Badly Bungled Awana Race

[zackygrampa]

I have a really bizarre situation and am hoping someone out there might give me some advice on how to deal with this situation. In a nutshell, at the local Awana Grand Prix, this weekend, the guy running the race ( a deacon in that church) screwed up the announcement of winners and gave trophies to kids that were in the back of the pack, totally ignoring the actual winners (for the sake of disclosure, the actual#1 & #2 kids are ours). When a couple parents and a local scoutmaster told him, almost immediately, THE GUY REFUSED TO CORRECT THE MISTAKE!!!! They went on to have an awards ceremony with photos and all with the wrong kids. The guy said, "don't worry, we'll just order more trophies". The guy thinks that is what the race is about!!. Our boys could not believe that this church leader would not fix his mistake and they went home in tears. As most of the solutions that came to mind immediately involve major prison time for me, I am hoping some of you might have some better ideas to point me toward. Oh- I also just found out last night that this guy had done the same thing 4 years ago. Another poor kid went home with only tears to show for her first place win.

[Stan Pope]

Now, it may be that he has a deeper, more beneficent motive. Someone should explore that with him. The newspapers might be interested to interview him and explore his novel teaching concepts. Might make a great series for a community newspaper. I think I'd want to discuss that eventuality with him ahead of time, just in case he had a change of heart.

Seriously, it sounds to me like the feller shouldn't be doing that job. The sponsoring organization must be given an opportunity to see to that. I'm sure that those personality defects could be applied to advantage elsewhere!

As an organizer and race chair, I recognized that I am fully able to make more than my share of mistakes. I've proven that assertion countless times. With that recognition in mind, I organize the racing and record keeping and interpretation of results completely in the open so that everyone can see the steps. When I write down the wrong number or finish place, it gets corrected immediately and I thank the person who called it to my attention!

When the scores get added up, I ask each person to check my addition for his score and for the two adjacent racer's scores!

You can see that this method is pre-computer ... back when transparencies and overhead projection was in vogue. Hey, I'm a dinosaur, so what? But the concepts are still good. If it is all out in the open for everyone to see, I don't "mistake myself into a bad situation."

Some other things do or not to do, depending ...
Avoid "frontier justice" ... too quick!
Hide Grandma's '357 ... too final!
(What, Grandma doesn't have one? Why not? My grandkid's "gramma" does! My Dad told me that every woman should learn to shoot ... just in case she needs to shoot her hus ... ummm ... I don't think I should go there ...)

[zackygrampa]

Since I am Grandpa, I don't want Grandma to have a gun - I don't run fast enough enymore.

Thanks for affirming my thought that this was a rotten situation - Bob

[gpraceman]

Here's a segment from an email I sent to Bob.

I had actually heard about this situation through [name removed], from the missionary support team. That is very sad on how the situation was (is being) handled. If a mistake had been made, then it should be acknowledged and rectified as soon as possible. People understand that mistakes happen. It is how people handle their mistakes that can either make things better or far worse.

Awana only provides some basic guidance on how to run a race. It is really up to the local club to determine how they actually run the race. I don’t know that that will change. I’m not sure what our local missionary, [name removed], can do about this, but I believe he will do what he can.

With your permission, I would like to post your letter on Derby Talk. I can leave your name off, if you prefer. I think it would be good for other race coordinators to see and learn from to keep it from happening in their races. --- Looks like you beat me to the punch --- It may also be good to also post this to the Awana forum.

I do think that race coordinators need to hear about things like this. It is encumbent on all of us putting on the races to keep incidents like this from happening. Mistakes will happen. But we should go out of our way to admit the problem and rectify it the best we can.

[Bulldog]

We had a similar instance last year in our pack.

There was a software glitch, that for some reason, listed the racers who raced in the last heat as the top three racers.

Fortunately, the error was caught immediately, and we were able to sort through the times and determine the actual three winners.

[zackygrampa]

We caught it immediately.. Incredibly, the *&%#$% guy running the race refused to change the results! I still have dirt on my chin from my jaw hitting the floor.

[Bulldog]

That has to be very tough to take.

And, since you haven't mentioned any riots or altercations, it sounds as though the parents deserve a great deal of credit for maintaining control.

Lesser things have caused major problems at children's events.

[Go Bubba Go]

Deja Vu: It seems we just had a similar discussion in Derby date changed, no notice given...

First, the kids:

What a mess. You now have 2 sets of youngsters that have been failed by their leadership, 1 that really won but was improperly and publicly overlooked, and 1 that did not really win but was improperly and publicly recognized.

How to address one without embarrassing (it wasn't their doing) the other?

I believe the group that was improperly overlooked should be publicly awarded their rightful places, with an appropriate public apology for the confusion (ideally by the leader that created the mess - if he is not up to it their local group / den / whatever you call them leader should do it).

Especially given this is in a church group, I would look upon this as a "teachable moment" for all the kids involved. Reality check: they will at times be treated unfairly and unjustly during their lives. We should expect it. Being treated poorly doesn't mean that we have to (or get to) react poorly. It doesn't sound like they did, and for that they should be commended.

The leader involved (or other leader if he won't) should also take this opportunity to demonstrate that a leader should correct wrongs (and make amends) when it is within their ability to do so. Those who have been wronged should graciously forgive. Again, not a moment that you would want to see repeated, but a teachable moment nonetheless.

The kids that were improperly awarded should be dealt with privately, if at all. Their names should not be mentioned as the mistaken winners, the mistake was not their fault. Depending on their age, at some point they will put 2 and 2 together and ask what they should do with something that really doesn't belong to them. If so, they should be commended for their honesty. If they aren't discerning enough to put 2 and 2 together yet, I think it would be a mistake to take back their awards. Not sure, but my gut says it would do more harm than good.

Second, the leader:

It sounds as if this man may be in the wrong position (both as a Race Coordinator and a Deacon IMO). I only say "may" because I have not heard his half of the story.

We should not expect leaders to never make a mistake, but to not own up to them is a different matter entirely. Whether he had some misguided beneficence in mind, or whether he is just unteachable and further aggravated the problem when others attempted to correct him, there is something not right about continuing on with his course of action once the mistake had been identified.

Esp. given that this happened once before, it doesn't appear (again, don't know his side) that he belongs in the race leader position.

Time to talk (when it can be done with a right spirit) to those who run the place. Sorry, just don't know enough about how AWANA is organized (generally or in this instance, either one) to be more specific about who that would be.

[TAL]

With out really knowing both sides of the story it's hard to say...

But I have had some experience with some churches having pinewood derbies and have seen a lot of people, hear of the race never being at that church and go to the race and win, take the trophy and run never seeing them again until next year at pinewood derby time...

I have also seen churches have races and require you be a member to be eligible to win the awards...Being some churches like to display the winners of the event in the Sunday service and or also display a plauqe with the winners names each and every year...

Really , have you talked to the man about the incident , instead of hearing things from people about a few years ago...

You know I really mean no offensive remarks here , but you know when you carry the title DECON it is far from spelling the word perfect...


I suggest talk to the man when you feel the time is right ...

[davem]

A friend of mine had a similar experience with a "Destination Imagination" competition.

The team he coached came in near last, however, in an error they were awarded the 3rd place trophy. He sensed something was not right and approached the judges (to find that other coaches were also questioning the results). Bottom line is he approached his girls and explained that while they did a great job for their first time competing, there was a mistake and another team really should have the trophy. He asked the girls how they would feel if they won and another team was given their trophy. He gently coached the girls into making the right decision and as a team they returned the trophy.

The judges brought both teams on stage (his team and the real 3rd place team) and praised the spirit and attitude of the team willing to surrender their trophy. The trophy was given to the correct team and the coach and judges "invented" a good sportsmanship award and awarded it to the team who had surrendered their trophy.

Mistakes happen, we are all human, but this was a great example of teaching children how to do the right thing.

Maybe you and another parent (with no trophy interest) could ask to meet with the judge (or better yet a group of race organizers / volunteers) and share this story with a suggestion that they consider awarding duplicate trophies. One set to the rightful winners and let the other racers keep their trophies with a new plaque / sticker on them for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in good sportsmanship.

I think it important that this be discussed as a group, and not just you and the judge who made the mistake. I think many (if not all) would agree that something should be done to correct the "injustice" without hurting the races who were erroneously awarded the trophies...and without ruining the reputation of the Judge, the Awana program and the sponsoring church.

[gpraceman]

zackygrampa,

Any follow up info? Did your grandsons ever get any apology or recognition for their achievement?

[ciodude]

Wow.. not sure what to say, that's just sad.

[chesspupil]

This was the first year with a timer, and if you want to see Godly Christians at their worst, don't use a timer. The line judges are inundated with multiple parents providing instant replays that show how their child won!

A timer is a equally fault(less) judge. The computer program only partly dispels the myth that the races are rigged to rule out their child as well.

I for one would not host another race without a timer.


Also Our MC had us do a restart for the Adults 5 races in because we left out one leader who failed to sign in... The MC needs to understand how the software works and what it takes to run it to help all understand what the computer guy is doing after the last 5 race results just got wiped off the boards.

The gentleman above has his own judgment coming. Also, take this a an opportunity to minister to the children that God may have had a plan in having a different child win and somehow stick with AWANA a few years longer. I know its not right, but God will explain one day to us all.