Posts with the WDA Tag

Adjudication Information    WDA Competition Information    

The World Drill Association

The Sport of Military Drill^TM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First, let’s get the links to the score sheets and reverses out of the way.

Coming very soon!

 

WDA HISTORY

The WDA was formed in the winter of 2008 with the aim to provide military drill meets featuring the best-trained adjudicators across the United States and eventually into Canada and Europe.

Each school year high school and college drill teams compete at competitions that have largely amounted to gathering local military members to judge the competitors with no adjudication training except on how to use the score sheets. The drill teams are then judged without standardized criteria. The end result is a score that cannot compare to any other drill team in any other competition; the score is a one-time local phenomenon. If the team then competes in another meet, there is no way to compare previous scores and that is even if the next drill meet host uses a remotely similar system.

The WDA exists to serve drill teams and individual Drillers from JROTC units, SROTC units, independent and scholastic-based organizations and Police and Firefighter units.

The season concludes with the WDA World Drill Championships in April.

EXPERIENCE

The WDA takes the practical, real-world experience gained throughout the creative and competitive world of contemporary pageantry activities and sharing it with member units on a variety of different levels.

PHILOSOPHY

The WDA’s focus is:

1. On the educational development of today’s military drill-related student through hands-on, interactive learning opportunities
2. To enhance the awareness and importance of military programs in schools
3. Provide opportunities to experience quality events.

The goal of the rules outlined in the following pages is not to restrict but rather enhance the programs within the military drill world.

In the military drill arena, the WDA adjudication system rewards achievement through evaluation of performance and effect. The form(s) or method(s) a team/Driller chooses to communicate their idea(s) is/are wide open to all styles.

MISSION STATEMENT

The World Drill Association is a nonprofit activity with the goal of far-reaching artistic, educational and organizational influence. The mission of the WDA is to support the development of men and women from Jr. High age on up into better citizens through participation in military drill as an art form. It exists to ensure empanelment of quality judges at each WDA-sanctioned drill meet for high school, college, independent and professional teams.

GOALS OF THE WDA

• Provide educational, quality and positive performance opportunities for all WDA members
• Provide experienced instructional support for instructors and staff
• Provide constructive and consistent evaluation and adjudication
• Support WDA members by generating popular interest in drill competitions
• Promote innovation, creativity, and growth for units/Drillers on regional, national and international levels

CLASSIFICATIONS

New teams/Drillers to the WDA will be classified in collaboration with the team’s selection on the Registration form. The WDA may review and make changes to a new competitor’s classification after their first performance in a WDA event. Changes in classification will not be made after the first of April.

Criteria for classification includes, but is not limited to

• Scoring
• History
• Direct observation
• Comparison to other teams/Drillers in that Class
• Potential

The WDA may review and make changes to a new team’s/Driller’s classification after their first performance. Instructors and individual Drillers may elect to participate in a higher Class than their membership or experience dictates.

WDA JUNIOR CLASS

Junior Class units (middle school and high school only) are the less developed participants. Our goal is to assist in their training and development and to reward these achievements in a logical learning progression. To teach these groups with the greatest degree of consistency and success requires a thorough understanding of their level of development and training.

Performance Restrictions: No equipment work where the equipment leaves either hand.

WDA A-CLASS

A-Class units (middle school, high school and independent) are enthusiastic to display their abilities. Most will have achieved the level of training set in Junior Class.

Performance Restrictions: No overhead equipment work or blind tosses. Solos and tandems can be exempted from this restriction.

WDA OPEN CLASS

Open Class units (high school, college and independent) are enthusiastic with a strong desire to grow and explore. They are open and eager to test their skills in a more challenging arena.

Performance Restrictions: None.

WDA WORLD CLASS

World Class units are independent/professional and top high school and college teams. These teams are well educated and trained, work with coaches and have perfected their programs.

Performance Restrictions: None.

WDA CEREMONIAL CLASS

Ceremonial Class units are independent/professional teams made up of police, firefighter, veteran associations and military members. Their competition consists of: drill team, color guard and/or Mock Funeral.

Performance Restrictions: None.

CLASSIFICATION REVIEW PROCEDURES

Should a unit be perceived to be misclassified, a Head Judge, WDA administrator or any unit instructor can request that a review be made on the unit in question. This review request should occur at the preliminary competition, and a video of the unit made at the finals competition. The recording will then be emailed to the WDA office where it will be duplicated and emailed to the Review Committee consisting of the Education Director, Head Judge and instructors/coaches. A classification decision will be made within one week of receipt of the video in question and the unit notified by the Unit Coordinator.

This same review procedure will occur at the conclusion of World Championships. The committee as defined above will review all finalists. If the Review Committee promotes a unit, the Unit Director may submit a letter on extenuating circumstances on why this promotion would adversely affect their unit. The committee will then re-open the review and decide whether the circumstances warrant a reversal of the promotion.

If the Review Committee maintains the promotion, the unit may submit a video recording to the Review Committee no later than August 31 of the next competitive season to petition a move back down to their original Level. Accomplish all reviews no later than the first competition and these decisions will be final for that competitive season.

PERFORMANCE RULES

TEAM SPECIFICATIONS

Team	Size
Armed/Unarmed Team	9-25 Drillers (plus commander*)
Small Team	6-8 Drillers (plus commander*)
Tetrad	4 or 5 Drillers
Color Guard	4: 2 Color Bearers and 2 Rifle Bearers
Solo	One Driller only
Tandem	Two Drillers only

A Team Commander may also march as a member in the formation.

COMPETITION AREA SPECIFICATIONS

Category	Armed			Unarmed
	Dimensions	Timing (mins) Novice Class	Timing (mins) Junior – World	Dimensions	Timing (mins) Novice Class	Timing (mins) Junior – World
Exhibition Team	100’ X 100’	4-5	5-7	100’ X 100’	3-6	4-6
Exhibition Solo/Tandem	50’ X 50’		2-3/3-4	50’ X 50’		2-3/3-4
Exhibition Small Team	75’ X 90’		4-6	75’ X 90’		3-5
All Team Regulation	80’ X 100’	4-5	6-8	80’ X 100’	4-7	5-7
All Color Guard	50’ X 50’	4-5	5-6
Inspection	25’ X 25’	10	20	25’ X 25’	10	20

REPORTING TIME

1.     Teams must report to the Inspection preparation area ten minutes prior to their scheduled time.

2.     Reporting later than that time may result in a .50 point penalty for every minute late.

3.     Any team reporting more than ten (10) minutes late may be disqualified from the competition. The team may be permitted to perform in the rest of the competition, but will not be eligible for the sweepstakes trophy.

4.     Any emergency circumstances must be made known to the designated WDA staff via telephone or in person as soon as is reasonable.

SAMPLE TIME TABLE

¹A= Army; MC= Marines; N=Navy; AF=Air Force; IND= Independent

²A= Armed      U/A= Unarmed

The Mock Funeral competition would be in the afternoon

PERFORMANCE TIMES

1.     See each phase’s Timing and Penalties score sheet for information on timing and related penalties

2.     Any unit creating a delay in the schedule will be subject to penalty. The time schedule may be expanded at the option of the Competition Director, but not lessened.

SCORING

1.     All adjudicators with the exception of the Timing and Penalty Judge will be elevated if possible

2.     All judges will use WDA score sheets

EQUIPMENT

Definitions of authorized equipment:

1.     Flags: National and state or services must be at least three (3) feet by five (5) feet.

2.     The WDA recommends that units use for their color guard either of the following:

a.     Seven-foot poles with 3’ X 5’ flags and 8 ¼” ornament

b.     Eight-foot poles with 4’ X 6’ flags and 8 ¼” ornament

c.      The finial (ornament on the top of the pole) should be the spearhead for each flag.

3.     A guidon*. Follow the information provided in Army Regulation 840-10 or similar service instruction. Army Regulation 840-10 states:

“6–4. Description

A guidon is a swallow-tailed unit marker, 20-inch hoist by a 27-inch fly, the swallow-tail end forked l0 inches. Fringe is not used on guidons. Guidons are made of bunting cloth or nylon, unless otherwise specified. Design elements will appear on the opposite side as if printed through the material. Letters and numerals will read from left to right on each side of the guidon. The letters and numbers on guidons are 3 1/2 inches high unless otherwise indicated. When an SSI is authorized for use on the guidon, the design will appear proper on both sides.

8-4 Flagstaffs

e. Flagstaffs for guidons are 8 feet*.”

*The WDA allows shorter guidon flagstaffs for Exhibition Drill. If a team marches a guidon, it will use the taller pole for the Inspection and Regulation Drill Phases and can use the shorter pole for the Exhibition Drill Phase.

4.     Rifles or simulated rifles are defined as devices constructed to conform to the outward appearance of a military rifle past or present. Sights, slings, trigger, trigger housing, bolt and bolt levers are optional.

a.          Alternate Arms: rifles that are 3lbs to 8.4lbs

b.         Demilitarized 8.5+lbs.

5.     Sabers/swords are defined as those weapons which are designed to be hand-held for cutting, thrusting or slashing with either a curved blade (saber) or a straight blade (sword) which is constructed of metal. A cutting edge is not required. Simulated sabers/swords must have either a hand unit or a hilt and must be at least twenty-four (24) inches in length.

Note: The Timing and Penalties judge has the right to inspect and challenge units for authorized equipment either before or after the maximum performance time with permission of the Competition Director.

Prohibited Equipment:

·       No pyrotechnics, discharge of arms, pressurized canisters, dangerous materials, flammable liquids or animals are permitted in or around the competition area. Smoke machines are not allowed. Electrical (plug-in or battery operated) or compressed air apparatuses, including lights, lasers, and flashcubes (electrical or chemical) are not allowed.

·       The use of powder, dirt or any other airborne substance that lingers in the competition area is prohibited.

PENALTY: Disqualification

PENALTIES

1.     Only the Competition Director or their designate may assess a penalty. Timing and Penalties Judges must report all violations to the Competition Director.

2.     Any unit violating any rule or part of a rule, breaches standard competition etiquette or fails to comply with directions from competition personnel for which no specific penalty is provided, shall be penalized for each such violation, not less than 0.1 point up to disqualification at the discretion of the Competition Director.

CRITIQUES

Critique is run by a Timing and Penalties judge. Each team’s staff or individual Driller will be assigned five minutes to meet with judges at the conclusion of all contests if there is time and room available. The order in critique will be based on performance order. Four team’s staff members will be admitted into the critique room at a time. The groups will rotate through the two stations of judges: 1) Overall Effect and Composition Analysis, 2) Equipment and Movement/Marching and at five minute intervals.

If a team’s staff is not present when called into the critique room, their critique time may be forfeited. The critique format may be changed by the WDA Competition Director with notice to participating units.

PHILOSOPHIES

PHILOSOPHY OF THE WORLD DRILL ASSOCIATION

PARTICIPANTS: The World Drill Association exists for its participants: Drillers, staff, and supporters. This is always the underlying consideration when the World Drill Association makes decisions.

Note: Our participants are any individual Driller or team:

1. Scholastic Teams/Drillers
   1. Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC)
   2. Senior Reserve Officers Training Corps (SROTC)
   3. A school-related organization not associated with a or b above
2. Community-based organizations (Independent)
   1. Veteran Organizations, etc.
   2. Police, Firefighters and EMS
   3. Youth league-type organizations (Civil Air Patrol, Young Marines, Pathfinders, etc.)
3. Unassociated (private) independent teams or Drillers

STANDARDS: The World Drill Association is committed to inspire its participants to achieve ever higher standards.

COMPETITION: The World Drill Association uses drill meet competitions in pursuit of high standards of achievement. We maintain that competition is only the means, subject to whatever controls are necessary to serve the true end — the Drillers.

Organized and administered on the principle that its leaders are professionals teaching by example both in and out of the competitive arena, WDA leaders know that Drillers learn life attitudes from all the observations of and interactions with those adults who are their models.

PHASES: Drill meets have different phases:

1. Exhibition Drill*
   1. Team
   2. Small Team (Squad and Tetrad)
   3. Tandem
   4. Solo
   5. Regulation Drill
      1. Team*
      2. Inspection*
      3. WDA Ultimate Inspection**
      4. WDA Open Regulation**
      5. Color Guard
      6. WDA Open Color Guard**
      7. Color Guard Post and Retrieve**
      8. Mock Funeral

*Armed and Unarmed

**New phase, more information to come

SCORE SHEETS. There are score sheets for each phase (located at the end of this manual), although some score sheets are used for more than one phase.

JUDGES: Inherent to any competition are the judges. The WDA works to train and certify all judges. Judges training takes place year-round and is at the individual’s pace. Certification comes after the prospective judge completes the training and trials and passes the finals test. The final test is to attend a competition, record comments and give scores; going through all of the motions of a certified judge. The comments and scores are not part of the competition (not given to anyone), but are reviewed by the Chief Judge and Director of Education. When the prospective judge passes the final test, he/she is then certified to judge that caption.