Editor’s Note: This article is part of our series of highlighted exemplar recognitions. See our introduction post for all the details, or view all the posts in this series.

Nick Richards is a Level 1 Judge from Columbus, Ohio. He was recognized this wave for stepping up at a local event. Here is what was said about Nick’s efforts:

“Nick, thank you for stepping up at the Sept. 12th 2015 SCG Premier IQ in Columbus. We might have been a bit understaffed, but your professionalism and attention to detail was a big part of why we still managed to make the day a success. I especially appreciate how you handled the one player who became belligerent and eventually was DQed (never a fun situation). You attempted to de-escalate the situation but got assistance when it became necessary. I am confident that you will make a great Level 2 judge. I hope to work with you again soon!”

Here’s what Johnpaul Adams, his Area Captain, had to say:

“Nick was recognized this past wave for his excellent Professionalism at the event. He handled an understaffed event with ease according to the reviewer as well as handling a difficult player that, even thought it lead to a DQ, was handled in a professional manner. Seeking to de-escalate a situation is one thing that is not immediately intuitive in these situations and its excellent Nick chose this route before recognizing he needed to get another judge involved in the situation. Great, and excellent, professional work, Nick!”