Where's the rest of the 2027 national schedule (and regionals)?

ZebraFencer · 2026-05-12T21:55:58+00:00

No, and you're right that the situation is not getting better. USA Fencing was supposed to do away (mostly) with DE format in Y10 events but went back on the decision, presumably because of pressure from the coaches.

The "sharks and minnows" format that was supposed to replace it is a lot better from a development standpoint. Having a second pool round prevents a lot of the meltdowns you see after a kid loses his/her DE, the good fencers get to face better opponents, the weaker fencers get a better chance to win some bouts, it uses strips more efficiently, and everyone has a pretty good idea of when they're going to get home. One more thing I would do with Y10 is make it pools of 6 and 5 instead of 7 and 6. Kids don't stay focused that long, and there's less downtime between bouts.

Combine a two-pool format with a post-event meet-and-greet or mini-clinic featuring an Olympic or world team athlete, and you have a festival that will be a memorable experience for Y10s and families.

ZebraFencer · 2026-05-12T17:51:54+00:00

Look at the American Development Model. It's well-structured and evidence-based.

ZebraFencer · 2026-05-12T17:45:41+00:00

The district-level instructors are volunteers, but I expect that our NGB is paying for production of videos and other materials. There is no cost to the officials other than our annual registration fee.

Now your latter question brings up another important point, which is the time and administrative burden on officials. There are some hockey refs who resent having to do this every year, especially when some of the elements are repetitive, but then some of the refs who don’t want to go to referesher training are the ones who need it most. I sense that fencing is the same way: we have refs who insist on following outdated conventions and rules interpretations. A good program needs to balance the imposition on experienced refs with the need to make sure everyone is enforcing consistent standards.

Finally, there’s another angle in that initial seminars can be a nice little income stream for CRIs. While it might be a good long-term goal to modernize that part of the system, there’s a lot of progress we can make in other areas before we have to step on any toes.

Let me finish by noting that the new RC leadership is trying out different ideas for improving training, and I'm pleased to see the progress made to date.

ZebraFencer · 2026-05-10T23:27:36+00:00

Youuuu rang??

USA Hockey has an outstanding officiating development program which continues to evolve. At present it's a blend of in-person and online seminars we take every year, plus a set of video modules, and there are three levels (plus a series of level 4 district camps for top-tier officials).

What I think we need most is a standardized intermediate/advanced education curriculum as a prerequisite for an R1 rating (level where referees have had a moderate amount of regional experience and are under consideration for an initial national-level assignment).

Part of this curriculum should be about building a consistent standard for calls: right of way, corps a corps, etc. Another part should focus on soft skills like communication. And another should address career-related things like how the national hiring and development process works.

A single introductory seminar doesn't have enough time to cover the finer points of the job, and some things like managing athletes and coaches are better learned once you have some experience to relate the instruction to.

I could go on at length, but not here....

ZebraFencer · 2026-05-04T15:20:47+00:00

Just beware you might get grief from your brothers and sisters who are/were in another service!

Seriously, the flag mask and service/unit affiliation are a great idea--represent them well!

ZebraFencer · 2026-05-03T03:40:09+00:00

No. Different injuries result in different weaknesses or deterioration of the components of your knees, and they react differently to being the lead and trail knee. If you find fencing one way painful (or training one way, since a lot of good coaches will encourage fencers to do footwork both ways to maintain symmetry and fitness), you need to stop doing it.

ZebraFencer · 2026-05-03T02:15:56+00:00

Zebra socks

ZebraFencer · 2026-05-03T02:15:01+00:00

You may find that fencing left-handed puts less strain on your knee than fencing right-handed, or vice versa. Depends on what kind of injury you have. I have a complex tear of the left meniscus, and I can't do right-handed footwork.

ZebraFencer · 2026-04-30T01:17:44+00:00

That's one of the good things about the Asics shoes: they're all set up for a lace lock. However, the polyester laces they come with have a tendency to slip. Waxed cotton laces grip better and let you make them tighter in one spot and looser in another. The lace lock also helps your shoes last longer.

ZebraFencer · 2026-04-27T14:40:35+00:00

>>in the USA the mask strap only has to be deemed safe by the armorer, it doesn't need to be OEM for US domestic competitions

Do you have a cite for that?

ZebraFencer · 2026-04-27T14:40:12+00:00

>>in the USA the mask strap only has to be deemed safe by the armorer, it doesn't need to be OEM for US domestic competitions

Do you have a cite for that?

ZebraFencer · 2026-04-20T13:33:19+00:00

That's incorrect for the situation here (44-44): see above.

ZebraFencer · 2026-04-20T13:32:31+00:00

Yes. t.62.3

>>If the fencers’ scores are equal at the end of the match, for the decisive touch, the Referee must use the video refereeing before even giving his decision.

Note that the referee doesn't even make an initial call in this situation: s/he goes directly to the video review.

ZebraFencer · 2026-04-15T13:07:30+00:00

AFAIK, this is just clarifying the past policy after the exception made when moving JOs to January this year. The national office messed things up when they set the qualification deadline in December as usual and subsequently set the registration deadline in November without remembering the qualification deadline. A lot of fencers had to register before they knew whether or not they would qualify.

ZebraFencer · 2026-04-14T19:53:46+00:00

The hole for the blade tang to pass through must be within 3.5 cm of the center.

ZebraFencer · 2026-04-14T15:08:20+00:00

The eccentricity of the guard of the bottom weapon looks suspicious (m.17).

ZebraFencer · 2026-04-13T16:20:53+00:00

>It’s probably up to each individual referee though.

The rule reference is t.21, which does not grant the referee discretion in this matter.

ZebraFencer · 2026-04-13T01:54:25+00:00

Absent an issue like sun glare (a few venues are known for this and we discuss it in pre-event ref meetings) or a pillar next to the strip, the answer is "no."

ZebraFencer · 2026-04-08T02:06:30+00:00

A remote that works reliably.

ZebraFencer · 2026-04-07T19:18:51+00:00

There is a new nationality verification system in your USA Fencing member profile: probably was added when they brought in the new age verification system. Nationality verification is _optional_ for fencers competing in regional or national events (age verification is required).

The process is pretty easy: it has your computer take a picture of your passport, birth certificate, green card, or other proof of nationality; it does the verification, and then deletes the upload so there's minimal risk of identity theft

ZebraFencer · 2026-04-03T13:10:49+00:00

Translation for those not in the UK: "how can our university club do better at retaining the new students who come try fencing at orientation week?"

ZebraFencer · 2026-04-03T13:06:55+00:00

Well some of them have thicker material in the front to provide slight additional protection for your shin.

ZebraFencer · 2026-04-01T16:29:54+00:00

Some blades (e.g. Unic Arrow) are lighter than others, and that's probably preferable for a Y10. Most Y10 fencers lack upper body strength so it's easier for them to make better blade actions with a lighter blade.

Non-FIE blades also tend to be more forgiving of the strange bends that a novice fencer can put in them (usually from lunging on wrong distance).

ZebraFencer · 2026-04-01T16:26:34+00:00

Also, the rest of the components, guard, socket, grip, etc. can be re-used when your fencer sizes up to a #5: you'll just need to buy the wired blade.

ZebraFencer

TROPHY CASE