470 - Rethinking Solo Rankings: EUSPBA's Greatest Hits Program (Dojo Conversations Episode 140)

Piper's Dojo Audio Experience

Ever wondered how you can really tell who the top solo pipers are across a massive region like the Eastern United States?

This week, Andrew introduces Jim to the new EUSPBA Greatest Hits program – a ranking system that takes a bunch of measures into account, rather than just aggregating total points.

They discuss why it matters, the challenges of ranking players across a huge geographic area, the problems with the old points system, and how the new approach brings a more fair way to rank players that could bring back some excitement and participation across the region.

Got a topic you’d like us to cover in a future episode? Leave a comment or email us: [email protected]

Here’s what we cover this week:

• 00:23 - What is the EUSPBA Greatest Hits Program?
• 02:31 - The Challenge of Acronyms & Association Names
• 04:44 - Andrew’s Role on the Executive Committee
• 06:36 - Why the EUSPBA is Unique (Size & Scope)
• 08:46 - The Problem with the Old Points System
• 13:26 - How the Greatest Hits Program Works
• 15:10 - Real Examples: How Standings Change
• 18:44 - New Metrics: Unique AGLs & Big Wins
• 22:00 - How the System Affects Upgrades
• 25:53 - Incentives & What’s Next for the EUSPBA
• 29:15 - “It’s Been One of the Greatest Hits” (Outro)