1. IBTA Memberships
These are to be sent to the GENERAL OFFICE no later than 30th November each year. We recommend
sending a letter out to your members in good time to get payment in time for the renewal date.

The preferred method of receiving these are on the Excel form via Email. It is important that you use the
forms received in October/November as they may change from year to year. Do not use old forms or they
will be returned to you for amendment.

Fees should be lodged directly to the appropriate IBTA bank account. Confirmation must be sent to the
IBTA General Secretary and the IBTA Treasurer once you have done this.

2. Competition Entries
The IBTA Competition Pack is issued early in the New Year and contains all the paper work needed for the
whole competition year. It has all the entry forms for the contests and the master list of divisions available
to enter. Please ensure that you keep this information on your computer, as it is only sent at the beginning of
the year, so you must retain all the information which you require. It also advises of the closing dates for
new memberships and entry fee closing dates. These must be adhered to or your entries will not be
accepted.

Again, payment needs to be lodged to the appropriate IBTA Bank Account. Please remember that entries for
contests must be in the currency of the competition location, so payment for contests in England must be
paid in Sterling in to the English bank account, and for contests held in Ireland in Euro in to the Irish bank
account.

It is the Corps Director’s responsibility to ensure that this is done by the specified date. The number of
days it takes to transfer funds varies from bank to bank, so always allow five days. Failure to lodge funds on
time will result in you having to pay a late penalty fee.

Entry forms are easy to fill in, and calculate each competitor’s age at contest, and average ages of teams.
Please follow the instructions carefully and you should not experience any issues. The number of competitors
in each event and the subsequent cost will also calculate for you.

Once the Contest Office have entered all the competitors they will send you the Contest Run Sheets to
check. Check these against your entries and your levels list when you receive them in case of any errors.
They will do the same once the Programme has been finalised. You MUST inform the Contest Office
immediately of any errors or problems you have regarding the contest. They will always give you a deadline
for this which must be adhered to, as paperwork needs to be finalised before the contest begins. This is why
they do not make changes at contest.


Please remember that the IBTA does not allow pregnant twirlers to compete (or to take any practical exams).
This is for safety and insurance purposes. Should a twirler discover that she is pregnant once your entries
have been sent then we will refund her entry fees, and we will allow you to re-arrange your teams as
necessary. Please advise the Contest Office as soon as you are aware of this, and they will allow you period
of time to make any adjustments you need to enable your teams to compete. Please ensure that your twirlers
are aware of this very important rule, and that your corps supports and abides by it.

3. IBTA Information and Rules
As Corps Director it is your job to pass on any information, rules or changes that may affect your twirlers.
It is always sensible to do this in writing; this leaves no element of doubt. For instance, the rule of no flash
photography is particularly important. This should be emphasised before each contest as you may find
yourselves disqualified if the rule is not adhered to. Spectator door fees is another critical piece of
information that should be passed on to your twirlers and their families. Valuables left in changing rooms,
lost batons, etc. These are all things that are your responsibility to ensure your members know. Don’t forget
to listen for important announcements or if you are not always in the main hall, ask someone else to listen out
for you; otherwise you may miss vital information.

You will always be sent a complete list of up-to-date rules and regulations at the start of each year. Please
ensure that you read these carefully in case there have been any changes made.

Video Personnel and Video Badges: You may only video your own corps at contest, and only if you have been
CRB/Garda checked (CRBs must be obtained through the IBTA), and are wearing an IBTA Video Badge.
Photographs for badges must be sent to the IBTA with registration every year.

Starters & Clerks: On receipt of the run sheets please ensure that you allocate these tasks to members of
your corps. Adequate training must be given within corps for starters, and from the IBTA for Clerks (people
carrying out these duties must be over 16 years of age). You should check with your clerks that they have
signed a confidentiality agreement, and that they bring it with them to contest.

Basic and Military Strut: Each twirler will be required to have the number they are listed in their section
attached to the front their costume. The number should be clear and on the front left hand side, usually hip
area.

Reporting to Competing Area: Ensure your twirlers report to the correct area in good time, and stay there
once they have checked in. If for any reason the competitor has to leave the area, please inform the starter
of their whereabouts. If a member of your corps has withdrawn from a division you must inform the starter.
Please do not send other twirlers to do this, it MUST be a Corps Director.

Team Events: Only the Corps Director and designated people are allowed on the main stage/by the music
system when the corps is performing. Performance times on run sheets are only approximate and all corps
members should listen to announcements regarding timings during the day. To allow for these changes, allow
at least an hour before the performance time given to get the team ready.

Coaching from the sidelines: Do Not put yourself in this position. Tell your parents to watch and smile only
or it may be misconstrued as coaching the twirler. If this is witnessed by the Judge or an IBTA Officer it
will result in instant disqualification.

Prize Giving: Remember to drill your twirlers to salute the Judge on collection of their award. Remind them
it is very disrespectful to remove their award before the end of the prize giving ceremony.


Apart from the 4-9 age groups, only two members from the winning team are required to come up to accept
an award - one to accept the medals and the other to accept the trophy (1st to 3rd places only, no trophy from
4th place). We suggest that you select the twirlers beforehand for each team.

IBTA Prize Giving Parades are to be marched and not walked. Dress should be leotard, costume or corps
tracksuits please. Each corps must decide on a choice of attire for all of their members. Jazz shoes or
other appropriate footwear must be worn. No food or drink is permitted on the floor.

Please remember that prize giving is for competitors only, corps directors, teachers who have not competed,
siblings and mascots should not be on the floor.

Collection of Score Sheets: Don’t forget to collect these from the stage area at the end of prize giving. If
you do receive anyone else’s score sheets in error either forward them on to the Contest Director or the
corps concerned.

4. Competition
It may be of help to you at competition if you provide a list for your twirlers beforehand. Information such
as solo areas, approximate timings, what they need to bring, and general rules and guidelines will all stop your
twirlers asking you where they are going every five minutes!

5. General
Corps Directors Code of Ethics:

1	All Corps Directors must above all, agree to abide by the constitution and the current rules and procedures of the IBTA and the guidelines within the corps they run.
2	All corps directors shall make every effort to encourage good sportsmanship amongst twirlers, parents, other corps directors, teachers and other IBTA members.
3	All corps directors shall strive to share responsibility for developing the personality and moral qualities in their twirlers.
4	All corps directors shall conduct themselves in a respectable manner at all times.
5	All corps directors shall, to the best of their ability, keep themselves informed of all IBTA competitions, seminars, rule changes and functions and provide accurate information to their students and parents.
6	Corps directors shall never, in any manner, solicit students of another corps. Corps directors shall not be allowed to make the first contact with any twirler, parent, guardian or other corps members.
7	Corps directors shall not make false claims concerning the achievements of their corps members. Competitions and competition results shall be referred to accurately by rightful names, age, divisions and titles. When dealing with the press and others, all information must be factual.
8	A corps director’s conduct towards other corps directors must be characterised by courtesy, good faith and respect.
9	All corps directors must be reasonable in their demands on the twirlers time, energy, financial status, social status and enthusiasm. Remember that they have other interests. The scheduling of practice times and competitions should take into consideration the maturity level of the twirler.
10	All corps directors shall strive to work in harmony with, and appreciate, the advice and knowledge of their teacher.
11	All corps directors must follow the advice of a doctor to determine when an injured twirler is ready to twirl again.
12	Remember that children play for fun and enjoyment and that winning is only part of it. Reinforce the fact that honest effort is as important as victory so that the results of each competition can be accepted without undue distress.
13	Develop respect for the ability of the opponent, as well as for the judgement of judges, teachers and other corps directors, and not publicly question the judgement of officials.
14	Be generous with your praise when it is deserved.
15	Make children aware of the physical fitness value of baton twirling and the lifelong recreation and social value.
16	Avoid over-using talented twirlers. The ‘just average’ twirlers need and deserve equal time. Gain the advice of and work with your teacher when selecting teams.

Child Protection Policy

It is important to protect both the twirlers and ourselves. It is a requirement of our Insurance Policy that a
Child Protection Policy is in place. We would further extend this to confirm that it is a requirement that ALL
Corps Directors and Teachers are CRB or Garda checked, of which CRBs must be done through the IBTA
every 3 years. You should request sight of the document confirming clearance. You may also find that this is
a requirement of venues in which you train.

Risk Assessment Policy

It is the responsibility of the Corps Director to ensure that an adequate risk assessment has been carried
out for all venues that are used for training and other associated activities. You may wish to check if a Risk
Assessment has been carried out when performing at Displays also.

Communications is a wonderful thing. Please do contact the relevant IBTA Elected Officer if you have
any problems or concerns:

Elaine Furlong – General Secretary		Any general queries, or membership queries. Elaine will forward on anything which you send to her to the relevant Officer
Sharon Wilkinson – Treasurer		Any payment queries
Joyce Loveys – Contest Director and/or Rebecca Taylor – Contest Secretary		Any contest queries
Maria Donnelly		Queries regarding becoming a judge or clerk, taking judges exams, or any issues with scoresheets (within the month following a contest)
Dawn Cavanagh		Queries regarding becoming a teacher, taking teachers or medal exams, finding a teacher, or general seminars

If you are not sure who to contact, then go through the General Office, and Elaine will advise you.

INTERNATIONAL BATON TWIRLING ASSOCIATION
CORPS DIRECTORS BOOKLET 2012