Re: classifications
Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2017 4:31 pm
I disagree that I am making any assumptions, because I am basing what I am writing on what is written in the rules. It does not say that "previously fired high scores" are used for reclassification. It specifically says that "previously carried forward high scores" will be used. If you can describe any other mechanism of carrying forward high scores defined in the rules other than the specific reference to entering the two highest scores from the last year, please do so. If you cannot, then you cannot make the assumption that any scores ever shot can be carried forward if there is no defined mechanism to do so.
This is one of the few areas where "as written" coincides with both intent and with practical application of a rule. I've already addressed "as written" and it's clear to me that intent is expressed in how the rules are written and classification books are organized. That leaves practical application. A statistical officer (often the match director in anything but the biggest matches) has a limited amount of data available, and thankfully that data is all either already on the page in the classification book or that same statistical officer is entering the data at the end of the match/tournament anyway. Having scores from anytime in a shooter's lifetime basically means that any shooter can shoot one score of a particular classification range and instantly claim to qualify for reclassification upward. That is completely impractical to manage at the scale of any large match, and it is not reasonable to expect a competitor to carry every silhouette classification book that he/she has ever had.
For example, I would love to be in master class in high power like I am in both smallbore classes and all three cowboy rifle classes. Unfortunately, my only two master class scores among my pile of AAA (and some AA) scores were multiple years ago. If I happen to shoot one score that's just barely master class out of multiple years of matches, that doesn't qualify me as a master class high power shooter. If I want to earn that, I need to work harder and practice more.
I'll give another example, and make it similar to yours to help explain why I think the fact that it's a forced reclassification is why it has to be limited to a specific period. Let's say that you are a AA shooter who shoots 10 matches every year and you have done so as a AA shooter for 20 years. Out of those 200 matches, you have shot 120 A scores, 88 AA scores and two AAA scores. Those two AAA scores were several years ago, and there hasn't been anything higher than an A class score in a couple years. The thought of petitioning the NRA to get classified down to A class has crossed your mind. If you happen to shoot one AAA score, do you think you should be forced into AAA class? What if you had actually only shot one AAA score previously and another shooter who wants you out of AA class for the "big prize" championship next month claims that you have previously shot two AAA scores many years ago so you have to be reclassified to AAA? Can you imagine having to deal with that as a match director? How would you know which is telling the truth, or even which one is remembering matches from many years ago correctly?
Regardless of my or your interpretation of intent or practical application, as the rules are written there is only one defined way to carry forward scores fired previous to the current calendar year. That is through entering "the two highest scores from the last year fired in each discipline" on the page with the scores from the current year. I'm pointing out that wording, as it has changed my opinion on what the rules say after reading through it so many times today. It does not say "the two highest scores from the previous calendar year" there. That means that if a competitor goes one or more calendar years without shooting a match in a specific discipline that the scores from the last year in which that competitor shot one or more matches in that discipline are still eligible for consideration for reclassification.
I'm not sure it's actually relevant here, but I do agree that it doesn't matter how it has always been done. "That's how we've always done it" is usually given the response given when the responder doesn't actually know any other reason for doing things a certain way.
This is one of the few areas where "as written" coincides with both intent and with practical application of a rule. I've already addressed "as written" and it's clear to me that intent is expressed in how the rules are written and classification books are organized. That leaves practical application. A statistical officer (often the match director in anything but the biggest matches) has a limited amount of data available, and thankfully that data is all either already on the page in the classification book or that same statistical officer is entering the data at the end of the match/tournament anyway. Having scores from anytime in a shooter's lifetime basically means that any shooter can shoot one score of a particular classification range and instantly claim to qualify for reclassification upward. That is completely impractical to manage at the scale of any large match, and it is not reasonable to expect a competitor to carry every silhouette classification book that he/she has ever had.
For example, I would love to be in master class in high power like I am in both smallbore classes and all three cowboy rifle classes. Unfortunately, my only two master class scores among my pile of AAA (and some AA) scores were multiple years ago. If I happen to shoot one score that's just barely master class out of multiple years of matches, that doesn't qualify me as a master class high power shooter. If I want to earn that, I need to work harder and practice more.
I'll give another example, and make it similar to yours to help explain why I think the fact that it's a forced reclassification is why it has to be limited to a specific period. Let's say that you are a AA shooter who shoots 10 matches every year and you have done so as a AA shooter for 20 years. Out of those 200 matches, you have shot 120 A scores, 88 AA scores and two AAA scores. Those two AAA scores were several years ago, and there hasn't been anything higher than an A class score in a couple years. The thought of petitioning the NRA to get classified down to A class has crossed your mind. If you happen to shoot one AAA score, do you think you should be forced into AAA class? What if you had actually only shot one AAA score previously and another shooter who wants you out of AA class for the "big prize" championship next month claims that you have previously shot two AAA scores many years ago so you have to be reclassified to AAA? Can you imagine having to deal with that as a match director? How would you know which is telling the truth, or even which one is remembering matches from many years ago correctly?
Regardless of my or your interpretation of intent or practical application, as the rules are written there is only one defined way to carry forward scores fired previous to the current calendar year. That is through entering "the two highest scores from the last year fired in each discipline" on the page with the scores from the current year. I'm pointing out that wording, as it has changed my opinion on what the rules say after reading through it so many times today. It does not say "the two highest scores from the previous calendar year" there. That means that if a competitor goes one or more calendar years without shooting a match in a specific discipline that the scores from the last year in which that competitor shot one or more matches in that discipline are still eligible for consideration for reclassification.
I'm not sure it's actually relevant here, but I do agree that it doesn't matter how it has always been done. "That's how we've always done it" is usually given the response given when the responder doesn't actually know any other reason for doing things a certain way.
