The Numbers Juggling League

The "Numbers Juggling League" is a year-long numbers juggling competition where participants compete for the longest runs with 8+ balls, 6+ clubs and 8+ rings. At the end of the year, the juggler with the most points in each prop discipline and a combined discipline will be crowned a Numbers Juggling League winner!

Our main goals with the Numbers Juggling League are to:

1. Motivate jugglers to train higher numbers more; through competing and progressing together
2. Make jugglers appreciate seasonal bests, instead of just new personal bests
3. Encourage jugglers to push for achievements that might seem out of reach

Rules

Allowed Categories

• Balls: 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, …
• Clubs: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, …
• Rings: 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, …

Allowed Patterns

For Balls

• Odd numbers: Cascade
• Even numbers: Async fountain, sync fountain, half shower (with the high throw as an outside throw), wimpy, 978

For Clubs

• Odd numbers: Cascade
• Even numbers: Async fountain, sync fountain, half shower (with the high throw as an inside throw)

For Rings

• Odd numbers: Cascade
• Even numbers: Async fountain, sync fountain

Note: Every throw has to be non-multiplex

Allowed Props

• Balls must be roughly spherical objects, including beanbags
• Clubs must be roughly cylindrical objects with a well defined narrower handle section and wider body section
• Rings must be roughly circular and flat objects with a hole in the middle

Note: In general, if you use standard juggling equipment that the manufacturer describes as balls, clubs or rings they will fit the descriptions above.

Note: 

• Holsters may be used as help to hold more equipment than you’re able to in your hands alone. All props have to be released from your hands before you can throw objects being held in the holsters
• You may use other parts of your body to hold objects such as performing a kick up from your foot or holding a ring between your legs
• Holsters cannot be used as a tool to help catching

Measuring Runs

Runs are measured in catches only and can be a minimum of 4 catches long. Catches are counted until the first drop is made. So the final run is a consecutive series of catches with no missed catch in between.

Note: Prop catches are counted in terms of the order they are caught, not thrown. For example, for runs in 97, each 7 is thrown after a 9 and caught before that 9. So even though the 9 is thrown first, dropping the 7 that was thrown just after would end the run, even if the 9 is caught.

Note: Dropping one and catching one out of a sync pair counts as one catch.

A Valid Run

A valid run is a run that is:

• In an allowed category
• In an allowed pattern
• Performed with allowed props
• Of at least the minimum run length of 4 catches
• Captured on video

The video must:

• Clearly show the start of the run
• Clearly show the end of the run, including a few additional seconds to ensure all caught objects are under control
• Be publicly viewable (e.g. not just viewable to your Facebook friends)
• Have been filmed and uploaded in the current year
• Consist of a single camera angle with no cuts for the duration of the run

In general, the video should convince other jugglers, beyond reasonable doubt, that you have accomplished the claimed feat. Failing to do the following may lead to a record submission being rejected:

• All objects should be in frame
• The entire juggler and floor/ground beneath them should be visible
• The video should be of high enough resolution/quality that there is no dispute or ambiguity as to what is going on
• The props must contrast sufficiently with the background and juggler so they are visible for the duration of the run
• The video should include the original audio

Runs Shorter than a Flash?

Traditionally in a numbers juggling competition, participants would have to achieve at least of a qualify (2n catches of n objects) or at least a flash (n catches of n objects) to enter. In this competition, we are making a change to this!

If you release all objects in an allowed pattern and catch at least the first 4 objects, you can enter the competition. This means that if someone does 16 throws with 16 balls and catches the first 4 balls, the run can be submitted to the competition and receive points.

We are doing this for a few reasons:

• To allow jugglers of a wider skill range to take part in the competition
• To reward accomplishments and progress before the flash, which are still notable, particularly with the highest numbers
• To encourage the top level jugglers to go for juggling feats that no one or few people have achieved!

Note: Every throw should be thrown with the intention of later catching it. For example, if someone is attempting 12 balls in a pattern where they throw the first 4 “correctly”, followed by 8 intentionally “random” throws in order to catch the first 4, this may lead to the run being rejected.

Note: If the pattern starts with multiplex throws, the run is counted from when the first non-multiplex throw is caught

The Scoring System

In Each Category

• The leader in each category receives 100 points and every other juggler receives points portional to their achievement compared with the leader. For example:
• Imagine juggler A leads the 9 ball category with 50 catches, they therefore receive 100 points
• Juggler B achieves a 9 ball run of 30 catches. Since their run is 60% the length of the winner’s, they are awarded 0.6 × 100 = 60 points
• If a run is less than a flash but at least the minimum of 4 catches then it is awarded half the points it otherwise would be. In the example:
• If juggler C achieves 9 throws of 9 balls and manages to catch the first 5, they would ordinarily be awarded 100 × 5 ÷ 50 = 10 points. However, since this is less than a flash, they are awarded 50% of that: 5 points
• Note: Scores can change! In the example:
• Imagine juggler D achieves a run of 100 catches of 9 balls. They are now the leader, so are awarded 100 points. Juggler A’s run is now worth 50 points, juggler B’s 30 points and juggler C’s 2.5 points
• This means you’ll slowly lose points if you don’t keep pace with the competition!

In Each Prop Discipline

Each participant's score is the sum of all the categories they entered. For example:

• Imagine juggler A has submitted valid runs in 8, 9 and 11 balls, and, 6 and 7 clubs
• Their ball score is the sum of their scores in the individual 8, 9 and 11 ball categories
• Their club score is the sum of their scores in the individual 6 and 7 club categories
• They haven’t submitted any ring runs so they aren’t entered into that discipline

In the Combined Discipline

We add together the points from each prop discipline each juggler has entered.

How to Enter

• Anyone can enter the Numbers Juggling League. All you need is the ability to film yourself juggling
• If you achieve a valid run that you would like to submit, upload the video to a platform where it is publicly visible
• Log into your www.juggling-records.com account (or make one)
• Navigate to “The Numbers Juggling League”
• Click through to the relevant discipline (balls, clubs or rings) and then select the number of objects juggled
• There you’ll be able to submit your run by entering the number of catches you achieved, the video link and telling us whether or not the run was also a personal best
• When you’ve submitted your run, it will be under review. Once it has been approved, it will appear in the leaderboards and you’ll receive points!