World of Pageantry

I am just wondering how come NCBA guards score so high early on the season. I would like to know why NCBA gives such high scores while WGI shows give scores within a understandable range.

For example most SA guards in a WGI show will score around the 60's-70's range at the start of the season while at NCBA they score 80's at the beginning of the season.....????

Another thing I noticed is that NCBA "Open Guards" are really SA in WGI affiliated circuits/shows.

Would somebody please explain this phenomenon =)

NCBA does not use WGI scoresheets, so it's like comparing apples and oranges.

[quote="GuardBoy09"]I am just wondering how come NCBA guards score so high early on the season. I would like to know why NCBA gives such high scores while WGI shows give scores within a understandable range.

You have asked a question that will take a few clinics and couple of years of participation to truly understand. Even then, some of the comparative results will not make sense because of the inconsistency of the individual judges application of the sheets themselves on any given day at any given contest.

Another thing I noticed is that NCBA "Open Guards" are really SA in WGI affiliated circuits/shows.

Would somebody please explain this phenomenon =)[/quote]


Understand, I am not a S.Whitcome or a R.Nielson with a complete understanding of each circuit history of scoring but Let me try an overly simplistic description of the comperative scoring technique. Please anyone make any correction needed for this view;

First NCBA is first and formost a High School Association who's scoring system is based on classroom letter grading A,B,C,D,F (I hope not).

Winterguard International is an independent association that provides "Olympic" style scoring where a participant starts at "0" and is given credit for what they do and how well they do it.
Hopefully this helps.

To the original poster ...

NCBA guards score high in early season because they can. NCBA purposely does not track growth. One of their main tenents is that every contest is a separate and unrelated event. A blank slate. A brand new day. There is then no reason to reserve the 90 for champs. A guard can score a 90 in week 1, an 88 in week 2, a 92 in week 3, etc based on that performance that day. There is no tracking of scores week to week and judges do not receive, nor are they allowed to collect, recaps. That's vastly different from WGI's tenent of not only recognizing and rewarding growth from week to week but also analyzing recaps and following regionals nationwide and the scoring there.

Another reason the scores are driven up is that NCBA scores on a more linear basis than does WGI and has very little overlap between classes. You would quickly run out of numbers and/or have artificially decreased spreads in a big NCBA show if you did not use all the numbers that were available to you as a judge.

Take a look at the criteria in either circuit and you'll be surprised to find that there are far more similarities than differences. The difference is really in the numbers management and the tracking, or not tracking of growth. Tastes great, less filling. The two circuits are different by design.

In terms of quality I think what you're getting at is that the best of NCBA is equivalent to a typical SA or SAA guard in CCGC. Agreed but what does that matter? I think we need to realize we're talking about CCGC here. It's a bit atypical even among WGI circuits as it has churned out champions year after year. We are blessed to live in this wonderful colorguard bubble called Northern California full of retired WGI judges and gold medalists that up the ante year after year. It makes us lucky, lucky spectators but CCGC is not necessarily a reasonable yardstick by which to measure the quality of NCBA's competing guards.

NCBA gives the really young colorguards and newbie instructors a competitive opportunity and a place to grow that's not offered elsewhere in NorCal. Their Novice classes are an example of that. It's not unusual to see a unit "graduate" from NCBA into a WGI circuit. When you think about it, both circuits serve their own unique purpose in NorCal.

There are units and judges who are fluidly making the necessary adjustments that allow them to compete/work in both circuits within the same season. Maybe the fans can also embrace the difference and just enjoy the show.



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"There are units and judges who are fluidly making the necessary adjustments that allow them to compete/work in both circuits within the same season. Maybe the fans can also embrace the difference and just enjoy the show."

Darn tootin!

My two cents. My school would love to compete in CCGC. However, we cannot afford the constant trips to the San Jose region every weekend. NCBA offers shows in our neck of the woods, and allows us to participate as deeply as we like.

Would somebody please explain this phenomenon =)[/quote]

Hey guardboy bet you never thought you'd get to into it this deep. Just spin,perform to friends and family and ENJOY YOURSELF, and let the numbers fall where they may...they will anyways.