What it is, that we do (words of wisdom concerning "Proper Attitude" for the new Chief of Calculation)

                The Chief of Calculation should know their league rules for scoring a meet inside and out.  Additionally, the Chief of Calculation should know how Windows, Excel, and "Valiant Ski Scoring" work, and how the race timer, computer and printer work together to produce results on paper.  (Knowing how Ski Coaches work is next to impossible, but do the best you can.)

                The race will not start until you are ready.  The race will not end until you post results.  This is heady stuff, and a large responsibility.  Proper and careful registration of the racers, running a tight scratch meeting, accurate data entry and knowing what to do when bad things happen are the keys to having a smooth race day.

                The Chief of Calculation must be prepared to answer any questions about how the meet is being scored, and about your meet and league rules for scoring.  You will get questions regarding DQ's or the accuracy of times that have been posted.  Some of these questions will be valid.  You must double check your data entry on these occasions to make sure, right in front of the person, that you entered the correct data that you received from the hill.  You must then direct the person to the correct official to talk to regarding their question.  The Chief of Calculation is not an on-hill official, and may not be present for the actual ski runs.  Direct the person to that on-hill official who was responsible for the making the call (the Chief of Timing, Chief of Course, gate keepers etc.).  Parents pay close attention to the times of their kids.  They will often be right concerning discrepancies between what they heard/saw on the hill, and what they see in your posted times.  It is your duty to show them what you have, make the change right there if you were wrong, or steer them to the correct person to voice their complaint to.

                Never forget, the Chief of Calculation is responsible for the INTEGRITY of the times, and for the timely posting of results.  Make sure that you only enter what you absolutely know to be true.  Do not ad-lib.  Do not guess at anything.  If you catch discrepancies in the information you receive from the hill (a second run time for a racer that was DSQ their first run, the validity of a provisional re-run, identical consecutive times on a recorders sheet, etc.), write your questions down so you can later ask recorders, gatekeepers and chiefs of course to clarify what happened on the hill, so that your data is absolutely accurate.

                On Race Day,  be a bitch or bastard (gender specific?) to everyone equally.  They will learn to approach you only when they are actually doing some good, or they have a pressing question.  This will allow you to carry on, and get your job done ASAP.  If people around you start talking, and distracting you, look straight at them, and say something congenial like "HEH.....SHUT THE %$#$! UP" in the most authoritative voice you can muster.  They will know who is in charge.  If you're a volunteer parent or a booster club member doing the scoring, remember that even your own coach has a different agenda than you do.  Treat him with a modicum more civility than the others, but he also must understand that you are not to be disturbed during registration, when making scratch changes or when you're engaged in data entry.  You work for the Meet Manager or Tournament Director.  When the race results get posted consistently, race after race, within 5 minutes of the end of a race, and the results are accurate, neat, concise, and easy to understand, everyone will love you, and forgive you for barking at them during the race.

                I coached and scored meets for 7 years in the SouthEastern Michigan Ski League.  We ran a Junior Varsity meet with 127 girls and 250 boys (377 teenagers) competing in GS.  The girls finished first, and the results were complete and posted before the boys got done.  The 16 pages of boys individual and team results were being posted 4 minutes after the last time was put into the computer, and before the boys sixth flight racers and their coaches got in off the hill.  Because of quick results like this, no one comes near me during a race anymore unless they absolutely have to, and then, they come with their hats in their hands, and bow before the glory.  I had mine trained, and they trusted me.  You can train yours, and they will learn to trust you too.

 Murphy's Law:

Anything that can go wrong, will.

 

The Corollary:

And will do so at the worst possible time.

 

Green's Rule:

When you're dumb, you suffer.

 

Foresi's Addendum:

The amount of suffering is directly proportional to the amount of dumbness displayed.

 

Please read the instructions and practice with the program!!!

and remember.....   Murphy was an Optimist!