Pools are a critical part of fencing. When you don’t perform well in pools, you often have a hard path in DEs and lose earlier than you would expect. In cases where the total number of competitors is not divisible by 7, it’s common to have uneven pool sizes, resulting… Read More »Uneven Pool Sizes are Unfair
You are standing on the unforgiving piste, the weight of your weapon in hand. Your breath quickens, heart pounding, as you face your opponent. The score is tied, 14-14. Every move feels like a dance on the edge of victory and defeat. Each step, each parry, a desperate bid for… Read More »Why Fencing Is Often So Disappointing: 12% of Bouts Are Lost by One Point
Can past performance predict future results? This is a question of many fencers, who wonder if the place they currently are is the place they are always going to be, or if one day they will be able to get an A rating or win a tournament. Of course you… Read More »Do Past Performances Predict Future Results?
In my post When Can Youth and Cadet Fencers Make a Breakthrough? I talk about the small changes that occur year by year, but I don’t talk about the large changes that can happen over a large period of time. I didn’t think that this was on-topic for that post, but… Read More »Y-12 Performance Predicts Cadet Performance Surprisingly Well
Everyone thinks their weapon is the best. This is not hyperbole. If you don’t think your weapon is the best, then why are you doing it? Switch to the weapon that you think is the best. We also all believe that our weapon is the most difficult, the most fun,… Read More »Is Epee Easier Than Foil?
Sometimes in youth fencing, fencers make huge improvements, going from getting cut during pools to medalling at NACs, or from an E rating to an A rating. However, when do most of these breakthroughs happen? I have heard some coaches say that it can happen between Y12 and Y14 when… Read More »When Can Youth and Cadet Fencers Make a Breakthrough?
Most of the time when someone gets top 8 at a NAC, they get an A! This is cool, however, how often are people upgrading their ratings rather than just renewing? I analyzed the number of fencers from each rating who got into the top 8, 16, 32, and 64,… Read More »How Often Can Low Rated Fencers Advance to the Later Rounds?