Competition Tracks

Overview for Competition Tracks

Competition tracks are designed to help guide each student as they progress along their competitive career and prepare for each season. Tracks include the suggested number and types of competitions modulated to each student’s competitive age group. While not a strict requirement, getting as close as possible to the recommendations for the student’s desired track will help the student meet their desired goals. Exceeding suggestions is ok as long as the student is enjoying the extra work.

Our four tracks:

  • Local Explorer Track

  • Local Development Track

  • Travel Explorer Track

  • Travel Performance Track

Before moving on, CLICK HERE to find your age group. You will also find a helpful description of event abbreviations and other terms.

Local Explorer Track

Local explorers are just starting their competitive journey. This is appropriate for someone that has completed a beginner course and has been in competitive practice and taking lessons for a few months. Local explorers’ goals are to gain experience and see how they stack up against in-state competition.

Event participation guidelines:

  • 4 tournaments on the western slope, emphasizing Western Slope Cups

  • 2 tournaments in Denver, emphasizing Colorado Youth Cups (Y10-Y14) or Colorado Cups (Cadet, Junior, Senior)

This track is approximately 0.75 tournaments per month over the nine month season.

Local Development Track

Local development fencers have decided to continue competing after exploring low-pressure competitions. This would be appropriate for fencers in their second season or that catch the competition bug and want to compete more than the local explorer track. Local development fencers aim to start improving results from last season, with multiple results on the Western Slope Cup providing a season-long metric for progress. A few USA Fencing regional tournaments in Denver and one out-of-state event will help accelerate growth.

Event participation guidelines:

  • 4 tournaments on the western slope, emphasizing Western Slope Cups

  • 2 Denver non-regional tournaments (Colorado Youth Cup for Y10-Y14 and Colorado Cups for cadets and up)

  • 2 Denver regional tournaments

    • Regional Youth Cups (RYC) and Super Youth Cups (SYC) for Y10-Y14

    • Regional Junior and Cadet Cups (RJCC) and Regional Open Cups (ROC) for cadets and juniors

    • ROCs for seniors

  • 1 out-of-state tournament

    • Just one RYC, SYC, RJCC, or ROC outside of Colroado

This track is approximately 1 tournament per month over the nine month season.

Travel Explorer Track

Travel explorers are comfortable and enjoying fencing in Colorado and have tried one travel competition and want more. The experience of fencing stronger athletes at regional events is a welcome challenge and travel explorers are ready to check out the “Big Show” with more travel events and one or two National events. Travel explorers want to start to be towards the top of local results by bringing their travel experience home and crushing local competition.

Event participation guidelines:

  • 4 Western Slope Cups

  • 3 tournaments in Denver preferring regional events (RYC, RJCC, ROC) and SYCs or strong Colorado Youth Cups/Colorado Cups depending on age

  • 3 out-of-state regional/SYC events appropriate for age

  • 1-2 national events

    • March NAC and/or Summer Nationals for Y10 and Y12 fencers

    • October NAC, November NAC, March NAC, or Summer Nationals for Y14 fencers (pick up to two)

    • October NAC, November NAC, Junior Olympics, or Summer Nationals for cadet, junior, and senior fencers (pick up to two)

This track is approximately 1.25 tournaments per month over the nine month season.

Travel Performance Track

Travel performance fencers are in the groove of local, regional, and national competition having tried a season of travel and felt the desire to see just how far fencing can take them. Anyone wanting to reach long-term goals such as international competition or NCAA collegiate fencing will need a large part of their career in the travel performance track. Performance fencers enjoy strong results at the local level but also start to accrue regional and national points in their age group.

Event participation guidelines:

  • 4 Western Slope Cups

  • 4 tournaments in Denver preferring regional events (RYC, RJCC, ROC) and SYCs or strong Colorado Youth Cups/Colorado Cups depending on age

  • 4-5 out-of-state regional/SYC events appropriate for age

    • SYCs emphasized for Y10/Y12 and SYC/RCC events emphasized for Y14

  • 3-4 national events

    • March NAC and Summer Nationals for Y10 and Y12 fencers

    • October NAC, November NAC, Junior Olympics, March NAC, or Summer Nationals for Y14 (pick 3-4)

    • October NAC, November NAC, Junior Olympics, or Summer Nationals for cadets, juniors, and seniors

This track is approximately 1.75 tournaments per month over the nine month season.

Competition Schedule

The following spreadsheet shows the local, regional, and national tournament options that have been identified as best for the team.

Click here to view the spreadsheet directly in Google Drive.