Although the Judge of Record remains responsible for the official timing and scoring, Shadow Apprentices should practice these skills whenever practical.

A particularly effective training method is tandem timing and scoring.

The Shadow Apprentice and Judge of Record each independently:

• Time the run.
• Observe the team.
• Identify deductions.
• Determine the points they would deduct.
• Record the resulting score.

After the run, compare your observations.

Don’t Just Compare the Number

If the Judge of Record deducted two points and you deducted one, the important question isn’t simply:

“Which score was correct?”

Instead, discuss:

What did each of us observe?

Did we identify the same behavior?

Did we agree that it warranted a deduction?

Why did we evaluate the severity differently?

What rule or deduction applies?

These conversations help develop consistency and judgment.

Important: The Shadow Apprentice’s timing and scoring are for education and practice. The Judge of Record’s timing, scoring, calls, and decisions are official.