Referee Bill Gelnaw checks the point of Lucas Schrimsher at the Modern Pentathlon World Cup in Pomona, California, February 24, 2017.

What is a referee?

A referee or simply ref is the person of authority in a variety of sports who is responsible for presiding over the game from a neutral point of view and making on-the-fly decisions that enforce the rules of the sport, including sportsmanship decisions such as ejection. – Wikipedia

I love that this definition mentions sportsmanship. Fencing emphasizes sportsmanship in so many ways. I value this emphasis on sportsmanship, and believe it is important for my son to understand what sportsmanship really means.

Sportsmanship is an aspiration or ethos that a sport or activity will be enjoyed for its own sake, with proper consideration for fairness, ethics, respect, and a sense of fellowship with one’s competitors.

There is a reason why a fencer salutes the referee at the beginning of the bout. And why a fencer shakes hands with the referee at the conclusion of the bout. These gestures, the salute and the handshake, signify the respect that the fencer must show throughout the bout, to his opponent, the ref, and the sport itself. The salute to the ref at the beginning is recognition of the role the ref plays, and the authority he has on the strip. The handshake at the end means, “Thank you. I respect the work you did enforcing the rules and presiding over the bout.”

I appreciate that there is a dress code for referees, in sort of the same way that there is a uniform for fencers. Referees almost always dress well, a coat and tie for men, a skirt or slacks for women. This shows an attitude of respect towards the sport, the fencers, and the important role the referee plays in the world of fencing.

Who are these referees?

They are you.

Fencing referees are mostly fencers who got involved in refereeing or fencing parents who got involved in refereeing. Several fencing parents who started refereeing, either to help (a small amount) with the expense of fencing, or because they wanted something to do while at tournaments with their fencers, have continued to referee long after their fencers have left for college or even left the sport of fencing altogether. They enjoy the sport, the people, and the travel. They get paid very little. No ref is in this for the money. Some referees have had amazing fencing careers. Some referees have never fenced. It’s not necessary to have any previous experience as a fencer before becoming a ref. George Porter, for example, is one of the top refs in our Division, yet he never competed as a fencer.

If you are standing behind a referee in the security line at the airport on the way to a NAC, or checking in at a hotel, if you find yourself getting into an elevator with one, introduce yourself. Say, “Hello.” They appreciate it. And they have a lot they can teach parents and fencers, and some great stories.

You will discover, as your fencer competes, that you will see the same refs at many different tournaments. Some of the local refs are also refereeing on the national and international level. If they are on the international circuit, they have gone through a lot of training and have a lot of experience. Often, the lesser experienced are reffing in local tournaments, getting a sense of what goes into refereeing, making the calls, defending calls, and learning to interpret the rules. Older fencers will often have their first reffing experience at their own club, refereeing younger fencers at an unrated tournament.

Much like young fencers learning how to fence, you may also encounter young referees on your fencer’s strip, learning how to ref. Be patient with these kids. They might grow into great referees. Support them. Don’t yell at them or argue with them heatedly. If you have a question about a call, ask it. And then listen, respectfully, to the explanation. But don’t humiliate the young ref, berate him, or chastise her. If it is a misunderstanding of a rule, if for example, you think the young ref has misunderstood the meaning of “one action” for example, talk to the bout committee (quietly) after the bout is over, and suggest that someone might want to review that particular rule with the ref. You might also discover that in fact you were the one who has misunderstood the rule—another good reason not to get upset in front of your fencer and make a scene. Also, if you have a problem with a young referee reffing your fencer’s bout, say if it is a semifinal of an RYC, for example, prior to the bout, you can go to the bout committee and voice your concerns about his or her experience at this level of competition. Otherwise, do your part in helping to encourage the ref. Support his or her efforts, recognizing that he might be nervous, or she might be shy.

The Referee and Your Fencer’s Safety

Believe it or not, one of the referee’s tasks is to make sure that your fencer is safe. This means not just those tricky corps à corps calls, but also making sure jackets are zipped up, mask bibs are down, shoes are tied, etc. The referee understands that a hole in a sock could potentially catch a sword tip and cause some serious physical damage. I have been sent on a frantic search for a safety pin because the Velcro on the jacket is no longer working. I wasn’t happy about it, but I recognized that it was a safety issue, not that the ref was trying to keep my son from fencing. (By the way, I always have a safety pin or two with me, now.) If a referee asks that something be fixed on a uniform, fix it. And thank him.

‘Ball and Strike’ Calls

Like a baseball umpire, a fencing referee has to make judgment calls on many rulings that are close (can be decided either way). As an example, what one referee would call “simple and immediate” (the one action rule), another would determine as not completed in one motion or too late after the opponent went out of the strip. The rule itself may be clear (just like the strike zone in baseball), but a quick, definitive ruling (which is required) on a close call will often get one set of fencer, coach and parents outraged. Every batter striking out feels that the pitch was out of the strike zone, and every pitcher walking a batter feels that the pitch was right-down-the-middle—when a ruling can go either way, depending on the referee, one will be right and the other will be wrong. That’s sports.

I think refs appreciate it when fencers acknowledge touches that are questionable (like that ‘floor’ touch that you know really hit your foot). Likewise, fencers should inform the ref if they think they were awarded a touch that they really didn’t deserve (e.g., getting a point for hitting the floor and the ref awarded it as a toe touch). This is a sign of good sportsmanship. Eventually, you will probably see all of the top fencers do this. They understand, after years of competing, that winning is important but it is also important how you win.

Bias

There are specific guidelines restricting a referee from directing a bout that he/she may have conflicting interests in (same club, relationship, etc.). Generally speaking, a referee directing a bout does not see the individual fencers, but only the fencing actions. Thus, fencers should recognize that a call, even a wrong call, was based on what the referee believed he/she saw in the sequence between “fence” and “halt”—not who a fencer is. If there are legitimate questions of bias, those should be addressed with the bout committee, of course. But, mistakes by a referee sometimes happen during fast and pressure-filled action, just like a fencer’s own fencing is not perfect in such circumstances either.

Referee as Teacher

I have seen wonderful lessons in action watching interactions between some referees and fencers. One young fencer gave his opponent the finger on the strip. Black card. Which is of course the appropriate response. But that wasn’t the end of the story. A black card certainly got the point (slight pun there) across, but this wonderful referee went a bit further. He had the fencer sit next to him at the bout committee table for the rest of the event, as fencers checked in for other events, returned bout slips, etc. and gave him some wonderful lessons about how the tournament works, scoring, and other advice.

I love the March NAC because it is focused on the younger fencers, Y10, Y12, and Y14 only. This is the first NAC for many fencers and a learning experience in so many ways. The referees know this too. Often, they take extra time to explain to the fencers some of the rules and expectations. I’ve seen a ref explain how pool bouts work and how important it is for a fencer to listen for his name and to be ready. You can literally see fencers growing in confidence from the first day of check in to the final day of competition. The referee has a lot to do with this transformation. A referee can ref your fencer’s bouts for years, showing up at local, regional, national, and even international events. And referees get to know the fencers. They watch with genuine interest as fencers become successful and they want fencers to succeed.

Attend a Referee Clinic

If you really want to understand some of the finer, more intricate points of fencing calls and reffing, attend a clinic. And have your fencer do one as well. You will learn so much. It is a complicated sport. And all three weapons have very different rules. Once you start to be able to see some of the finer points of fencing in action, (in epee that might be passing or one action for example), you will have more appreciation for the role the referee plays in the life of the bout on the strip. Once you put yourself in the position of making calls, and having people around you disagree with you, you will have more empathy for the ref. And, who knows, you might decide, like many other parents, that you enjoy reffing and being a part of this wonderful world of fencing, competition and sportsmanship.

Fencers should be a referee for a tournament (many local tournaments have self-ref opportunities). When a fencer experiences making difficult judgment calls as a referee, he/she comes to the realization that refereeing a bout is not easy. In every difficult or “close” call, each fencer feels strongly that the ruling should be in his/her favor, resulting in one side being convinced that the referee made the wrong ruling.

Respecting the Referee

I recently heard two things that I found disturbing.

• Parents received red cards at Summer Nationals for yelling at the referee.
• People no longer want to referee because of the abuse they take from parents strip-side (not coaches, parents).

If I knew one of these parents, I might suggest to him or her, please tell your child you made a mistake. That you respect the system, the referees, and the sport, and that you got caught up in the heat of battle, and you acted inappropriately. Your child needs to know that you are willing to admit when you were wrong, and that you are willing to do something about it. Even if you know the call was wrong, you need to show that you respect the authority of the referee making the call. That is what this is about. Not about who was right and who was wrong about the call. At the end of the day, the referee makes the call. It is his or her strip, and the call is dependent on what the ref saw. Not what the parent saw. And don’t ask the ref to review the footage you just shot of the point, proving that the other fencer was off the strip, or the touch hit the floor not your child’s toe. It doesn’t matter. All that matters is what the ref saw. And modeling sportsmanship means that you respect that. And you teach your child to respect that. There will be bad calls. There will be those details the ref didn’t see, or that he saw differently. That is just a fact. It will happen. It happens in other sports, too. Deal with it. And model the appropriate behavior for your child. Because one of these days, you won’t be strip-side and your fencer will model your behavior and will get a black card.

Teach your child by modeling the kind of behavior that will help your child be successful and strengthen your child’s understanding of sportsmanship. Regardless of whether a referee is new to the position or has been reffing for years, all referees deserve the respect that sportsmanship demands. Does that mean you should not question a call? Of course not. But ask yourself, are you questioning a call for a legitimate reason, or because you want your fencer to win? And how are you questioning the call? Are you asking why a particular call was made, or what it was based on? And, after the briefest of moments, because you are interrupting the rhythm of the bout, the focus of the fencers, etc., are you graciously accepting the call after it was explained to you, or perhaps though still respectfully disagreeing, nevertheless allowing the referee to continue to do his or her job, respecting his or her authority? Or are you angry and accusing, saying that the referee is blind, made a bad call, is an idiot, etc.? Are you using offensive language? That also sends a powerful message to your child.

Good sportsmanship is a part of developing life skills such as a sense of fairness, consideration of others, respect for authority, fellow competitors, oneself, and the sport, fair play, dealing with adversity and failure, discipline, responsibility, goal setting, and honor.

The relationship your fencer develops with referees will be indicative of his or her sense of sportsmanship, and can set the tone for years of competing.

Your child is not just learning how to fence. Your child is learning about himself or herself in so many different ways, learning how to successfully participate in the world. As a parent, show him how it’s done.

Shortage of Referees

There is a shortage of available referees in the sport. Why? Low pay, long hours, weekend work are not the only reasons for the lack of enough referees. Most referees participate to support the kids and support the sport; but referees often do not receive the equivalent support from the fencers and the fencing governing body. And without referees, the sport of fencing cannot survive.

Stafford Moosekian, Coach Tigran Shaginian, Irene Yeu and her mother Veronica, en route to Austria for a 2017 Cadet World Cup competition.

I had no idea when my son started fencing, that in a few years we would be traveling all over the country and even internationally, going to new cities, and having some great adventures together. There is a lot of stress and pressure involved in these trips, especially as fencing becomes a more and more important part of life. It is helpful, I think, to remember that there is more to this life than bouts and training and results, and I try to mix in some fun and unique experiences while traveling. When we went to a tiny town in Austria for the World Cup in October, after all of the fencing was over, we traveled to Vienna and spent a day exploring the city before flying home. Luckily, we get along well and enjoy traveling together, and through trial and error, together we have come up with a healthy routine to minimize the stress of traveling for competitive fencing. Stafford is an active part of this process. I try to involve him and expect him to remember ways that he can avoid stress, so it is not all on my shoulders. Please bear in mind, this blog is only my experience. While writing this, I have been talking to several other families about their experiences. This blog offers solutions that I have found in dealing with time change, unexpected travel delays, packing, but most importantly, trying to make the experience not only low stress, but also fun. In the end, of course, you will have to figure out what works best for your family and fencer.

In 2017-18, Stafford and I went to Kansas City, Anaheim, Memphis, Baltimore, Virginia Beach, and Vienna, Austria, with Saint Louis still to come. We also hit regional tournaments in San Diego and Escondido. And we anticipate the same amount of travel next year, barring injuries, etc. We have learned a lot on the road, and with each trip, we learn more. One of my biggest goals, as a mother and fellow traveler, is to avoid stress, support my son’s goals and make the experience of traveling and competing a positive one.

Your child is going to be under a lot of stress before a tournament. You are also going to be under a fair amount of stress. At least I am, and for me the stress is spread out among several issues, including packing (and not forgetting anything), logistics of getting from here to there, reservations, weather concerns, and finances. 2017-18 was especially stressful due to snowstorms, a closed airport in Norfolk, thunderstorms in Dallas, and other issues. Anticipation is an important element of avoiding stress. Keeping in mind what “might” happen, can certainly help if and when it actually does happen. And it is important to realize that some things you can control and some things you can’t. When things happen that are just out of your control, it helps to be able to roll with the situation and show your child that everything will be fine. Easier said than done.

Planning how to get where you are going can set the tone for the entire experience. Because of work and school issues, we typically leave the day before the event. Some people have the luxury of leaving two days before the event. I have not yet seen the need to do that. Note – this does not include international events, when you leave several days before the event.

Getting there – Basic travel tips

Sign up for TSA Precheck or, better yet, Global Entry. Global Entry costs $100, and it comes with TSA PreCheck. This has saved countless hours in security lines. It makes a difference and is a great investment. If you have an American Express platinum card, at this time you can sign up and they will reimburse the membership fee. For more info: Global Entry

Tripit Pro, TripCase, Triplist, helpful apps for travel, packing, etc. Tripit Pro and Tripcase keep track of your reservations, including flights, hotels, trains, etc. You can get notifications on delays, etc. Very helpful. In Triplist, you can create packing lists or import lists from excel, etc., and use them repeatedly. Tripcase and Triplist link together. I have created a fencing equipment list and a packing list that I shared with my son. As he packs his stuff he checks it off the list. It gives him a sense of independence and responsibility. It also keeps me calm. Don’t think however that means I don’t review everything on the way to the airport. And yes, we almost always have to pull over and check in the bag to make sure.

Hotel Suggestions

Book Your Hotel Early. USA Fencing releases the North American Cup schedule usually some time in May. In fact, the schedule for 2018-19 is already available online. Once they announce the schedule, they also include hotels at a discount rate. You will be charged, at this point in time though it could change, $4.50 at the time of booking for your room. Make your reservations for the duration of the event because the day schedule will not be available until closer to the tournament time. Last year USA Fencing announced the location for Summer Nationals in 2018 in April of 2017. I reserved a room, a double, at the Hilton, from June 27th through July 7th. I now know I need the room from the 27th through the 4th. It is much easier to change a reservation that to scramble for a room closer to the time. Figure for Summer Nationals there are several thousand fencers coming into town. Better safe than sorry.

The closer the hotel, the better. I recommend choosing hotels that connect to the venue during winter months on the East coast, for obvious reasons. Nothing is worse than watching fencers struggle through snow or an icy wind with those big bags. I also recommend choosing hotels close to the venue for the rest of the NACs. Some fencing families intentionally stay far away from the convention centers so as not to be overwhelmed by all of the fencers visible all the time during these events. And sometimes, you can find cheaper rooms further away. However, for me personally, I know that Stafford is not going to be jumping out of bed at 5:30am to get to the venue by 7:00am. Especially if there is a time change. My goal is to make sure he gets a good night’s sleep, get him up, get him fed, and get him to the venue not only by close of check in, but with enough time to check and make sure his weapons are working, warm up, get in a few practice bouts. Often, the first day starts with equipment check, which can also take a lot of time.

A word about equipment check – if you are not able to get everything checked the day before the actual fencing event, and the event starts early in the morning, be prepared to wait in line with your fencer’s equipment. I want Stafford to be focused on warming up. A light jog around the venue, jumping rope, etc. In these instances, I am happy to stand in line so he can prepare. And sometimes, that line can be long.

Also, these trips have proven a great opportunity to give Stafford a bit of freedom. When he was 11 or 12, I would let him go to the convention center by himself after we had gone together once. He loved the feeling of independence, and, if our hotel adjoined the convention center, or was across the street, I didn’t have to worry as much that he might get lost or forget to look both ways before crossing those streets.

Sign up for rewards programs at hotels.

Try to Book a Direct Flight to the Event. Nothing is worse than flying in to some new city for a tournament, and having to worry about making a connection. And, lets face it, even if you have tons of time between flights, there are always those unexpected problems. Your first flight gets delayed so you miss your connection, or, after racing to the next gate, you find your connecting flight is stuck in Atlanta due to a tropical storm. You’ve already invested a lot in this event, not just the entry fees, but also the training and the time and emotion that goes into training. Why risk missing the actual event? Fly direct.

Try to Book an Early Flight. If you are on an early flight and something happens to your flight, you are far more likely to be able to catch the next flight. If you are leaving later in the day, there might not be a later flight. Most of the NACs are in the Midwest or on the East Coast. Being from California, we have the serious disadvantage of dealing with a time change. If we are going to the East Coast, we have a three hour difference. The March NAC always lands on the weekend that the time springs forward. I have a great photo of my son on his way to check in at 7:00am, which was 4:00am our time. Getting up early to catch a flight helps kids (and parents) fall asleep early that night. I take any help I can get. Another reason for an early flight is so your child can get to weapons check the day before the event.

Get to the Airport Early. This is a great way to start the trip and avoid unneeded stress. When I am running late, I get impatient. I snap at my son and usually we race out the door without something. And then, we both arrive at the airport frustrated and annoyed with each other. Give yourself plenty of time to get to the airport, check in, and get through security.

Carry on the Mask, Glove, Fencing Shoes, and Jacket. Do not check them. Another important reason to book a direct flight is you have a better chance of getting all of your bags, including that fencing bag. Nothing is worse than the face of a fencer as he watches all of the other fencers claim their fencing bags at the end of the flight, and realizes his bag is not actually going to appear. I have seen fencers have to buy all new equipment the morning of the event. New glove, new mask, new jacket. So much for the glove that finally got worn in so it fits the hand perfectly. Weapons are easy to replace, and once your child is competing at the national level you will become familiar with the armorer and become accustomed to purchasing new weapons as well as repairing those blades that worked perfectly that morning. But masks, gloves, and shoes are important personal items, much harder to replace. And masks are expensive. One of our fencers lost her bag on a flight and it was delivered to the hotel at 3:00am. So that fencer and mom had a stressful night worrying about getting up early enough to replace the equipment, and then, the mother had to go down at 3:00am to claim it when it arrived, so neither got much sleep. I am happy to report that the fencer did very well the next day, despite the added stress. And she carries her mask, glove, shoes, and jacket with her now.

Checking That Fencing Bag. I strongly recommend investing in a good fencing bag for traveling. We use a Leon Paul bag. A lot of fencers use a hard plastic case that is for golf bags. If an airline asks what the bag is when you are checking in, say it is sports equipment (which it is). If you say weapons or swords, you might get an uninformed baggage checker who is going to get concerned. If you are checking in your bag online ahead of time, just say it is a regular bag. If there are any issues with it, you can always deal with it at the airport. At worst, there might be an extra fee. I have never heard of a bag being refused, so don’t over worry about this. I almost never have any issues with traveling with a fencing bag. Southwest just checks them right through, and they don’t charge any baggage fee for the first bag. Some airlines will actually try to charge extra saying it is a bulky item. International Tip: A fencing mom whose daughter traveled to several World Cups gave me some great advice. If you are going to a World Cup and are traveling with another fencer, divide up the swords between fencing bags. This improves the odds that you both will have at least two swords. Hopefully both bags make it, but just in case….

Bring Food for the Flight. This might seem obvious, but bring food for your fencer. I pack my carry on with food for my son, cliff bars, chips, fruit, Hawaiian rolls, pretzels, etc. You can’t take liquids through security, and so, for some reason, a lot of people think you can’t take food. You can. And you can bring it from home and avoid waiting in long lines for overpriced food at the airport once you get past security.

Booking Your Return Flight. I try to book a flight leaving the day after my son fences. You never know how long these events will last, and having to worry about making a flight the night of an event when you would like to just focus on supporting your fencer is a drag. And your fencer can sense that tension. It is a challenge no matter what, but you certainly don’t need to add the stress of seeing the time frame slowly close on catching your late afternoon or evening flight. You can spot those parents a mile away, bent over ipads or squinting at phone screens, trying to figure out what flights are available the next morning, calling the hotels to add another night’s stay. Traveling on Southwest has definite advantages, as you can cancel a flight up to 20 minutes before, and get a full refund and apply that full fare to travel the next day. No penalties. Thank you, Southwest! And, I make a reservation for the next afternoon, not early in the morning. It is a luxury, which doesn’t actually cost anything more, after all, you have already paid for the hotel room for that night. Really, the only cost is time. And I think it is well worth it. If you are leaving in the afternoon the next day, you get to wake up without stress and just enjoy a little break from fencing, school, and work a little mini-vacation. And you have time to yourselves. So often during these NACs, all day is spent at the venue. My son and I have so many great memories of cities that we would not have even seen if we didn’t stay that extra half-day. In Milwaukee, for example, after a long weekend of fencing, because we chose to fly out in the afternoon the day after fencing, we were able to sleep in, go say hi to our friends who were fencing on Monday, and then take a great walk along the river and explore the city. That was the only time we had on that trip that wasn’t either in the hotel or in the convention center. In Kansas City, when it was raining, we had a fierce couple of ping pong games on the top floor of our hotel before we checked out. We didn’t even know our hotel had a ping pong table before that last morning. This isn’t just about fencing. Or at least, in my opinion, it shouldn’t be.

Have Some Fun! Research the cities. In the past two years we have been to Dallas, Seattle, Cleveland, Baltimore, Milwaukee, Kansas City, Salt Lake City, Memphis, Virginia Beach, and Saint Louis. We are getting a chance to see cities that we might never have visited otherwise. It is nice to take some time to really experience these places. Find a local restaurant. Try the local flavors. Memphis and Kansas City have great barbeque. Milwaukee has a great river walk. Also, if we have a free day between events, we will try to get a group of the kids together and go to a movie. It is great to find a way to forget about the fencing and all of the stress for a while. I hate that phrase “making memories” because it seems to take spontaneity out of the equation. Enjoy. Even if everything goes wrong, it can be great. And, my philosophy is nothing ever really goes wrong. It just changes. This is all a great adventure. So, are you ready?

Colette Shvager (right, UFA) scores with a counter-attack against Julie Gaeta (Precision) in the Y14 Women’s Foil event at the 2017 SoCal Division Summer Nationals Qualifiers in Thousand Oaks.

Promotion

In Y10, Y12, and Y14, all fencers in all tournaments, regardless of how well they did in pools, move on, or are promoted to the Direct Elimination round. In Cadet and Junior national and international events, the bottom 20% of fencers out of pools are eliminated and do not move on to the next round.

Direct Elimination Seeding

Direct Elimination placement is based on the results of the pool bouts. The number one seeded fencer out of pools would be the fencer who won the highest percentage of his pool bouts with the highest number of indicator points. He would be ranked number one, and at the very top of the tableau. (Tableau is the break down of the elimination round. Each round in the tableau is called a table. The rounds are tables of: 512 / 256 / 128 / 64 / 32 / 16 / 8 / 4 / 2. ) The fencer seeded number two out of pools would be at the very bottom of the tableau.

Starting with the smaller, local tournament, using the example from the Pools blog, there were 13 fencers, so looking at the tableau, it starts at table of 16 (16 slots), with three fencers getting a bye to the next round. Take a look:

Because this tournament is finished, you can see the score of each bout. The first score is always the top name, the second score, the bottom name. So, in the final, Tommy Wells beat Stafford Moosekian, and the score was Tommy 15- Stafford 13.

Now let’s go on to the more complicated Cadet event from the same blog.

Because this event was a national event, 20% of the fencers were eliminated, so only the top 130 advanced to the Direct Eliminations. The 130 fencers are then divided into pods, based on seeding. Only 2 fencers, who placed 127, 128, 129, and 130, did not receive a bye into the next level – 128.

Typically, the fencer who is seeded second out of pools is at the very bottom of the tableau, the idea being that the top two fencers eventually meet each other in the final round.

Here is the top section of the Direct Elimination round:

The tableau is made of up all the fencers divided into groups of fencers called pods. Fencers will first face fencers within their pod. If your fencer wins the pod, he or she will next face the winner from another pod. In this event, there were 4 pods, and each pod consisted of 33 fencers. (The photo above shows only a part of the pod.) The quarter finals or the semi finals, depending on the size of the tournament, will be the top fencers from each pod facing another. So pod 1 faces pod 2, and pod 3 faces pod 4, etc.

Each Direct Elimination bout goes to 15 touches, with three periods that last three minutes each. There is a one minute break between each period, so two breaks per bout. ( Y10 events only go to 10 touches.) The bout ends when either a fencer reaches 15 touches, or the time runs out. In the event of a tie at the end of the final period, there is a one minute extended period, during which either fencer can score a final touch. In this situation, double touches do not count. At the beginning of this extended period, there is an electronic coin toss – a random mechanical assignment of “priority” which means that if neither fencer scores a touch, the fencer who was awarded “priority” wins.

During the one minute rest, fencers often get a quick visit from the coach and a chance to get a drink. Fencers should bring a bottle of water, gatorade, etc., to the strip or have someone stripside with something, as fencers are not allowed to leave the strip until the bout is over.

Fencers should salute the opponent and referee at the beginning and end of each period.

This blog is about Direct Eliminations and how they work. However, there are a lot of rules that fencers need to be aware of, as well as a code of conduct on the strip that must be followed. Sometimes a fencer might want to question a ref’s call which is fine, but it should be done respectfully. Fencing rules can be found in the rules handbook, and with experience, fencers will learn what they are, remember them, and in some cases, use them to gain advantage.

Happy fencing!

Addendum

This very useful information for determining a fencer’s Direct Elimination opponent was provide to us by Fencing Dad. Thanks, Fencing Dad!

Great article! For the impatient fencers: Kids often want to know who they are going to fence when the seedings come out after the pools (but before the tableau is posted). The formula is the following: Table (minus) your Seed (plus) one. So, if there are 17 fencers and you are seeded 16th after pools, here is the calculation: 32 (table) – 16 (your seed) + 1 = 17 (your opponent). So, you fence the 17th seed. (The winner of that match means you are in the next table — so, 16 (table) – 16 (winner of the match takes the better seeded seat) + 1 = 1 (thus, the winner of 16th vs 17th will fence the 1st seed). Another example: If you are seeded 15th after pools, it is 32 – 15 + 1 = 18 (since no one is 18th seed, you have no one to fence, so you get a bye; then go down to the next table: 16 (next table) – 15 + 1 = 2 — so, you will fence the 2nd seed.

Benjamin Kim (Avant Garde Fencers Club) vs Joshua Li (Z Fencing) in Y14 Men’s Saber at the SoCal Division Summer Nationals Qualifiers, April 2, 2017.

How exactly does a tournament work?

An event in a fencing tournament consists of two parts, the first – Pools, and the second part, Direct Eliminations, which is based on the outcome of the pools.

Time

One of the biggest questions that new fencing families have is how long will an event take? My experience? If there are over 30 fencers, plan to be at the event all day. If there are less than 30 fencers, plan for at least three hours. There can be all kinds of delays, some small, some huge. An example of a small delay, at a small tournament, a fencer who has signed up is caught in traffic and because he has called ahead and is making all efforts to arrive on time, the organizers agree to hold the close of registration a few more minutes. A large delay? Sometimes, at larger tournaments, if there are not enough referees or strips, pools can be flighted. This means the pools will be divided into two groups. The first group will begin at the original, announced time and the second group will either begin at a later specified time, or will simply be assigned to a strip and will begin when the first pool has concluded. This past Junior Olympics in Memphis, TN, Cadet Men’s Epee was flighted, so the first round of pools started at 8:00am, and the second one at 10:00am.

If your fencer is a beginning fencer, chances are he or she will be nervous at the prospect of fencing in a tournament. Whether the tournament is large or small, if you can make the tournament the focus for the day, it can help your fencer feel more confident about fencing. This doesn’t mean focus on results or winning. This means try not to have other events competing for attention with a tournament, so your focus is not pulled away from supporting your child to worrying about whether or not you will be able to make the next event, etc. Another recommendation is to maybe plan a celebratory family dinner, or even go to dinner with other fencers after the event. Whether or not your fencer comes home with a medal, he or she will have new experiences to review, things to celebrate as well as learn from, and always a story to tell. Enjoy!

Pools

Things to know before Pools begin-

Pools are posted generally 15 minutes after the close of registration (though there can be unforeseen circumstances that can delay the start, right?). When check-in closes, the bout committee take a few minutes to figure out the seeding based on who has checked in to the event. Then the pools are assembled. This cannot be done ahead of time because it is always possible that a fencer has not shown up for whatever reason. Be sure and listen to the loudspeaker or referees calling out fencers’ names and strip assignments.

When pools are announced, fencers should be ready to grab their gear and make their way to the strip where the pool will take place. If a fencer is late reporting to the strip, he will be “called” to the strip. After second call, the fencer can get a yellow card.

Pools for bigger tournaments will be available online. Ask at check-in for the link if available. Pools for smaller tournaments will be printed out and posted on walls of the venue.

At the strip, fencers “check in” with the ref assigned to the pool. Checking in means letting the ref know he or she is at the strip. Fencers will also need to show the referee that all of their equipment passed inspection and that they are wearing chest protectors if required, and underarm protectors beneath their jackets. Fencers are required to have two working weapons. For more info on what you need to know before a tournament, go to: Your First Tournament – Part One: Getting to the Strip.

Prior to pools, fencers should check their weapons and make sure they work. They can do this by hooking the weapon up at the end of a strip and then testing the tip. You can also invest in a kit so that you are able to test the weapon at home before you arrive. The referee will check the weapon on the strip at the beginning of each and every pool bout, but your fencer should check and make sure his or her weapon is good to go before reporting for the pool.

They should check and make sure that no screws are missing from the tips prior to the start of pools.

Weapons that do not work will be taken from the fencer when the ref is checking the weapons prior the bout. Fencers should remember to get the sword after the conclusion of the bout. A parent can take the sword to the armorer to get it repaired. The sooner the better as often there is a wait time for repairs. If the weapon does not work at the beginning of the bout, the fencer will get a yellow card, which is basically a warning, however, two yellow cards become a red card and the opponent gets a point. If the second weapon doesn’t work, the fencer will receive a red card. This has happened, and it is a foolish way to lose a point. Fencers can get yellow cards for other things during a bout, so that yellow card can be a problem. Luckily, the yellow card goes away at the end of the bout.

If a weapon passes the test at the beginning of the bout, but fails during the bout, which does happen, there is no penalty.

A fencer must salute his or her opponent and the referee at the beginning and end of every pool bout.

How Pools Work

Pools are made up of all of the fencers entered (and checked in) in the event, with the top seeded fencers each getting their own pools.

Seeding works like this: Let’s say there are 35 fencers, or 5 pools of 7. The top seed is placed in the 1st pool, the 2nd seed in the 2nd pool, and so on, until each pool has one fencer. Then it goes into reverse. The 6th seed is placed in the 5th pool, the 7th seed in the 4th pool, and so on back to the 1st pool, until all pools have 2 fencers. Then the process reverses again and the 11th seed is placed in the 1st pool, the 12th seed in the 2nd pool, and so on. This zig-zag pattern continues until all the pools are filled.

In larger events, such as RYCs, SYCs, and NACs (see The Fencing Tournament – When Do We Start? Where Do We Go? for a breakdown) seeding going into a tournament is determined by the fencers’ national rankings and then their rating (A, B, C, D, E, or U- unrated). If there are a number of fencers who are rated C18 (C is the rating, 18 is the year – so 2018) but none of these fencers have national points, the seeding of these fencers will be randomly assigned, below those with B ratings, but above those with a C17.

In addition, every effort is made to try to put fencers from the same club in separate pools. Using an example from Summer Nationals 2017, the Cadet Epee event had 162 fencers, divided up into 24 pools, 18 pools of seven fencers and six pools of six fencers. The top 24 fencers were all in separate pools.

Pool Structure

Each fencer fences every other fencer in their pool.

Each pool bout is to 5 touches in a three minute period.

When a fencer reaches five touches, that bout is over, whether the time is up or not.
In addition, if neither fencer gets five touches, then whoever has the most touches after 3 minutes wins the bout.

In the event of a tie at the end of three minutes, there is a one-minute tie-break, with one fencer randomly given priority, meaning if neither fencer makes a touch in the one minute period, the fencer who has priority wins. Typically, the scoring machine has the ability to randomly assign priority. I have also seen a coin toss decide the priority.

At the end of the pool bouts, each fencer is asked to review the score sheet and then sign his or her name. Referees can and occasionally do make mistakes. Make sure your fencer really looks at the sheet before signing. I keep track of all of Stafford’s pools in Notes on my phone and then show it to him to review before looking at the score sheet just to refresh his memory. The more your fencer competes, the more he or she will remember the bout scores.

Your fencer should always shake hands with the referee after signing the pool sheet.

Scoring out of pools

Once all of the bouts in the pool are finished, scores are added up and seeding is decided for the next round – the direct eliminations.

The seeding is based first of all on the number of victories a fencer has.

Then it is based on the indicator. Here is how the indicator is figured out: The number of touches a fencer scored is added up and the number of touches scored against the fencer is subtracted from that number. Every touch counts.

Then the scores are added up, giving priority to those who win all of their bouts, and then the final tally. So, a fencer who has won all of the pool bouts, let’s say for example 5 bouts at 1-0, and ends up with a +5 will be seeded higher out of pools than a fencers who won 4 of 5 bouts and also came out with a +5 or higher.

Promotion to the next round

In Y10, Y12, and Y14 events, 100% of the fencers are promoted to the Direct Eliminations whether in local, regional, or national tournaments. This way, younger, less experienced fencers are able to fence more and gain experience in a tournament atmosphere. In Cadet, Junior, and Division national events, the bottom 20% are eliminated and do not move on to the direct eliminations.

Here are pool results for a smaller, local tournament:
13 fencers – 2 pools, one of 7, one of 6

First out of Pool #1 – Ryan Lee, who won all of his pools, scored 30 touches, and received 10 touches. So his indicator is 20 (30 – 10).

First out of Pool #2 – Tommy Wells, who won all of his pools, scoring 25 touches and receiving 12, so his indicator is 13. Remember, Tommy had a smaller pool so though he won them all, he would come in behind the other fencer in a larger pool who also won all of his or her pools.

So, seeding out of pools – Lee #1 and Wells #2.

Who came out third? Three boys had 4 victories, Wilson Zhu (ind. 6), Stafford Moosekian (ind. 12), and Zikun Wei (ind. 10). You would think from the indicator that Stafford would have come out third – but- he lost two bouts, whereas Zikun only lost one. Remember one pool was 7 and one 6. So, though they have the same number of victories, Stafford lost two, so Zikun took the third place out of pools. Make sense?

Here is another example: in the much bigger tournament, the 2017 Summer Nationals Cadet Men’s Epee Event, using Stafford Moosekian as an example:

Stafford won 4 bouts scored 22 touches, received 21 touches. By the way, V5 means he scored 5 touches. You can win the bout V1, meaning with only one touch scored, which would change your touches scored number but not the number of victories you have. Stafford’s indicator is 22-21, so +1. If he had received more touches than he had scored, the indicator would be a negative number (like Michael Mun or Nicholas Candela in this example).

Once the seeding from pools is posted, fencers have a few minutes to verify their indicator and seeding before the next round, the Direct Eliminations, begins.

Stafford came out of pools seeded at 60. You can see the two boys who placed ahead of Stafford had the same indicator, +1, but because they scored more touches, they placed ahead of him. Tristan Szapery, because he had 4 victories but his indicator, at 0, is the lowest of those who earned 4 victories, brings up the bottom of the group who had 4 victories. The boy right under him had a higher indicator, but he only won 3 of his bouts, so he will be seeded just below those who won 4.

Once pools are done, take a deep breath. Your fencer has some time to relax, anywhere from 20 minutes at smaller tournaments to much longer if pools are flighted and your fencer is in the first round of pools. He should get something light to eat. Fruit, a sandwich, etc. Be sure she hydrates, as well. Gatorade or Vitamin Water help replenish electrolytes. Also, many fencers like to change into a clean t-shirt for the next part of the tournament – the Direct Eliminations.

After the seeding is posted for the Direct Eliminations, your fencer has a few minutes during which he or she should start to warm up, do some stretches, maybe even do a warm up bout.

Next – Direct Eliminations!

Daniel Oganesian (Swords, left) discusses strategy with Thien Scofield (Allez) at the 2017 Musketeers Region Youth Circuit in Northridge, Calif.

Fencing Competitions – Recommendations for Beginning Fencers and Parents

Once your child starts competing, everything changes. In a great way. Your child is going to start to put into action the things he or she has worked on in classes and during private lessons. Your child will gain self-confidence, make new friends, and have some fun.

Below are some suggestions to help make the experience a successful one, regardless of how your child does in the tournament. This is the second part of a series meant to help guide new fencers and families through the tournament experience. Later posts will explore how a tournament works (seeding, pools, DE’s), travel tips, etc.

Getting There

Being prepared helps you get out of the door and on the freeway (for some reason the tournament location always involves a freeway in California!) and helps your child focus on fencing. Typically, the calmer the parent is, the calmer the child is. Planning ahead by figuring out the route to take to the tournament and getting all of the equipment together in advance is a great way to avoid chaos in the morning, especially as events often start early.

Here is a list of what you need for a competition:

Required Equipment

(Put your name on everything! Not just your initials, as someone else might have the same initials)

Mask

Swords – Two are required – at least three is recommended. Your child could be disqualified if he or she does not have a working weapon. Also, Y10 fencers use a shorter blade. If your child is fencing in a Y10 event and a Y12 event, you should have at least four swords, two shorter, two longer.

Underarm Protector

Chest Protector (mandatory for girls of all ages and for boys in Y10 and Y12.

Fencing Pants

Fencing Jacket – Two notes on the fencing jacket:

It is a good idea to invest in a club patch that should be sewn onto the non-fencing arm of the fencing jacket. This patch not only shows club pride, but, more importantly, helps coaches find their fencers in a sea of white uniforms in the larger tournaments. Coaches are often running between strips helping their students, and easily spotting that patch can make a big difference.

The last name on the back is required at national competitions only. (Note – There is always a vendor at national events who is able to put the name on the back. Be sure and do this before the event. It can take a while if there is a line. If you are going to your first national competition, get the name put on the jacket the day before, when you do your equipment check. Do not just write the name on the back in pen. This can, depending on the referee, lead to a red card each and every time your fencer gets on the strip to fence.)

Lamé (foil and saber, only)

Fencing Socks (knee socks – you don’t have to have fencing socks, but you must have long socks. They don’t have to be white.)

Two Body Cords

Two Mask Cords (foil and saber, only)

Recommendations

Change of Clothes – A tournament can last all day, and there is typically at least 45 minutes to a few hours if pools are flighted (more on that in a later blog) between pools and the direct elimination portion of the tournament. Mary Huang, a veteran fencer, suggests that you “bring a couple of extra tee shirts and for girls, extra sports bras to change into after pools and before each DE. Taking a few minutes to change out of a wet shirt and rinse your face is a great way to mentally and physically refresh and reset.”

Club Warm Up Jacket – Most fencing clubs have club jackets with the club logo. This jacket is a great investment in a number of ways. It builds team or club morale, can be worn over the fencing jacket to keep your fencer’s muscles warm, and helps coaches and referees more easily spot fencers. If your fencer ends the day by standing on the podium, the club jacket should be worn.

Food and Water – Parents have all kind of helpful recommendations for what food and drink is best for their fencers. The first rule, really, is to bring something you know your fencer will eat. Every child is different – some want a big breakfast, some are too nervous to eat, some want to eat throughout the day, some seem to be able to eat nothing but air until the fencing is over. You will have to figure out what works best with your child. And it changes as children grow and get older. Some good recommendations are: bananas, m&m’s for a little added energy when fencing a long day (that sugar boost right before a bout late in the tournament can be a real help), pretzels, Cliff bars. Mary Huang, a veteran fencer, recommends PB&J sandwiches which “provide quick energy, the bread is a longer energy source, and the peanut butter provides staying power Easy to make and pack.” It is best to stay away from something big between the pools and the direct eliminations, as that can sometimes cause stomach cramps. But it is important to keep your fencer’s energy up, so have options available. Also, it can’t be overemphasized the importance of keeping your fencer hydrated. A leading cause of cramping and headaches is lack of hydration. We suggest water and Gatorade or Vitamin Water. You can almost always purchase drinks and bananas and some sort of snack at the venue, but not always, so don’t count on that.

A Small Cooler – Helpful for keeping drinks and snacks cool and in one place.

A Towel. Pretty self-explanatory (hand towel, not a bath towel).

A Chair. One of those fold-out camping stools or chairs. There are not always a lot of places to sit. You might want one for yourself as well. Believe it or not there is a lot of waiting around at a tournament.

The Night Before

Pack everything your fencer needs ahead of time, so there is no last minute panic.

Make sure your fencer gets a good night’s sleep.

Competition Day

Plan to arrive at least an hour before the close of check in for your fencer’s event.

Check In – Parents – have your fencer check him or herself in at the check in desk upon arrival. Do not do it for them. This will help give them a sense of independence, and start a habit that will last for hopefully, several years. The items that will be needed to check in are:

• US Fencing Card – on your phone or printed out. You can log in to USA Fencing, and take a screenshot of the membership card. It has a bar code which can be scanned.
• Proof of Age – birth certificate copy if you have not yet gotten your child’s age verified through US Fencing.

Equipment Check – Immediately after checking in, your fencer should take his or her equipment to the Equipment Check. You can ask where that is located at check-in. The items that need to be checked are:

• Mask
• Glove
• Two body cords
• Two mask cords (foil and saber, only)
• Lamé (foil and saber, only)

Equipment Check is for your fencer’s safety. The armorer is looking for holes in gloves, masks that might be damaged or cracked in some way, and body cords, to make sure that they are functioning correctly. Weapons are checked on the strip at the beginning of each bout.

Warm Up – After Weapons Check, your fencer needs to get dressed and then start to warm up. Fencers should stretch out and then a light jog around the venue is a good way to start. Jumping jacks are also good, and some fencers bring a jump rope to warm up with.

Fencers should also try to fence at least two warm up bouts with other fencers. Encourage them to look for someone they don’t know to fence. They fence the same people at the club all the time. This is a great chance to fence someone new.

Once check-in is closed, Pools will be announced. This posting might be online but should also be posted somewhere in the venue. Your child should find out which strip he or she will be fencing on, and proceed to that strip will all of the equipment (that has been checked at Weapons Check) and swords, and be ready to start fencing.

Good luck!

The next blog will detail the structure of tournaments – seeding, pools, and the direct eliminations.

Aden Soto-Ulev (right, UFA) scores against Soren Llido (OC Div.) in Y10 foil action at the SoCal Musketeers RYC, Sept. 23, 2017.

One of the most confusing things to figure out, once your fencer is ready to compete, is how to find tournaments and how to know which ones to go to. Some children can’t wait to compete and some find the idea of competing intimidating at first. When the conversation turns to when instead of if, it is important that your child start competing at a level that is appropriate. You want to encourage him or her, and fencing against much better or more experienced fencers can be demoralizing, especially at first. Talk to your coach. Talk to your child.

Before your child can compete in any tournament, he or she must have a USA Fencing membership. Most clubs have USA Fencing sanctioned tournaments that take part in the USA Fencing insurance program. You will be asked for proof of membership when you arrive at each and every tournament. You will also need a proof of age for your child at a tournament, until you are able to have USA Fencing verify the age, so be sure and have a copy of a birth certificate when you go to tournaments. Individual Competitive Membership costs $75 a year. Here is the link to sign up.

This blog will not deal with specifics regarding earning points or qualifying for Summer Nationals or the July Challenge. Please refer to the USA Fencing website, as those specifics change frequently at the beginning of each year. There is a link to the Athlete Handbook at the end of this blog, for further reference.

Events and Age Categories

• Y means Youth
• Y8 – Fencers aged 8 and under (These events are uncommon; usually events start at Y10)
• Y10 – Fencers aged 10 and under, and so on through Y14
• Cadet – Fencers ages 13–17
• Junior – Fencers ages 13–20

Though here I use ages for convenience sake, USA Fencing uses the birth year as a determining factor for the age groups. Refer to the USA Fencing Athlete Handbook for the current birth years for each category.

Mixed events mean boys and girls fence together.

Basic recommendations for beginner fencers

Ask your coach if he or she thinks your child is ready to go to a tournament.

Once your fencer has gone to one or two tournaments (minimum) and the experience has been positive, maybe your fencer is ready to take on beginning fencers in the next age category up. Ask your coach. The coach will know if your 9 year old should stick with the age category Y10, or if he or she is ready to be fencing against 12 year olds, for example. Depending on your child’s physicality (Is he tall for his age? Is she strong for her age?) and demeanor on the strip (Is he confident? Does she tend to walk off the back of the strip when facing more assertive fencers?), if you have an 9 year old who feels confident and eager to compete, then maybe he or she should be encouraged to fence up to Y12. Ask the coach. Remember – Y10 uses shorter blades – if your child is fencing up, a longer blade will be required.

The current best website for upcoming tournament information is AskFred.

To narrow your search, enter the weapon (epee, foil, or saber), and how many miles from your home you would like to search. All the tournaments will be listed that have been submitted to AskFred. Be sure and check the website frequently as events get added all the time.

Local Tournaments

For new fencers, local tournaments are the best place to start.

Many local clubs have “unrated” tournaments – these are typically tournaments for younger or beginner fencers. Some of the local clubs have a series of tournaments with fencers earning points each time they compete in one of the series. Those points are added together for some kind of prize at the end for the top points winner, typically a medal or trophy.

These local tournaments are great for new fencers for a number of reasons.

Fencers face a lot of pressure on the strip, even at the beginning level.

As your child begins to compete, he or she will learn a lot. He will learn how to win and how to lose. She will learn how to think on the strip and how to keep calm. If you have the option of having one of your coaches from your club come and coach, your fencer will start to learn how to listen and think on the strip. Not all coaches are willing to go to these tournaments, and they will charge a fee, so this is somewhat of a luxury, if even available. You can always ask. Whether at a tournament at this level, or at an RYC or SYC (detailed later in this blog) if your coach attends, your coach will also learn a lot about your child- how he or she deals with pressure and what has (or has not) been learned from all of those classes and private lessons.

Once your child has competed in a few local tournaments and has achieved some nice results, talk to your coach about moving up to the next level of competition. Your coach is the best source for questions like this.

Another thing to consider is the pressure your young fencer faces. Once you move up to regional tournaments (details in the next section) it will probably involve travel, whether a road trip, or a plane flight. Just the fact that you are disrupting the routine and investing in the travel, packing, etc., puts more pressure on your young fencer. Make sure he or she, and you, are ready.

RYCs, SYCs, RJCs, RJCCs, ROCs, and NACs – What they mean and what you need to know

RYC: Regional Youth Circuit

USA Fencing has divided the US into six regions. California is in Region 4. This region includes the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah.

A Regional Youth Circuit tournament is for fencers within the specific region. Be sure you know which region you are in. At these tournaments, fencers can earn points towards qualifying for Summer Nationals and the Youth Challenge (details below). Fencers showing up for tournaments in the wrong region can fence but will not earn any points.

At RYCs, fencers can earn regional points that count towards qualifying for the Summer Nationals, the final competition on the national level, taking place at the end of June and the beginning of July.

Regional points are awarded to all of the fencers, however the number of points awarded depends on how many fencers are competing in an event, and is too complicated for this blog. The first place finisher however, always earns 100 points.

RYCs are more competitive than the smaller local tournaments, especially in Southern California, where there are a lot of very strong fencers, and of course, chasing those points also makes the tournaments more competitive.

USA Fencing only takes the top three results, so the highest score possible would be 300 through the year, if a fencer won three RYCs. Fencers are welcome to fence in all of the RYCs they are able to attend.

SYC: Super Youth Circuit

Fencers from any region can compete in an SYC tournament. USA Fencing will only take the top result however, regardless of how many times a fencer competes in an SYC.

SYCs are more competitive that RYCs and attract fencers from all over the US.

RJCC: Regional Junior and Cadet Circuit

These are regional tournaments for fencers who are Cadet or Junior aged. Again, the R means regional so make sure you are planning on attending an RJCC in your region.

Fencers can earn points for the July Challenge at these events, and they are very competitive.

ROC: Regional Open Circuit

This is included here, just to give a basic understanding of what a ROC is. These tournaments are open to any fencers over 13 years old. Fencers can qualify to fence in the Division II and Div 1A events at summer nationals with points earned from these tournaments. Only older beginning fencers should attend an ROC as they will be fencing against fencers of all ages who typically have a lot of experience and are very strong.

NAC: North American Cup

The North American Cup Tournaments are a series of tournaments organized by USA Fencing (Y10, Y12, Y14, Cadet, Junior, Div I, Div II, Div III, Vet Open, Vet Age, Wheelchair, and Cadet/Y14/Junior/Senior Team).

NACs rotate through cities across the country. You can find more info on the USA Fencing Website.

The March NAC is the one that has events for Y10, Y12, and Y14. If your child is ready to really step it up a level, this is the one to attend.

Before signing up for this one, talk to your coach. Make sure your child is ready. Remember, you want to set your child up for success, which does not necessarily mean winning, but also how to accept defeat and learn from it. There is a lot of pressure at a NAC. Talk to (and listen to) your child about going.

The March NAC is typically very kid-friendly. There will be lots of children who are competing at a NAC for the first time.

Your coach will probably be traveling to this event with other fencers, and you should seriously consider investing in coaching for a NAC. It is a great opportunity for your child to learn a lot, about fencing, sportsmanship, etc. A coach can really help make the experience a positive one.

Referees usually take a little extra time on the strip and between pool bouts to explain the rules to the young fencers, and encourage them to be self-sufficient and ask questions. This also helps make the experience a positive one.

Good news! If there are a lot of first time young fencers, that means there are a lot of first time fencing parents at the NAC. You are not alone! Ask questions, compare notes. You, too, can learn a lot, about how to help your young fencer deal with the pressure; with losing, and about where a good restaurant is for dinner! Chances are, if your child stays with fencing, you will be seeing these other parents a lot in the future. Introduce yourself. Enjoy!

Summer Nationals

All fencers have to qualify for this tournament. Luckily, USA Fencing wants to encourage young fencers to participate, so they have made the path fairly simple. Fencers in Y10 only have to compete in an RYC. Placing first or last, the result is irrelevant. If a fencer participates, he or she has qualified to fence at summer nationals.

Take a moment to download the USA Fencing Athlete Handbook for much more detailed information on tournaments.

Ready? Fence!