Snowboarding Guide (Google Doc Version)
Governing Body
The league is run by the Snowboarding Council which is made up of coaches from the league. The council makes rulings throughout the season. If a coach is not satisfied with the ruling of the coaches council they may submit a petition to the VPA who will make the final ruling. Descriptions of the council and its duties are as follows:
Council Description:
The Coaches Advisory Council consists of a minimum of 3 but no more than 5 individuals committed to working within the sport of snowboarding to advocate for coaches’ support of strong and clear policies defining professional behavior that advances the safety and welfare of athletes. Members are willing to communicate with coaching colleagues in efforts to support of the adoption and implementation of effective policies and procedures that will ensure fair competition environments.
Member Qualifications:
Council Positions/Descriptions
Director:
The director oversees all that goes on in the league. They are the primary contact person for all league related questions and/or concerns.* The director will plan and help to organize annual pre and post season coaches association meetings. He or she is in charge of calculating the scores from each regular season event. All official event scores will come from the director. They will be the moderator for protests of and for leagues matters such as but not limited to qualification requirements and event outcomes. They are charged with calling a vote for which the council will decide as a group as how to proceed. All appeals to a decision should be forwarded to the director upon which they will be brought to the Vermont Principals Association for consideration. In the event that the director can no longer hold the position the assistant director will take their place until the following years re-election takes place.
*While the person who holds this position is likely to be able to answer event specific questions one should refer those questions to the host school for that event.
Assistant Director:
The assistant director will aid the director in overseeing league matters. They are the secondary contact person for all league-related questions or concerns.* They should only be contacted if repeated attempts have been made to the director with no response. They should not be contacted for a second opinion. The assistant director is in charge of cross-checking events scores with the director. Once in agreeance, the assistant director will enter the official scores on the league’s website. In the event that the assistant director can no longer hold the position a member of the council will take their place until the following year’s re-election takes place.
*While the person who holds this position is likely to be able to answer event-specific questions one should refer those questions to the host school for that event.
Treasurer:
The treasurer will deal with all financial matters including league fees, bank management, tax exemption, supplies ordering, business entity renewals, etc.
Member:
Members will be generally aware of league happenings. While concern can be passed up to the director from a member however every effort to first contact the director and if necessary the assistant director should be made before doing so. If an issue arises members on the council will be charged with voting on to come to a decision of or about league matter.
Election Process
Positions are elected each year at the annual coaches meeting and the term length is one year.
Coaches Duties
Certified Coaches will have met the prerequisites as outlined by Vermont Principals Association.
In order to achieve Certified status, a coach must hold a current and recognized NFHS certification in Fundamentals of Coaching, First Aid and Concussion training.
Duties
Regular Season, Scoring, and Qualification for the State Championships
Goal of the regular season: The regular season is setup to determine the top 5 teams in the state, and the top 20 male and top 15 female individuals who should compete for a title at states in all three Series disciplines (slopestyle, giant slalom, and rail jam). Individuals and teams qualify for states based upon points accumulated through regular season competitions.
Scores and rankings for teams and individuals will be recorded and updated on a weekly basis on the VPA Snowboarding website.
Scoring System: For all series events, both regular season and state championships, a low score wins scoring system is in place. Each rider receives a score based on the place that they finish within the competition field. Riders and teams will score 1 pt. for 1st place, 2 points for second place, 3 points for 3rd place, etc.
Event Finishing Order: (Regular season and State Championships)
Tie-Breaker: (Regular season and State Championships)
If two or more teams finish with the same score after a series event, the league will implement a tie-breaker to determine the outcome. Of the tied teams, the team with the best scoring individual rider will be declared the higher finishing team.
If two or more individuals finish with the same score after an event the league will implement a tie-breaker to determine the outcome.
Injury/disqualification: If a team starts with (boys 4) (girls 3) or more riders, and finishes with less than 4 due to injury/disqualification, scoring will be as follows:
The injured/DQed rider will receive a score of one position greater than the last competitor in the field (i.e. If the competitive field contained 45 riders, the injured/DQed rider would receive a score of 46).
States Qualification Overview:
A. Individual Riders
B. Teams**
**For any rider to be eligible to be included on their team at states, they must have competed in two events of the particular discipline that they will be competing in at states**
Scoring Examples:
Team Qualifying
Team A competes in 4 slopestyle events and scores the following:
Event 1: 1 pt
Event 2: 7 pts
Event 3: 5 pts
Event 4: no points
By the rules Team A’s slopestyle team average would be 3 {(1+5)/2}
Individual Qualifying
Hannah Teeter competes in 4 rail jam events and scores the following:
Event 1: 15 pt
Event 2: 10 pts
Event 3: 7 pts
Event 4: 15
She would have a rail jam average score of 8.5 ((10+7/2)).
State Championships
The Vermont High School Snowboarding Series will award state championships in the following disciplines, in both boys and girls divisions:
Individual: Slopestyle Champion, Giant Slalom Champion, Champion, Overall State Champion
Team: Slopestyle Champions, Giant Slalom Champions, rail jam Champions, Overall State Champions
Rules: All regular season rules concerning scoring, event finish, and tie-breakers are followed at the state championships, with the following exceptions:
Teams: At the state championship, teams may run a maximum of 6 riders in each event they qualify for.
Giant slalom, slopestyle, and rail jam are scored separately at states. These scores are then added together to determine the overall boys and girls team state champions, with the low score winning. A team must compete in all three disciplines at states to be eligible for the overall state championship.
Individuals: At the state championship, individuals will receive a score in each event they compete in. Giant slalom, slopestyle, and rail jam are scored separately. These scores are added together to determine the overall boys and girls individual state champions, low score winds. An individual must compete in all three series disciplines at states to be eligible for the overall individual state championship.
Series Guidelines
DISQUALIFICATIONS
A competitor shall be disqualified:
RE-RUNS
Reasons
• Obstructions of any kind (apart from snow) in the competition venue, which interfere with the competitor.
• A gate out of position which causes an obstruction.
• Failure of hand timing and backup timing and the main timing system.
• Judges missing a run
• Falling before reaching the first gate in GS
• Falling before first feature in Slopestyle
• Falling before first rail in rail jam
• Course Malfunction Required Actions
• Only the course starter(TS) shall officially declare a re-run per specified reasons
• The result of that re-run will be the official result.
Procedure
•Reruns happen as soon as the competitor makes it back to the start
•Competitor shall immediately stop their run and alert an official of an obstruction and exit the course. Athlete must not cross the finish line
• Competitor must fulfill these conditions or the right to a re-run is forfeited. At Freestyle events, the competitor must stop immediately, lift one hand up to signal, and go directly to the finish area and report to the TS, Head Judge or the Finish Referee. Under the direction of the TS, head judge and starter the competitor may have the option of a re-run.
DISQUALIFICATION A competitor shall be disqualified if:
•The competitor does not stop when the starter gives the signal for a false start
•The opponent is obstructed by the competitor
•He/she does not pass a gate correctly
START CADENCE
Prior to giving the start command, which may be an electronic beep, or other appropriate means, the starter shall ensure that the competitors are ready. Approximately five seconds before the start, the starter shall prepare the racers by announcing the following:
• Riders ready……
• (Starter visually checks both riders in a dual GS)
• Start
INSPECTION / PRACTICE
Inspection / Practice sessions are required. Bibs must be worn and visible during official Inspection / Practice sessions. Practice is subject to competition rules.
INSPECTION / PRACTICE PROCEDURE All competitors must inspect the course prior to commencing their practice runs. It is recommended that the course be fenced on all sides with only one or two entry gates at the top. The intention is to have the competitors enter into the course from the Start Area and Drop In. A Starter (host or race official) present at practice will help to regulate the flow. Competitors are allowed to drop into the course, once the previous competitor has hit the first feature.
Number of Judges For each slopestyle event there shall be a minimum of two scoring judges. It is strongly discouraged to ask a coach to spot landing on jumps during a contest.
Procedures Each team of judges will record the competitor’s bib number, score, and the competitor’s run in its entirety, from the moment the competitor drops into the course and up to the moment the competitor exits the course, on specified competition sheets. All judge competition sheets are to be used for verification purposes, but will not be shown to coaches, competitors, or parents, as they are considered confidential proprietary information until scores are released. No discussion concerning the competitor’s results are allowed, except between the judge and Head Judge. Competitors and spectators are not permitted to approach or speak with the judges during the competition. All concerns or issues shall be directed to the Host.
Judges’ Duties The function of a judge is to give a score to each competitor in order to assign ranking. The judges must give scores for each competitor’s performance in accordance with the judging criteria. The judges must be fair, without bias and judge solely based on the performance of the competitor. They shall participate in practice judging conducted by the Head Judge during the practice runs. Judges must assist and be available to the Head Judge during the duration of the event, including practice and to perform other necessary duties. All judges shall articulate any potential conflicts of interest to the Head Judge. The judges, while in their professional capacity, shall refrain from discussing personal viewpoints of the judging to coaches, parents, competitors, media and spectators during and after the course of the competition. A judge shall be discreet and reasonable in all discussions. A judge shall not predict outcomes in advance. A judge shall accept criticism calmly and maintain composure in all situations. All concerns or issues shall be directed to the Head Judge.
JUDGED RUNS Judged Run / Scored Run A judged run begins when the competitor exits the start area and enters the course. A judged run ends when the competitor completes their final maneuver and exits the course. After the completion of the run, the competitor will receive a score which is used to assign ranking.
DNF : Did not finish The judges will stop judging and in place of a score, a competitor will receive a DNF, only for that particular run, if the competitor:
• Exits the competition area prior to completing their run.
• Stops their run for more than 30 seconds.
• Is not wearing a bib or wearing it improperly during their competition run. A competitor may also be disqualified from the entire competition and will not receive any scores due to more serious offenses.
Scoring
•Scores shall be given to provide a ranking to all competitors.
•There shall be a minimum of Two scoring judges
•When three judges are scoring, all scores will count.
• All scores should be posted after each event
•Judges will use a 100 point scoring system per judge. This is accomplished by using a 1 – 100 range.
The Host is responsible for managing the panel of judges.
Host duties are:
•To police the start and judge areas
•To conduct a judges meeting prior to the first day of competition
•To select which judge will be judging each category
•To communicate and coordinate between the judges
•To provide the judges with necessary materials and supplies
•To organize the work of the judges
•To approve freestyle competition area
•Communicate with the starter regarding the riders start.
•Prior to the event, check the visibility of the judges stand and any possible disturbances of the judge’s view caused by media
•To call the safety patrol when necessary
Questions and Contact Info
For more information on our league visit our website at:
Questions about the league or information in this booklet can be forwarded to:
Matthew Steinke, League Director
Email Address:mosteinke@gmail.com
2019-2020 Council Members
Director – Matthew Steinke
Asst. Director – Bobby Walls-Thumma
Treasurer – Matthew Steinke
Secretary – CJ Caforia (Enosburg High School)
Appendix A
How to Submit a Roster
Our series uses SplitSecond* to keep track of event results. This program allows for fast data entry and results calculations. It is the expectation that coaches will:
Only rosters submitted as a “comma separated version” or with the file tag “.csv” and layed out correctly will be accepted.
If you are working in Microsoft excel you can work normally and then save the file as a “.csv” file.
It is not acceptable to submit a roster in another format to a host school and expect them to hand type your riders!
This is the exact way a roster should look for submission:
Coach Smith has her boy’s team in an Excel Spreadsheet like below:
First Last Bib School
Carl Jackson 109 NWUS
Peter Bourne 126 NWUS
Stanley Smart 141 NWUS
Ezekiel Campbell 158 NWUS
Ishmael Baxter 172 NWUS
Sean Fredericks 189 NWUS
She then saves them as NWUS_Boys.csv and emails it to the event host.
She will create a similar-but separate- file for her girl’s team and email that also.
*Splitsecond is a free download from www.splitsecond.com
Download the National FIS program – not the Club Software
Appendix B
How to Host a Snowboard Event
3-4 months Prior
2-3 weeks Prior
10 days Prior
5 days prior
72 Hours Prior
Day of Event
Appendix C
Amateur Status Eligibility
Appendix D
Vermont High School Snowboarding Series Rules Addendum
Purpose: At the request of the Vermont Principal’s Association (VPA), and in concern for State of Vermont restrictions and best practices in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Vermont High School Snowboarding Series has officially adopted the following subset of rules. Every effort has been made to tie these new requirements into the existing rulebook. Should a rule be unclear, coaches have the right to petition the league council who will serve as arbiter for any disputes.
Rule Changes:
Events: For the purposes of competition planning, scoring, and general rules, the league will host competitions in the following events: Giant Slalom, Slopestyle, and Rail Jam.
Giant Slalom and Slopestyle events will be scored and judged pursuant to the regular series rulebook. The rail jam will follow USASA rules for scoring and judging which dictate:
The Rail Jam course must contain an adequate number of features for the level of competition. The Start Area shall permit the competitor to prepare to drop into the course. The Drop In must allow the rider to have the correct speed for the first feature. The Finish Area must be level and big enough to allow the competitor to come to a safe stop away from the initial slope of landing of the final feature when exiting the course. The Finish Area may be fenced off completely and the fencing should be laid out in a way that there is maximum visibility for officials, media and spectators.
The competition format for the rail jam will be as follows:
Competitors will be divided into heats based on the total number of competitors. The head judge along with the TS will determine the size of the heats and how many from each heat will advance to the finals. Heats will have a 15 minute practice followed by a predetermined number of runs (@ 5-8) for each competitor as their judged runs. Riders will be ranked in order by the judges after each heat. At the end of the heats there will be a 5 minute practice prior to the finals for the top riders from each heat. During practice and heats, competitors need to wear a face covering and physically distance while hiking and in the start area.
The Starter will control the order in which competitors drop and communicate the bib number to the judges. The head judge will let the starter know when to drop riders. It is important to have an official Starter who is in good communication with the Judges. Competition runs will be scored using the overall impression format, in order to determine rankings.
For Example:
There are 30 competitors – There will be two heats of 15 riders divided equally among the schools. The top 8 riders from each heat will advance to the finals. If a school has six riders, the coach will rank the riders based on their results from their ‘events’ during the regular season. In this scenario, the 1,3 & 5 ranked riders and the 2,4 & 6 ranked riders would compete in a heat together. For the girls competing, if there are 20 or less they should be able to compete in one heat together with approval of the head judge and TS.
Scoring – The top 16 riders will be ranked by the judges in order after the finals. The two riders that finished in 9th in the heats will tie for 17th. The two riders that finished in 10th will tie for 19th. The two riders that finished in 11th will tie for 21st and so on. If there are three heats there will be a three way tie from the heats.
For more complete USASA Rules please refer to the following:
State Championship Qualifiers: Due to travel concerns and other considerations associated with regular season competitions, teams are permitted to hold intra-squad qualifiers at their home mountains this year if they so choose, instead of attending traditional competitions. In essence, as occurred in many fall sports this year, teams can compete against themselves in order to set rosters for the state championship. This rule does not preclude regular season events from occurring, but gives teams the option to qualify for the state championships in a unique way. The allotted number of riders permitted to compete per team follows the rules as set forth in the regular series rulebook.
Teams will still need to qualify in at least two “events” per discipline (either at a regular season competition or an intra-team qualifier), in order to qualify for that discipline at States. For the purposes of the overall State Championship, teams must compete in all three disciplines as usual (GS, slopestyle, and Rail Jam).
Team A attends a GS comp at Sugarbush and has 6 riders finish in the top twenty. That same team holds a GS intra-team qualifier at their home mountain and those same 6 riders receive a high score. All 6 of those riders will qualify for States as both individuals, and as a team.
Upon completion of team-base qualifiers, the coach shall submit a signed roster to their Athletic Director, who will confirm the qualifying individuals and send this information to Matt Steinke, the series President. This will need to be done for qualifiers in each series discipline (GS/Slopestyle/Rail Jam).
For the purposes of the State Championship, aside from athletes that qualify as independent riders from schools that do not have traditional teams, only riders attached to a team roster will be eligible for the team and individual state championships.
Team A qualifies 6 athletes for GS. Those 6 athletes would compete for that team for both the team title in GS, and the individual GS title. Teams cannot add other athletes to their rosters for the purposes of the individual championship.
At States, all rules as defined in the regular series rulebook apply for scoring, judging, and qualification purposes.
Regular Season Standings:
Due to the unprecedented nature of this season, all teams that qualify in all events will be permitted to compete at States for the championship. As such, the traditional top 5 teams per series discipline (or more if there is a tie), will be suspended for the 2020/2021 season. Furthermore, due to the unique style of regular season events this year, formal rankings will not be kept by the series; however, team qualifiers will be tabulated and communicated to the league by the series council for verification purposes.