I have been involved in several events recently involving rule 9.7.4 and the subject of mutual consent, and feel this deserves some attention (it has certainly gotten a lot of my attention at recent matches).
Rule 9.7.4 states:
“When a score has been affirmed by both the competitor and Range Officer, the score (whether on paper or electronic device) is considered conclusive evidence that the time, scores and penalties as recorded are accurate and uncontested. The score (whether on paper or electronic device) is deemed to be definitive. It may only be changed to add penalties under Rule 8.6.2, or to correct arithmetical errors, or by mutual consent of the competitor and the originating Range Officer, or due to an arbitration decision. Changes are defined as modifications to the score sheet after both parties have signed off on the score sheet.”
The bottom line is that this rule says that once the competitor and the RO have agreed to a time and score, as indicated by pressing ‘Approve’ on the tablet, the score is deemed definitive and there are very limited ways that this can be changed.
- As stated, scores can be changed after approval under rule 8.6.2 which describes “unauthorized assistance” or coaching. If a shooter who has already shot and approved their score gives assistance to another shooter (“Don’t forget to reload!” or “You skipped a target!” or even “Caw Caw!”) that shooter (and the shooter they coached) may receive a penalty even though their score has already been approved.
- Approved scores may also be changed due to “arithmetical errors” (common during paper scoring matches, rare using electronic scoring).
- Scores may also be changed after approval by “mutual consent of the competitor and the originating Range Officer, or due to an arbitration decision.” This is the key phrase of the rule for this article.
Changing scores after approval by mutual consent is just like it sounds: the competitor and the RO agree that they got something wrong and work together to fix it. A good example of this is correcting undeserved No-Shoots. Because of where the No Shoot button sits on the PractiScore scoring tablet, it is easy or common to inadvertently thumb a No-Shoot into a competitor’s score, and not have them notice it on the tablet before they press approve. I have seen this a bunch, to include one of my junior competitors getting six No-Shoots on a stage where she didn’t have any. By mutual agreement between the competitor and originating RO we were able to correct the mistake and record an accurate score. This goes to the basic USPSA/NROI tenet of “get the right score.” Do what it takes to get it right: use overlays, look at angles, talk to whoever you need to talk to in order get an accurate score. Don’t be afraid to change your mind or admit you are wrong in order to get it right. There are plenty of reasons to correct scores, but also some restrictions on when we can do so. Once the match is over, and the scores are final, there is little that can be done.
Mistakes can happen in entering the scores. While PractiScore eliminates the issue of missing times or missing target scores, it still takes a person to type in the information and errors can happen. Which is why our rules have 9.7.4 and mutual consent. The two big takeaways for me are:
- As an RO, while trying to get the right score, do not extend beyond what is allowed within the rules. Just because we don’t like the way something looks or smells does not mean we have the right to impose penalties or direct reshoots that are not required by rule. As always, do the best you can to make sure you capture the correct time and score. We don’t give benefit of doubt, unsupported penalties or unrequired reshoots. When in doubt, consult with the RM!
- As a shooter, recognize that while it may seem like one of your competitors may have gotten over on you, or that the staff may have gotten the wrong time or score, we cannot change scores or adjust times unilaterally. Without coaching penalties, Arbitration or Mutual Agreement between shooter and RO, once approved all scores are final. And it is always ideal to report score issues or discrepancies to stats and the RM as soon as you see them. That gives them time to research and determine a course of action to fix things before the final match scores are posted.