Director certification

NASPA is updating the procedure by which its club and tournament directors are certified, and should have the new system in place by June 2009. NSA-sanctioned directors are automatically certified already as NASPA directors. Certification for new directors will probably look like this:

1. Applicant pays a fee to NASPA, obtains access to a written online test.
2. Applicant passes online test, or fails and has to pay an additional fee after a waiting period.
3. Applicant is granted apprentice director certification, and can codirect tournaments under supervision of a mentor. At the discretion of the mentor, this supervision may take place in person, or by telephone. Mentors must be fully certified directors; applicants may choose their own mentors, or may ask to be assigned one.
4. When an apprentice's mentor feels that the apprentice is ready to direct tournaments alone, the mentor notifies NASPA, which grants applicant full director status.

Here are some of the tasks that need to be completed before the new system can be put into effect:

• Preparation of the written test.
• Implementation of the written test as a web application, including grading and payment.
• Compilation of an initial list of certified directors willing to act as mentors.
• Determination of grandfathering status for existing NSA directors.
• Creation of an online database of directors and their certification levels.
• Preparation of mentoring guidelines.
• Update of this web page to fully describe new system.

People who are interested in becoming new NASPA-certified directors should contact Mary Rhoades to be put on a waiting list of persons waiting to undergo the new process. NASPA Committee members who are interested in helping implement any of the above should join the Tournament Committee.