Scopos hosts a series of National Leagues each year. The National Air Rifle League in the Fall, and the New Shooter and Air Pistol leagues in the Winter and Spring. During these leagues Scopos acts as the League Administrator.

Scheduling Goals

One of the responsibilities of the League Administrator is to schedule teams to compete against each other in games during the regular season. In the National Leagues the League Administrator tries to schedule teams for competition based on two, sometimes contradictory, goals, while also respecting team's requests for bye weeks.

1.Schedule teams of near equal skill level to compete against each other.

2.Provide for a diversity of competition.

Scheduling Games for the Regular Season

First Two Weeks of the League

In the first two weeks of the league, the scheduling of games is 100% random, with only an emphasis on scheduling teams within the same Conference. Scheduling teams within the same Division is not emphasized in the first two weeks.

Third Week and After

Scheduling for the third week of the league is based on the results of the first week. Scheduling for the fourth week of the league is based on results after the second week. This patter continues through the end of the regular season.

The algorithm for scheduling games is as follows.

1.Each unscheduled team is placed within a set of teams of near equal skill level.

a.The size of the set is based on the number of teams in the league, a percentage range determine by the league administrator, and if conference or division team scheduling is emphasized.

b.As the league progresses, the percentage range decreases. As the range decreases each week the likelihood of a very near equal skill level of teams competing increases.

c.If conference or division teams scheduling is emphasized, the set size is increased.

2.One team within this set is picked at random.

a.If the two teams already competed, a new selection is made.

b.If conference or division team scheduling is emphasized, and the selected team is not in the same conference or division, a new selection is made.

c.The game is scheduled if a new selection is not needed.

3.If needed this process is continued twice more until the game is scheduled, with the size of the set of teams increasing each time.

4.If needed the process will still continue, but only making new selections if the teams have already competed, and again with the size of the set of teams increasing.

5.If needed the process continues, but scheduling games even if the two teams have already competed.

Common Questions About Scheduling

•Why did our team get scheduled to shoot against another team that is so much better than we are?
Scheduling has two contradictory goals. Scheduling teams of near equal skill level is only one of those goals. The second goals is to provide for a diversity of competition. Achieving a diversified schedule means sometimes teams of different skill levels will compete against each other.