Grievance Process
Any issues relating to Adjudicators or the Adjudicating process should be lodged via email to Karen Hicks (President of ASCA SA) at ascasapresident@gmail.com. All emails will be taken seriously and treated with confidentiality with no names to be divulged. A response will be provided to all emails received as long as contact details and name of sender is included.
It is recorded that the very first meeting of the Association of Calisthenic Adjudicators was held on the 27th February 1976 at the home of Mrs. Binstead, Melbourne Victoria. In 1977 a delegate of South Australian and Western Australian adjudicators travelled to Melbourne to align with the Victorian branch.
At that time, there was no official accreditation and seniority was taken on experience alone. Ladies were allowed to commence immediately on joining. They also wrote for experienced adjudicators to gain knowledge, but this was not mandatory. This meant that many were “thrown in at the deep end” to judge at a competition. One could say that experience was “gained on the job”. How things have changed!!
The South Australian ASCA Sub-Branch commenced in 1980. The original members were Audrey Parsons, Rhonda Pilkington, Valerie Engel, Jennifer Feutrill, Rita Ellard, Diane Harris, Shirley Tilley, Mavis Scott, Lynette Edwards and Lisa Engel (Vettese). The initial Sub Branch meetings were held at the YMCA Hall, North Adelaide, after that, for many years meetings were held in the homes of the members. More recently, the meeting venue has changed to the Boardroom of the Royalty Theatre.
Criteria For Life Membership
- Providing an outstanding contribution to the ASCA.
- Strong involvement at meetings, seminars, conferences and with Cadets
- Maintaining accreditation and constantly updating and improving adjudicating knowledge
- Adjudicating a variety of sections and divisions – locally, in the country and interstate
- Taking on leadership responsibilities e.g. Cadets, Executive, Sub-Committee
- Promoting the ASCA and Calisthenics in general, to the wider community
Life Members of ASCA – SA Branch
Rita Ellard* – awarded 1987
Shirley Tilley* – awarded 1987
Mavis Scott* – awarded 1987
Valerie Engel* – awarded 1987
Rhonda Pilkington* – awarded 1995
Diane Harris – awarded 1999
Pam Walters – awarded 1999
Kay Butterworth – awarded 2000
Beverley Bahr – awarded 2002
Jennifer Feutrill – awarded 2007
Cheryle Ablett – awarded 2016
Karen Hicks – awarded 2022
Rhondda Ryan – awarded 2022
Lisa Vettese – awarded 2023
Diane Winterling – awarded 2024
The Adjudicators Accreditation Program runs continuously with many topics on a rotational basis. Every three years of adjudicating, accreditation is reassessed.
The ASCA has an extensive accreditation program in which all adjudicators are required to participate. To maintain accreditation each adjudicator must attend meetings and seminars conducted throughout the normal calendar year, these being six general meetings and four seminars. Minimum requirement for accreditation is attendance at three meetings and two seminars.
Procedure of Advancement
Cadet Year 1
Cadet Year 2
Cadet Year 3
Pre Elementary 1 Year
Elementary 2 Years
Advanced Adjudicator 3 Years
Advanced Adjudicator 1 – 3 Years
Advanced Adjudicator 2
Advanced Adjudicator 2 Maintenance
Cadet Program
Cadet Year 1 – Requirements are partaking in three video viewing sessions, timing at State Championships (three Sessions), three observations at competitions with accredited adjudicators and writing for experienced adjudicators (three sessions).
Cadet Year 2 – Participation is continued writing for accredited adjudicators in a competition setting (minimum three sessions) and three video viewing sessions. Three training sessions with accredited adjudicators at competitions is also recommended. An exam is undertaken at the end of year 2.
Cadet Year 3 – Continued writing for accredited adjudicators, three training sessions at competitions and to adjudicate two sessions as adjudicator at competitions. Final examination is sat at the end of the year. After passing the final exam, a summary of the three year course is to be given by each cadet at the Annual General Meeting.
Explanation of Each Term
Video Sessions involve viewing 4 – 5 sets of work and each cadet takes along a writer and adjudicates the sections, writing critiques and giving marks to each set viewed. They are then discussed as a group. There are experienced adjudicators on hand to give advice and assist with phrasing if required.
The timing involves timing at competitions to enable the cadet’s understanding the requirements of a timer from first hand experience. They are involved in all aspects of this position.
Observing is when a Cadet attends a competition with an experienced adjudicator and sits beside her and the writer. She listens to the experienced adjudicator and gets a feel for the speed at which an adjudicator is required work. Often the cadet will take along their own mark-up sheet for discussion purposes at the end of the section. Questions can be asked and answered without the pressure of writing a critique.
The training sessions are a very important aspect of adjudicator training. This is where the 2nd and 3rd year cadet attends a competition with an experienced adjudicator. They take their own writer and adjudicate the competition without discussion with the appointed adjudicator. The appointed adjudicator takes copies of her critiques and at the completion of the competition, a lengthy discussion takes place at a mutually agreed time to discuss in depth the critiques and results, one on one. Each cadet is required to complete three of these in each of the 2nd and 3rd years.
Final Exam – self explanatory.
Other Requirements
On completion of the third year a report is delivered at the AGM highlighting progression and personal development through the course.
At the end of the sixth year of adjudication, before moving into the Advanced 1, a presentation at the AGM is made on how the adjudicator has developed over the past 6 years.
At the end of the 9th year adjudication, before moving into the Advanced 2, a presentation at the AGM is made on difficult experiences and situations that the adjudicator has encountered over the past 9 years.
To proceed to Advanced 2 Maintenance, the adjudicator must research a topic relevant to Calisthenics. This is to be presented in the form of a research paper and presented at the AGM. A copy of this paper is made and presented to the Western Australian, Victorian and South Australian branches of the ASCA and a copy is sent to the Australian Calisthenics Federation (ACF); they are kept in the ASCA state libraries as a reference and resource for Calisthenics.
As you can see, all adjudicators have the opportunity to keep their qualifications current.
Distance Education
The ASCA have produced a three year distance education program for those people who wish to become adjudicators from country areas and interstate. This program has been developed through the Australian Advisory Board (AAB) along the Cadet adjudicator lines. It is a series of Modules set down and completed through video, written or verbally communicated question and answers. These Modules are quite indepth and have been designed to train each cadet in all aspects of adjudicating.
Some adjudicators are also Levels Examiners, Cadet and Coach Course Presenters.When you are in the midst of competitions, you may like to remember that the adjudicator is not just a lady who arrives to give a critique of work; but someone like yourself who devotes a lot of time to calisthenics.
A Few Facts of Interest
- Calisthenics Adjudicators were represented at every conference from 1993 – 2000 organised by the National Officiating Program, (NOP.) Australian Sports Commission in Canberra.
- From 1995 – 2000 an adjudicator was awarded the National Officiating Program Official of the Year. Brenda Green from Victoria presented a paper on Calisthenics at the Adjudicators Accreditation Program at the International Coaches and Officiators Conference in Brisbane in 1996.
- Calisthenics was the first female sport to be accepted into the inaugural National Officiators Accreditation Scheme along with the AFL and international sports of Men’s Ice Hockey, Basketball, Gymnastics and Rugby Union.
- The ASCA Risk Management Program has been promoted at the Australian Sports Commission as a model of best practice and has been used by other sports in establishing their own program.
The prerequisite to become an adjudicator, is that you must have coached at a reasonable level of competition and maintained a high standard of coaching accreditation and completion of an application form.
The form requires you to list all Calisthenics training, coaching experience, workshops and seminars attended, relevant adjudicating experience (i.e.timing, writing) and any other qualifications that are relevant to calisthenics (i.e. dance experience, gymnastics, theatre, university courses, TAFE courses, etc).
Applications to become an adjudicator must be received by 31st August each year.
The application is submitted to Committee for ratification. The applicant will be asked to attend an interview and if all requirements are met, the candidate will be required to sit an entrance examination. At all times applications are considered on an individual basis.
We encourage Coaches to join the ASCA – SA Branch. Please contact Karen Hicks at k.hicks321@outlook.com for further information regarding becoming a Cadet Adjudicator.
If you think you have the knowledge, act now, apply to become an adjudicator.