Youth Armoured Combat:Authorisation Requirements

1. Youth fighters must authorise to fight in tournaments at SCA events. After their initial authorisation, they must re-authorise at each division change.
2. To authorise, youth combatants must be observed fighting, to verify that that they understand and follow the rules and are safe on the field. They must be seen to:
   1. Identify the legal and illegal target areas on the body.
   2. Demonstrate losing an arm or leg.
   3. Demonstrate dying defensively.
   4. Throw a calibration blow at another, more experienced fighter, and verify that the blow used appropriate force. If another youth fighter is not available, have the authorising fighter strike your marshal's staff.
   5. Spend several minutes sparring with an experienced youth fighter.
   6. Fight a formal bout against an experienced youth fighter, including dying defensively if they are killed.
3. The authorising marshal should look for the following behaviors:
   1. Blows struck with appropriate calibration levels
   2. Acceptance of received blows of appropriate force
   3. Adherence to rules
   4. Confidence in the list; not running away from opponents or ducking in fear at incoming blows

   Note: Youth fighters do not have to be skilled to be authorised, they just need to be safe.

4. Youth fighters may authorise up a division before they reach the listed age, if parents and authorising marshal agree that they are ready, based on their skill and size.