Referee & Judges Training

Many people think judging a tournament bout is simply a case of knowing the championship rules and regulations - this is not the case. It is obviously a major part, but so is the skill of knowing when to apply those rules and equally as important, the confidence to put them into use.

Everyone knows a middle punch can earn one point, but not everybody knows the full criteria required for that point to be scored. The criterion would be different again between an adult black belt and a child junior belt using the same technique.

The skill and confidence required to discern the above needs practise and it is for this very reason we hold our referee and judges training sessions.

Lasting several hours and often preceded by a Duan training session with Grandmaster Loke, many black and red belts give up their Sunday in order to gain or improve their adjudicating skills.

Grandmaster Loke giving instruction on 'Luo Han Ser Duan' to 3rd Duan instructors Mr Steve Earle, Mr Keith Dell andMr David Panther

New senior grades are introduced to the complex world of judging with the more experienced helping and brushing up their abilities at the same time.

There are many bouts of fighting and the students and instructors participate as judges, contestants or simply critical (albeit kindly) on-lookers to enable all to contribute in as many roles as possible.

Fights are deceptively quick and it needs both a sharp and practiced eye to spot an effective technique and the confidence to be the first to blow the whistle and halt the fight.

Miss Stephanie Harvey refereeing a Tooi Ta bout

It can be quite daunting to be the only official to score a point, especially for a trainee, but then perhaps the contestants had their backs to one judge thereby obscuring his/her vision, the referee was blocking the view of another and the third perhaps dared to blink at that all-important split second. To be the only one to score does not necessarily mean that that person is wrong, therefore this sort of training is important if a judge is to have a justified self-belief.

Bear in mind you are trying to be as fair as possible and that can only come with knowledge, training and experience.

Likewise with the new referees, they may have considerable judging experience (or they would not be there in the first place) but to stand centre-stage and control the events and people around you effectively takes a different kind of confidence altogether.

It is not just one's own opinion to take into consideration (as with a judge), but that of four other people too, to give a balanced and fair decision, all in the space of a few seconds. This needs a lot of practice. This is amplified in the training when referees have to endure rapid score decision making which is as hard on the checkers as it is on the referee.

To round off the day, the judges are themselves judged over the scoring of forms performed in front of them in a championship scenario. This is done to expand their awareness of the points, both good and bad, that they should be looking out for in the forms tournament.

Veterans Mr Colin Underwood and Mr Jeff Thomas both 3rd Duans, provided a Tooi Ta bout with much enthusiasm

Our thanks to all who attend and freely give of their time to further improve their skills.

Tang Sou!

Report by Master Christopher Cook, 4th Duan, Secretary General.

For further articles see News & Updates page

Note: Referee & Judges Training courses are held at HQ at regular intervals - contact HQ for more information.

Note: Championship Rules are Located on this website Here

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