Do you think you have the qualities to be a good fencing coach?
If you do then come and join one of the oldest professions in the world
How?
There are three stages to becoming a fencing coach.
Firstly you need a good trainer. One who can pass on his teaching skills to you.
A master of his trade.
Secondly you need to learn teaching and coaching skills. These
are not easily acquired without hard work.
Lastly and most importantly you will need
to practice these skills. From basic mobility and weapons handling skills through
to complex combination moves and counter moves.
Where?
There is only one route to travel, it is not easy. At the end of the day will have had to show your competence to both teaching and coaching skills. With the British Academy of Fencing route you can qualify through each stage at all 3 weapons, or if you already have the skills of teaching and coaching you can qualify at any level.
When?
When you think you are ready, when you think you have sufficient fencing skills and experience and want to teach.
Do not be pressured into learning to be a coach. Many fine fencers have been lost to the sport they once loved through this added challenge. Many have also become good coaches
British Academy of Fencing
The BAF route allows you to qualify through each stage at a single weapon.
Levels 1, 2, 3, Advanced & Diploma at each weapon Foil, Epée & Sabre
Level 1 is an assessment by your trainer
Level 2, 3, Advanced & Diploma are by examination
As soon as you have an Academy qualification you can apply to be a member of the British Academy of Fencing,
which gives you the insurance to coach.
A Good Trainer
The million dollar question:
how to find a good “coach educator”
In my opinion the only sure way is by recommendation from a qualified coach and to try them out for yourself to see if they are compatible to you, because, you may find a good trainer but their style of teaching may not suit you.
TEACHING AND COACHING
To fully appreciate coaching notes, it is essential that the reader should fully understand the difference between teaching and coaching as it applies to the sport of fencing.
TEACHING
To teach is to impart knowledge or a skill.
To do this, it must be accepted that the
student is being introduced to the knowledge or skill for the first time and therefore
has no prior understanding.
Sometimes, a student maybe resistant to accepting tuition
for a number of reasons:
1 The subject may not be a personal choice, as in the case of some school students.
2
The student may be convinced that he is unable to accomplish the task.
3 The pupil
may not accept the method by which the knowledge or skill is being taught, and may
feel that it should be performed another way.
However, a student will usually accept the discipline involved in the learning process.
It
would be a mistake to favour coaching as an alternative to teaching. This can result
in the need to repeat the teaching at a later date, when it becomes evident that
the student cannot perform fundamental skills.
You cannot coach until you have taught!
In
order to teach correctly, it is necessary to have a comprehensive understanding of
the relevant parts of the skill in question, including its physiological aspects,
such as the articulation of the limbs, muscle contractions, and the need for balance.
It
is also necessary to break down movements into easily learnt progressions.
COACHING
To coach is to improve knowledge or a skill.
It is impossible to improve a student's
performance until he is able to perform, and coaching is therefore a logical progression
from teaching. For example; a runner may be coached to sprint and to win a race,
but it would hardly be possible to coach him to sprint if he were unable to run.
He must first be taught to run.
Coaching may follow on immediately to form part of
the original learning process, or it may be introduced at a much later stage.
As with teaching, some resistance may be encountered. This is common when a pupil
has found success with a certain action, and feels that there is no room for improvement
in that area. This is often a problem with coaching the "game situation" which is
described later. As the fencer finds success with badly executed techniques against
possibly inexperienced opposition, the fencer may be unwilling to accept that there
is anything still to learn. Considerable tact and persuasion is required in such
situations, as the fencer's confidence could be destroyed.
Coaching may be done in
groups, or in the form of the individual lesson.
Points to consider before teaching
or coaching.
1 Appearance Do look smart and clean.
2 Voice Project your voice with
authority, so that each pupil can hear you.
3 Safety Always wear protective clothing
and equipment appropriate for fencing, and ensure that whoever assist you with your
demonstration also conforms.
4 Demonstration Try to effect the best possible demonstration.
Change whoever is assisting you for each demonstration if possible, to show that
the technique works equally on different opponents.
