Judging

Florida Federation of Judges Association (FFJA)

Chief Judge Bio

Tom Slaughter is currently Chief Judge in the Florida Federation of Colorguards Circuit and President of the Florida Federation of Judges Association (FFJA). The FFJA has a membership of over 80 winter guard, winter percussion and winds judges based throughout the eastern United States. The association provides judges to indoor competitive circuits throughout the southeast and works to support the pageantry activity through various educational and adjudication symposiums. Mr. Slaughter is also an active judge for Winter Guard International and has been a nationally recognized visual adjudicator since 1994. He has also presented seminars and clinics as part of the multiple judging symposiums nationwide.

Prior to judging, Mr. Slaughter was a visual designer and instructor for numerous marching band and winter guard programs in West Central Florida. Currently, he is a Math Teacher at Wilson Middle School in Tampa, Florida. He resides in New Port Richey, Florida and has been married to his wife Rene for 21 years.  They have two children.

The Florida Federation of Judges Association has a reputation as a leader in the management, training, and recruiting of judges in the winter pageantry activities. Currently, the FFJA is administrating judges for the Florida Federation of Colorguards Circuit and the South Florida Winter Guard Association. In the past the FFJA has provided judges to other circuits in the southeast, and continually shares resources and personnel with an extensive network of local judging circuits that are based throughout the country.

Judges who wish to judge in the FFJA undergo a rigorous training and professional development program to assure that their commentary, rankings, and ratings of the units they judge are in compliance with a consistent judging philosophy. Training to be a judge can take from 1-3 seasons and involves academic and practical judge training in a curriculum developed by our Education Directors, Christine Clayton (Color Guard) and Chris Hestin (Percussion).

Judges continue their certification and remain eligible for assignments by also working with our Education Directors on programs and activities that stimulates their evolution as a judge that allows them to accurately adjudicate participates in the ever evolving winter guard and winter percussion activities.

Individuals with significant design, instruction, or performance experience in the pageantry arts are eligible to enroll in our training program and work towards their judging certification. To do so, email the Chief Judge, Tom Slaughter at vicepresident@ffcc.org.