At Ninja Kids we hold a variety of competitions. Some of these events are in-house, while others are collaborations with ninja leagues that offer competitors the chance to qualify for larger, future events like state, national or international competitions. All ninjas are welcome to join in any competition, regardless of their experience level. Competitions are a great chance to show off what our ninjas have been working on in their training and have some fun with other ninjas of the same age or level. Below are the types of competitions held across our gyms. Head to the events calendar page to check out when each of these events will be running.
Competition Rules and Descriptions
Types of Ninja Events
Ninja Challenge League
Categories (sorted by year of birth/genders compete together):
- Kids
- Mature-kids
- Pre-teens
- Teens
Rules: Youth competitors will compete on a course consisting of eight obstacles with up to 20 seconds of rest in between. They will only have one attempt to complete the course, with the first fall making their official result, but each youth competitor will be able to attempt each obstacle once after they have fallen. Results will be determined based on who got furthest the fastest before their first fail, as indicated in the rules for each qualifier. The course, rules and demonstration video will be made available before that qualifier is due to be held.
Qualifying: The top competitors from each age division in each qualifier will be eligible to compete in the NCL Youth Finals. The number of qualifying spots are based on the number of competitors in each division at that qualifier:
- 1 to 5 youths: top competitor qualifies for the NCL Youth Finals
- 6 to 9 youths: top three competitors qualify for the NCL Youth Finals
- 10 to 14 youths: top five competitors qualify for the NCL Youth Finals
- 15+ youths: top 10 competitors qualify for the NCL Youth Finals
If a competitor who has already qualified performs well enough to earn a qualifying position in a subsequent event, the qualifying spot is given to the next eligible competitor from the most recent event.
UNAA Competitions
Categories (boys and girls are separate):
- 7 and Under
- 9 and Under
- 11 and Under
- 13 and Under
- 15 and Under
Rules: Each obstacle will be worth either one or two points. Whoever gets the most points will win. If more than one person gets the same number of points then it goes on who finishes more quickly. Your time stops with the last obstacle completed. If you cannot complete an obstacle or if you touch something that isn’t allowed like part of another obstacle, a supporting obstacle or the floor that is considered a failure. Any 2 point obstacles are not a fail if you receive the first halfway point. There are a maximum of 3 fails per course.
After 3 fails, the athletes’ run is over. They may finish the course but will not receive a score for the remaining obstacles. Boys and girls placings are separate.
Qualifying: The top 3 or 50% of each category, whichever is greater (rounded up), will qualify for Area Qualifiers (state) from Local Qualifiers. Top 3 or 50% of each category, whichever is greater (rounded down), will qualify for Regionals from Area Qualifiers. Top 3 or 20%, whichever is greater (rounded down), will qualify for the UNAA World Series Finals from Regionals (nationals).
Ninja Kids Speed Challenge
Categories (based on age at the time of the event):
- 6-8 years old
- 9-11 years old
- 12+ years old
Description: The courses for our speed challenge events are designed for the competitors to move as quickly as possible through 8 obstacles. The difficulty level of the individual obstacles will be relatively low, so that speed will be the determining factor in a podium spot. This is the perfect first competition as there is no pressure to qualify for a later event and the obstacles aren’t too tricky! Medals are awarded to the top three boys and girls in each age category and the overall winner will get a prize.
Rules: Each obstacle is worth one or two points. If the competitor fails an obstacle they will be allowed to keep going and collecting points for any remaining obstacles. There will be a time limit which will end their run if they have not yet completed the full course.
Ninja Kids Team Competition
Categories (based on term classes):
- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Description: This is such a fun, low pressure event where kids need to work together to try a variety of different skills and challenges. The groups can be selected before the event if there are friends who would like to go together. We will make the rest of the groups into teams on the day of the event. Medals are awarded to the top three teams in each age category.
Rules: In groups of four, each team will have a series of 6-8 challenges to complete. For example, most rope climbs in 1 minute or fastest to complete a balance lane. Each challenge will earn teams points based on how they rank against the other teams. Once all challenges have been completed, the team with the most points wins. In the case of a tie, a final additional head-to-head challenge will determine the winners.
Ninja Kids Endurance Challenge
Categories (based on age at the time of the event):
- 6-8 years old
- 9-11 years old
- 12+ years old
Description: The courses for our endurance challenge events look a little different! They are designed so that once a competitor starts the course, they will go through each of the 8 obstacles without touching the ground. The difficulty level of the individual obstacles will be low to moderate and the main challenge will be trying to get through everything without resting in between. Medals are awarded to the top three boys and girls in each age category
and the overall winner will get a prize.
Rules: Once a competitor starts their run they need to only be on the designated equipment, without touching the floor. The competitor will be judged based on the furthest piece of equipment touched before they fail. Once they fail, they are welcome to try the rest of the
course but will not be awarded any additional points. If two competitors reach the same point, the competitor who got there first will win.
