1.1 Purpose of BCKF-Sponsored Kyu Grading

The purposes of the BCKF offering kyu grading are to:

• Encourage beginners to keep practicing Kendo by providing goals/objectives
• Provide beginners the experience of a formal grading process

1.2 Participation in Kyu Grading is Optional

The Board maintains that:

• participation in kyu grading is optional
• kyu grades granted by BCKF do not supercede grades granted within dojos and
• kyu grades granted by this process may not be recognized outside the Federation.

1.3 Grading Objective

This grading is intended to allow students to challenge any kyu ranking from 6th to 2nd kyu, commensurate with their abilities and training. The student will be tested for the kyu level suggested by their sensei. Using the grading standards the judging panel will have the following options:

• To award the student the recommended kyu
• To award the student a higher kyu (up to ni-kyu)
• To award the student a lower kyu (if the student is not already at that kyu)
• Withhold the kyu grade.

1.4 The Structure of the Grading Committee

The Board will appoint a minimum of three additional members of the BCKF community. In addition, the BCKF Chairman is an ex-officio a member of the Committee. Each appointment will be for two (2) years but the Board may re-appoint a member to successive terms. The Committee members will choose one member to act as Secretary for a 2-year term. A member may serve as Secretary for a maximum of two consecutive terms (four years) but may reassume the role after taking a break of at least one term (two years). The Secretary will be the communications coordinator for the Committee.

The Committee will oversee the grading process and ensure all aspects of it are running smoothly including:

• Maintaining a current list of

o Kyu grading standards
o Judges that agree to act as kyu judges and are familiar with the BCKF kyu grading process and standards
o Kyu grades that BCKF has awarded

• Ensuring grading happens on dates that the Board chooses
• Selecting judges to serve at each kyu grading
• Ensuring that students are judged according to established criteria
• Ensuring that high-quality certificates are created and presented promptly

1.5 Organizing Grading Events

The Board will choose the dates and places of all kyu gradings. Once those have been chosen the Grading Committee will take care of all other details (e.g., announcements, collecting applications, selection judges, etc.). Dojos who wish to participate will submit names, ages, current kyu grade, and recommended kyu grade of each kenshi to the Secretary before the closing date shown in the announcement. Applications should not be accepted after the closing date.

1.6 Grading Panel

The grading panel will consist of three (3) to five (5) judges each holding the rank of rokudan or higher. The judges will deliberate on each student and come to an agreement of the kyu to be granted.

1.7 Judging Standards and Procedures

Appendix A contains a table of activities and judging standards for roku-kyu (6th) through ni-kyu (2nd). Judging will be according to these standards and carried out using the indicated procedures.

Periodically the Committee may elect to revise the kyu grading standards and procedures. If the standards are modified, the Committee will present the new standards to the Board for approval. Once new standards are approved the Grading Committee will distribute the new standards to the leaders of all member dojos and allow no less than six (6) months to pass before the new standards are put into effect. Should a kyu grading take place within six (6) months of a change in standards, the previous standards will be used.

1.8 Certificates

The certificates should be of high quality suitable for framing. It is the intention that certificates be prepared and presented on the same day as the grading. If another BCKF function were to follow the grading on the same day (i.e., Sports Day) this will give the Committee time to compile results and produce certificates. The presentation ceremonies could be the closing activity of the day.

1.9 Scheduling and Costs

These are Board decisions.

1.10 Announcing Results

The Grading Committee will arrange a public announcement of the results of each grading. This announcement may be in the form of a letter to each dojo and/or an announcement made on the BCKF website.

APPENDIX A - Judging Criteria and Procedures