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1975 January Issue of Gymnast Magazine Recap of the start of NAWGJ pgs. 32-33

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NAWGJ National Association of Women’s Gymnastics Judges

During the USGF Congress 1974 this one year old organization was discussed at length at two separate meetings. Mrs. Shirley Bryan, chairman of the USGF-WC, prefaced the discussion by its National Judging Director, Kitty Kjeldson at the closing Women’s Committee meeting by these statements:

“As you know, we have 1,671 USGF/DGWS certified judges for women’s gymnastics in the United States. It was the USGF Women’s committee which initiated the request for the formation of such an organization which has been sorely needed for many years. Jackie Fie and I have worked hand in hand with the association from the very beginning.

It is to be clearly understood that it is an independent organization. It is not a branch or a division of the USGF Women’s Committee. However, from the standpoint of the USGF Women’s Committee, we have pledged our 100% support. We are the first organization to do so.

We have turned over to the directors of the Association the assignment of judges for all USGF meets in this coming season from the local through the national level. In this first year, we will work in helping with those assignments.

The assignment, or the selection of judges is not a unilateral decision of that association. The USGF Women’s Technical Committee was asked to develop and submit the criteria for selection of judges and we have a committee working on that. The USGF Women’s Committee has submitted criteria for all our meets.

From this point on, we have turned the responsibilities of judging assignments over to them. The USGF was the one who asked for such an association, the USGF is the one who has helped get it started, and the USGF is on record of 100% support and cooperation.

We know that there may be some little ruffles during the year. It is the first year at trying something new, but we are totally supportive and we are requesting all judging assignments for USGF sanctioned meets to come through that committee.”

KITTY KJELDSEN – NAWGJ National Judging Director

The following presentation has been prepared by Renee Hendershott from notes taken at two NAWGJ meetings at the USGF Congress.

The National Association for Women’s Gymnastics Judges is a professional organization for men and women who are certified USGF/DGWS judges of women’s gymnastics. In this first year of its existence, the main work of electing officers has proceeded from National, through Regional and State levels.

The Regional Judging Directors have conducted elections in their own regions. The list of State Judging Directors will be completed very soon and published in all available media. In just a few states there were too few judges or not enough persons willing to accept a position, the State Judging Directors had to be appointed. Otherwise, all officers are to be elected and will serve two year terms. Odd numbered regions will hold elections every other odd year and even-numbered regions on alternate even years.

The Association will serve you and its membership in a number of ways: At the request of any organization, we will assign USGF/DGWS certified judges from among our membership on a rotational basis to meets of a dual, triangular, local, district, sectional, state, regional, and national nature.

AIAW and USGF have already requested this service for the 1974-1975 season. The NAWGJ will assign judges for AIAW Nationals and USGF meets at every level including Elites. (Since judges have already been assigned for several USGF sanctioned meets on the lower levels, the service will be used on a random basis for USGF meets this season. ).

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