It’s a beautiful sunny morning, a little cool, but that feels nice after the recent heat. You check your phone, the date reads October 14, 2017. You stroll into the elegant foyer of the Hilton Garden Inn in Ardmore, Oklahoma and are directed through the lobby to a conference center. You note the light grey walls and lime green decor as you approach a man sitting at a table. His nametag reads “John White” and he greets you with a smile. He asks your name and, following your response, hands you a large white envelope. You are also handed a USA-South judge notebook and offered candy from a large bowl. “Welcome to Choose Your Own Adventure, a judge conference experience.”
You examine the envelope and find that it bears your name on a small sticker in the top left corner. Inside you find a customized nametag noting your location and role in the conference (attendee, presenter, staff, etc.). There is also a yellow sheet displaying a customized schedule showing the workshops you indicated on your signup survey, and the general schedule of presentations. A small blue square of paper is marked “Door Prize Ticket.” You are also asked to take a small white slip of paper containing a QR code from a box.
You glance around the pre-conference area and see a table well stocked with coffee, tea, and water. Other judges are helping themselves to the beverages and socializing at the nearby tables. You note that behind the check-in area, there are 4 doors, each marked with the name of a planeswalker. As 8:00 am nears and the conference is about to begin, you have a decision to make . . .
If you enter the door marked Nicol Bolas . . . .
You find three judges seated at a large boardroom table. During each two hour time block, they are joined by five participants. Kenny Perry begins each session with a presentation on investigation techniques, followed by Anson Henthorn and Ashten Fisher acting out several situations. Participants engage in active investigations, then the group debriefs on each session and participants provide feedback for each other.
If you enter the door marked Jace . . . .
You hear a judge making an opening announcement for what sounds like Friday Night Magic. Then he sits down and another judge stands to provide a similar announcement. On closer inspection you realize that the group of fifteen judges is participating in a head judge announcements workshop led by Ben Quasnitschka. He has covered the basics of gaining and keeping the audience’s attention, what information is the most important and when to say it, and of course, judge puns.
If you enter the door marked Vraska . . . .
There is an accordion on the table. Twenty judges sit in a large U-shape discussing scorekeeping. Mike Ames appears to be in charge, assisted by John Hessler. You listen to comments on how to use WER as well as an explanation of what to do when it crashes. The content is well prepared and clearly presented, but you wonder about the accordion.
If you enter the door marked Huatli . . . .
Raucous laughter greets you. You hear beeping sounds, rapidly fired questions, random trivia, and a lot of merriment. Judges seem to be enjoying hearing bits of information about the history of the program interspersed with current rules and policy, with some wacky off-topic discussions. In addition to the content, the seminar builds a sense of community as judges share laughs and make memories together.
At 10:00am, the rooms all empty and the judges filter into the Huatli room. The room is a bit crowded and stuffy, thanks to a broken air conditioner. Erin Leonard, the conference organizer, greets the crowd and introduces the staff. She points out Preston May, in charge of live-streaming the event, Amanda Coots, testing coordinator, and John White, the conference co-organizer.
John steps up to distribute door prizes. He collects the blue tickets into a bag, then draws names at random. You listen for your name, hoping to be chosen to select from a table of colorful gift bags and open the mystery prize inside. Most contain regional swag such as notebooks and keychains, but some also contain general Magic goodies like gravity dice, sleeves, or packs of cards.
A handsome man in a pale blue shirt and cowboy hat is introduced as Regional Coordinator David Hibbs. He proceeds with a presentation called “Story Circle.” On the first slide, a list of topics is presented and the attendees are allowed to vote on how the presentation procedes. After each section concludes, another vote determines the next topic. You enjoy an hour of judge program history lessons encompassing badges, uniforms, judge exams, and stories of times gone by.
After the presentation, the group reconvenes outside on a sunny patio where Ben Quasnitschka organizes you all for a group photo. Much rearranging and jostling results in you being sandwiched between friends kneeling on a piece of lawn furniture. You smile for a few minutes into the blinding sun, then are released to return inside.
Other judges are heading out in cars or on foot to grab some lunch at nearby restaurants. The format of the conference allows for freedom to create your own schedule by combining presentations, workshops, testing, or other activities to result in a minimum of six hours of content. Since the conference lasts from 8am to 6pm, you can choose to arrive early, take a long lunch, leave early, stay late, or any combination thereof to meet your personal needs and goals.
You wander back inside and note a few judges scattered around the lobby area taking judge exams, debriefing after practice tests or meeting with mentors. The large glass and grey room offers plenty of space to relax, study, or chat quietly. Amanda seems to be everywhere at once coordinating a variety of activities and allowing each judge to pursue their advancement goals.
You wander back toward the meeting rooms and face John, seated at his table answering questions and offering candy. You fill a cup at the beverage table and once again contemplate your choices . . .
If you enter the door marked Nicol Bolas . . . .
You realize that you’ve been here before. Ashten and Anson still sit at their table and Kenny repeats his presentation. The only thing that has changed is the five participants in the workshop.
If you enter the door marked Jace . . . .
You encounter a small Magic tournament. About 12 players open starter decks and complete deck registration while a team of judges guides them. Jessica Livingston expertly guides the team of new judges and you quickly realize this is a mock tournament. You note that the players are a mix of experienced judges and local players, including one judge’s five-year-old daughter. The judges are organized into teams and each one is led by an L1, gaining invaluable experience in leadership. Despite issues with the decklists, things seem to be proceeding smoothly.
If you enter the door marked Vraska . . . .
You watch while Frank Chafe demonstrates his method of deck checks at the head of the room. Around 20 judges follow along. You are handed a starter deck and offered a chance to give it a try. Your fingers fumble through the motions at first, but you quickly see that Frank’s method can make a deck check quicker and more efficient.
If you enter the door marked Huatli . . . .
A presenter stands at the front of the room speaking to a group of judges. You realize that the other rooms are much cooler and the doors to this room have been left open to allow better air circulation, but it’s still hot and stuffy inside. You sit down and listen for a few minutes as Bryan Spellman dances his way through a presentation entitled “Baby Got Backups”. In the front corner of the room, Preston sits behind a wall of electronic equipment, monitoring the livestream and recording the presentations for judges who were unable to attend.
After enjoying your afternoon attending workshops and presentations, you decide to join your friends for dinner. Before heading out, you use the QR code you received earlier to access a Google feedback form asking you to evaluate the presenters and presentations. Since you selected a random QR code and your name is not included anywhere, the feedback is completely anonymous. You quickly answer the questions, then return to John at his table.
Above the table you note signs congratulating two new L1s, Brandon Cox and Joseph Dunlap, and two new L2s, Andrew Villarubia and Travis Perusich. John checks on his computer that you have earned at least six credits by looking up your QR code number. He marks you as complete and hands you a packet of foils. Then he thanks you for attending and you head out into the balmy Oklahoma evening.
