Sprinkler Age A Publication of the American Fire Sprinkler Association
MORE FITTERS COMPETE IN THIS YEAR’S NCC
On March 18, 2026, 204 craft apprentices and professionals arrived at the Salt Lake City, Utah, Salt Palace Convention Center to participate in the annual Associated Builders and Contractors’ (ABC) National Craft Championship (NCC). They represent the best of the best, nationwide, of 15 different construction crafts.
This year, there were six competitors in the Fire Sprinkler competition. That is two more than last year and four more than 2024. So, we are moving in the right direction. On the day of their arrival, the apprentices went through a short orientation and then took a 50-question test based on their NCCER apprenticeship curriculum.
That afternoon, the competitors went down to the convention center floor to see the area they would compete in and receive some training on the threading and grooving machines. This year, a safety task was added for a scissors lift. JLG supplied the scissors lift as well as the lift certification that was needed on competition day.
Once they completed the training, apprentices were free to take part in the trade show and refreshments, also located on the convention floor.
THE COMPETITION
ABC’s National Craft Championships is very similar to AFSA’s National Apprentice Competition, but it is not fire sprinkler-centric. It is general, construction-based. Bright and early on March 19, the fire sprinkler apprentices met on the convention floor for a hot breakfast provided by ABC. At 8:00 a.m., the starting horn sounded, and apprentices began their practical craft competition. Competitors had six hours to build a wet system riser, install heads in the competition platform, trim out an alarm valve, and put water on the project to check for leaks.
The competitors are judged by two volunteer judges on several factors: organization, safety, project assembly, completion of work, and compliance with the project specifications.
Each competitor had to fill out a safety task analysis. There was a separate safety award for each trade. At some point in the morning, each competitor had to perform a safety check of the scissors lift in the competition area. After the 11:00 a.m. lunch break, they went back to work. The competition went down to the wire. By 3:00 p.m., when the horn blew, three of the competitors had completed their project, which included applying water pressure to the system and ensuring there were no leaks. At that time, all competitors took an hour-long break to eat some ice cream and relax. At 4:00 p.m., everyone returned to their competition area to begin breaking down in two hours what the project managers had taken three days to set up.
Many competitors spent the rest of that evening enjoying dinner with their chapters, handlers, family members, or simply relaxing.
On Friday afternoon, all of the competitors reconvened for a round-up session before attending the awards ceremony. At 5:00 p..m., they all entered the main ballroom to an energetic audience.
By 7:00 p.m., the awards were handed out. For the fire sprinkler championship, two AFSA Contractor members placed: Joe Montney, Jr. of Total Fire Protection, representing the ABC Western Michigan Chapter, won gold, and Zachary Carter with Piper Fire Protection, representing the ABC Florida Gulf Coast Chapter, won bronze. Edwin Medina of Sprinklermatic, representing the ABC Florida Gulf Coast Chapter, won the silver and safety awards.
Immediately following the awards ceremony, a closing party was held to celebrate all of the apprentices’ accomplishments. A great time was had by all.
“We are incredibly proud of Joe for this outstanding achievement,” says Ryan Goossens, president, Total Fire Protection. “In our industry, the details matter, and he takes that seriously every day. This award reflects the care and craftsmanship he brings to his work, and the pride he has in doing it right. We’re honored to have him on our team.”
“We are incredibly proud of Zach—not just for the bronze medal, but for how he competed. He carried the weight of Piper’s past success with confidence, not pressure, and stayed calm and methodical throughout the entire competition. That kind of focus and discipline is what leads to success at the highest level,” remarks Chris Johnson, president and co-founder at Piper Fire Protection. “Beyond the competition, it was a great opportunity to spend time with Zach and his wife, Felisha, in Salt Lake City. They embraced the full experience—from the ABC events to exploring the city—and it was a pleasure getting to know them better and hearing about their family. Those moments are part of what make weeks like this so memorable and impactful to our company culture.”
The 2027 ABC National Craft Championships will take place in Denver, Colo., March 9-11. We hope to see your fire sprinkler apprentice there showing off their skills and competing for that gold!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: David Victor is the operations manager for the Baltimore division of VSC Fire and Security, Inc., and is NICET IV certified in Water-Based System Layout. He has served as the ABC Greater Baltimore Chapter Craft Competition project manager since 2008 and the ABC NCC project manager since 2016. Victor has served as AFSA’s Chesapeake Bay Chapter treasurer since 2008.