Freestyle (DOGS Scoring)
The D.O.G.S. acronym is short for Dominantly Objective Grading Sheets which are the data collection tools used by scorekeepers to record their observations of Freestyle Disc performances. These forms are used in turn to enter data and calculate a score for each team. This system has been designed to be as simplistic as possible yet is still robust enough to provide a rating that captures many of the varied nuances of the game, thereby helping participants understand the score they are receiving and how to improve their performances in the future.
Emphasis has been placed on recording objective observances rather than subjective feelings to provide a scoring system that will yield similar results whether it is being administered by a novice or experienced handler. Removing as much subjective evaluation criteria as possible is essential to being able to compare scores recorded by a varied and diverse audience of judges.
The system uses three scorekeepers who each focus their attention on a single attribute of a routine by recording what they see happen on the field into four sub-classifications:
- Throws (count all airborne disc releases)
- Basic Short (<10 yards)
- Advanced Short (<10 yards)
- Basic Long (>10 yards)
- Advanced Long (>10 yards)
- Catches (count all airborne disc catches)
- Grounded
- Leaping
- Flipping
- Balanced
- Tricks (count each unique trick variation once during routine)
- Disc Grips
- Handler Moves
- Dog Moves
- Team Moves
Each attribute has a maximum scoring cap of 10 points. Additionally, a Success category is calculated (((total catches) / (total throws)) x 10) from the first two judges score sheets and added to the other 3 categories for a grand total max score of 40.
The simple logic behind this approach is that virtually anyone can be trained to keep score in a few minutes, and since the criteria is dominantly objective the scores will be similar regardless of who is in the judging seat. Of the three scoring attributes, counting trick variations is the most difficult. Therefore, the scoring sheet for that category provides a checkbox list under each sub-classification to help that scorekeeper track their observations while the other two scorekeeper sheets only include large boxes for tic marks.