The following North Texas Division Competition Policy was adopted 17 October 1997
and amended 20 May 2006 and will be updated when USFA rules change

For all USFA sanctioned competitions that take place in the Division, the Division will make Division forms available and include the competition in the Division schedule (deadlines are 1 June and 1 December). Only Division sanctioned tournaments may earn ratings for the competitors.  The Division calendar on this web site is the only OFFICIAL listing for Division-sanctioned tournaments.  Posting on www.askFRED.net does not mean that a tournament has been sanctioned.

Sanctioned tournaments must follow current USFA rules and shall be run in accordance with the current policies as set forth in the USFA Operations Manual, USFA Athlete's Handbook, and Division Bylaws. The Division Bylaws shall not conflict with USFA rules, policies or procedures.  If such a conflict shall arise, the USFA rules, policies, or procedures shall be considered as the ultimate authority.  Should a tournament not follow these rules, policies or procedures, the tournament shall lose the Division sanction and all ratings earned shall be null and void.  

Each competition should be self-sufficient; that is, entry fees should cover all projected expenses. The local organizer may request assistance from the Division to run their tournaments by selecting one of the following options:

1. OPTION A - Host 60%, Division 40% The Host will provide the space, and either the personnel or equipment to properly run the competition. The Division will provide equipment or personnel, whichever is not provided by the Host.
2. OPTION B - Host 40%, Division 60% The Host will provide the space. The Division will provide personnel and equipment.
   

NOTES:
1. Percentages discussed above refer to NET revenues after deduction of operating expenses (trophies and awards, directors' fees, printing and mailing costs, etc.).
2. In the event that multiple hosts jointly sponsor a given tournament, said hosts shall share the non-Division share of the net revenue.

Events should be run in a timely and orderly manner. The manner in which tournaments are run reflects directly on the Division and any future Division competitions that may be sponsored by the Host.

In fairness to all competitors, it is imperative that all USFA rules are followed, particularly those regarding age groups, attire and membership. There shall be an equipment check for all Division sanctioned tournaments to include at minimum mask, body cord and weapons.  Referees shall check for proper attire on strip and not allow fencers to compete without required equipment or clothing.

Flyers should be made and mailed to each Division member; however, the Division mailing list may not be given to any Host. Therefore, the Host may create their own flyer and provide enough copies to the Division Secretary at least one month prior to the event, or provide the Division Secretary all information at least two months prior to the event. Whenever possible, flyer information should be transmitted in electronic format to reduce error. The Division Secretary will provide the Host an itemized statement for costs incurred, such as postage, copying, paper, etc..

Hosts shall provide a budget and financial report as requested to the Division Treasurer; the Division Treasurer shall provide projected budget items to the Host (such as awards) for inclusion in these reports.

The following information is copied from the USFA Operations Manual:

C. Competition Requirements

1. Competitive members of the USFA can earn classifications at competitions that have been sanctioned by recognized entities under the jurisdiction of the USFA Board of Directors: e.g., Officers of Divisions or Sections, Regional Youth Coordinators or the Tournament Committee. For a competition to be considered sanctioned it must be included in the Division or Section official schedule mailed to the members and/or posted on the corresponding web site or, in the case of Regional Youth Circuit tournaments or National tournaments, published in the annual Athlete Handbook and/or posted on the Youth Committee web site, www.usfaryc.org, and the USFA web site, www.usfencing.org, respectively. The specific categories of competitions at which classifications may be earned are described in Chapter 6.

2. Sanctioned competitions must be organized and conducted by persons appointed by the appropriate USFA governing group, e.g., Divisions, Sections, Tournament Committee, Youth Committee, etc. The competitions must be conducted in accordance with current USFA rules of competition as described in the USFA Rules Book and the Operations Manual. These competitions must be open to current USFA competitive members who meet the stated restrictions of the competitions, such as age category or the type of competition, e.g., Class “C” or Division II or similar restrictions, or as an Open with only minimum age restriction.

3. Sanctioned tournaments or competitions are those published by an acceptable USFA official (Division, Section, Regional Youth Circuit or National USFA) means of communication – in print, electronic media via email and/or official web site. Any deviation from published information about the sanctioned competitions – either in manner of operation or splitting or combining to increase the number of classifications to be earned can be the basis for withdrawal of the sanction and thus nullify award of classifications.  

4. The facility at which USFA sanctioned competitions/tournaments are held must have proper insurance coverage for the duration of the tournament. Consult with USFA Membership Services for details.

5. A sanctioned tournament or competition must meet the USFA Rules of Competition, including the layout of strips in the facility. Minimum requirements for such strip configuration are divided by the level at which the competitions are held. See Appendix N for strip specifications.

1. Local: Fencing strips need to be at least 1 meter wide and 12 meters long, with adequate run-off. They need not be grounded. Scoring apparatus can be located at a reasonable position along the strip, ensuring clear visibility for the referee’s line of sight to the fencing; with placement at the center of the strip optimal. The final two meters of the strip must be clearly marked. In regards to the run off, if the facility does not have the means for exact compliance, accommodations must be made in how the strip usage is handled. For example, if there is insufficient room for the proper length of the strip, then the fencer must be given opportunity in use of the strip to have an equivalent amount of strip during the bouts.

2. Regional/Qualifier: Fencing strips need to be at least 1.2 meters wide and 14 meters long, with adequate run-off. When possible, finals strips should be grounded. Scoring apparatus must be clearly visible from either end of the strip with placement at the center of the strip optimal for the referee. The final two meters of the strip must be clearly marked

3. National: Fencing strips must conform to the FIE rules regarding length, width and placement of the scoring machines at the center point of the fencing strip. All strips at national USFA tournaments are required to start the tournament with FIE standard scoring machines equipped with visible bout timing and scoring.