Walter....
This is from Jim Valle. He passed the MCI exam.
His reflexions parallel those of some others...like Ken Cole when he said: " Don't take the exam when you think you ae ready; take it when you KNOW you're ready."
Gordy
From: "Gordon Hill" <hillshead@xxxxxxx>
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Subject: RE: Observations of MCI candidates at Conclave
Date: Fri, 26 Aug 2005 10:32:06 -0400
Jim.......
You did well ! I'll pass this on to the Group.
Gordy
From: "JFV" <jfv@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "'Gordon Hill'" <hillshead@xxxxxxx>
Subject: RE: Observations of MCI candidates at Conclave
Date: Thu, 25 Aug 2005 14:22:11 -0400
Gordy,
I just returned from vacation so sorry for the delay.
I haven?t been able to stop thinking about my experience in passing the Masters and how to relate the experience to the group. There is a whole lot to fill in and I will write it all down and share it with everyone as soon as I can get it done. So for now the summary.
First and foremost what a Wonderful Experience!
Some things in life are really worth the effort and there is nothing like the successful completion of a Real Challenge.
Second this like many other things can?t be achieved alone, there were many wonderful people who helped me all along the way and without a doubt they were all standing there on the line with me for the orals and performance test. (Gordy?s electronic school is without a doubt the major contributor to my education.) ( Thanks again Gordy! And to all of the group, I will continue to learn from each of you!) There are numerous others Tom, Floyd, Al etc that I will list in the long version.
Third and most of all is Confidence. Everyone tells you this when you are preparing but it just doesn?t sink in until you can look back. Luck vs Confidence, a basketball star who makes a terrific shot at the buzzer and wins the game. Was it luck or did he(he=he/she) practice enough to the point that he just knew he could make the shot? Confidence I think! Floyd Franke once told me that you will pass the test when you have the confidence to walk up to Lefty or anyone else and say ? Let me show you how I teach that cast? It is not thinking you are ready but really being ready. Having the Life experience, Teaching experience, reading all the books, the knowledge and then combining it all into Understanding.
My examiners were Phil Gay, Alan Crise and Bill Hassan, who conducted a fair and thorough test, always willing to add a little teaching when they could. I was impressed by their simple but all inclusive questions mostly from their combined experience and they did Challenge my knowledge. The result was I really enjoyed the questions and found myself in kind of a ?That was a good one, now ask me another, bring it on?? kind of a mindset. I had fun with the test and it is that confidence examiners can sense.
I made some real tactical mistakes like volunteering, opening up doors (which may not be advisable) but I was ready, so I did and thankfully it worked. One quick example Change of Direction casts, In the orals I was asked how many I could demonstrate, (three or four would have been an acceptable answer, I think) but I was really ready. I responded ?There are at least 12 I can name?, That drew immediate smiles! I knew right away exactly what the next question was going to be and sure enough, ?Ok, you said 12, name them!? So I Did! (as one counted to twelve on his fingers) (By the way this exercise can bring your heart rate to extremely high levels while you plead with your mind not to go blank or forget one.) It was fun to hit the home run, everyone had a good time and that is how it went for a couple of hours.
Then comes the day after and the accomplishment it simply hasn?t been assimilated yet, but now you start to look at the next mountain and the air is getting thinner. Now you have to be at the top or your game always. Think about it! You are now a Master! So the next day I had to practice?..you know ? looking for the tighter perfect loop!
The rest will come later as memory allows but I will add my thoughts to the items below (blue and italics) hopefully this will be of benefit to the group.
One last thing, as many helped me I will continue the tradition and offer my assistance to anyone who needs it.
Jim Valle
Certified Master Casting Instructor ( First time I wrote it, Wow! )
From: Gordon Hill [mailto:hillshead@xxxxxxx]
Sent: Wednesday, August 17, 2005 12:17 PM
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Subject: Observations of MCI candidates at Conclave
Group....
Here are some notes I made after working with several MCI candidates who were not successful with their exams:-
1.) PROBLEM: Communication between the candidate and the examiner(s) was often felt to have been a problem. Often the candidate felt that the task requested wasn't clear, and he/she didn't know how to handle that.
SOLUTION: I suggest that you not do the task until you have cleared any misunderstandings with your examiners. Most examiners will appreciate your wanting to know exactly what they have in mind. .
Yes ask for a repeat or clarification whenever you have any doubt about the clarity. Be prepared for something new a longer distance, a larger curve (you should practice all of this) believe you can handle it, Don?t argue it or question it. Just do your best as a Master would answer a student, The examiners know if they are stretching the guidelines and you will not fail because of this just testing your limits. Also if you blow one let it go as water under the bridge and move on to the next task. Don?t get rattled! I made plenty of mistakes and had done better during practice, no one is perfect and in all my attempts I never felt any examiner was looking for perfection
In the event that there are 2 or more ways to perform a cast or a task, then indicate that you know these methods and can do them. If 2 methods are required for the exam and you are asked for a third, just do it if you can. If you can't, you won't be flunked, since that's beyond the requirement.
Sometimes examiners will ask you to explain and demonstrate a broad topic......like, "Show us some change of direction casts". You should be ready to do these in an orderly manner as though teaching the subject to students. Your algorithm might go something like this:
Start with change of direction the way a beginner does it, by turning as a series of false casts is made. Briefly discuss the disadvantages of this method. Then go to other change of direction casts such as change on the forward cast, change on the back cast, 180 degree change using 2 forward casts (Galway cast) and the use of a back cast as a presentation cast (Barnegat Bay Cast), change of direction roll casts, snake roll change of direction casts, and end up with basic single and double Spey casts. Wye, Elliptical, Flip, Snap, Steeple, etc. (ok who is using their fingers? )
Having a practiced outline firmly entrenched in your mind will work for many of these tasks including wind casts, Spey casts, curve casts, and mends. Yes if you can list them accurately and smoothly with Confidence you will demonstrate your Mastery of the subject and it comes across!
A logical check list can really help. Have some kind of logic that makes sense to you. I took a students perspective and then added the casts in the order I teach them, but use whatever works for you.
2.) PROBLEM:- Confusion existed with terminology...especially when asked to do curve casts. Some examiners use the terms, "positive" and "negative" differently. You MUST clarify that you know both ways of describing curve casts, then do them as requested.
Remember, a "negative" curve can mean a decelarating curve cast in either direction. It can also mean a curve cast in which the fly is directed in the direction of the casting arm, whether accelarated or decelarated
..........a "positive" curve can mean an accelarated curve cast in either direction. It can also mean a curve cast in which the fly is directed in the direction opposite that of the casting arm, whether decelarated or accelarated.
In your teachings as well as in your mental outling of these casts, I'd suggest you consider using terms other than, "positive" and, "negative" as YOU describe your curve casts. Your mental outline might appear like this:
a.) Accelarated curve cast to the right.
b.) Accelarated curve cast to the left
c.) Decelarated curve cast to the right
d.) Decelarated curve cast to the left.
This should give you 2 different methods of curve casting to fit the requirements. Be aware, however, that "methods" of performing accelarated curve casts can include a flip of the tip to one side, and an immediate return to the other side, or a quick twist of the rod in one direction and a twist back, done so fast that it appears all to be done at the stop. Another method is the helical rod arm motion used for the "corkskrew cast." Also, the horizontal rod plane curve cast where the cast is overpowered and stopped early. You probably won't be asked these other methods, though the true expert will know them all, including the method of converting an accelarated curve cast to a right angle hook cast by overpowering the stroke and using an overpowered earlier "rerturn".
I think the examiner is fair if he expects you to know the difference or define the difference and make the translation (if a student says I read about a positive curve cast how are you going to handle it? Same deal), however in all of my 3 attempts the examiners were more than willing to clarify once they knew I understood.
3.) PROBLEM: A couple of candidates were understandably intimidated by the examination process. Getting around this requires some mental mechanics which must differ with each person.
a.) We've noted that this kind of trepedation can be blunted or eliminated by the candidate having MANY HOURS OF TEACHING experience. There seems to be little that can substitute for this. A true master instructor has performed and mentored these demonstrations so many times in the past, that he's confident.......and confidence is the name of the game, here. Any of our CBOG's are expert at sensing this lack actual hands on teaching experience just a few minutes into the exam.
b.) Having well practiced presentations can also go a long way to decreasing the basic fear of being judged.
c.) Comments by Ken Cole and Jim Valle include this statement: "Don't take the exam when you think you are ready............take it when you KNOW you are ready !!!"
d.) One mindset which can help, here, is to switch mental gears and look at your examiners as students you are teaching as you go through these "explain and demonstrate" maneuvers.
e.) Bill Gammel once told me with regard to confidence in casting, that when you take your test, "You've gotta be WOW!" You'll know when you're there.
Wow is right! I could say a lot about this. This was my third attempt and I was Wound like a Clock! My hands weren?t shaking too bad. Once we got started and past the first 2 questions without a doubt my teaching experience started to kick in and I was redoing what I have done so many times so it kind of just filled in automatically. If you have been teaching for 30 years kind of casual you aren?t going to display the smooth presentation or even pantomime as accurately which comes from teaching a couple hundred student hours a year. You won?t cover the little things that are constant questions from students and it will be obvious. The first few questions are as important as the first few casts, make it look good everyone knows you are nervous just get into your stride and your knowledge and experience will smooth it out.
4.) PROBLEM: Two of the candidates were observed to have a poor concept of stroke length as related to the length of line carried and the distance of the cast. This was expecially true of casts made over the opposite shoulder. Both did much better when we addressed this and showed them at least two methods of increasing stroke length and increase in rod arc to yield much greater tip travel for casts over either shoulder when this was needed.
Read Bill Gammell?s article ?Making Adjustments on the Fly? 10 times, then break it down into parts and study it a lot, There is no doubt the essentials will be covered Very Thoroughly !
Same with ?Modern Fly Lines?, by Bruce. Richards
5.) PROBLEM: Back casts were imperfect both with respect to trajectory (line plane) and loop control. Candidates had good control over loop size on the forward cast........but not on the back cast. Having them WATCH THEIR BACK CASTS as the loops unfurled helped a lot. Especially as they practiced wide, medium, and tight back casts loops under their direct vision.
I spent a lot of time on my back casts and I still can improve but I did get to the point that I could tell by feel if my backcast was tight without looking you can feel it and see it in the forward cast. Really suggest looking till you can feel it and practicing in all planes!
6.) PROBLEM: Understanding the details of loop control were sometimes lacking. Candidates could "parrot" the dictum of the path of the rod tip determining the size of the loop. They knew that an almost straight line path of the rod tip could yield a tight loop, that a convex path could yield a wide loop, and that a concave path could yield a tailing loop. They couldn't take it as far, however, as to know what produces a wide loop such that the upper (fly) leg was high and the lower (rod) leg horizontal (by widening the casting arc at the beginning of the stroke) or the production of a well controlled wide loop with the upper (fly) leg horizontal and the lower (rod) leg lower (by increasing rod arc near the end of the stroke.) as opposed to the uncontrolled wide loop made by the early student who increases rod arc at both ends of the stroke. This showed a lack of depth of understanding which carried into many other aspects of casting.
Read Bill Gammell and Bruce Richards This was absolutely part of my test and I demonstrated it in both the oral (pantomime and diagramed) and performance tests.
7.) PROBLEM: Some had problems with roll casting. They could make the distance target some of the time, but not with neat egg shaped loops. Once taught to do this, and given a way of practicing roll cast loops with the use of a permanent anchor such that practice loops could be made at the rate of about one per second, they caught on fast.
My first time at the distance roll casts I just couldn?t make it happen, lots of practice later nothing to it, pure fun. Be prepared to make these rolls low (under overhanging branches) and high on both sides.
8.) PROBLEM: Most of these candidates had not taken a "pre-test", nor had they had the advantage of having a Master or CBOG critique them before signing up to take the test. This certainly is not mandatory, but it sure helps ! This was compounded by them not knowing how VERY pleased any of our CBOG's will be to help.
Absolutely, I can?t tell you how helpful everyone was to me. Do Not Waste Your Time if you haven?t pre-tested or spent some critique time with a qualified caster who has been down this road! I am not saying it can?t be done, but speaking from experience they will point out such small but absolutely important things such as ? on the off shoulder cast move your off shoulder foot back to get a longer stroke length ? Duh.. but this kind of thing made al the difference!
I would recommend not pre-testing the same day as your test, be hydrated and eat before and during the test if necessary.
I can also tell you how tough it is for an examiner to fail a candidate, and how thrilled they are when you pass, I had a long line of really happy examiners offering congratulations within minutes. A truly emotional experience! They are all great people. They made me better than I ever thought I could be!
I also recommend taking the test at the Conclave, there is nothing like the fraternity that exists during those few special days. And there is so much to learn!
If any of you have made other observations which may help, please let us know.
I hope this assists those of you who are planning to take the MCI exam in the near future !
Gordy
Hope this helps
Jim Valle, MCI