Angelo State University Intercollegiate Meat Judging Teams

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Angelo State University Intercollegiate Meat
Judging Teams Building a Strong Tradition
Angelo State University Department of Agriculture
What can the Team do for me?
Introduction and Tradition
Past Teams
Where are they now?
Past judging team members can be found all
across the nation in a wide variety of jobs and
professional fields. Members of past judging
teams are highly successful and hold top
positions in many industries. Past ASU team
members are not only restricted to agriculturally
based fields and can be found throughout a range
of professions.
Intercollegiate judging teams and more
specifically the judging teams at Angelo
State University can and do offer a wide
variety of experiences which are but not limited
to the development of educational/job training,
work place skills, industry contacts, university
contacts, friendships, and the desire to achieve
on any playing field. While a member of a
judging team at Angelo State University you will
have the opportunity to a great many things that
will not only increase the value of your
education but increase your skill set all while
being a part of a team with a standing and
excellent tradition here at Angelo State
University. Obviously, you will learn the
facets of meats/livestock judging, however the
experiences and situations that you will be
presented will develop the skills, knowledge,
friendship, and understanding that you will take
with you where ever you find yourself in the
future. Intercollegiate judging teams across
the country develop those individuals that are
most willing to advance themselves. It has been
stated by numerous industry professionals as well
as educational professionals alike that those
students competing on these teams are well suited
for the tasks that are required of them and often
excel in his/her achievements.
Meat judging at the collegiate level is an
experience that is paralleled by no other. Due
to judgings competitive nature and thorough
exploration of an evolving field, students learn
valuable communication and cooperation skills,
while also strengthening ties with team mates,
educators, future employers and potential
colleagues. Travel throughout the United States
provides students with the opportunity to
experience first-hand, the livestock and meat
industries, with an added emphasis of using
classroom knowledge in a practical setting.
Individuals throughout the meat processing
industry agree that judging is perhaps the single
most important part of preparing to work in the
meat industry. Even if students do not plan to
pursue a career in the meat industry,
participation in a judging team develops the
skills that are necessary to actively participate
in a competitive world market. Not only does
meat judging provide the opportunity for a
student to enrich their knowledge and experience,
it also encourages the development of the mindset
that is essential for success in business and in
life. Through written and oral reasoning,
students gain confidence in their communicating
abilities. Judging also develops an individuals
decision making skills, independence in thinking,
and problem solving skills. Perhaps most
important of the skills developed as an active
part of a judging team is self-discipline and
time management skills qualities gained in a
period of extensive personal growth. In the
days, weeks and months that make up the landscape
of the judging team experience, a clearer picture
will soon develop of what simply cannot be
expressed in words on this page. It will become
very apparent as to what it means to be a part of
something that is truly great. In the most
difficult moments, team mates will be there for
encouragement. In the greatest moments, team
mates will be there to celebrate. But most
importantly, regardless of where the meat judging
team finds itself, its members will always be
there to share in the experience.
Angelo State University 2006 Intercollegiate
Meats Judging Team
2006 American Royal Meats Judging Contest L-R
Blake Hinckley, Randi Whitlock, Matthew Menchaca,
Cody Bundick, Thomas Epting and Blake Coates
(Coach)
2005 Angelo State Universitys First
Intercollegiate Meat Judging Team
L-R, Blake Hinckley, Blake Coates, Cody Bundick,
Thomas Epting, Randi Whitlock, Matthew Menchaca
A track coach once asked one of his assistants a
question regarding his team If two runners try
out for a position on the team and both have the
same times in the 50-yard dash, however one has
poor form and the other has perfect form, which
of the two do you put on your team? The
assistant immediately responded that he would
choose the runner with perfect form. And he was
wrong. The coach told him that the runner with
poor form was the best choice because he could be
taught to run with better form and would then be
able to run even faster. Angelo State
University Meat Judging teams are not looking for
the best players, we are looking for the right
players. Willingness to learn and change as well
as an eagerness to become a part of a cooperative
team is critical to the success of our team.
WHAT IT TAKES TO BE NUMBER ONE Vince
Lombardi The objective is to WIN FAIRLY,
SQUARELY, DECENTLY, by the RULES but to
WIN. SACRIFICE "Success is like anything
worthwhile. It has a price. You have to pay the
price to win and you have to pay the price to get
to the point where success is possible. Most
important, you must pay the price to stay
there. BELIEF "If you believe in yourself and
have the courage, the determination, the
dedication, the competitive drive and if you are
willing to sacrifice the little things in life
and pay the price for the things that are
worthwhile, it can be done. COMMITMENT "Once a
man has made a commitment to a way of life, he
puts the greatest strength in the world behind
him. It's something we call heart power. Once a
man has made this commitment, nothing will stop
him short of success. DESIRE "The difference
between a successful person and others is not a
lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but
rather in a lack of will." TEAMWORK "Individual
commitment to a group effort-that is what makes a
team work, a company work, a society work, a
civilization work. WINNING "Winning is not a
sometime thing it's an all the time thing. You
don't win once in a while you don't do the right
thing once in a while you do them right all the
time. Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is
losing."
Objectives
Top L-R, Chase Settle, Heather Rogers, Thomas
Epting, Jamin Phipps Bottom L-R, Dr. Gretchen
Hilton (Advisor), John Kellermeier (Coach)

• Past members
• Are from a wide variety of majors and educational
  backgrounds with majors outside of the
  Department of Agriculture
• Have been introduced to potential graduate or
  professional degree programs across the nation
• Experienced exciting and informative road-trips
  to universities and industry facilities
  throughout the nation
• Have traveled around the United States on
  practice and contest events
• Developed lasting friendships with students and
  counterparts from universities across the nation
  
• Have been introduced to industry leaders and
  numerous other industry contacts

Interested in being a part of the Team? Want more
information? Please Contact ASU Meats Judging
Team Advisor Dr. Kirk Braden [phone]
ext. 280 Visit Us on the Web http//www.angelo.
edu/dept/agriculture/

• First of all, what is expected of you?
• Learn how to compete in a team setting in a
  professional and knowledgeable manner.
• Fully participate in all practices in a manner
  conducive to learning and ultimately winning.
• All students must give 110 effort at all times.
  
• Have FUN along the way.
• Arrive at all practice sessions in a timely
  manner with a winning, receptive, and
  competitive mind-set.
• Learn the parts of fresh hams, pork carcasses,
  lamb carcasses and beef carcasses as well as
  wholesale cuts.
• Learn decision making skills necessary to
  differentiate livestock
• Defend your decisions
• Learn the proper terminology that is used in
  intercollegiate meat judging.
• Develop a fast, accurate and precise method of
  note taking, and he/she must learn how to
  write/recite accurate, complete, and legible
  reasons from those notes.
• Learn and be able to accurately identify the beef
  quality grades and be able to determine the beef
  yield grades.
• Learn the muscles and specifications for the IMPS
  (Institutional Meat Purchasing Specifications)