In the last week or so, FP has heard from many parents opposing the changes to the strip coaching rules.

In addition to the parent sponsored petition to USA Fencing to reconsider the ban on strip coaching, FP has received emails from parents vehemently opposing the strip coaching rule change.

You can sign the petition to reverse the strip coaching rule change HERE

Parent Opinions

In FP’s opinion, the rule change makes little sense since it falls into the "make work" category for a Referee Commission that has so far been unsuccessful in imposing discipline on disruptive spectators.  This rule change will only make the situation worse.

Here are opinions expressed by fencing parents about the strip coaching rule change:

this is bad rule making

“The changes don’t appear to benefit anyone, and will likely hurt younger fencers in their development in the long run.”

referees as policemen does not work

“If USFA thinks that there is too much negative interactions between referees and coaches, how do they think it is going to work to now have referees directly policing the amount of coaching that occurs?

Makes no sense - there is a better solution to referee abuse

“The purported reasons for the rule change make no sense……. If there is referee abuse, then there should be a rule aimed specifically at abusive coaches, who should be issued red or black cards and directly banned from tournaments. But there is no reason to cut off proper coaching for the vast majority of coaches, who are supportive to fencers and respectful to refs, because some coaches cannot behave.”

The rule change distracts from the real issue

“This rule turns potentially every single bout into a rules violation by even well-meaning and polite coaches, with the refs needing to become policeman. Do we really want refs to be halting bouts because a coach said “ten seconds left” to remind a fencer that a time penalty is about to be imposed? Further, it distracts from the real issue, which is bad coaches. I say, “let good coaches coach and let bad coaches be kicked out,” not “let’s stop every coach from coaching because we don’t like how a few coaches coach.”

USA fencers are killing it abroad, how will the rule change help?

“The claim that aligning USFA strip coaching rules with the FIE’s rules will help our fencers is so easily contradicted by the fact that the cadet and junior US fencers are killing it abroad. Team USA had THE MOST medals, and THE MOST GOLD MEDALS, or any country, at the last cadet and junior worlds. Team USA actually had multiple fencers who repeated as gold medalists. Further, the last few years, the FIE rankings show many US fencers near or at the top of the junior rankings, which shows that the US fencers also are killing it at junior world cups. At the last FIE ceremony to honor the number 1 ranked junior fencer last year, three of the top six spots were held by US fencers, with a fourth US person just missing it by finishing second.”

Why model the fie when the coaching practice there is random?

“NACs and FIE tournaments are run very differently. At FIE tournaments, the level of coaching …. often is completely random, with fencers who happen to be assigned to strips that are on the edge of the active fencing area getting active coaching during a bout (because the coach can stand nearby, just outside the active fencing area), whereas fencers who are on strips near the center of the venue get NO coaching (because they can’t hear or see their coaches, who are far away)…………… Why is the USFA talking about modeling its rules after the international experience, when the actual experience is pretty random?”

There is something else going on

“I suspect that there is something else going on here….the reasons given for the rule change have nothing to do with each other.”

NACs are a learning experience for fencers…immediate feedback is important

“Younger events should be as much a learning experience as a test of fencing prowess. Having coaches be able to provide coaching allows the type of immediate feedback that is needed to improve for the next tournament. It might not be so necessary at international tournaments, where fencers are older, but it is quite important at NACs.”

The FIE is hostile to coaching but NACs are not

“At foreign tournaments, the FIE and the tournament are actively hostile to coaching. It often is the case that coaching IS NOT ALLOWED AT ALL in pools, with coaches being roped off from fencers. This is not how any NAC is run.”

What coaching is allowed at international tournaments varies a lot

“At international DEs, what level of coaching is allowed varies a lot….Probably 25 percent of referees at international tournaments do not care. Probably 50 percent either allow some level of coaching or only allow coaching when a fencer is walking back to the en garde line. And probably 25 percent do not want coaches to say anything at all at any time, except during the two breaks. The idea that we need to conform to the international experience, when the international experience is entirely inconsistent, makes no sense.”

NACs are set up very differently from FIE tournaments

“NACs are set up completely differently than junior and senior world cups, which often are ringed by stands where parents are required to sit, all to watch older and more self-sufficient fencers who have often been to many previous world cups. By contrast, NACs have parents close by, who often are watching youth fencers, right alongside their coaches. The coaching requirements for youth fencers by no means mirror those of older fencers who have already been to many hard tournaments worldwide.”

Referee Commission to devise clear and understandable interpretation of the Rules

We understand that the Referee Commission will meet in August to work out how the new rule works in a clear and understandable way.

While the RC may work out rules understandable to itself, we doubt that the rules will be enforced in a consistent way. Neither do we believe that the message will get out to all referees, coaches and spectators in a way that puts everyone at the same level of understanding. USA Fencing is notoriously poor at communicating important information to stakeholders, and we don’t expect they will do a better job here.

Open forum at Summer Nationals between the Referee Commission and Coaches

As a belated effort after USA Fencing failed to consult the coaching community before approving the rule change, an open forum has been organized between the RC and selected coaches to work out how the new rule will be best implemented. Apparently, referees and coaches will also be able to provide input at the forum after the fact.

USA Fencing broke something that was working

For unknown reasons, the USA Fencing Board approved a rule change that has caused widespread confusion and which does not appear to have any benefits for anyone.