Requirements to become an APF Official

Requirements to Become an APF Official

Effective immediately, minimum requirements for new APF officials will be as follows:
-at least 25 years of age
-at least 5 years in powerlifting as a competitor having competed at least 5 times
-at least the last 2 years as an APF member
-participation as a competitor in at least 2 APF competitions in the last 2 years

Note: Exceptions to the above require full APF Executive Committee approval!

Potential APF officials will continue to be required to take the APF written test. A new requirement though will also be a practical exam given by a WPC official. Those interested in becoming an APF official must have the support of their respective APF State Chair in advance of starting the certification process.

APF State Chairs should only support individuals as potential APF officials who:
-are respected by lifter peers
-can detach themselves from their ego/sense of self while judging
-can fairly and consistently judge each lift for every lifter consistent with rule
requirements – nothing more/nothing less required of lifts versus rules
-by their involvement adds no negative emotional overhead
-is open-minded to constructive criticism and is interested in continuous
improvement

When the above requirements are met, potential new APF officials can then take the written test. Subsequent to passing a written test the potential new judge is to then sit in for a practice session (comparative calls with the certified judge – the practice calls are not official calls effecting the competition) at an APF competition under the tutelage of either an APF or WPC official. The official doing the practice session is to be selected by the Meet Director and should be the best available official that day. If the session is deemed successful by the APF or WPC official, the candidate can then move forward in the process and schedule a formal practical exam by a WPC official. Contact Amy Jackson for scheduling. The WPC official designated to conduct the practical exam will be by Amy.

The WPC official giving the practical exam will confirm above requirements have been met prior to conducting the practical exam. Lifts judged for the exam should be equally split between events, and within events, equally between lightweight and heavyweight lifters. In addition to requiring a minimum score of 95%, the WPC official is to also make an assessment of the candidate’s ability to properly represent the federation, with this assessment carrying equal weight to the lift assessment score.

Respectfully,
APF Executive Committee