{"id":8461,"date":"2018-05-02T13:00:35","date_gmt":"2018-05-02T18:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/jotw\/?p=8461"},"modified":"2018-05-02T08:18:07","modified_gmt":"2018-05-02T13:18:07","slug":"graham-schofield","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/jotw\/graham-schofield\/","title":{"rendered":"Graham Schofield"},"content":{"rendered":"

Our latest Judge of the Week Candidate takes us Into the North<\/a> and shows us a bit of how life and Magic<\/strong> mix in Canada. Graham<\/a><\/span><\/span> works daily making Magic<\/strong> better in his community and he shares with us how that has helped better himself. It is my pleasure to introduce to you,\u00a0Graham Schofield<\/a><\/span><\/span>!<\/p>\n

\"Grahams'
Level 2 Graham Schofield from Toronto, Canada.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Name:<\/strong>\u00a0Graham Schofield<\/a><\/span><\/span>
\nLevel:<\/strong> 2
\nLocation:<\/strong> Toronto, Canada (Tor-Ronn-Ahh)
\nJudge start date:<\/strong> L1 – 02 November\u00a0 2013 \/\/ L2 – 17 August 2014
\nOccupation:<\/strong> Operations and Organized Play Manager for Face to Face Games Toronto
\nFavorite card:<\/strong>\u00a0Phyrexian Unlife<\/a>
\nLeast favorite card:<\/strong>\u00a0Courser of Kruphix<\/a>
\nFavorite format:<\/strong> All of them. I currently have one or more of: Pauper, Standard, Modern, and Commander decks. I just like building decks. Currently enjoying building Brawl decks.
\nCommander General:<\/strong>\u00a0Lazav, Dimir Mastermind<\/a> (using only cards from Ravnica and Return to Ravnica), Licia, Sanguine Tribune<\/a>, Kynaios and Tiro of Meletis<\/a>
\nFavorite non-Magic Game:<\/strong> Card Game- Star Wars Destiny (its like hearthstone and Commander had a baby), Board Game- X-Wing Miniatures Game, Video Game – Assassin\u2019s Creed series<\/p>\n

Best tournament result:<\/strong> I made Top 8 in a PTQ the day before I tested for L2. I was supposed to go 0-2 and test that day, but ended up doing well and going X-1. My brain was mush the next day and I was so exhausted, I had one of my worst days judging. Jason Wong<\/a><\/span><\/span> basically told me that based on just that day he wouldn\u2019t let me write the test, but after talking to other judges perhaps this one day wasn\u2019t representative of my judging. He would let me write but didn\u2019t expect me to pass. Got a 90%.<\/p>\n

Random fact about yourself:<\/strong> My family didn\u2019t have much music in the household since my father is deaf and my mother didn\u2019t really like pop music after the Beatles \u201cgot weird\u201d. I\u2019m frequently surprised by people having strong passionate opinions over music.<\/p>\n

\"Graham
“These aren’t the Judges that you are looking for..”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Why do you Judge?<\/strong>
\nJudging is deeply intertwined with my day job, so currently it keeps me sharp and helps me hone the critical thinking and people skills that I apply every day at work.<\/p>\n

Why did I become a judge?<\/strong>
\nSpite<\/a> and outrage. I was banned from a LGS for \u201ccheating\/stalling\u201d by a manager after we got an unintentional draw in a PTQ (not being run by them or at their store, we were just matched). I strongly resented the implication that I was a cheater and wanted to prove that accusation wrong. The person whose job it was to tell me I was banned was Kelly Ackerman<\/a><\/span><\/span>, then one of the few local L2s and he personally didn\u2019t agree with it. He set me up with another L2 who could test me and the rest is history. Funnily enough Kelly<\/a><\/span><\/span> went on to open Face to Face Games Toronto and now I work for him.<\/p>\n

Tell us your favorite Judge story.
\n<\/strong>My favourite call was at GP Detroit during the \u201cEldrazi Winter\u201d of Modern. In a mirror match of Bant Eldrazi decks NAP cast Path to Exile<\/a> on AP\u2019s creature. When AP presented their deck after searching NAP cut it…on top of their deck! They had the exact same sleeves and the cards were all in the same orientation.<\/p>\n

Many judges I speak to about this react with \u201cwell just go get the deck lists\u201d. That is what the judge who brought me into the call did. I realized that this was just a weird card counting situation, and figured out how many cards NAP should have in their deck and counted from the bottom, the rest of my elimination was AP\u2019s deck. I had them playing before the judge with the deck lists arrived.<\/p>\n

\"Magic
Worth their weight in Red Pens.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What are some tips you have for other Judges?<\/strong><\/p>\n

When taking calls:<\/strong> Don\u2019t just attack the rules problem in front of you like it is a quiz. Talk to the players briefly, find out things they agree on and if they disagree on something (like where we are in combat). Asking those sorts of yes or no questions can help assert your authority in a gentle way if players are irate or in a heated disagreement, and it will help you identify where and what may have gone wrong beyond the obvious.<\/p>\n

When at events:<\/strong> Bring a spare change of socks to switch into on your break. It is the greatest feeling.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What is your favorite non-judging moment that happened with other Judges (or after event story)?
\n<\/strong>I\u2019m now the third person of this infamous car of Canadians driving to SCG Syracuse 2017 to be featured in Judge of the Week. We left way later than we had intended and ended up singing Linkin Park (R.I.P. Chester) to keep ourselves awake through the storms and the long drive. It is sort of surreal to think about. We didn\u2019t plan it, discuss it, or even all agree that we would sing. I just put Meteora and Hybrid Theory on and we just launched into it.<\/p>\n

What challenges have you faced or are you facing to become a better judge, and how have you worked to overcome them?
\n<\/strong>Locally I don\u2019t get much feedback and I felt like I Plateau<\/a>ed. I\u2019m the Judge Manager for the largest TO in the country and many of the local judges at this point have either already told me what they have observed, or have learned how to do things based on what I\u2019ve taught. I still should probably write more reviews and attempt to install that culture locally, but that is a work in progress.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve made a bigger effort this year and last to go out and diversify my experience and work with others outside my local area. Where previously I would just yell at the sky and bemoan that no one would give me feedback, I\u2019ve tried to be better about communicating my desire for it and seeking out those who can give it. I\u2019ve also poked my \u201clocal\u201d L3s (as much as Halifax is local to Toronto) and they have generously given me opportunities and guidance when they can.<\/p>\n

Who have been some of your biggest mentors in the Judge Program, and what did they teach you?
\n<\/strong>Most recently Jon Goud<\/a><\/span><\/span> and Jason Wong<\/a><\/span><\/span> have been helping me improve, being more aware of my gaps in social skills and how to manage my batteries to last a whole event without my default \u201cResting Grumpy Face\u201d scaring people off. A takeaway I would suggest to others is that if you are leading it\u2019s okay to step away and have time to yourself so you don\u2019t have to be \u201con\u201d. Your team will survive and you\u2019ll have better interactions when you\u2019re rested.<\/p>\n

When I was an L1, Kelly Ackerman<\/a><\/span><\/span> (now my boss) modeled a lot of great judge behaviour that I try to pass along. He doesn\u2019t judge as much but he still has a lot to teach anyone about interacting with people and making people happy and excited. Or at least less grumpy when faced with bad news. Smiling really does help.<\/p>\n

Alexis Hunt<\/a><\/span><\/span>, who since stepped down, helped me a lot in preparing for L2 and offered me the opportunity to test ahead of schedule, back when there was a minimum of 1 year as an L1. Alexis<\/a><\/span><\/span> taught me a lot about investigations, the importance of finding the root of problems and the source of the error, and not just what the players present to you. Alexis<\/a><\/span><\/span> was also pretty instrumental in me just learning the IPG and policy in general.<\/p>\n

I also should give a shout to Michael McCliment<\/a><\/span><\/span> who stayed at my apartment (over other closer-to-the-venue options) the weekend I was testing for L2 because he knew I was testing and wanted to help. I had never met him previously and yet I probably have him to thank for my current career.<\/p>\n

\"Graham
A Judge at rest.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What positive aspects has the Judge Program contributed to your everyday life?
\n<\/strong>That is difficult for me to measure as it is so intwined with my day job. It taught me humility<\/a>, perhaps a little too late in the process, and it has greatly helped my planning and logistical mind. It\u2019s most recently teaching me how to manage the way I carry myself and how people respond to that.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the best part about your local Magic community?<\/strong>
\nToronto has a very passionate and large community. They just show up and encourage each other so much. The result is that if you find you don\u2019t get along with a particular group or way that they play at a particular LGS you aren\u2019t out of options to play locally. You\u2019ve got a buffet of options every night in Toronto.<\/p>\n

What is your favorite non-Magic hobby?
\n<\/strong>Fencing. I used to run the Fencing Club at University and I miss it dearly. Especially Sabre.<\/p>\n

How did you get involved in Magic in the first place?
\n<\/strong>My friend Sean got me into it (like he did so many other things when we were kids) around Urza\u2019s Legacy and 6th ED.\u00a0I kept playing casually, losing at the occasional FNM, and stopping when I went to university around the end of Ravnica block. There wasn\u2019t a great scene locally and Time Spiral Block made no damn sense.<\/p>\n

I got back into it around Innistrad. Return to Ravnica got me excited to play with my familiar Guilds and this new Modern format seemed great as all my (good) cards were still legal. I went 6-0-3 on Day 1 of my first GP playing 4 colour Delver of Secrets<\/a> w\/ Isochron Scepter<\/a> and have been pretty into the game again since that event.<\/p>\n

If you could chat with one person, real or fictional, dead or alive, who would it be and why?<\/strong>
\nOctavian or Hannibal. I\u2019m just a sucker for Classical Mediterranean history. They are such excellent strategists I\u2019d love to understand how they think. I sometimes struggle thinking multiple steps ahead and who better to learn from.<\/p>\n

If you were a Planeswalker what would be your ultimate?
\n<\/strong>-8: Search your deck and graveyard for two cards and add them to your hand. Take an extra turn after this one. Until the end of your next turn, you can\u2019t lose the game and your opponents can\u2019t win.<\/p>\n

Proudest moment of your Judge life?
\n<\/strong>Seeing my first judge whom I certified, Kaitlin McLachlan<\/a><\/span><\/span>, reach L2 was pretty special. She\u2019s killing it, and I\u2019m proud to have played a part in that. I\u2019m stoked to see who will be next.<\/p>\n

What character in Magic (real or fictional) represents you the best, and why?
\n<\/strong>Karn<\/a>. I\u2019m pretty stone faced and can be a little enigmatic. I also love building things, decks, D&D<\/strong> settings, planes etc.<\/p>\n

Is there anything else you’d like to add?
\n<\/strong>Don\u2019t rely on people asking you how to become a Judge to find new Judges. Find people who you think would be good at it and suggest it to them.<\/p>\n

Some selling points I use
\n– it\u2019s a great way to help out the community
\n– it can help subsidize the cost of keeping up with MtG
\n– it\u2019s a way to stay in touch with a community if you don\u2019t have the ability to continually play events at the level you might like
\n– and, you can help bring about the change, culturally or otherwise, that you want to see in your local community.<\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

Many thanks to\u00a0Graham Schofield<\/a><\/span><\/span> for sharing some of his trials and tribulations along with the victories and experience of overcoming them. But, we need one last thing from you (or three (two is right out))…<\/p>\n

Two Truths and a Lie\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. I used to have an \u201depic\u201d rat tail<\/li>\n
  2. I\u2019ve swam in Glacier Bay Alaska<\/li>\n
  3. I have seen Nickelback live in concert twice and enjoyed myself every time<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    [expand title=”The answer to the last Two Truths and a Lie…”]Tobias Vyseri does not still sleep with a giant stuffed owl plushie, but does sleep with a giant stuffed bunny.[\/expand]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    The Judge exploits of one Graham Schofield, in which we hear of car karyaoke, counting cards, and a plea for spare socks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":377,"featured_media":8463,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"language":[],"class_list":["post-8461","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-judge-of-the-week"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/jotw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8461","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/jotw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/jotw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/jotw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/377"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/jotw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8461"}],"version-history":[{"count":29,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/jotw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8461\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8551,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/jotw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8461\/revisions\/8551"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/jotw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8463"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/jotw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8461"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/jotw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8461"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/jotw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8461"},{"taxonomy":"language","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/jotw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/language?post=8461"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}