Tips for a New Supervisor

[dholdgreve]

Actually, if you look at the rules, the minimum mass carried ("least possible mass scored"- rule 6a) that can be scored is the "load block assembly". The "load block assembly" is defined in rule 4b as load block, and eyebolt, and wingnut, and S-hook, and chain, and 5 gal bucket. Any tower that can't carry 'the assembly' is to be classified as Tier 4.
A carbon fiber arrow shaft is going to be....way lighter than eyebolt, wingnut, S-hook, chain, and bucket, so if a tower can't support it, its a Tier 4 tower. Yes, if using this tool to check height, students should place it on the tower.

Len,
I've been instructed that "eyehook" is actually 2 words... "Eye & hook" I assume that eyebolt and wingnut probably are too... I think you are OK with hyphenating the S-hook though... LOLOLOLOL

[Balsa Man]

Yeah, I saw that, but I used the correct form, and the form used in the rules- "eyebolt."

[baker]

https://www.grainger.com/category/eyebo ... alog/N-8jz

[arasanantonio]

As a tower builder, I've experienced this a lot, and the tip I have for you is make the competitor comfortable where they are. Make them laugh, and especially don't make them nervous. Always ask if they're a new competitior, as I already have 2 years of experience with setting up and I still need guidance, let alone a completely new member. And also, make sure for every single team you tell them to put their bucket high enough. Other than that, you're gonna proctor great, just make sure you and the kids you are proctoring are having a good time.

[dholdgreve]

As a tower builder, I've experienced this a lot, and the tip I have for you is make the competitor comfortable where they are. Make them laugh, and especially don't make them nervous. Always ask if they're a new competitior, as I already have 2 years of experience with setting up and I still need guidance, let alone a completely new member. And also, make sure for every single team you tell them to put their bucket high enough. Other than that, you're gonna proctor great, just make sure you and the kids you are proctoring are having a good time.

^^^I like this!!!! ^^^

[EastStroudsburg13]

Hey everyone,

Thanks for the advice! We ended up being able to use another team's apparatus, and while it didn't have an automatic dispenser, most teams didn't have too much of an issue with the time limit (especially since we had a lot of extra time built into the schedule).

One issue we did run into is that the loading block was actually closer to 4.85 cm x 4.85 cm, so a couple teams had trouble loading the tops of their towers, which were built for a 5.0 cm x 5.0 cm block. For this, I consulted the building event director at the invitational, and he suggested to allow teams to make adjustments to better fit the block, and this ended up working out well as both teams were able to load their towers after this.

There was another team where unfortunately, the chain got caught up in the cross-bracing of one of the sides of the tower, causing it to fail once the bucket was applied. I am not exactly sure if this was an issue with the loading apparatus itself, or just an honest mistake by the competitors, but it was still a shame because it basically tore the tower in half, and they did not have a backup (this was right after one of the teams had an issue with the loading block, so I would have allowed them to test a backup just in case it was a block issue). It was somewhat of a narrow tower, but it did seem like it would have at least placed in the top 20 of the event had it not failed so early.

Overall though, I hope we avoided any major crises. I definitely learned a lot should I ever need to proctor the event again!

[Balsa Man]

Sounds like you did a fine job; congrats!

Just a quick word on the load block- good workaround; a potentially significant issue for competitors that designed their top dimensions so the outsides of the leg ends just fit under a 5.0 x 5.0cm block. If the block is not fully 'covering' the leg ends, you'll get pretty significant premature failure. Looking at S.O. sig fig policy, 4.85...does not meet the rules. Yeah, its only a mm (4.95 would be minimum for a 'legal' block).

Certainly not your fault; perfectly reasonable to assume that whoever was responsible for bringing block(s) had/had made 'legal' block. Ran into this years ago, that's why I always bring a 5.00 x 5.00 to any competition.

Again, congrats.

[scioly2345]

Hey everyone,

Thanks for the advice! We ended up being able to use another team's apparatus, and while it didn't have an automatic dispenser, most teams didn't have too much of an issue with the time limit (especially since we had a lot of extra time built into the schedule).

One issue we did run into is that the loading block was actually closer to 4.85 cm x 4.85 cm, so a couple teams had trouble loading the tops of their towers, which were built for a 5.0 cm x 5.0 cm block. For this, I consulted the building event director at the invitational, and he suggested to allow teams to make adjustments to better fit the block, and this ended up working out well as both teams were able to load their towers after this.

There was another team where unfortunately, the chain got caught up in the cross-bracing of one of the sides of the tower, causing it to fail once the bucket was applied. I am not exactly sure if this was an issue with the loading apparatus itself, or just an honest mistake by the competitors, but it was still a shame because it basically tore the tower in half, and they did not have a backup (this was right after one of the teams had an issue with the loading block, so I would have allowed them to test a backup just in case it was a block issue). It was somewhat of a narrow tower, but it did seem like it would have at least placed in the top 20 of the event had it not failed so early.

Overall though, I hope we avoided any major crises. I definitely learned a lot should I ever need to proctor the event again!

Hello, may I ask what competition u supervised towers?

[Unome]

Hey everyone,

Thanks for the advice! We ended up being able to use another team's apparatus, and while it didn't have an automatic dispenser, most teams didn't have too much of an issue with the time limit (especially since we had a lot of extra time built into the schedule).

One issue we did run into is that the loading block was actually closer to 4.85 cm x 4.85 cm, so a couple teams had trouble loading the tops of their towers, which were built for a 5.0 cm x 5.0 cm block. For this, I consulted the building event director at the invitational, and he suggested to allow teams to make adjustments to better fit the block, and this ended up working out well as both teams were able to load their towers after this.

There was another team where unfortunately, the chain got caught up in the cross-bracing of one of the sides of the tower, causing it to fail once the bucket was applied. I am not exactly sure if this was an issue with the loading apparatus itself, or just an honest mistake by the competitors, but it was still a shame because it basically tore the tower in half, and they did not have a backup (this was right after one of the teams had an issue with the loading block, so I would have allowed them to test a backup just in case it was a block issue). It was somewhat of a narrow tower, but it did seem like it would have at least placed in the top 20 of the event had it not failed so early.

Overall though, I hope we avoided any major crises. I definitely learned a lot should I ever need to proctor the event again!

Hello, may I ask what competition u supervised towers?

East was at Penn last year.

[scioly2345]

I've had my fair share of towers supervisors, some very nice and some...... well not so much. I've actually had my own sister be the moderator for towers at regionals! I had one moderator and he said he'd "tear the crap outta me" if I didn't stop putting sand in the bucket if my tower broke. Got me very nervous.

My favorite towers supervisor by far was the NY state 2017 supervisor. He was so kind to me, and he made me laugh, and asked me a lot of building questions. He was great.

This goes to show that if you supervise, and even if you're just a helper, you play a big role in the event, especially with the competitors. I've helped with moderating Robot Arm, and it really was an amazing experience. I tried to be as nice to the kids as possible. To any future event supervisors/helpers, please become familiar with the rules, and make the kids have fun. Especially building events.