[Archers] MiC Qualifications - was: Re: Ymir & Archery

[John Atkins]

Good popints from the one hiding in the details - "The Devil is in the
details".  Let me clarify:

This topic came up due to an MIC's comment that after 15 years of being
an MIC he knew nothing about what happens on a live weapons range.
Following the conversation on the Ymir Facebook page one can determine
that the autocrat has deferred to her MIC for all things marshal, as it
should be.  But that also indicates the autocrat has little knowledge of
what happens on a live weapons range.

Thus my suggestion is NOT that event MIC's and autocrats have to attend
a full marshal class but that there be a class, let us say one hour
long, that covers the aspects of all things marshal at an event.  The
details of each activity should remain the responsibility of the marshal
deemed to run that activity.  The details of autocrat/MIC
responsibilities, forms and duties would be outside the intent of this
marshal overview class.  The basic idea is that to receive a warrant
either as an autocrat or event MIC one needs to take the autocrat/MIC
class AND this marshal overview class.  But let me clarify further.

Autocrats typically select sites.  The SHOULD know the basic
requirements for all activities that may occur at their event.  Or at a
minimum be aware of the requirements for various activities so they can
be more selective about the sites they consider.  In the case of target
archery, typically requiring the largest area, they should know
something about how a range is set out.  Thus in the class we would
briefly cover overshoot distances and range safety concerns.  But the
operative word here is briefly.  The details should be left to the
marshal in charge of archery.  But least we restrict our thoughts to
just the best activity in the SCA, that being archery, let us broaden
our thoughts to heavy.  A Trimarian friend of mine travels about the
country and often takes his fighting gear with him.  He has fought in
gyms where the rule if hit in the leg to NOT go to your knees.  The idea
is that you would scratch the gym floor.  In other cases he has said the
same rule applies because the floor was cement.  An autocrat needs to
know this when selecting a site.  These same special needs apply to most
all activities that occur at events.

As the event MIC is ultimately responsible for all activities marshal at
an event it is incoceivable (in this case I am sure the word means what
I think it means!) to me that they would not have a basic
familiarization with activities that occur at an event.  Again I refer
to the Ymir MIC who proclaims he has been an MIC for 15 years and yet
knows nothing about what occurs on a live weapons range.  Something is
seriously out of kilter there!  But let us state this correctly, this
results in activities NOT occuring at events due to IGNORANCE, not
stupidity, simple lack of knowledge, or perhaps in this specific case,
lack of care to know and others suffer from this arrogance.

Thus my idea for the class for MICs and autocrats would not cover all
the details a marshal class would cover but the basics with emphasis on
area requirements, what happens at each activity site, and the
marshalling process for those disciplines.  The last point as our
favorite MIC said he only had a short list of marshals he trusted yet
our exceedingly able bodied Janyn responded that he would not warrant
any marshal he did not trust.  That indicates another serious disjoint
in the process.

I feel the next major step, and I perceive it to be a seriously major
step, is to initiate a warrant process for autocrats and a level 2
warrant for those desiring to be an event MIC.  This would identify
those individuals who are aware of the requirements for any activity
that may occur at an event.  It woud not make those individuals
warranted marshals in all activities.

cog

-----Original Message-----
From: Siegfried [mailto:siegfried at crossbows.biz] 
Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2013 8:37 PM
To: John Atkins
Cc: archers at seahorse.atlantia.sca.org
Subject: Re: [Archers] MiC Qualifications - was: Re: Ymir & Archery


On 1/27/13 3:42 PM, John Atkins wrote:
> Here's the idea:  [...] requiring autocrats or event MICs to take 
> [...] a single class that covers the " what you need to know" about 
> live weapons, rapier, heavy, and equestrian.  The objective is to 
> provide autocrats and event MICs with an overview knowledge of these 
> activities requirements.

So I'll throw a couple devil's advocates out there:

1) Part of live/rapier/heavy/equestrian is a required retraining,
because the rules are constantly evolving (Just look at TA and safety
zones).  So if you were going to 'train autocrats/MICs' on this, then
they'd have to retake it constantly as well.
   At which point, you could end up arguing that they just need to be a
multi-marshal.
   The point of having all the separate marshallates, is that experts in
the fields can be created, and the Autocrat (CEO) and MiC (VP of Martial
Activities), can rely on their activity-specific marshals for having
that insight, and having it up to date.
   To continue my example there using companies.  Requiring the Autocrat
to be trained in the safety aspects of each activity, would be like
requiring that the CEO of a company understand how to program the
computers.

2) It's a fine line (and potentially slippery slope) between this class
of "Here are the safety/setup regs for the martial activities".  and a
class that tells Autocrats/MiC's how to 'run an event'.
   The reason that this is a problem?  Because as I've come to find out
in recent years, different groups in Atlantia here run their events VERY
differently from each other.  (and yet, each group gets alone fine
internally with how they do it).
   In some groups, every event is an entire group project, everyone
working together, the proposal molded through group interaction,
everyone chipping in, the event is prepared even before an autocrat is
chosen, and the group votes on the autocrat.  (In these cases, the
groups marshals are all actively working with the autocrat to spread
knowledge around).
   In other groups, events are proposed by the autocrat to the group,
the group, acting much more separatist, simply approves it, or doesn't,
based upon the merits of the proposal.  At that point, it's completely
upon the autocrat to 'run the event', form their staff, and truly they
are 'in charge of the event'.
   If a 'class' were to given that slipped into telling autocrats/MiCs
how to do stuff.  It would only be one group's vision of this.  Which
could cause problems with other groups.

Again, just some devil's advocate points there.

Siegfried

-- 
Barun Siegfried Sebastian Faust, OP - Baron Highland Foorde - Atlantia
http://hf.atlantia.sca.org/ - http://crossbows.biz/ - http://eliw.com/