People with an interest in rules (others should delete),
I’m putting together a list of areas where changes or ideas have been
suggested for our competition rules, or conventions in general. I’ll divide
them up by topic.
The start of this list will come from the results of Alberto Ruiz’ UNICON
survey. Then I will add in the various ideas and suggestions I’ve collected.
Plus I would like to add your ideas. Read through this, and if something is
missing, let’s get it in there. Some of these ideas are large conceptual ones
which, if we want to do them, may require sweeping changes. We’ll have to look
at lots of possibilities before making decisions on those.
Condensed from the survey:
GENERAL CONVENTION:
- Make UNICON shorter/longer
- More workshops
- time and halls for free training, and friendly games
- Improve the organization and communications
- Keep costs of UNICONs as low as possible
- More group unicycling tours
- Less disagreements between organizers
- Have more than one event running at the same time
- Have events and activities for all levels because the most important part of
UNICONs is interacting - Find better ways to publicize UNICONs
- Add fun events like renegade show
- Fix UNICON date and location at least 9 months ahead
- Have two gyms open for hockey and basketball
- Participants must be given at least one day to ride in a well known place
- More fun and public involvement and less politics
- Train judges for artistic, racing, basketball and hockey
- More places to practice artistic with others
- Need more gyms at UNICONs
- Pay people to work for the IUF or for organization of UNICONs
- check place before granting the UNICON
- Have minimum standards met before granting a medal in events with less than 3
competitors - More information should be provided at UNICONs
- Delegations should be of not more than 50 people of same country, nor more
than 5 of the same country in any single event - Ceremonies of winners (should be) done before (next event)
- More fooling around
- Less standards and rules
- IUF should help unicyclists attend UNICONs
- Promote more with the press
- Limit the amount of participants from each country
FREESTYLE:
- Less inappropriate artistic performances
- Maybe show your routine before it is approved
- Have tryouts
STANDARD SKILL:
- Add skills to the Standard Skills List
TRACK & FIELD:
- More events like trials
- Add high jump, long jump, Muni and trials to Rules Book
- Add Danish Obstacle course www.unicycle.dk/dm2000 Extreme Games, Muni, Sumo
- The cones for obstacle were too big
- there were no rules for slow forward and backwards
- Run the races more efficiently (in less time)
- No races with 16". Races till 20" only for 0-13
- Have more National Races as qualifiers for UNICONs
- Have more Expert Races and less amateur races
OTHER:
- Add volleyball
- more organized sports like basketball
- more basketball and hockey
>From my own notes, collected suggestions, and head:
GENERAL CONVENTION:
- Before IUF gives final convention approval, host country must have rulebook
available in their national language. - If convention has to run long, arrange schedule so people with
specialized interests (like hockey only, artistic only) don’t have to
attend the whole thing - Pay more attention to workshops; don’t do them as an afterthought. This means
workshop times and places will be guaranteed, not pushed aside if other things
run overtime. Find specific teachers in advance and help them to be prepared.
Find translators. - Minimum two gyms. One with seating for competition, the other to be open for
general practice at all times. - Provide appropriate spaces for workshops. Gyms should only be used for very
large, or very small workshops. Classrooms are best for some workshops. - Always at least one or more group events, like tours or games.
- Split off competition rules part of book from a section that talks about how
we would like the convention to be organized, without necessarily being
mandatory. - Two IUF meetings, one at beginning of convention, and other near the end.
- Overlap preliminary events, but not finals. Riders will have to choose their
specialties or areas of participation. - Better training of officials.
- Don’t give away awards just for riders’ showing up.
- Limit participation in some events.
- Don’t bore us to death with award ceremonies. Age group stuff can be awarded
between other races, or between other artistic performances. Final and top
awards should be saved for a focused event. - Hosts can’t be expected to meet all participants’ wishes. Good communication
during the planning stages will let people know what to expect so they know if
they want to attend the convention. - Make sure there are rules in place to prevent unfair practices, such as
requiring certain brands of unicycle, or paying riders from one country only
if they win races (theoretical examples). - Make it less competition-oriented. There should be more time for fun, sharing,
and teaching each other.
FREESTYLE:
- Too much “garbage” in the Experts. Do an “audition” or “preliminary” round.
- Lots of “garbage” in the age groups. People entering because groups are not
filled, or doing acts that are just “bad”. I’d like to see performers who are
more serious about the events they are entering. Funny performances are fine,
but they should be entertaining and aimed at being good under the judging
criteria, not just something somebody wanted to do for no apparent reason. - Possible audition round for all performers. If we do that, all riders can
enter age group and Experts can be chosen by the judges. This will take
more time. - Do we need to say anything about limitations on human props? I don’t know.
- Clarify rules on start and end of performance/judging. This often turns into a
gray area. - Add CD as a mandatory form of music riders can use (in other words, both CD
and cassette player must be provided). - Take a close look at job descriptions for convention personnel. Rewrite or
clarify, or maybe add some more.
STANDARD SKILL:
- Add Christian Hoverath’s figure illustrations to the rulebook.
- Require a minimum # of figures in a performance, at least 5.
- “Developing” countries should be allowed last-minute entries, but riders from
experienced countries should be expected to know their routines. - Work on music area, possibly specifying that “music on” means people should be
quiet, and “music off” means it’s okay to move around and talk. - More available information on how to compete, and how to judge.
- Develop a process for people to request new skills to be added to the list and
recommend scores for them. - Clarify rules on start and end of performance/judging. This often turns into a
gray area. - Add CD as a mandatory form of music riders can use (in other words, both CD
and cassette player must be provided).
TRACK & FIELD:
- Call it track & field, as we now have several field events.
- Less time spent overall at the track.
- Some races for everybody, and other events for experts only.
- Add Trials rules
- Add more about MUni
- Add High Jump and Long Jump rules.
- Possible add rules for other events, like Danish Obstacle.
- Add section on certifying or training track officials, especially people
running events like Slow, Obstacle, etc. - Possible qualifying races to limit the field in final races.
OTHER:
- Add Sumo rules (not mandatory event)
- Schedule convention so basketball and/or hockey can be concurrent with other
competitions (except final games).
This list is not complete (though I’m sure you have read enough by now). Please
add your ideas, complaints, concepts. First if we think up what we want, then we
can work on turning it into workable rules.
Have a nice weekend,
John Foss President, International Unicycling Federation President, Unicycling
Society of America (reply to jfoss@unicycling.com) http://www.unicycling.com