JJPAU Continental Referee Course 2014

The on site course provided 12 hours of intensive training for Fighting, Duo and Newaza with sessions such as: Questions&Answers on Competition Rules; Presentation of other relevant documents (Referee Rules, Competition Organization and Planning); Analysis of video-taped situations; Discussion of test questions; Simulation practice, including Secretariat responsibilities;  and real-time practice at the U-21 Championship, which presented seven Fighting and Newaza categories with 17 competitors from 5 countries. First-time participants also took a preliminary on-line Theory Course (May 19-25) allowing them to start the face-to-face sessions with a basic understanding of the Competition Rules.

With previous authorization from the JJIF Referee Committee, a Theory test was given in Spanish for Continental B/A examination in Fighting/Duo. The one candidate for a World B degree took an additional verbal test to qualify his understanding of the English language and its specific terminology for JJIF competitions. For Newaza, a similar but separate Theory test was given to candidates, in support of examination at the Regional level. Individual referee
performance was extensively observed and qualified by both facilitators at the official Pan American Championship (May 31 – June 1). This event presented 25 categories which were disputed by 81 competitors from eight countries. At the World B level, referee performance was additionally evaluated by Javier Muñoz Carrillo, a Coach and World B referee from Colombia.

As the host country had not been able to prepare local resources for covering Secretariat tasks, these were met by the Referee Teams designated to each competition area, and acting under the direct coordination of two more experienced referees: Guillermo Maure (Cuba) and Carlos Danilo Viveros (Bolivia). At the event, 22 referees from eight countries showed a strong sense of team work resulting in a good overall referee performance.