CAWA FLEXIBLE RULES &
COMPETITION RUNNING RULES

All teams competing in calisthenic competitions must adhere to the below rules and guidelines as set out by the ACF.

The Australian Calisthenic Federation Rules Committee is responsible for the development and maintenance of its National Rules and Regulations. These rules are the foundation of Calisthenics around Australia. Every three years, delegates from each member state are invited to a forum to discuss and review the National Rules and Regulations. The aim of the rules is to keep them simple, whilst at the same time, allowing the creativity of calisthenics to flow freely. Each member State has the ability to apply for 'flexible rules' to cater for their own needs and operation."

ADJUDICATION

The Australian Society of Calisthenic Adjudicators (ASCA) has branches in Western Australia, Victoria and South Australia. The Western Australian Branch of the ASCA currently has fourteen active members. Members from the ASCA WA Branch are invited to adjudicate at Perth metropolitan and interstate competitions.

Accreditation

The ASCA Accreditation program is recognised by the National Officiating Accreditation Scheme and requires strong commitment from all members to maintain the high standards expected of Adjudicators in our sport.

In addition to a three year training program for new cadets, the accreditation program requires each member to have a minimum number of hours of practical adjudicating each year. Practical adjudicating hours are distributed across a broad range of divisions and age groups, including both teamwork and solo/duo competitions. Combined with theoretical and practical learning through seminars and attendance at meetings, an adjudicator’s knowledge is continually updated.

Seminar topics are varied throughout the three year accreditation cycle. Theoretical seminars may include anatomy and body mechanics, self reflection skills, public speaking and ballet/dance theory. Practical seminars include consensus moderation activities, where Adjudicators work in pairs to adjudicate items and then compare marks across the group to assist in the uniformity of assessment.

As part of the accreditation cycle, members are required to present a verbal report to their peers at the end of their 6th and 9th year of adjudicating, sharing their developmental gains and experiences during their tenure as an adjudicator.

Following the 12th year of adjudicating, members may undertake a research paper on a topic relevant to the advancement of Calisthenics and/or adjudicating skills. This research paper is presented orally by the adjudicator to the ASCA WA Branch members. A written presentation is provided to the Adjudicators Advisory Board (AAB), other State ASCA branches and the Australian Calisthenic Federation (ACF), and is stored in the library as a source for future reference.

Cadet Program

To enable acceptance into the Cadet program, interested candidates must submit a Calisthenic resume, and pass an entrance exam and interview. It is a prerequisite that applicants have been a registered Calisthenics Coach with an approved standard of competitive class, as accepted by the Committee, and have taught a range of age groups. Members of the ASCA must not be participating in Calisthenics for adjudication by another member.

Once accepted into the program, cadet adjudicators can expect three years of intensive training. The program covers a range of activities aligned to the required skill sets of qualified adjudicators. Each of the following activities has a prescribed minimum requirement to enable progress through the program.

Video Sessions involve viewing 4 – 5 sets of work, where each cadet brings a writer and adjudicates the sections, writing critiques and giving marks to each set viewed. Critiques are then discussed as a group. There are always experienced adjudicators on hand to give advice.

Writing involves writing for adjudicators at competitions. This is an important aspect where Cadets learn correct competition procedures as well as essential features of critique writing.

Observing is when a cadet attends a competition and sits either beside an experienced Adjudicator and the writer or with another experienced adjudicator, away from the audience. The cadet listens to the experienced adjudicator and gets a feel for the speed at which an adjudicator is required to work. Often they will take along their own mark-up sheet for discussion at the end of the competition. Questions can be asked and answered without the pressure of writing a critique.

Timing involves working with an experienced timer at competitions to help the cadet better understand this role through first hand experience.

Shadow sessions are a very important aspect of adjudicator training. This is where the 2nd and 3rd year cadet attends a competition with her writer, whilst an experienced adjudicator is adjudicating. The cadet adjudicates the competition without discussion with the appointed adjudicator. The appointed adjudicator takes copies of her own critiques and at the completion of the competition, the cadet and adjudicator meet to discuss the Cadet’s critiques and results in depth.

Throughout the 3 year program, cadets must also undertake significant home study and regularly submit self assessment reports.

At the end of the 3rd year, the cadet is required to sit a further written exam and final interview. Following this, cadets present an oral report to their home state’s ASCA branch, at the annual general meeting, highlighting their progression and personal development through the program.

Cadets continually comment on the thoroughness of the training program and the confidence they have gained to perform as a qualified adjudicator at the end of their training. The camaraderie of the adjudicators and the willingness of all adjudicators to assist cadets is a critical component of the success of the training process.

Distance Education

The ASCA has produced a distance education program for those who wish to become adjudicators while living in geographically remote areas or states without an ASCA branch. This program has been developed through the AAB and includes many of the same activities as the regular cadet program.

Applying to Become an Adjudicator

This begins with filling out an application form including details of 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). Candidates should be well rounded in Calisthenics and must show progression and variety of coaching experience through the divisions, age groups or regions.

Once the application is submitted, it is discussed at committee level. If all requirements are met, the candidate will be interviewed and will sit an entrance exam. At all times applications are considered on an individual basis.

Please contact the Calisthenics Association of WA for further contact information on becoming a Cadet Adjudicator. The cut-off date for applications is the 31st October for entry in the following year.

Points of Interest

When you are in the midst of competitions, you may like to remember that the Adjudicator is not just a person who arrives to give a critique of work; but someone like yourself who devotes a lot of time to Calisthenics. Many adjudicators are on various committees and work very hard to represent ASCA. Some of these committees are the Adjudicators Advisory Board (AAB), CAWA Board of Management, CAWA Competition Committee, Australian Calisthenic Federation Committee of Management. Some Adjudicators are also ACF Skills Examiners and Coach Course Presenters.

Calisthenics adjudicators were represented at every conference from 1993 – 2000 organised by the National Officiating Program (NOP).

Each year 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.

Our 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.