Please go through the following most asked questions listed below and click on it to get the answer. If you don't find your question listed give us a call. DO NOT send a e-mail, we are not replying via e-mail . Phone (716) 763-1111.

What's the difference between NBL and SKIL?
NBL - The National Blackbelt League (NBL) is the only international sport karate league based upon a series of open tournaments which rate and qualify blackbelt level players to become official sport karate world champions at a year-end championship called the “Super Grands World Games”. NBL ratings are free (no membership fee) to all players who attend and place in NBL divisions at NBL tournaments. NBL players can earn points in forms, weapons, self-defense, breaking, point sparring, continuous sparring and team sparring divisions. NBL tournaments have divisions for all ranks, however. Every NBL tournament is also sanctioned “AAA” with Sport Karate International (SKIL) Ratings (which rates both blackbelts and under blackbelts), so all ranks following SKIL can get the most points by competing in NBL tournaments (see SKIL ratings information in the back of any Sport Karate Magazine or Section 3 of any SKITA Handbook). The NBL has been designed over a period of many years to help develop and ensure the continuing professional and efficient direction of martial arts as a world-wide sport.
The NBL ensures true world championship status to players of the sport by a unique system of conference competition leading up to the Super Grands to crown each year’s world champions. The NBL conference season runs from late February through September 30. Each NBL regional conference consists of large sectioned areas of a continent and may have up to one (1) tournament per month during this season for a maximum of six (6) tournaments per conference per season. There are also four (4) national conferences which consist of up to six (6) of the regional conferences’ largest tournaments. These conferences are for individuals and teams that want stiffer competition by traveling to different areas, instead of just one regional area, and for those who want to earn a higher seeded position for the Super Grands World Games. The competition in each of the conferences is a points race within that conference, and competitors are rated in Sport Karate Magazine during those months of competition. You can accumulate points in as many conferences as you wish.
As a player, your participation in the NBL will provide the best recognition at an affordable cost to achieve true sport karate world championship status.

SKIL - Sport Karate International (SKIL) rates both blackbelts and under blackbelts. A SKIL member that competes at any karate tournament that is sanctioned by SKIL can earn points towards their SKIL ratings. A member who places in the top three places at a C sanctioned event or top four places at B, BB, or BBB sanctioned events or the top eight places at A, AA or AAA sanctioned events receives points toward their ratings. A member can accumulate points in sparring, forms, weapons, and self defense. SKIL does not rate grand championships, breaking and team sparring competition. Player’s ratings are published in Sport Karate Magazine - SMASH, four (4) times a year, February 1st, May 1st, August 1st, and the final ratings in October.
When a player joins SKIL Ratings, he/she may back track to the beginning of the season (July 1) and credit him/herself for any points he/she has earned at previous SKIL sanctioned tournaments. It is the responsibility of the member to tally his/her rating points on an official SKIL / NBL point chart and send it in according to the chart instructions and deadline dates.
A player can only earn points at tournaments that have officially been sanctioned with SKIL despite what may be printed on their tournament brochures or elsewhere. The official listing of SKIL sanctioned tournaments is included in the tournament listings in the back of Sport Karate Magazine. Any tournament claiming to be sanctioned by SKIL but not listed in the magazine can only be verified by phoning SKIL executive offices.
The season begins July 1 of one year, and ends June 30 of the following year. A member can retain his/her eight (8) highest scores from the tournaments he/she has competed in for each division during the season. By using this system to obtain rating points, a competitor is rated more by his/her ability of performance than by the quantity of tournaments that he/she attends. This helps cut down on the “burn out” factor of tournament competition and allows for more competitive competition since the cost factor is greatly reduced.

How do I become a member of SKIL?
To become a member of SKIL you have to pay a membership fee. Mail payment with a membership form completely filled out to Sport Karate International 341 E. Fairmount Ave. Lakewood, NY 14750, USA. SKIL Application.

How do I earn points in SKIL?
A member may compete and earn points at any karate tournament that is sanctioned by SPORT KARATE INTERNATIONAL RATINGS (SKIL). A member who places in the top three (3) places at a C rated event, top four (4) places at any B rated event or the top eight (8) places at any A rated event will receive points toward their rating.

Who takes care of my SKIL point tabulation?
It is the responsibility of the member to tally his/her rating points on an official SKIL/NBL point chart and send it in according to the chart instruction and deadline dates. Points are then verified by the SKIL ratings department.

How can I verify the sanctioning for a tournament?
A frequent complaint we receive from competitors and parents is that they went to a tournament which they thought was sanctioned and used it in their point chart only to have the chart returned because the tournament wasn’t sanctioned. If the tournament brochure advertises being sanctioned by us, then most of the time it is. However, the only way to be certain is to check the tournament listings in the back of Sport Karate Magazine or give us a quick call. Always keep a brochure of the tournaments you compete in and place you took for reference if there are any problems. We cannot honor points from non-sanctioned tournaments that have falsely advertised that they were rated. We do honor whatever SKIL sanctions we print in our listings in the magazine.

When does the season for SKIL start?
The SKIL season begins July 1 of one year, and ends June 30 of the following year.

What's the difference between event and division?
Event - An event is an overall category including but not limited to forms, weapons, self-defense, breaking, points sparring, team sparring and continuous sparring.
Division - A division is a break down of an event. For example divisions of Forms could include Japanese forms, musical forms or creative forms. Divisions may break down into rank, age, and sex.

What are the SKIL rated divisions?
Forms, Weapons, Self-Defense and Point Sparring.

How many tournament scores can I submit for the season?
Fill your top eight (or most most you have) highest tournament scores in each box each time you submit a point chart. (See NBL/SKIL Point Chart in the back of Sport Karate Magazine)

Can I submit two similar divisions from the same tournament on any point chart?
A player can only earn points in one of each category. (Forms, Weapons and Self Defense and Sparring). In each of these categories, a player can retain only his/her eight (8) highest scores from eight (8) different tournaments each season (July 1 to June 30), regardless of how many events he/she attends. Furthermore, if you were allowed to compete in two (2) similar divisions (for instance: open and Korean style forms or soft style and hard style weapons), you can only tabulate the highest of the two onto your point chart. (The other one cannot be used as one of your eight (8) tournament scores).

What happens if the tournament doesn't have senior divisions?
If a tournament does not have a senior division (35 years and over), the points obtained by a senior SKIL member competing in a regular adult division can always be transferred into the senior division for ratings by simply listing it as such on your point chart. A senior may elect however, to have their points accumulate in regular adult (18+) ratings, but they cannot transfer points that they win in senior divisions over to regular adult (18+) rated divisions.

What’s the SKIL age rule?
?The SKIL competition season starts on July 1 and ends on June 30 of the following year and includes the Amateur Internationals held after June 30 near the end of the calendar year and at the same time as the Super Grands.
All players must compete at the age they were on January 1 at 12:00 am from January 1 to December 31 at all NBL tournaments and all tournaments using SKITA rules during that period and at the Amateur Internationals for that season even if it is held after December 31.
The exception to this rule are those players who will be turning 18 during the SKIL circuit season (SKIL season July 1 to June 30) are allowed to compete in either 17- or 18+ at tournaments during that entire SKIL circuit season – even before they turn 18. They cannot compete in both 17- and 18+ at the same tournament and points will stay in the age group the player competes in at each tournament. The same applies for those that will be turning 35 or 42 during the circuit season except they can compete in both age divisions at the same tournament and retain points in both. Points earned can only be used and submitted on SKIL point charts for the age group that the points were earned in. A 17 or 18 year old can only submit point charts for one age group or the other (17- or 18+) per SKIL circuit season. If point charts are submitted for both 17- and 18+ then the chart with the most amount of points will be the only chart used for their ratings.

What happens if I change rank?
If you change rank (except going to blackbelt) during the SKIL season (July 1st to June 30th), it will not effect your ratings as all belt ranks are rated into one category. But if you become a blackbelt and compete as such, then the points you earn as a blackbelt must be tabulated on separate point charts allowing you the possibility of being rated as both a blackbelt and under blackbelt.

How to compete for the SKIL Amateur Titles?
If you want to be content with just being rated by points, that’s o.k.; but if you want the opportunity to become a TRUE CHAMPION and compete in head-to-head competition for the world amateur titles, then you need to start planning to attend the SKIL Amateur Internationals which are held in November, December or January of each year after the final ratings come out. As a rated, SKIL pre-registered contestant, you will be seeded (placed into a preferred position) in your division(s) at the Amateur Internationals. Keep up with the news in Sport Karate Magazine for information on where the SKIL Amateur Internationals are held each year.