The 14th year annual Mason Contractors Association of America (MCAA) Masonry Skills Challenges was held at the “Masonry Madness Day” at the World of Concrete/World of Masonry in Vegas last February.
The Competition
The Masonry Skills Challenge is a competition of masonry apprentices at the first, second and third year skill levels.
Moments before the competition begins, the contestants receive a project drawing appropriate to their skill level; then, they have three hours to construct the project based on the materials provided.
Contestants are judged on the following criteria for a total of 200 possible points: Plumb (0-30), Manipulation (0-20), Level (0-30), Tooling and neatness (0-10), Square and range (0-20), Full joints (0-20), Measurements (0-20), Aesthetics (0-10) and Correct design (0-20)
AWARD WINNERS AT THE 2013 MCAA MASONRY SKILLS CHALLENGE
First Year Apprentice – First Place winner mason apprentice Jeff Price of Mike Coates Construction, Niles, Ohio, won $750 in cash and additional sponsor prizes.
Second Year Apprentice – First Place winner Mason apprentice Jeremiah Holland, Mosser Construction, Inc., Fremont, Ohio won $750 in cash and additional sponsor prizes.
Third Year Apprentice – First Place winner Mason apprentice Noah Spray, Central Masonry, Inc. in Huntington, West Virginia won $750 in cash and additional sponsor prizes.
Second and Third Place Winners of the 2013 MCAA Masonry Skills Challenge
FIRST YEAR APPRENTICES
- Second Place, Erick Reynoso, E & S Masonry Corporation, Castro Valley, California.
- Third Place, Mark Karhoff, Fort Scott Community College, Fort Scott, Kansas.
SECOND YEAR APPRENTICES
- Second Place, Nick Prater, John Jackson Masonry, Sacramento, California.
- Third Place, Arron Micheilas, New Dimension Masonry, Inc., San Diego, California.
THIRD YEAR APPRENTICES
- Second Place, Wriston McGee, McGee Brothers, Inc., Monroe, North Carolina.
- Third Place, Justin Johnson, WASCO, Inc., Knoxville, Tennesses.
The Prizes
All winners received trophies, cash prizes, Marshalltown Company tool bags and tools, concrete calculators from Calculated Industries, and levels from Johnson Level. First place winners also received engraved trowels from Marshalltown Company. All contestants received Grout Grunt scoops and shirts, EZ Twig mason line twigs from Linovation Corporation, and additional prizes.