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Race Committee Help Articles

Home Page 1. Why Have Rules Anyway? 2. Competition Formats 3. Scoring Systems - Part 1 4. Scoring Systems - Part 2 5. Determining your Scoring System 6. Discards (Throw Outs) 7. Penalty Scores 8. Tie Breaking Rules 9. Planning for Your Event 10. Recap Tabulation Methods - Part 1 11. Recap Tabulation Methods - Part 2 12. Sport Class Cooperative Competition 13. Behavioristic Windsurfing 14. The Race Committee 15. Preparing for an Event 16. Proposed Event Budget Form 17. International Sailing Federation New Brief Racing Rules for Slalom and Course Racing Including Course/Slalom and Long Distance 18. Hawaii Wave Riding Rules 19. Conducting Your Event 20. Explaining the New Racing Rules 21. Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions	Everything you need to know about Sport Class Cooperative Competition but didn't know who to ask The RC Help Articles are especially written for people new to the Race Committee. This article discusses an innovative approach to Sport Class racing, designed to attract novices to the world of competition and maximize the fun and learning factors. Here in the United States, the US Windsurfing Board of Directors, meeting MARCH, 1995 in Chicago, voted unanimously to encourage LOAs to use the Cooperative Competition concept for their Sport Classes. The Challenge Whether windsurfing as a sport is declining, remaining stable or growing, LOAs should initiate innovative measures to attract beginners to the sport and novice racers to competition. The Sport Class, defined as "less competitive racing on shorter courses" was an excellent innovation, however, it's not growing as it should and one reason might be that it remains in fact very competitive! Take a look at the difference between "racing" your friends for fun (and who hasn't done that!) and "racing" in a formal competitive environment for ranking or points. Racing your friends tends to be cooperative (good natured and educational) while traditional competition is usually antagonistic (unfriendly and contentious). The Sport Class should have two main priorities: "having fun" and "improving skills". The Solution First of all, we suggest you consider renaming your Sport Class to "Sport Club" (it sounds more fun!) Have a beach party to kickoff the new Sport Club and publicize it well. Next, make the Sport Club "less competitive" and "more cooperative" by removing the emphasis on scoring/ranking and involving the top performers in a new form of recognition that shares their knowledge with those needing improvement: Post results that list only the winners (top performers) without totals, ranking or points. Have the winners give a short (1/2 hour or 45 minute) workshop to the rest of the competitors immediately following every event. At the end of the season, have an awards dinner or barbecue and award the racer whose name appeared on the winners list most often the title of "Champion". The rest of the winners earn the title of "Runner-Up Champions". Everybody else is a "Competitor". Again, don't post totals, ranking or points (don't even save these records). Give each of the runner-up champions a little time to share their thoughts on how to become a winner or top performer. Give the Champion more time to share his or her thoughts on improving windsurfing skills and racing strategy. There's an unique scoring system to determine top performers especially designed for Cooperative Competition but it's not mandatory that you use it for local level racing! If you like, you can just use your existing scoring system to determine top performers, but remember, in either case, don't post or save the results! That defeats the purpose of Cooperative Competition. For more on Cooperative Competition's unique scoring system, go to RC Help #13 now. It's important to remember that this program is based on a proven learning theory and appeals to a person's INTRINSIC drive to achieve, feel valued, and help others, rather than EXTRINSIC rewards (bonuses, ranking, grading, points, trophies, awards, gold stars, incentives, etc.) . Please avoid the tendency to add extrinsic rewards to the program! If you must give trophies or plaques, then don't make a big deal out of it and make them available to anyone who meets your criteria, i.e. "most improved", "had the most fun", "brought the most guests", etc. However, if you can, just try Cooperative Competition in its pure form for a year or two and see how it goes. I'd appreciate it if you kept me informed of your results! We're confident if you follow these guidelines, your Sport Club will grow and become a really fun and educational adventure which will attract more and more people. Remember that an Event conducted properly is more fun for everyone! Best wishes for a successful racing season. >>>

Home Page

5. Determining your Scoring System

10. Recap Tabulation Methods - Part 1

11. Recap Tabulation Methods - Part 2

12. Sport Class Cooperative Competition

16. Proposed Event Budget Form

17. International Sailing Federation New Brief Racing Rules for Slalom and Course Racing Including Course/Slalom and Long Distance

20. Explaining the New Racing Rules

21. Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions

Everything you need to know about

Sport Class Cooperative Competition

but didn't know who to ask

The RC Help Articles are especially written for people new to the Race Committee. This article discusses an innovative approach to Sport Class racing, designed to attract novices to the world of competition and maximize the fun and learning factors. Here in the United States, the US Windsurfing Board of Directors, meeting MARCH, 1995 in Chicago, voted unanimously to encourage LOAs to use the Cooperative Competition concept for their Sport Classes.

The Challenge

Whether windsurfing as a sport is declining, remaining stable or growing, LOAs should initiate innovative measures to attract beginners to the sport and novice racers to competition. The Sport Class, defined as "less competitive racing on shorter courses" was an excellent innovation, however, it's not growing as it should and one reason might be that it remains in fact very competitive!

Take a look at the difference between "racing" your friends for fun (and who hasn't done that!) and "racing" in a formal competitive environment for ranking or points. Racing your friends tends to be cooperative (good natured and educational) while traditional competition is usually antagonistic (unfriendly and contentious). The Sport Class should have two main priorities: "having fun" and "improving skills".

The Solution

First of all, we suggest you consider renaming your Sport Class to "Sport Club" (it sounds more fun!) Have a beach party to kickoff the new Sport Club and publicize it well. Next, make the Sport Club "less competitive" and "more cooperative" by removing the emphasis on scoring/ranking and involving the top performers in a new form of recognition that shares their knowledge with those needing improvement:

Post results that list only the winners (top performers) without totals, ranking or points.

Have the winners give a short (1/2 hour or 45 minute) workshop to the rest of the competitors immediately following every event.

At the end of the season, have an awards dinner or barbecue and award the racer whose name appeared on the winners list most often the title of "Champion". The rest of the winners earn the title of "Runner-Up Champions". Everybody else is a "Competitor". Again, don't post totals, ranking or points (don't even save these records). Give each of the runner-up champions a little time to share their thoughts on how to become a winner or top performer. Give the Champion more time to share his or her thoughts on improving windsurfing skills and racing strategy.

There's an unique scoring system to determine top performers especially designed for Cooperative Competition but it's not mandatory that you use it for local level racing! If you like, you can just use your existing scoring system to determine top performers, but remember, in either case, don't post or save the results! That defeats the purpose of Cooperative Competition. For more on Cooperative Competition's unique scoring system, go to RC Help #13 now.

It's important to remember that this program is based on a proven learning theory and appeals to a person's INTRINSIC drive to achieve, feel valued, and help others, rather than EXTRINSIC rewards (bonuses, ranking, grading, points, trophies, awards, gold stars, incentives, etc.) . Please avoid the tendency to add extrinsic rewards to the program! If you must give trophies or plaques, then don't make a big deal out of it and make them available to anyone who meets your criteria, i.e. "most improved", "had the most fun", "brought the most guests", etc. However, if you can, just try Cooperative Competition in its pure form for a year or two and see how it goes. I'd appreciate it if you kept me informed of your results!

We're confident if you follow these guidelines, your Sport Club will grow and become a really fun and educational adventure which will attract more and more people.

Remember that an Event conducted properly is more fun for everyone! Best wishes for a successful racing season.

>>>