Becoming a Stats Officer

[Double Tap]

Does anybody know if there are any courses or special qualifications needed to be certified as a Stats Officer in USPSA/IPSC?

[Sterling White]

Send an email to the area directors and ask them what their requirements are.

[diehli]

I think you know if you are a stats officer at heart. If you don't, chances are it's probably not a good thing to pursue as a way of being.

But we're talking about two different things and I just woke up.

[Tri Burst]

There are NO courses or qualification to work in the stat shack. I would suggest you talk and work with someone that knows how to set up and score a match and then do some local matches.

[Vince Pinto]

Does anybody know if there are any courses or special qualifications needed to be certified as a Stats Officer in USPSA/IPSC?

7.1.3 Stats Officer (“SO”) – collects, sorts, verifies, tabulates and retains all score sheets and ultimately produces provisional and final results. Any incomplete or inaccurate score sheets must be promptly referred to the Range Master (under direct authority of the Range Master).

As you can see from the above rule, Stats Officers essentially just handle data input (by transferring scores from paper scoreheets to a computer scoring program), and data output (by printing interim and final results) so, no, there are no special qualifications necessary other than a basic knowledge of computers. However some familiarity with the scoring program being used is always helpful, although it's a very short learning curve with the Windows based scoring programs used today.

In fact, it's not even essential to be knowledgeable about IPSC rules, because all decisions in respect of errors or problems are handled by the Range Master, who in turn must follow the relevant rules applicable to the situation. For example, at the last two Level III matches where I served as RM, the Stats Officers had never shot an IPSC match, but they managed to produce flawless results in excellent time.

Having said all that, if you want to be qualified as an International Stats Officer under IROA accreditation, you must firstly be qualified as a (field) Range Officer, and then undergo a computer based match simulation exercise.

Hope this helps.

[Neil Beverley]

I can add to Vince's detailed reply that there is also a training presentation being developed in Power Point and it just needs time to review it, tidy it up (if necessary) and release it.

The full credit for the work on this to date lies with Ivan Ketler who writes on these forums.

The delay is absolutely mine, as it falls on a committe that I chair to review it for IPSC. Unfortunately I've been struggling to set enough time aside to do his work justice and at the moment I've got other tasks to do before this one.

[rhino]

In general, I think that for club level matches, the only requirements are patience, being willing to learn the software, and the time to get the job done given how fast you can go. Anyone with rudimentary computer skills can do it with no problem.

For big matches, I think it's important to:

1. Know the software well

2. Be fast and accurate with data entry

3. Be able to concentrate long enough to get the job done in a timely manner

[Rob Boudrie]

As you can see from the above rule, Stats Officers essentially just handle data input (by transferring scores from paper scoreheets to a computer scoring program), and data output (by printing interim and final results) ...

Vince - While not purely stats officers jobs, there are a few things a stats officer can do to make the match run more smoothly:

1) Coordinate the scoresheet pickup/delivery schedule

2) Approve the scoresheet design

3) Assure consistent RO actions in filling out the sheets. How are no-penalty misses noted on the sheet? Does a reshoot get a new sheet and, if so, what is done with the old one to avoid confusion? Should the RO's total hits?

4) Make sure all stats supplies are at the stages - pens, spare scoresheets, radios, etc.

5) Set up the clubhouse area network and local web server for display of scores

6) Post interim results to the web if a multi-day match, and post to web when done.

7) Act as contact person for registration/scoring corrections

8) Coordinate schedule of data entry staff (if more than one person), and assure that the score entry verification procedure you are using for your match is followed.

9) Organize all scoresheets for fast retrieval in the event of an allegen scoring error.

If the stats person or team is doing a good job, this will look like the easiest job at the match. If the stats officer limits his/her role to data entry and generation, (s)he had better hope they have a match director who has seen to all stats related details. Tom Dings and I worked stats at the Area 7 match and most of the job consisted of handing around in case something went wrong (since the RO's were entering data on the Palms). Tom even had enough time to fill in as a range officer for a few hours since there wasn't much stats work to be done.

[shred]

If you want to work big matches, find a big match with an experienced stats crew and volunteer to hang around and help-- There's a whole system to doing big-match stats that isn't necessary for local matches, but vital to keep big ones running smoothly.

There are also a lot of little tricks to scoring even local matches. Spend some time with a good statsmeister and pay attention.

[Vince Pinto]

Vince - While not purely stats officers jobs, there are a few things a stats officer can do to make the match run more smoothly:<snip>

Sure, but at larger matches, most of the items you mention are handled by the Quartermaster (RO supplies), Range Master (reshoot policy, RO score recording consistency), and Registration Staff (registrations). Of course the bottom line is "Be Organised".

Anyway, the question was about certification - are there any training programs or Stats certification programs in the USPSA? As far as I'm aware, no individual Region has such a program, and most Stats guys basically get "hands-on" experience.

[Skywalker]

Anyway, the question was about certification - are there any training programs or Stats certification programs in the USPSA? As far as I'm aware, no individual Region has such a program, and most Stats guys basically get "hands-on" experience.

Vince, as President Nick once said in Terni (2001), "Italy has been one of the most well-kept secret treasures in IPSC".

NROI Italy has a training program and certification for SOs at national level; this means that at club level everybody is free to do whatever they wish, but at National level, for league sanctioned matches, only NROI certified officials can handle the scoring of a match.

The training: a senior Stat Officer, member of NROI Italy B.O.D. holds a 2-days seminar on WinMSS and match scoring procedures for a maximum of 4 trainees.

The seminar takes place once every year (more or less, depending on requests), and is open to all NROI Italy certified ROs.

The seminar is both theoretical and practical, with lotsa info on past experience and procedures to have things going on smoothly. Written material is provided to each trainee.

The Certification: a final test on the 2nd day is performed. Each student has to score a 100 competitors, 10 stages, match, perform all mandatory checks on the final results (such checks are coded by NROI Italy as well), then present final standings for verification with correct ones.

The Post-Training: once ceritified, a rookie SO has to serve a sanctioned league match as assistant SO to get final on-field training. Upon completion of this part of the training, the SO if fully certified.

Hope this helps.

[Vince Pinto]

Vince, as President Nick once said in Terni (2001), "Italy has been one of the most well-kept secret treasures in IPSC".

Judging by my experience in 2003, I think he was referring to the food, the drink and the, um, eye-candy

Jokes aside, it's truly great to learn of the Italian SO program, and thanks for the information.