Number of visitors since
April 1999

SSAAA Sanctioned Game - When a festival contracts with SSAAA to:
1) Use SSAAA Athletic Director and officials
2) Follow SSAAA field guidelines

SSAAA Sponsored Game - A game/festival that is supported by SSAAA through member participation and involvement as athletes or officials (ie. Grandfather Mountain, Loch Norman). These may or may not follow all SSAAA guidelines.

Amateur Competitor - Any Highland Game athlete who has not been paid prize money for his overall placement at a Highland Games competition. Prize money for an individual event such as Caber Challenge or Stone Carry are gray areas. Travel money is allowable as long as all athletes in the same field receive such.

Professional Competitor - Highland Games athletes who compete for prize money based on their placement in each Heavy Event and in the over all competition. Professional competitors are not allowed to compete in an amateur competition. The exception would be a a Pro-Am competition that is designed to run and score the two groups together with prize money going to the professionals and awards (ribbons, trophy etc) going to the Event/Game winners based on performance and regardless of professional or amateur status.

Athletic Chairman (AC) - The AC is typically the person who serves on a Games/festival committee as an athletic liaison between the festival and SSAAA/athletic director. He is the conduit between the host Game and the sanctioning body. The Athletic Chairman should avoid acting as an Athletic Director also. The Athletic Chairman's job is to do the advance planning and lay the groundwork for an Athletic Director's arrival on Game Day. Athletic Chairman may compete on Game Day only if they have turned control of the field over to an official Athletic Director for the duration of the competition.

Athletic Director (AD) - The AD is the official who is responsible for all events and materials on the field of Scottish Heavy Athletics. The AD ensures that all implements are present, all structures are in place, all athlete waivers are signed before competition, all athletes are in the correct divisions and the field is clear for competition. Once competition starts, decisions regarding event order, event schedule, implement choice, tie-break and eligibility all fall to the AD. The Athletic Director may not compete on a field he is directing. At day's end, the AD is responsible for ensuring that all scores and records are secured and delivered to the SSAAA P.O.B. for recording. AD supervises take down of the field and collects fees from the host game.

Athletic Divisions - Athletes may be divided into groups based on but not limited to the following criteria:
"A" Division -includes the strongest and most experienced athletes
"B" Division - the next tier of athletes who are gaining strength/experience
"C" Division - Novice or light-weight amateur athletes
Masters Division - experienced athletes who are over 45 years of age (gen.)
Women's Division - women attempting the same events with lighter weights
Super "A" - small group of "A" athletes who are approaching the level of a professional competitor. Doesn't usually compete as a division.

SSAAA Sanctioning Fees - For a sanctioned Game, SSAAA must collect fees for the Athletic Director and officials (judges). The fees are negotiable with every Game depending on:
1) What kind of competition the host Game desires
2) How many officials are needed
3) Lodging/Mileage for officials and AD
4) Whether the Game needs implements
5) Whether the Game provides the awards
6) Whether the Game needs announcing, extra divisions etc.
Typically, judges are paid no less that $100 plus mileage. Athletic Director may be paid $250-$400 plus mileage depending on how many divisions they are expected to manage and what kind of implements he must deliver. All officials retain the individual right to waive/or reduce their own fees (Game gets rained - charity takes over). SSAAA has a fee negotiation sheet for SSAAA Commissioners to use when preparing to sanction a Highland Game or Festival.

Open Amateur Competition - SSAAA was founded on the belief that any capable athlete deserved the opportunity to compete in the Scottish Heavy Events. Open Amateur Competition describes a competition that is open to all interested participant who are:
1) physically capable of entering all events
2) wearing a kilt
3) willing to sign the athletic waiver
Any competitor who drops out of competition before all seven events are finished or who declines to compete in one event forfeits his inclusion in the final overall scoring. Whether he is eligible for any event medals is at the discretion of the Athletic Director