
2. Bring your own penalty cards and coin for tossing.
D. Stay close to the Bout Committee table between assignments, preferably in the designated Referee area behind the BC platform. Keep in mind that:
1. It is hard to hear announcements.
2. It slows the entire competition when your Assigner has to track you down when you wander away from the Referee area.
3. If you must leave the venue, you MUST inform your Assigner.
E. You are impartial
1. Don’t coach or cheer for team mates or students while you are on duty.
2. It is acceptable to relay information to your team during the day.
3. Once you’ve been released, change from your referee attire before cheering for team mates/students.
4. All referees must follow the guidelines set forth in the Referee Code of Ethics found here:
http://www.fencingofficials.org/blog/become-a-ref/code-of-ethics/
IV. On the Strip
A. Remember that competitions are very serious. Follow correct protocol at all times.
B. Be calm, confident, and professional.
C. Use English when describing the action.
D. Be concise and use correct terminology. It will keep you from saying too much!
1. Remember, referees don’t explain, they describe.
2. Avoid volunteering information while refereeing.
3. Make the calls, don’t elaborate.
· If a fencer asks for an explanation, simply restate the action: “Attack, left. Counter-attack, right. Touch Left”
E. Do not address (even by making eye contact or pointing to) the fencers or coaches when making your call.
F. Do address the fencer or offending spectator when issuing penalty cards.
G. Use all the hand signals as they are a visual representation of the call and an important part of a referee’s professional image.
H. Follow protocol exactly when checking all equipment, both before the bout, and when presented after a possible failed touch.
I. Score sheets
1. Your name will be called from the Bout Committee table when you are assigned. Pick up your score sheet immediately when called.
2. Use their score sheet numbers to call the fencers to the strip and on deck.
3. Enter the score on the score sheet at the end of each bout using numbers and capital V.
4. Enter penalties and priority on the score sheet immediately.
5. Ensure fencers check and sign the score sheet and that you print your name before submitting.
V. Direct Elimination
A. You will most likely be assigned to officiate DE tables.
1. The number of referees assigned to a page of DE bouts depends upon the number of strips and referees available.
B. Report to your Pod Captain immediately upon being called.
C. You will either have your own strip for the duration of the table or you will rotate among the strips available as the Pod Captain assigns the bouts.
D. Use only the strips assigned to your portion of the DE table. Unused strips may be designated for another competition.
E. Be sure to print your name on the score sheet so that you get credit for your work.
F. Stay at your strip or in your pod until the Pod Captain dismisses you.
G. When dismissed by a Pod Captain, report to the Lead Assigner, who may need you for another competition.
H. Make sure you eat and return from lunch in a timely manner. Target 30 minutes total for transit to the lunchroom, eating, and the return back to your pod.
VI. At the End of the Tournament
A. Complete the Domestic Expense Form found at the BC table or on the FOC website (under Documents/Forms tab).
1. Submit it to the Lead FOC Assigner during the tournament or to the National Office within 21 days of the end of the Tournament.
2. Include either originals or copies of receipts with your Expense Form; keep copies of all receipts for yourself.
3. Use your current rating and the appropriate honorarium for each day you referee.
VII. Compensation
A. For details see Domestic Expense Form, pages 2-3.
B. Per Diem is $20.00 per officiating day and for travel days on which you do not officiate.
1. Referees who commit to officiating for the duration of Summer Nationals are entitled to two days off. Per Diem is paid for those days off.
C. Rating - Honorarium per day
· FOC Assigners/FIE/Level 1 & 2 = $110
· Level 3 = $75
· Level 4 & 5 = $55
· Level 6 – 10 = $30
D. Compensation will be paid with a check or Direct Deposit. If you are getting paid with a check, you can pick up your check from Tanya Brown on your last service day. If your check is for more than you are owed, a new check will be issued upon the tournament staff’s return to the National Office. If you are getting paid with Direct Deposit, the deposit will be initiated on the next business day following the last day of the competition. Direct Deposit forms may be found here:
http://www.usfencing.org/page/show/681588-fencing-forms
VIII. Contact Information
USA Fencing
Christine Simmons
4065 Sinton Road
Suite 140
Colorado Springs, CO 80907
719 866-4511
719-325-8998 - Fax
FOC Domestic Assignments Committee
Sharon Everson – Chair
845-461-1451
Revised: Domestic Committee - May 2014 Page 1 of 4