My kids have participated in various sports and there are 2 things that I've taught them to do in all competitions. Congratulate the winner and thank the officials. Sometimes my daughter has to be reminded, but it gets done. Her coach doesn't do teams and gives the soloist a lot of freedom to pick and choose their contests, so MOST contests, she's the only one from her studio. She's learned through the years that it's important to build relationships with other competitors or you'll have quite a long, boring day. Congratulating the winner and telling her fellow competitors "good job" or "see you next time" have taught her sportsmanship and made her likable among her competitors. I've also noticed the shocked look on judges' and contest directors' faces when she seeks them out after the contest to thank them.

I started teaching my kids to thank officials when they were in other sports like track or soccer, but those aren't subjective sports. I don't want my daughter to appear to be "schmoozing" judges that she might see again. Just wondered if any of you judges or contest directors have experienced being thanked after a contest, without the person mentioning the score sheet, just a "thank you" for your time and how you felt about it.

What a fabulous idea! If everyone did it, how could it be seen as anything negative (i.e. seeking favoritism)?

As a contest director I have had a lot of contestants come up and thank me after a contest. As a judge I have more parents than contestants. Many parents will give compliments like "My child enjoys performing in front of you." or things like that. I have never had a contestant come up to me personally as to thank me as a judge. I think it would be good for contestants to that.

When I twirled we were instructed not to approach the judges unless they seek you out. But I would always make sure to congratulate the winners and other twirlers in my divisions.

As a coach, judge, mom of a twirler and contest director I agree that it is respectful to say thank you to the judges/officials and contest directors.

I have been thanked as a judge&contest director and I also always try to send my daughter over to judges and the directors to say thank you.

I don't see it as looking for favoritism. I think that sometimes the judges and contest directors only hear the negative things - I know its nice to have some one thank you for all your hard work.

I agree that judges should be thanked. I have said before, that in the olden days, years ago, judges were there to be feared. If that doesn't diminish this sport will vanish.

CHAMPIONSBATON you have judged me many times. THANK you. You are a great judge, the best combination of good critique plus praise for the good in a routine and performance.

WALTER

Maybe I'm not looking at this in the right light, but I don't agree with thanking the judges at the end of the competition unless it's sincere. When I judge, I wouldn't really care to have someone thank me for judging if it wasn't honest.

I always wait until the judge approaches me. If they do, then I will thank them. Otherwise, I don't want any questions raised about the legitimacy of a result.

Sean

I agree with Sean^.
I think thanking the contest director is fine, and should be done, because that's a lot of work to take on. But I would never go up to a judge and thank them for a first place or a high score. If they were very impressed with your performance and it stood out, most will come find you and tell you, then it is necessary to thank them. To me, going up and thanking a judge would feel like "kissing up."

I believe the only correct way to do this is to thank judges for their time, attention and dedication. One should never thank them for the result! After team sports games the players thank each other, the other coaches and the officials. I doubt the losing team is thanking the winning team for beating them, and vice versa, the winning team would hopefully be gracious enough not to thank the losing team for doing a bad job! The idea is for showing appreciation for being there and playing hard (regarding the opposing team) and for fair officiating (for the referees).

I agree with complimenting other competitors after a performance and saying ‘Congratulations’ after the results are announced. I think this is one of the best ways to show good sportsmanship in the world of baton twirling and I always encourage my students to do this.

I also like the idea of thanking the contest directors. You will never understand the amount of time, energy, and thought that goes into running a contest until you have actually done it. Also, there is usually a team of individuals working to run the contest together, so it is always really nice seeing parents and students alike, thanking the contest director and his or her staff.

I do feel that thanking a judge is on the borderline of being inappropriate. A judge is to remain an unbiased party at a competition and should not have contact or be contacted by any competitors or parents. I also feel that approaching a judge is leaving the door open for controversy because it can be viewed inappropriately by outside parties as favoritism. I would not advise my students to ever approach a judge at a competition.

Now, if one of my students had their heart set on thanking a judge, I think there would be a more appropriate way to do so, such as writing a hand written note thanking them for their time or sending an e-mail. (Most judges have stamps with their addresses and/or e-mail addresses.)

BlondRachel -- does that (thank the judge by mail) suggest that the act should be secretive and you don't want others to know? (I know it isn't what your intention is but couldn't it be perceived that way by the child sending the 'thank you'? Also, this seems to me to be a bigger effort than just saying something when you see someone.)

Since so many judges, contestants, coaches, parents, etc all know each other, why would it appear to be in the least bit negative if at the end of the day, after all is done, for a twirler to approach a judge for a few words. S/he can't change the results at this point. Certainly if someone has a complaint they do not feel it is inappropriate to speak with the judge at the event, so why can complaints be done in person but appreciation not (or not done at all)? Judges are not thanked enough for their time and effort. It isn't unusual for their "pay" to be around minimum wage so they certainly aren't doing it for money!

This begs the question of whether people think it inappropriate for judges to speak to ANYONE but other judges and contest officials while at an event. In fact, to push this further, wouldn't it be sketchy to even speak with other judges since it is typical that at least some other judges would have students entered at the contest and that could be construed as seeking favoritism? (I don't believe this, just putting it out there for consideration by those who aren't in favor of speaking with judges.)

At the end of all this, if someone is willing to think ill of another person, then they will. Our emotions are not always rational. I still think it is a nice idea and lesson to teach our twirlers respect and appreciation and I have to hope that people would only have the most positive purpose behind their actions. (I know this isn't the case, but those seeking favoritism will likely find a way no matter what.)

I'd like to say that I can see how people would see a competitor thanking a judge as innapropriate. But when I am thanked or have my daughter go over and thank a judge it is almost always just a thank you for your time or a good to see you - glad you were here today.

Not thanks for giving me first place **wink, wink**
That is not at all what I was saying.

I have been packing up my things, talking to my own students and parents etc and I've had people walk by and say hi - good to see you etc. I don't see that as a bad thing. I also ALWAYS make sure to tell my kids not to approach a judge while they are judging or during a contest. My students don't ever go up to a judge to brown nose.

There have been instances where we've gone out to eat after a contest and we have bumped into judges and talked to them about the day etc. There is nothing wrong with that....if we were to approach them about how and why they placed people then that would be wrong....but otherwise I see no problem as long as its kept in the appropriate lines.

I'm going to have to agree you JJ8675. I do see where writing a letter or e-mail would be more effort than the initial thought of just saying Thank you to the judge in the first place. Hey-we all learn from our mistakes and I was just stating my opinion. I wasn't trying to start an argument.

What seems like a million years ago, I was taught by my teachers to never approach a judge (approaching a judge could cost you to be disqualified) but to ALWAYS thank the Contest Director. I have my girls do the same thing.

I don't like going to a judge to thank them because (although it may not be true), others think you know them PERSONALLY and not only on a twirling level. Hence, the favoritism thing goes into effect. I instill in my girls that the final nod with the final pose, is a thank you. The girls that walk off and DO NOT ackowledge the judge... are basically saying nothing. Indeed, you are acknowledging the judge after your time on the stopwatch has ended. That, to me is the thank you. I don't think anything more is needed.

The Director DOES need a Thank You because it is SO much work and they put in MUCH time so our twirlers can compete. They're heroes in my book.... because without them..... there would be no competitions!!! Point blank.

Once again this board has opened my eyes and all of your comments have helped me see things in a different light. Reading how different people feel is exactly what I was after when I posted the question in the first place. Now that my daughter is getting older and moving up in levels, approaching judges isn't such a good idea. I guess I have to put my "southern belle" manners aside and realize that not speaking to someone doesn't necessarily mean that you're ungrateful.

I think this question depends on how you look at the situation. I recently judged a contest and was just a mom at the following week's contest when I had a mom come up to me and tell me how happy she was that I had judged her daughter the week before. She said the the scoresheet has a lot of comments that she feels helped her daughter to realize the changes that need to be made in her routine. She said she usually receives the normal comments, point toes, don't bend knees, free hand, etc but felt that those are always "safe" comments. So it really made me realize that as a judge that day, my comments have helped to lead her daughter towards working at improving areas where she might not have realized needed work. I really didn't even remember who her daughter was, and just because I have spoken with her I would never sacrifice my judgement of a routine on the floor. At TU competitions if you didn't understand what a scoresheet meant or what it said, you were always encouraged to ask the judge for clarification after the contest. I don't think that is a bad thing, after all, you paid for that scoring, if you can't read the handwriting how can it help?