Category: USFA

Dear American Fencing Coaches, 

Do coaches who have guided their fencers to international championships need to be taught how to coach? 

What about coaches who are former Olympians or National Team members? 

What about coaches who have graduate degrees in coaching from universities?

What about coaches that constantly produce top level fencers, that feed NCAA teams, whose students reach high levels regionally, domestically and internationally.

This list can go on and on and on and on.

With the new rules that were just announced by USA Fencing, even the most accomplished coaches will be required to spend their valuable time taking courses that are well below their skill and experience level and in most parts are incorrect and unprofessional. This centralization of certification is a requirement that has been long opposed by clubs and is opposed by a great many coaches. Its passage came out of nowhere – completely unexpected as it has been hotly debated.

Why is this such a big deal? Why are we crying out so loud against this requirement? Let’s dive into the reasons.

Forcing highly accomplished coaches to certify is a problem

Fencing is not a monolithic sport. 

The sport of fencing in the USA is club-centric. Our model has always been driven by the clubs. 

We are a decentralized sport. In fact, all Olympic sports in the United States are decentralized. There are many varied groups who have different methods and different priorities, even though they feed through the national organization into the World Championships and the Olympics. There is a huge strength in that diversity of viewpoints. It’s also what makes American sports unique and successful.

Other countries, like Hungary or France for example, do have rigorous requirements of everyone in their sport. In those places, there is a central group that has a huge amount of control over the way that athletes train and the way that their coaches are trained to coach them. There is also government funding to make it all work.

We are not that way! In America, things come from the ground up as clubs build their base through bringing in accomplished coaches that already have training from other sources, or else they are athletes who have a passion for the sport and develop as coaches through mentorship. There are of course ways that we should be supporting developing coaches, but we’ll come back to that later. 

We also have a very unique way to develop our athletes for international competitions, totally different from any other country. Many of our top athletes are developed through the NCAA, and the university model is a wholly different path than centralized anything through USA Fencing or the USFCA. These are different paths, and this current attempt to force coaches to come under one banner is counterproductive. 

Most of the clubs in America are built on the expertise of extraordinary coaches from abroad. These are the people who created American fencing as we know it. Yes, we have a few fantastic coaches, both now and historically, who were born in the U.S. – people like legendary Bucky Leach,  Sean McLain and Greg Massialas who did a tremendous job in foil. For the most part, the best international results we’ve gotten have come from fencing masters who came to this country from the outside. 

Who creates this certification?

Let’s start here – no other major group has any kind of coaching requirement. Not gymnastics or tennis, not soccer and not even football. What some of them do offer are training, but it’s always optional.

With all respect to the USFA, what is it about this organization that makes them a high authority in coaching education? Even beyond that, what made them an authority here at all?

Unless we’re missing something here, there was never a forum of the most accomplished coaches convened to judge whether this course is even qualified to train coaches at any level. And now, after the course is out – this course is far beyond a reasonable level of critique.

It would be easy to gather the top dozen coaches in each discipline, as measured by who has produced the best results in the last decade on both the domestic and international level, then have them review and analyze this course and define its place in the sport. 

• Does this course authors meet the criteria for fencing mastery? 
• What are their credentials to dictate the course as mandatory? 
• And most important, why this course should be mandatory? 
• Who gave the USFA right and authority to dictate the coaching education? 
• What was the process of buying this in among the fencing coaches community? 
• How mandating this course fits our bylaws?
• Are the people who created this course even qualify as the best fencing coaches?
• You can add dozens of additional questions to this list because by no means this list is even close to be encompassing all the aspects
• Why during the last 100+ years the USA Fencing was ok with its current decentralized model of coaching, which in the last two decades has brought unprecedented results at every level of International competitions, including raising Olympic and World Champions, and all of sudden the USFA must mandate this education?
• And most importantly – what’s next, as it is clearly the first step?

It’s important here to note that this has all gone very fast, with a proposed start date of finishing this requirement just around the corner. Add to this that all this was announced and became mandatory after the annual coaching fees were paid by all coaches, putting the entire coaching community on an uneasy path of antagonism with the organization. We don’t have time to process important questions like:

• What are the certificates for exactly?
• Will coaches be allowed to strip coach without these? 
• What about having them coach in the club setting? Will the USFA revoke club membership/insurance if they don’t make their coaches take these courses? Or if one coach refuses? And if yes, then on what basis? 
• If a coach disagrees with the curriculum, will they be exempted? Punished? Will their students be able to write their coach’s name during the medal ceremony? Or put a coach medal around their coach’s neck?
• Will coaches be required to teach what these courses say if they disagree? Who will monitor or enforce this? How and why?

There are a huge number of unanswered questions here that are materially essential for our understanding of how it will work.

The danger of bureaucracy

Why do this now? What is the urgency?

Why not give the new board to review all this?

This move adds power to the bureaucracy. The coaches who will need to be certified are some of the best ones in the country, they built the sport in the United States. We’re talking about people who are at the top of fencing expertise in the United States. 

Doing this whole thing adds time, money, nerves, and energy. The time and energy could be put to much better use for professional development of coaches in different ways. Do we need more qualified coaches? Absolutely we do if we want to grow the sport, and we definitely do. Is making our highly accomplished coaches spend time (and thus money) on something that they don’t need the way to accomplish that? Obviously not. 

The mental and emotional energy required for these coaches to go through this is completely unnecessary. It taxes them when they could better be pouring that into developing the next generation of champion fencers, who incidentally will at times go on to be the very coaches that we need to have. 

Why do it then? If it’s clearly not to develop the fencing coaches, then what purpose does it serve? Plain and simple – it’s a power play. 

By forcing coaches to become certified through this narrow path, the power becomes increasingly centralized. Our once decentralized sport becomes more and more beholden to the national organization, eroding autonomy in services of uplifting a central organization that does not have the same history of achievement.

We do not need a more heavy handed approach – we need to recognize the talent and mastery that our coaches bring, then help to build new coaches as we support clubs and parents. Forcing an additional layer of bureaucracy does not serve the sport. 

Alternatives to coach certification

There are plenty of other ways to go about this, and we know that there are because other sports do this!

We definitely need to create a coaching education program, but we need to do it in the right way, and that’s not through a mandate like this. Things that we should include are:

• Required basic licensing in safesport
• Required background checks for coaches 
• Required training in sport safety

Only a very slim bit of this should ever be mandatory from the national level. Only the base line, most basic things should be required to ensure the level playing field. There is a huge difference in that and the kinds of requirements we might be looking at. Forcing accomplished coaches to certify in something that they have vast experience in is honestly insulting and mostly serves to break our community down. 

We need to educate coaches, we need to provide resources for them, we need to create resources for those athletes who want to become coaches, we need to help facilitate mentorship from experienced coaches to new coaches if such access doesn’t exist for new coaches. But instead of helping the clubs, moves like this generate more problems and create more barriers. 

Part of what makes fencing in America strong is the diversity of coaching methods and styles. Well, that diversity characterizes the It’s the opposite of a centralized coaching program. Many of our best coaches left places with centralized systems precisely because of the freedom they have here to teach the sport in the ways that they know work. In fact, models like this have proven to fail in other countries. It’s one our amazing coaches are here, and now we’re repeating it.

What I ask of you now is to sign the petition linked here that former National Epee Head Coach and one of the most prominent epee coaches in the country, the USA Fencing Hall of Famer and owner of one of the best epee clubs in the country,  Andrey Geva put online, to show your support for putting a pause on this measure and revoke this mandatory and useless training. We don’t have to just stand back and let things happen that are not in the best interest of our sport. 

If you read this and you are not a coach, you might think why should I care? And the answer is simple – you should care because when the power becomes centralized and monopolizes your access to your most trusted resource – your coaches, at the end of the day the heaviest price will be paid by you. And not only in increased fees (which you already see) but also in quality of service you receive and the opportunities you have.

Sending out a huge congratulations to the newest USA Board of Fencing members – Ivan Lee, Damien Lehfeldt, and Abdel Salem! 

The expectations for this particular board are high. We are at an inflection point in fencing, and where things go from here has everything to do with what steps the leadership takes. I take heart in knowing that the three individuals elected are from the field, and I am confident from my interactions with Abdel, Ivan, and Damien that they will listen to the people who put them in this position. 

Where we go from here has everything to do with how much we advocate. There is so much potential to make fencing in the United States stronger, more inclusive, and for it to be even better than it is right now. Growing our sport and improving our profile both domestically and internationally will help not just those at the top, but it will also support the athletes who are currently in the pipeline. 

The board has a huge impact on the policies, structures, and direction that make up fencing. These decisions are important, and they will have long lasting effects on how fencing functions for years to come. Keep in mind that these At-large seats are only one fraction of the board but that they are an integral part of the direction of fencing. Their votes will guide decisions from which ages are included to where competitions take place to how coaches and referees are structured within the national body. 

Working together for the future of fencing

In the same spirit that we say to our fencers in our club and on this blog – defeat doesn’t always have to have a bitter taste. I am thankful for the wonderful support that people gave me in the campaign, and it was wonderful to have the chance to listen to your concerns and learn more about the needs of fencers all over the country. 

Losing this election doesn’t sting because the community is so strong, and also because I do truly believe that the three men elected are going to be a positive force. While I don’t agree with them on everything, what I do know from my interactions with them is that they are compassionate and willing to put the needs of others on the table at the national level. 

This board is a step in the right direction, without question. We’ll continue to move forward, and it’s important that we reach out to the board members in general when we have strong opinions. It doesn’t matter who you are or what your place in the fencing community is – parent, fencer, referee, coach, staff, etc. Your opinion matters. Your voice matters. 

The three new at-large members are all experienced in the fencing world, and that kind of field understanding is essential to guiding the direction of fencing. These men love the sport, and that shows in how they ran their campaigns and in their backgrounds. It’s exciting to have people representing us who know what’s happening in competitions and clubs across the country. 

We as a community need to lend them a hand.

No one can do this alone. Being on the board is a major undertaking, and it comes with its own set of pressures and responsibilities on top of everything that these people are already doing. This is not a paid position, and it’s not one that goes with a lot of glory. There’s hard work and thankless hours of meetings and correspondence that are essential for the functioning of the board. We must be there for them. 

These new At-large board members have all shown that they are here to represent the people in fencing, and it should not be incumbent on them to do it all themselves. If something isn’t working – let them know! If you have concerns about how things are being carried out, say something! Especially if you have ideas about how to solve problems, lend your intellect and problem solving skills to USA Fencing. 

We are all in this together. This sport is full of highly intelligent, hardworking, wonderful people who have the ability to get things done. No one knows better than the fencers, their families, the coaches, and the people in clubs all across the country. It’s up to the community to push things in the right direction. 

Thank you for your participation!

Increasing participation in USA Fencing is how we make a difference! Many of you put your views out there, and I especially want to thank Andrey Geva and Ann Marsh-Senic for campaigning alongside me for change. 

The last six months of campaigning has brought up a great deal of conversation that will help to define what fencing looks like moving forward, and it’s exciting to see how many people are engaged, though there’s still lots of room for more voices! There was only a 26% participation in this round of voting. We have a fantastic electoral process that makes a huge difference on the ground for fencing, and your vote makes a difference!! 

This election showed so much awesome activity from the people of fencing, with lots of issues coming to the fore in passionate ways. Whatever level you participated at, remember that there are more opportunities out there for you. The board will have open seats again next year, and we’ll all be called upon once again to make our voices heard. There’s always an opportunity for us to make a difference. 

As for me, stay tuned. There’s still plenty to be done and I’m looking forward to continuing to be a voice for positive change. Next year’s election will be here before you know it, and look for me out there!

This board is a positive move for fencing in the United States, and again I want to congratulate Damien, Abdel, and Ivan. Thank you for your positive campaigning and I look forward to having you represent the community!

The image was adapted from the USA Fencing site.

By: Andrey Geva, Ann Marsh-Senic, and Igor Chirashnya

Who we are as a community must be reflected in the leadership that guides our sport. At the top of USA Fencing, the organization that governs the direction of both today and tomorrow, there has to be a grounded understanding of what it takes to raise a fencer. It’s what we’re about. With three at-large seats open, we need a holistic move towards better leadership, and we have the opportunity to get there if we elect three candidates for those critical positions. 

Who has the power to shape our sport? Who should have that power? A wide variety of voices are important, but decisions should be guided by people who have long-lasting, direct involvement in the sport. Without their input, there are far-reaching implications for the present and future of fencing. 

Three seats – three candidates

The direction of our present and future is at stake in the current board election. There are three at-large director positions open – a potentially game-changing block of votes in the leadership of USA Fencing. Only five positions on the board are chosen by the body of fencing, and it’s a golden moment that three of them are open at once. These positions are meant for people who have the most direct understanding of the sport.  We must take advantage of it!

The three of us – Andrey Geva, Ann Marsh-Senic, and Igor Chirashnya, all have the kind of direct experience with fencing that is necessary to right the ship. 

Why are we endorsing our rivals? Because we cannot do this alone. After many, many discussions between the three of us, we saw that we shared the kind of real world experience that is so important to all of us. We don’t agree on every single thing, and that’s important too – this is not politics, it’s authenticity. 

Running for the board requires a great deal of bandwidth. It takes time. It takes mental capacity. It takes resources. All three of us have a long-term investment in the sport, and running for the board is something that we are each doing out of a sense of service to the community. We’re not here to make a name for ourselves or to advance a personal agenda. Not one of the three of us “needs” to be on the board for any kind of personal reason. We all have fulfilling lives outside of this position. Running for the board is about service to the sport and to the fencers and fencing families who make it run. 

Fencers, parents and coaches are essential voices! We must give them a way to be heard. None of us wants to be a bystander anymore. We can’t. It’s not possible to do it alone, which is why all three of us, together, are a strong part of the solution. 

Similar missions, varied perspectives

Andrey Geva has been discussing these issues with people for a very long time. A former Olympic coach, he’s also a club owner and a fencing parent. That experience matters. We have to have voices of people who have been there as a fencing parent navigating what the sport looks like from the perspective of people who have walked through the system. 

His ideas about accessibility and increasing the possibilities for coaches and the expansion of training are exactly the kind of direction we need. Most importantly, he speaks from experience. 

Ann Marsh-Senic is a three time Olympian. That’s exactly the kind of experience that we want for our fencers, and here we have a board candidate who has done the work to get there! What better person to have on the leadership team than someone who has put in the diligence to get to the top?! It’s not just her view as an athlete, but also her understanding of fencing training that is so important here. 

She’s a longtime leader in the Renaissance Fencing Club in Michigan and has almost forty years in the sport, and the parent of two fencers. Her focus on lifting the voices of parents and her ideas about practical ways to get there are exactly what we need.

Igor Chirashnya is a club owner and parent of four fencers who has a broad reach thanks to his AFM blog and extensive writing about the sport of fencing. He brings a passionate voice for parents and coaches, as well as a history of corporate leadership that can help him push the gears of the organization.  

Real experience in fencing from all angles is needed for these board positions. The three of us have collectively interacted with thousands of fencers, parents, and hundreds of coaches over decades in the sport of fencing. This is not a monolithic sport, but rather a collection of people who have varied backgrounds and needs. This is why three experienced candidates must find their places on the governing board of fencing. 

Your vote is CRITICAL

You can learn more about all of the candidates through their fliers, videos, and in the debates, all of which are available online and are linked here. Learn for yourself and make an independent, informed decision about USFA Board of Directors candidates. 

The polls open on May 15th, and the sad truth is that history tells us that a large majority of people won’t vote, even if they have every opportunity to. In previous USFA board elections, only 25% of eligible voters have voted. You can change that! 

Being on the board means you’re exposing yourself for everything. It’s a huge undertaking and major responsibility. Being brutally honest with our values and with our vision is not easy, but for all three of us it’s necessary. 

We cannot sit back and watch this sport be pushed by the interests of those who are not invested in the experiences of the people who participate in it. Your vote for me, for Andrey, and for Ann helps to push the sport back towards fundamentally valuing parents, coaches, and most importantly fencers as this sport continues to move forward. 

Fencing needs your vote. 

Signed,

Andrey, Ann, and Igor

Fencing in America is a wonderful thing, and as a community we are constantly looking for ways to make it better. 

I’m running to sit on the Board of Directors of USA Fencing because I believe that we need a positive, supportive direction for our sport that’s informed by the needs of the people on the ground. The reality of what is happening in clubs and on the floor of competitions is not always the same as what it looks like from the boardroom. 

My candidacy brings a bottom up approach to leadership, rather than a top down view. 

A voice for fencers, parents, and coaches

As a parent, coach, and former fencer, I have a unique perspective that provides empathy and understanding for each of these important groups within our sport. AFM has grown from small beginnings to one of the largest clubs in the country, but we are still intricately involved in the sport trajectory of everyone involved. 

The board must have a clear voice from the people who are living this world, and that’s what I bring. Because I am right here with you, I have the ability to be that voice. Through the AFM blog over almost a decade, I’ve had the privilege of hearing what parents, coaches, and fencers all over the United States are talking about and what they see for the future of our sport. 

A central goal of my candidacy is to focus on the voices that I hear every day and give them a microphone to the decision makers at the top. 

Common sense approach

We can reach the lofty goals that we want for the sport  and that are almost universally agreed on – higher visibility, improved training, better competitions, stronger pathways to achievement, and so on. Those big dreams are important and they keep us going. 

To get there, we must rely on a common sense approach. How we structure our competitions, how we support and develop our fencers, starting from youth, how we take care of families’ needs, what we require of our coaches, and how we support our clubs has to happen with our feet on the ground. 

I bring a common sense, realistic approach to the board that can get things done in ways that really work. My experience in large organizations and the strength of my network in fencing means that I have the skills to guide our future that relies on the collective imagination and intelligence of our amazing people. The answers are here! We can think big while making smart moves to get to that future that is within reach. 

Leadership as service, not politics

Being on the board is not an ego venture for me – it’s about supporting the people. Yes, I have to put all of these things out there with my face on them and you’re seeing a lot of my words, but I don’t need any of that. I’m running because I know that I have the skills to lift up the tremendous voices in our community that deserve to be heard. 

The board, USA Fencing, and all of the supporting personnel are there to make the lives of fencers, parents, and coaches easier and better by understanding their needs and adding more opportunities. This is how we grow. The people know best, and leadership should be here to support the people who live in this sport. 

Inter-organizational politics, agendas, and self-interest happen in every organization, but my goal is to minimize if not eliminate these distractions from our core needs. The service of our community is what matters and it’s how we can move forward in the best way possible. 

As a leader, I am intrinsically motivated by helping the community, a community that is made up of individuals who are all here to revel and grow through this sport. You deserve leaders who are always mindful of who they serve. 

We can move USA Fencing in the right direction by listening to the community and expanding our opportunities.