1. The initial ladders will be established by lot.  Every fencer should be on at least one competition ladder but may choose to be on more. 
2. You can only challenge a fencer 1 or 2 rungs above you on the ladder.
3. A fencer can only challenge one fencer per club practice for each competition ladder.
4. All challenge bouts will be on Monday, Thursday or Saturday.
5. Challengers must record their challenges on the "challenge board" within 30 minutes after class has started.   The challenger must personally inform the challenged fencer that he has recorded a challenge.
6. The challenged fencer determines when the challenge bout will be conducted during practice by giving the challenger 5 minutes notice that he/she is prepared to answer the challenge.  All challenges must be answered within 30 minutes after the challenge has been recorded. 
7. If the challenged fencer does not answer the challenge during the practice in which the challenge was made, then the challenger wins by forfeit.  The challenger takes the spot of the challenged fencer on the board and the challenged fencer drops immediately below the challenger.
8. You may not defer, decline or delay a challenge without forfeiting the bout.  (The only exception for this rule is if a coach certifies that the challenged fencer is unable to compete due to an injury.)
9. All challenge bouts are 10 touches or 5 minutes (whichever comes first), with no break, with a mutually acceptable referee.
10. If the challenger wins the bout he/she will assume the spot of the challenged fencer on the board and the challenged fencer drops immediately below the challenger.
11. The winner of the challenge bout is responsible for updating the "Competition Ladder Board."
12. You cannot challenge a fencer who is not physically present at practice.
13. The coaches have the discretion to drop any fencer on the ladder who misses practices to a lower position on the ladder.  The size of the drop will depend on the reasons for missing practice and the number of practices that are missed.
14. New fencers added to the ladder will start at the bottom of the ladder.
15. The ladders will be administered by the coaching staff.  All disputes will be decided by the coaching staff.  In the event that one of the coaches competes in a challenge bout, the head coach alone will decide any dispute that might arise.
16. Coaches are allowed to be "arbitrary and capricious" in administering the ladders.  There are no appeals of any decision. 
17. Remember that the purpose of the ladders is to create another avenue in which to train and have fun.
18. The coaches reserve the right to institute a cost per challenge which will not be less than 25 cents nor more than 1 dollar.  The proceeds will be used to benefit ACFA. 

ACFA COMPETITION LADDERS

• Intermediate / Advanced FOIL (USFA rating of E or higher)
• Intermediate / Advanced EPEE (USFA rating of E or higher)
• Open SABRE (All USFA ratings)
• Novice FOIL (USFA rating of U and all ages)
• Novice EPEE (USFA rating of U and all ages)
• Youth 10 FOIL
• Youth 10 EPEE
• Youth 12 FOIL
• Youth 12 EPEE
• Youth 14 FOIL
• Youth 14 EPEE