Recreational Ninja League Athlete Rulebook

The goal of the Recreational Ninja League (RNL) is to prepare beginner and intermediate athletes for the National Ninja League (NNL). The RNL events are intended to be the less difficult, less competitive, and lower-priced versions of NNL events. 

Throughout the RNL season, athletes will accumulate points per obstacle completed. At the end of the RNL season, point leaders will earn special medals and may qualify for the NNL World Championships.

Event Rules

​Registration

1. Facilities will be responsible for registering athletes for the event
   1. Registration responsibilities will include:
      1. Collecting/processing payment
         1. Events must be priced between $30-$60
            1. The total price for registration for the event must remain under $60 with all taxes and fees included
      2. Capturing each athlete’s NinjaWorks ID as part of registration
      3. Creating and submitting a run order per guidelines
2. Facilities will be required to create a run order and submit that run order to info@nationalninja.com no later than 3pm EST on the day before the start of their event.
   1. Athletes that register after the run order has been submitted must be placed at the beginning of the wave by the NNL Representative the day of the event
   2. Run order must be in the following sample format:
      1. A single CSV or spreadsheet, listing athletes in the desired run order, with the following columns:
         1. Wave Name/Description
         2. NinjaWorks Athlete ID
         3. Athlete’s First Name
         4. Athlete’s Last Name
         5. Athlete’s Gender
         6. Athlete’s Division - Kids, Mature Kids, Preteens, Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Masters
3. Wave Caps
   1. Each wave of athletes will be capped at a maximum of 50 athletes per wave  
4. Facilities may run multiple age divisions within a single wave
   1. However, athletes and points earned must still be sorted by each age division and gender division within the RNL

Result Tracking

1. All athlete data must be tracked via the NinjaWorks system
   1. Athletes will be awarded 1 point per obstacle completed
      1. If an athlete completes all 10 obstacles they will be awarded 5 bonus points
         1. Time will be tracked via NinjaWorks and may be used by the NNL board in the event of a tie for World Championship qualifying spots or the Regional King/Queen award
      2. Data will be verified by the NNL Representative who will edit data as needed

1. Updated season totals for Number of Points Earned will be available at  www.nationalninja.com

NNL Representatives

1. NNL Representatives must be secured by the facility prior to submitting their Date Request Packet to their Regional Manager
   1. Anyone can become an active NNL Representative by passing the most recent NNL Representative certification program
      1. A list of active NNL Reps can be found at www.nationalninja.com
   2. Facilities are allowed to train their own staff or ownership to become an NNL Representative
   3. Events can be booked with a Rep that is planning to complete the certification, as long as the rep is certified prior to the event
2. NNL Representatives are required to be present throughout the entire event and are responsible for the following:
   1. Editing registration in the NinjaWorks system
   2. Verifying results are accurately posted
   3. Advising facilities and athletes of RNL policies, rules and regulations
      1. Tracking any rule violations
      2. Tracking all injuries
   4. Hosting a post event meeting (or multiple meetings throughout the event) with any facility owners, parents, athletes, or spectators to gather feedback
      1. Recording ALL feedback to be submitted to the Regional Manager via the CDC sheet
3. Events may be split between 2 or more NNL Representatives
   1. NNL Representatives will only be compensated for the portion of the event they worked and will be required to submit one CDC sheet
4. If an NNL Representative needs to swap shifts with another NNL Representative, they must submit the NNL Representative Swap Shift Form to the Region Manager

Facility Staff

1. Facility staff including owners, anyone on their payroll, or anyone involved in the running of the event may not participate in the facility's event
2. Staff of the hosting facility should refrain from excessive cheering for any particular athletes running the course
   1. This includes giving course advice to any athletes on the course
      1. The referee (when asked by the athlete on the course) may clarify rules or course direction for the athlete  
   2. If the facility has a specified coach for their “ninja team” the coach is allowed to coach their athletes ONLY if they do not have knowledge of the course prior to the event and are only working the event in a capacity not related to the course.
      1. Examples of positions that are not allowed to coach: referee, timer, course resetter, spotter, anyone with course knowledge prior to the event
      2. Examples of positions that could be eligible to coach: registration, livestream commentators, facility upkeep staff, photographer, merchandise/food sales staff
3. Referees, coaches, and spotters are not permitted to physically assist the athlete in any way while they are on the course
   1. Example: If an athlete is unable to reach an obstacle, the referee is NOT permitted to help the athlete up to the obstacle
      1. Referees, coaches and spotters are permitted to spot an athlete for safety reasons
4. Monitoring Warm Up Area
   1. If a warm up area is available for youth athletes, a facility staff member must be present to monitor the athletes and activities in this area
5. No one should be on any equipment or obstacle(s) within the course while an athlete is on the course

Starting Ceremony

1. The United States’ National Anthem must be played at the start of all RNL events
   1. This should happen prior to the first athlete running the course (regardless of which age division starts off an event)
   2. If an event spans multiple days, the anthem is only required before the start of the first day and does not have to be played before the start of the second day
2. All facilities must have a physical American flag for the playing of the National Anthem
3. Exception: Canadian facilities will play the Canadian National Anthem and hang the Canadian flag

Redemption Time Policy (Previously Open Gym)

1. The league is replacing the term “Open Gym” with “Redemption Time” for liability reasons and recommend other facilities do the same  
2. Redemption Time: may be added for an age division following the event for that same age division
3. Redemption Time and/or Open Gym may not be held prior to the event for an age division that has not yet competed
4. Open Gym may not be held 24 hours prior to the start of the event

Course RulesCourses

1. All courses must be exactly 10 obstacles
   1. Subjectively: 9 of these obstacles should be beginner obstacles and easier than most obstacles in a NNL course
      1. This decision is subjective and therefore left to the facility to determine what they define as “easier”
   2. Subjectively: 1 obstacle should be more advanced and similar in  difficulty to an obstacle that the top 50% of NNL athletes could be expected to complete
      1. This obstacle may be placed anywhere within the course
2. Athletes must complete the course in the order specified by the referee
3. Courses may not be practiced prior to the event
4. Adjustments to the course for female athletes may be made at the Event Coordinator's discretion
   1. However, they may only be made in the following scenarios:
      1. Trampoline height or distance may be adjusted
      2. Time limits may be modified for female athletes
   2. If adjustments are made for female athletes, they must be made for all female athletes in that particular age division
5. Athletes will be allotted a time to finish the course
   1. Athletes will be allowed to continue the course until their time has expired, regardless of which obstacle they are on
   2. If an athlete fails an obstacle, they will move on to the next obstacle
   3. Athletes will not be allowed a retry on the obstacle they have failed
   4. Athletes may choose to skip an obstacle if they feel they are ill-equipped to attempt it
   5. The course time limit will be set by the facility
6. RNL events are single stage events
   1. Other competitive events at the facility relating to ninja will not be permitted on the same day as the RNL event
7. All waves of the same age divisions should maintain the same obstacles, matting, and rules. No changes may be made once the wave has begun for a particular age division
   1. Safety Pad/Matting Exception: A facility may add or adjust safety pads/mats if it becomes evident that an obstacle was not adequately padded and adjusting the matting could help prevent injury
      1. All adjustments to safety pads or matting after the wave has started must be reported to the Regional Manager by the Event Coordinator and the NNL Representative via the CDC sheet
   2. Unsafe Obstacle Exception: A facility may modify or swap out an obstacle that presents an immediate safety concern due to breaking or malfunctioning
      1. In the event of an unsafe obstacle, any athlete who had already run the course (in that age division) and had failed on or after that obstacle must be awarded a rerun with the new obstacle in place
      2. All modifications or changes to an unsafe obstacle after the wave has started must be reported to the Regional Manager by the Event Coordinator and the NNL Representative via the CDC sheet

Rules Walkthrough

1. The rules walkthrough may be no longer than 35 mins including athlete questions
2. Rules must be video recorded (GoPro) for reference later, but do not have to be livestreamed
3. If there are multiple waves in an age division, all obstacles must be demonstrated the same way during rules for each wave
4. If a parent or coach touches an obstacle, the referee may choose to disqualify that parent’s or coach’s athlete(s) if they feel they have gained an unfair advantage by touching the obstacle
   1. Including: testing the texture of an obstacle

Obstacles

1. Start and Finish (Landing) Platforms Rule
   1. All obstacles must have a visibly marked start and finish (landing) platform
      1. Athletes must have adequate stopping distance for finish (landing) platforms that are in close proximity to walls or barriers
      2. Once an athlete has reached the finish (landing) platform, the path they take to the next obstacle may not disqualify them
         1. If the path to the next obstacle presents a potential safety hazard the proper path may be dictated to them
            1. Example: The safest path for an athlete to get down off the Warped Wall may be dictated to the athlete
2. Completing an Obstacle Rule: 3 Step Obstacle Completion Process
   1. An obstacle is considered complete once all three of these steps have been met (in this order or simultaneously):
      1. The athlete must disengage from the obstacle and
      2. The athlete’s body must completely pass the front plane of the finish (landing) platform and
         1. If the athlete falls backward after passing the front the plane, it will be up to the referee’s discretion
      3. The athlete must physically touch the finish (landing) platform
3. Overshooting a Finish (Landing) Platform
   1. If the finish (landing) platform is NOT the starting platform for the next obstacle the 3 Step Obstacle Completion Process applies and an athlete is free to move forward at their discretion after completing all 3 steps
   2. If the finish (landing) platform IS the starting platform of the next obstacle, athletes may not overshoot the finish(landing) platform.  They must stay on the finish (landing) platform to begin the next obstacle
4. Linking Obstacles Rule
   1. Obstacles may be linked as long as the start and finish points are determined by hand or foot placement on an individual obstacle
      1. In order to have linked obstacles, the linked obstacles must be two completely different obstacles and not the same obstacle repeated twice
      2. All linked obstacles must eventually reach a finish (landing) platform
         1. Warped Wall Exception: The Warped Wall may be completed via  touch point or by climbing to the finish (landing) platform on top
      3. If an athlete fails to complete an obstacle in a linked obstacle series:
         1. The referee will dictate in the course rules how the athlete starts the following obstacle in the linked series
5. Hands/Feet Rules  
   1. The facility may designate hands only, feet only, or the use of both on each obstacle
   2. The facility may designate the use of hands on one part of the obstacle and the use of feet on another part of the obstacle
      1. Example: If obstacle 5 is a cat shimmy, the Event Coordinator may designate the use of hands only on the bar and the use of feet only on the wall
   3. The facility may not force an athlete to use only 1 specific limb during an obstacle
      1. Example: If Obstacle 6 is a devil step and ring toss combo, the facility may not designate the use of one specific hand only on the devil steps and the other hand only on the ring toss   
6. Out of Bounds
   1. Anything that is not specifically permitted by the facility as part of an obstacle is considered out of bounds
   2. The following obstacle supports are considered out of bounds (unless specifically permitted by the facility):
      1. Carabiners
      2. Eyebolts
      3. Chains
      4. Straps
      5. Ropes
      6. Other hardware
      7. Support structures
      8. Safety Pads/Matting
7. Incidental Contact Rule
   1. It is not up to the discretion of the facility to allow or not allow incidental contact
   2. Incidental contact is allowed, but may not aid the athlete in completing the obstacle
   3. It is the referee's responsibility to determine if the incidental contact aided in the completion of the obstacle
8. Resetting Rule
   1. It is up to the facility to determine if athletes may or may not reset on an obstacle

Starting & Stopping an Athlete’s Course Run

1. Starting Noises  
   1. Must be consistent throughout all waves
      1. Example: If a referee starts athletes with a “3,2,1 GO!”, they must continue to say “3,2,1 GO!” throughout that wave
2. False Starts
   1. If an athlete starts prior to when the referee counts them in, they will return to the startline and be counted in again
3. Buzzer
   1. The end of the course must have some form of a buzzer
      1. Examples: hitting a buzzer, knocking over a cone, hitting a designated slap spot, ringing a bell, hitting a gong
         
         
         

Incident Handling

1. Injury Stops
   1. In the event an athlete gets injured while the athlete was running the course and they need to step off of the course, their course run will be over
   2. The athlete will not be given the opportunity to rerun or to get back on the course after they have stepped off from their initial run
   3. All injuries (including course induced injuries) must be reported to the Regional Manager by the Event Coordinator and the NNL Representative via the CDC sheet
2. Obstacle Breaks or Course Malfunctions
   1. Any obstacle breaks or course malfunctions could result in a strike as described in the Rules Violation section
   2. In the event an obstacle breaks or malfunctions, the athlete will be allowed a rerun from the start of the course
      1. Examples of Malfunctions:
         1. Course not being reset
         2. Spectators in the way of an athlete
         3. Obstacle breaking or not functioning properly
         4. Timer malfunctions
   3. The rerun will take place later in the run order to assure fair rest
      1. The athlete will determine when they are adequately rested within a reasonable amount of time
         1. Facilities will be able to determine if an athlete’s requested rest time is unreasonable
   4. In the event the athlete does not accumulate as many points on their second run, the course run that accumulated the most points will be used for their ranking
   5. Any obstacle breaks or malfunctions resulting in a rerun must be reported to the Regional Manager by the Event Coordinator and the NNL Representative via the CDC sheet

AthletesWaivers

1. All participants must fill out a Season V NNL waiver prior to participating in their first RNL event of Season II
   1. Athletes should complete all waivers using their legal first and last name (avoiding nicknames)
      1. Example: Michael Johnson vs. Mike Johnson vs. Mikey Johnson vs. MJ Johnson
   2. The waiver can be located at the bottom right hand corner of www.nationalninja.com
      
      
      

Age Divisions

1. Age Divisions allowed at RNL events:
   1. Kids: Ages 6-8
   2. Mature Kids: Ages 9 & 10
   3. Preteens: Ages 11 & 12
   4. Teens: Ages 13 & 14
   5. Young Adults: Ages 15-17
   6. Adults: 18+
   7. Masters: Age 40 & up
      1. The athlete’s age on February 22, 2020 (the tentative date for Season V World Championships) will determine the age division in which the athlete will participate for the entire season
      2. Facilities are not required to host all age divisions and may choose which age divisions they wish to host
      3. Facilities may not make exceptions to age divisions
         1. Athletes must compete in their respective age divisions
            • Example: An athlete who is 16 may not participate in the Adult division
2. All athletes are eligible to participate in RNL events
   1. Athletes that have participated in previous NNL and RNL events are eligible to  participate in the RNL
      1. However, NNL finalists from the most recent World Championship will not be awarded the one of the 3 qualifying spots for the Season V World Championships
      2. NNL finalists from previous seasons that did not qualify for the most recent World Championship are eligible for one of the 3 qualifying spots for the Season V World Championships  

Dress Code

1. All athletes participating will be required to adhere to the dress code of the facility hosting the RNL event
2. Athletes are required to wear all of the following articles of clothing in order to participate in a RNL event:
   1. Closed toed shoes
   2. Shirt
   3. Bottoms  
3. The facility will be responsible for determining if the athlete is adhering to the dress code of shoes, shirt and bottoms
   1. The facility’s Regional Manager and/or the NNL board have the authority to overrule the facility’s decision if the athlete’s apparel is inappropriate or clearly violates the spirit of the intended dress code
      1. Example: If an athlete attempts to compete in a bathing suit and the facility says, “Well, technically that is a bottom”, the Regional Manager and/or the NNL board can overrule their decision and determine that a bathing suit (while technically a bottom) is inappropriate and violates the spirit of the intended dress code

Code of Conduct

1. All athletes must adhere to the National Ninja League Code of Conduct found at www.nationalninja.com in order to participate at RNL events

Accumulating Points

1. Points will be region specific
   1. If an athlete accumulates points at an event, the points will only be added to the athlete’s total points accumulated from other events within that SAME region
   2. Points earned from an event in a different region will not be combined with points accumulated from any other region
   3. Athletes may participate in multiple regions and still accumulate points in each region, however, those points will be tracked separately within each region and not combined

 

1. Athletes will accumulate points based on the number of obstacles completed
   1. Obstacle points accumulate within each region throughout the current RNL season
   2. Athletes will be awarded 5 bonus points for completing all 10 obstacles in a course within the time limit set

Prizes

1. All RNL events will award the RNL medals to all athletes
   1. The league will supply all RNL medals at no extra cost to the facility
   2. Facilities may not hold an award ceremony recognizing certain athletes
   3. No additional prizes may be presented to athletes outside of the RNL medals

RNL Champions

1. Qualifying Spots
   1. At the end of RNL Season II, RNL athletes (top 3 male and top 3 female within each age division in each region) with the most points will qualify for NNL World Championships Season V
   2. Athletes who qualified for any age division in NNL World Championships Season IV will not be eligible to qualify in any age division through RNL events.  Instead, their qualifying spot will be awarded to the next athlete with the most points
2. Regional Obstacle King/Queen
   1. Athletes that accumulate the most points in each region will be awarded the title “Regional Obstacle King/Queen”
   2. The title will be awarded with a medal at NNL World Championships the following season
   3. All athletes are eligible for this prize
3. Ties
   1. If a tie for either qualifying spots or the Regional King/Queen award occurs, the NNL board will determine the best method for breaking the tie
   2. Time will be tracked via NinjaWorks and may be used by the NNL board


Glossary


CDC sheet: Competition Data Collection Sheet, a form used to collect data from the event
Course Designer: person responsible for designing the course for the RNL event
Event Coordinator: organizer of the administrative aspects of an event including registration and communication with Regional Manager
Front plane: an imaginary vertical plane extending from the front edge of the finish (landing) platform (the edge that is closest to the starting platform) up to the ceiling of the facility
Gatekeepers: a committee comprised of board members that are responsible for reviewing facility applications to host RNL and/or NNL events
Platform: raised horizontal surface that an athlete can stand on
Referee: person judging the obstacle completes and fails
Time stamped:  the day/time is officially recorded by the Regional Manager for use in scheduling when the entire Date Request Packet has been received via email
Unsafe Obstacle Exception: an obstacle that is either breaking, malfunctioning or presenting an immediate safety concern for the athletes running the course

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