We are offering Judge's and Table Captain's Certification training at the AMPS 2016 International Convention. This training will be conducted 7 April 2016 at the Sumter County Civic Center, 700 West Liberty Street, Sumter, SC. The Judge’s Certification training will be held in the Rose Room from 3:00-5:00 PM and the Table Captain’s Certification training will be held in the Iris Room from 3:30-5:00 PM

Judge’s Certification Training: The purpose of Judge’s Certification training is to build a corps of judges who understand and can consistently apply the AMPS judging criteria at the local, regional and international levels of competition. The certification process includes two hours of classroom instruction on the AMPS Judging Criteria. In addition, each candidate must successfully perform at least two judging sessions as a Field Judge.

Table Captain’s Certification Training: The purpose of this training is to focus on leadership and managing the flow at the judging table. In order to take the Table Captain's Certification training each candidate must be AMPS certified judges and have judged at previous AMPS international and regional competitions. This training offers candidates an opportunity to take a closer look at leading a judging table and requires participating in at least two judging shifts as a Table Captain. Upon successfully completing this certification process the candidates will be awarded certification as an AMPS Table Captain.

In addition, if you plan to participate as a volunteer judge, you should attend the field judge’s training session conducted in the Rose Room on 8 April 2016 at 8:00 AM. The purpose of this training is to help judges become familiar with the AMPS judging process, and sign up for judging shifts. We will be serving donuts and coffee at this meet. For those not able to attend the Friday judges meeting, let me know via e-mail and we can work out different arrangements. We are also planning a Diorama and Vignette judges training session in the Rose Room on 8 April 2016 at 9:30 AM. The purpose of this training is to help judges become familiar with the Diorama/Vignette judging process, and sign up for judging shifts.

If you are interested in either of these training opportunities, please e-mail me at tanker at va.metrocast.net or through the AMPS web-site at http://www.amps-armor.org/ampssite/sendMail.aspx?Who=22 . Additionally, you can contact Jeff Nelson at ltcjanelson at att.net if you are interested in Diorama/Vignette judges training.

Mike Petty
AMPS
Chief Judge
2nd VP, South Region