We’re thrilled to share an important update regarding the national event scheduling process. After months of efforts, we’ve achieved a significant milestone – coaches will now have representation in the event scheduling group!

It all started at the end of February 2024 when we launched a petition on Change.org to address the longstanding issues with the national event schedule. The petition quickly gained traction, with about 500 people signing it and many more reaching out to express their concerns. It became clear that the scheduling problems were not isolated incidents but rather systemic issues that needed to be addressed.

During the March NAC, a group of coaches held a face-to-face meeting with the USA Fencing National Office, where we highlighted the specific issues, explained the situation, and how it affects fencers, their families, coaches, and clubs. This open dialogue was crucial in bringing awareness to the National Office about the widespread impact of the scheduling problems.

Over the following weeks, we had numerous meetings with the National Office and a dedicated coaches group, comprising representatives from various weapon disciplines. These discussions were not always easy, but through perseverance and a shared commitment to improving the sport, we finally reached an agreement.

Starting with the new season, a group of three coaches – Natalie Dostert (epee), Ralf Bissdorf (foil), and Terrence Lasker (sabre), each representing one weapon discipline and led by Natalie – will be part of the event scheduling group. This coaches’ group will work closely with other coaches, club owners, and the event planning team, contributing their valuable insights and perspectives to the scheduling process.

This is a huge step forward for the fencing community! By having coaches directly involved in the event scheduling process, we can strive to create a national schedule that works better for everyone – fencers, families, coaches, and clubs. The joint efforts of the event planning team and the coaches’ representatives will address many of the issues highlighted in the petition, ultimately leading to a more efficient and accommodating national events schedule.

We want to express our gratitude to the National Office team (Phil Andrews, Glen Hollingsworth, and Kate Reisinger), the coaches team (Andrey Geva, Yury Gelman, Greg Massialas, Tsanko Hantov, Mikhail Mokretsov, Sergey Danilov, and Zoltan Dudas), and the coaches’ representative team (Natalie, Ralf, and Terrence) for their tireless efforts and cooperation in achieving this positive outcome.

This significant step forward would not have been possible without the overwhelming support of the fencing community. Your voices were heard, and your collective action has brought about meaningful change. We are excited that with the input from the ‘fencing trenches,’ the considerations of fencers, parents, and coaches/clubs will be inputted into the event schedule to create a more accommodating national events schedule. This will lead to increased participation, less time spent in the venue and away from school/work/home, and a positive financial impact for the participants.

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to work towards improving the overall experience for fencers, families, and coaches across the country.