The Fencing Coach | For the Love of the Greatest Game on Earth
156 FOLLOWERS
The Fencing Coach is a great resource for fencing training, philosophies, and leadership ideas.
The Fencing Coach | For the Love of the Greatest Game on Earth
2M ago
With Ivan Lee’s decision to resign, his vacant seat now becomes available for appointment by the Board. In the interest of transparency, I’d like to discuss with you a few things:
Ivan Lee’s vacancy and how we’ll fill it (and why)
The upcoming elections to contest and/or fill the seats currently held by David Arias and Peter Burchard
Why I am Supporting Molly Frickin’ Hill to fill Ivan’s seat
Why the Board Appoints Ivan’s Replacement Here, Instead of an Election
Section 7.6 of our bylaws reads that “…vacancies on the Board of Directors…resulting from…resignation shall be filled for the bala ..read more
The Fencing Coach | For the Love of the Greatest Game on Earth
3M ago
Disclaimer:
I was provided with a complimentary pair of shoes from Rophoo in return for my honest review. I received no monetary compensation for this review, nor am I endorsed by Rophoo in any capacity. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are my own and not influenced by Rophoo and/or its affiliates in any way.
Fencing-specific shoes can get expensive, sometimes costing upwards of $200 when you factor in taxes, shipping and handling costs.
And the truth is, outside of Azza’s, I’ve found very few pairs of Fencing shoes that provide the ankle and heel support, comfort on the piste, and d ..read more
The Fencing Coach | For the Love of the Greatest Game on Earth
3M ago
December is shaping up to have a loaded agenda, and there’s a lot our members should really take interest in! Namely, we will be voting to ratify the 2024-2028 Strategic Plan, a few low-impact administrative items, and a couple of RC-related bylaw changes. Per my promise of transparency, you can find a summary below of how I’m leaning to vote in the upcoming December 16 meeting.
With the publication of the draft agenda, you will finally be able to view the plan in draft form.
Conflicts of Interest: At the beginning of every Board meeting, the Chair asks the members of the Board if they have a ..read more
The Fencing Coach | For the Love of the Greatest Game on Earth
3M ago
With the upcoming December meeting, the current Board will (likely) vote to approve the 2024-2028 Strategic Plan. If you want to read the draft plan (not yet approved), you can find it in the December 2023 Board Meeting Agenda (Appendix L).
The last three months, we’ve been hard at work putting this together, and it’s been a hugely collaborative effort between the board, national office, and critical stakeholder groups across USA Fencing (more on that below).
I want you to care about this plan. I want you to get excited about it. And most importantly, I want your feedback/volunteering to take ..read more
The Fencing Coach | For the Love of the Greatest Game on Earth
7M ago
One of the first decisions made at the Board retreat was voting for our next Chair. Prior to the retreat, I had a few people ask me if I was going to run. The answer was a resounding “no” because I have a newborn and an energetic toddler, and I want to make sure I prioritize family above the burden of being the Chair. So now that that’s out of the way, let’s talk Ivan Lee.
I supported Ivan Lee as Chair because Ivan has rightfully earned the respect and admiration of the Fencing community in every area he touches. As a competitor, he dazzled and was the quintessential sportsman, adored both by ..read more
The Fencing Coach | For the Love of the Greatest Game on Earth
7M ago
Introduction
This is a difficult piece to write. I’ve wanted to talk about it for years, as I’ve found that when it’s brought up on my anonymous messaging platform, the answers I give fail to capture the nuance and depth that the topic requires. I’ve avoided writing about it, because it’s something that’s often discussed in bad faith and with anecdotal platitudes from anti-trans proponents, and selective, cherry-picked facts from allies. I suspect, even after reading this, people might only read the pieces that fit their narrative, not click on any of the 16 articles, studies, and testimonies ..read more
The Fencing Coach | For the Love of the Greatest Game on Earth
7M ago
To my constituents,
One of the campaign promises I made was to operate out in the open, share with you my positions on different issues, and to write a blog post for every meeting articulating how I intend to vote. With the agendas for the September 8 and September 10 meetings now public, it’s time to begin fulfilling that promise.
With my term set to commence in a few weeks, I wanted to write up some thoughts on what’s on the agenda, share with you the two motions I’ve proposed (and the why behind them), and discuss what this blog means in the grand scheme of my Board tenure. I ..read more
The Fencing Coach | For the Love of the Greatest Game on Earth
9M ago
Methodology:
Analyzed 2,783 single light touches at the senior international level and notated with the following zones, annotating based on where the front foot lands on the closing action.
Findings: Overall
51% of touches are scored in the 3M Zone
36% of touches are scored in the Box
13% of touches are scored in the 2M Zone
By Righty:
By Lefty ..read more
The Fencing Coach | For the Love of the Greatest Game on Earth
9M ago
In the senior international level of fencing, competitors have three periods and 9 minutes to establish victory (plus an extra minute in priority if need be). How are these bouts playing out? When are touches being scored? This analysis seeks to answer some of those questions for both the men’s and women’s games. This analysis is based on:
311 bouts at the Senior International Level
153 fencers from 36 different countries
6,270 Touches
Key Data Points:
In both Men’s and Women’s, the 1st period is the lightest on fencing action, mostly used as a opportunity to feel out the opponent and cauti ..read more
The Fencing Coach | For the Love of the Greatest Game on Earth
9M ago
In the April 16, 2023 USA Fencing Board of Directors Special Meeting, the Board voted to approve changes to strip coaching rules (t.109) to align to FIE standards. These changes were voted on in order to promote more order on the piste and minimize distractions for fencers and referees over the course of a bout.
A number of rumors have circulated suggesting this amendment would result in the banning of strip coaching; and thus, USA Fencing has created a forum at Summer Nationals to invite Coach feedback on the proposal.
As the Referees Commission forms its interpretation o ..read more