Salma Ahmad - Team Scotland Achieve programme

Salma and some of the other Team Scotland Achieve programme athletes.

Salma Ahmad was selected to represent Scottish Fencing in the Team Scotland Achieve programme which was run in conjunction with the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

The Achieve programme is an educational programme aimed at athletes that have the potential to progress in their sport and have a passion for inspiring others to take part in sport.

As part of the programme, Salma spent five days in Birmingham attending the Commonwealth Games and taking part in some educational workshops. Salma had a fantastic time and was kind enough to document her experience in a blog.

To read more about Salma’s experience click here.

Salma with Scotland Women’s Football Captain, Rachel Corsie

Sportscotland learning programme - Athlete-Coach Relationships & Effective Coaching

sportscotland Institute of Sport is delighted to invite you to a learning programme helping coaches explore ‘Athlete-Coach Relationships & Effective Coaching’.  We have been working with Professor Sophia Jowett (Loughborough University and UK Sport) who is internationally recognised for her work in this field to design the learning series.

 

‘There are many examples of high-profile coaches who have embraced and applied the notion of the “relational coaching environment” (Jowett & Shanmugam, 2016, p. 471) at the heart of which lies building good quality relationships. Coaches who have achieved the highest sport accolades with their athletes all over the world have talked openly about the role and significance of the coach-athlete relationship and include Pep Guardiola (football), Mike Krzyzewski (basketball), Lisa Alexander (netball), Marcus Wiese and Danny Kerry (hockey), Aimee Boorman (gymnastics), Ans Botham (athletics), and Mel Marshall and Bob Bowman (swimming). It becomes immediately apparent that these coaches recognise the value of connecting with each athlete in their team signalling that they have nothing but their athletes’ very best interests at heart. Such coaches become ‘talent magnets’ because athletes want to work with and for them.’

Jowett, S., & Slade, K. (2021). Understanding the coach-athlete relationship and the role of ability, intentions and integrity. In , C. Heaney, N. Kentzer, & B. Oakley (Eds.) Athletic Development: A Psychological Perspective. Upcoming OPEN UNIVERSITY publication

 

This module aims to enhance knowledge and understanding about the interpersonal dynamics between coaches and athletes. Its point of departure is that coaching is an interpersonal situation (process and practice) that involves both the coach and each athlete in a squad. As a coach and a given athlete interact in training, in competition and in other settings, they develop a working relationship. This coach-athlete relationship is at the heart of coaching and its quality has the potential to determine the effectiveness and success of coaching.  In this course, coaches will familiarise themselves with the role the coach-athlete relationship plays in coaching and the significance it has for both athletes’ and coaches’ performance and wellbeing.

Jowett 2007 and Jowett & Felton 2022 refer to ‘The 3+1C’s Model of the Coach-Athlete Relationship: Closeness, Commitment, Co-orientation and Complementarity’.  This module will help you consider what actions/behaviours or interactions are likely to promote these 4 characteristics that define good quality coach-athlete relationships.

 

About Professor Sophia Jowett:

Sophia Jowett, PhD, is a professor of psychology at Loughborough University, United Kingdom. Sophia’s work revolves around interpersonal relationships, leadership and communication. Currently, she is working at UK Sport as a consultant on an exciting project that focuses on women’s leadership development and their advancement into senior coach-related roles.
Sophia’s research has been funded by such institutions as Economic and Social Research Council, British Academy, Nuffield Foundation, UK Coaching, UK Sport, Sasakawa Foundation, Hellenic Olympic Committee and HSBC. The findings of her research have been published extensively in a range of scientific journals, book chapters and conference presentations held nationally and internationally (including webinars, blogs etc). Her research has informed coach development across the world. Examples of significant nation-wide practical impact include her work with UK Coaching, UK Sport, Sport England and National Governing Sport Bodies.

Format of the course:

  • 8 x 1 hour Webinars, Mondays, 12noon - 1pm, starting on Monday 3rd October

  • Content will include presentations, Q&A, discussions, readings and tasks for consideration / completion between Monday sessions

  • Webinars will be recorded and hosted on Brightspace (Virtual Learning Environment) to allow coaches to catch-up or revisit content when convenient, but to optimise the learning experience we do encourage coaches to try and keep pace with the regular Monday 12-1pm.

 

Part 1: Theoretical & Empirical underpinnings

  1. Coaching – An exploration into what is coaching?

  2. The coach-athlete relationship as a phenomenon and its association with coaching

  3. The role and significance of the coach-athlete relationship

  4. The determinants of good versus not-so-good coach-athlete relationships

Part 2: Practical or Applied Underpinnings

  1. Communication strategies as the fuel of quality coach-athlete relationships: Motivational Strategy

  2. Openness as a communication strategy and its links to Psychological Safety

  3. Coach-Athlete Conflict and its Management

  4. Tandem and Concluding reflections

 

Session Dates:

  1. 03/10/22

  2. 10/10/22

(Break 17/10/22 and 24/10/22)

  1. 31/10/22

  2. 07/11/22

  3. 14/11/22

  4. 21/11/22

  5. 28/11/22

  6. 05/12/22

 

To access the live webinar learning series, please register by Wednesday 28th September, and a link to the session will be sent to you:

Recruitment - Scottish Fencing Board vacancy - Finance Director

Scottish Fencing is seeking a qualified individual with knowledge of and expertise in accounting standards and concepts to support the Board and staff team in the role of Finance Director.

 

In joining the Board of Scottish Fencing you will gain experience of working as a leader within a small but dynamic Governing Body.   You will help to shape the future of Scottish Fencing, at a point where the relationship between sport, health and well-being is strengthening.  Re-invigorating the sport, encouraging people to participate and volunteer are key activities. 

 

The successful individual will bring their skills and knowledge to the Board and develop an area of expertise and interest as part of an integrated team with the elected Board members.  Each Board Member holds a portfolio which we adapt according to the skills and interest of Board members, aligned to the organisational strategy.  Directors take decisions within their portfolios on behalf of the Board.

 

This appointment is a great opportunity for someone with a passion for sport. It presents an opportunity for the development of new and existing skills, meeting new people and new networks, and making a genuine difference to sport in Scotland. 

For more information and details of the application process, please click the Role Description and Full advert below.

Scottish Fencing Board vacancy - Finance Director role description

Scottish Fencing Board vacancy - Finance Director advert

Team Scotland Achieve Programme - Salma Ahmad represents Scottish Fencing in Birmingham

Salma Ahmad has been selected to represent Scottish Fencing in the Team Scotland Achieve programme which takes place alongside the Birmingham Commonwealth Games this week.

The Achieve programme is an educational programme aimed at athletes that have the potential to progress in their sport and have a passion for inspiring others to take part in sport. Achieve athletes will spend 5 days in Birmingham at the Games and will have access to a well-qualified and experienced mentor that will guide them through this educational experience.

Salma is a member of both West Lothian Fencing Club and Heriot Watt Fencing Club, where she is also the armourer for the university fencing club. She is focussed on developing her competitive experience with the aim of representing Scotland at the next Commonwealth Fencing Championships. Salma is also extremely passionate about encouraging others to try fencing and aims to be a positive role model for anyone who is keen to try the sport.

Salma travels to Birmingham on Wednesday 3rd August, where she will be given a tour of the athletes village before taking in cycling, hockey, gymnastics, table tennis and athletics. There is also an educational programme where Salma will take part in inspirational talks, media training and interactive workshops to share learning across sports.

Everyone at Scottish Fencing sends their best wishes to Salma for what is sure to be an unforgettable experience and we are looking forward to hearing all about the programme on her return.

Daniel Baker joins Scottish Fencing as Club and Community Development Manager

Scottish Fencing is delighted to confirm the appointment of Daniel Baker as Club and Community Manager.

Daniel joins us from Bowls Scotland where he has been a National Development Officer for the past 3 years and previously worked with Enable Scotland. In his role at Bowls he was responsible for supporting clubs to provide increased opportunities for people to participate and also focussed on areas such as business planning, funding applications and membership recruitment and retention.

Daniel is also on Sportscotland Changing Lives Leaders Programme and this experience will be valuable to the team as we look to deliver our ‘Forging the Future’ strategy and make the sport of fencing a welcoming and inclusive place for all.

We are sure Daniel will be a great addition to the team and will be a great asset to our clubs. We look forward to welcoming him to his new role when he begins on 15th August.  

Coach Education and Coach Educator Development Courses

There will be a Coach Education weekend on 23-24 July at Salle Holyrood Fencing Club. Over the weekend there will be two courses running concurrently.

 

Coach Education course

One course will be a Coach Education course for coaches working towards levels 1, 2 or 3. Details as follows.

Dates    Saturday 23rd July & Sunday 24th July

Time     12.00 – 6.00 pm

There is no cost for this training, however coaches will have to pay for certification if they pass. Minimum age for Level 1 is 14 years old. Coaches can bring someone along to practice their coaching on if they wish.

For more information and to sign up please click here.

 

Coach Educator course

The second course is for current and prospective Coach Educators and will take place from 9am – 6pm on both days. The programme for this course will be 3 hours of preparation in the morning and then delivery of the Coach Education course in the afternoon.

This course is open to current and prospective Coach Educators. If you think you may have an interest in becoming a Coach Educator in the future this weekend will allow you the opportunity to explore this. There will also be some discussion around the development of the Scottish Fencing Coaching qualifications and future Coach Development. 

 

For more information and to sign up please click here.

 

Obituary John McKenzie 17 April 1943 - 18 May 2022

John was born in 1943 during the war in Parkhead Avenue, Gorgie, Edinburgh. He had two older sisters, Mary and Louisa.

In his youth, like most boys his age, John was a keen footballer, however a nasty leg break at primary school meant he could no longer play. John was a talented musician, following after his father and sister who were both musical. The family often played together and John could play several instruments but preferred the cornet, guitar and piano. He was a member of the Salvation Army Band and once played at the Royal Albert Hall.

black and white picture of Salvation Army band featuring John McKenzie

John was introduced to fencing by Professor Bert Bracewell whilst studying Agriculture at Edinburgh University and it became a life-long passion, both fencing competitively and coaching.

Black and white picture of University of Edinburgh fencing club members with the trophies they had won

John joined the University fencing team in 1967 which was the start of a highly successful fencing career. In 1968, he completed a hat-trick by becoming the Scottish University Champion in Foil, Epee and Sabre in the same weekend. The first person to achieve this and a feat that has not yet been repeated.

Although John fenced all 3 weapons, he favoured Epee and had many outstanding achievements across the years. He was a founding member of the highly competitive and successful Lothian Fencing Club from 1969 onwards. He won the coveted Burn Murdoch trophy for Epee in 1969. He was a member of the Scottish team at the Commonwealth Games in Canada 1974, the same year he won the Scottish Epee Championships. John also competed as a Veteran for Scotland Great Britain in matches at home and abroad.

Lothian Fencing Club with a large selection of medals and trophies which they had won.

John qualified as a coach in all 3 weapons, with his first coaching qualification in foil in 1968, not long after he had started fencing. John realised early on that coaching fencing was going to be important part of his life. He was one of very few coaches who achieved the accolade to be qualified in Foil, Epee and Sabre at advanced level.

Over the years John contributed significantly as a coach to many clubs and schools with the aim of making fencing as accessible a sport for as many children as possible. He coached for many years at Dunfermline Fencing Club, University of Edinburgh, George Watsons school, Fettes school, Corstorphine Primary and Currie Primary, to name but a few.

John had a rare talent to inspire and challenge his students through humour and a wry smile that meant many of them achieved great success and have continued fencing long after leaving the schools he taught at.

John invested a significant amount of time and energy into developing Fencing in Scotland – not only competing and coaching, but spending countless weekends, either as a parent supporting his children fencing, as a referee for many competitions across the years, or fundraising for his local clubs.

John’s enthusiasm and passion for fencing was apparent to all who met him. He was very much loved and will be sadly missed by his wife Sheila, his children Kerry, Martin, Tracy and Jennifer and his six grandchildren.

Words by Tracy McKenzie

Scottish Secondary Schools Championship round-up

Over the weekend the Scottish Secondary Schools Championship took place at Bathgate Academy. This was the first time the event had been held since before the pandemic and it was great to see so many fencers over the two days. The event has a tremendous history and some impressive trophies. Overall, 60 fencers took part across Under 14, Under 16 and Over 16 age groups. It was also nice to see some fencers take part in all three weapons to compete for the three weapon trophies.

Scottish Fencing would like to extend our appreciation to everyone involved in the running of the event. A special thank you to Kevin, Wendy and the members of West Lothian Fencing Club who helped with a number of roles over the two days and kindly allowed us to set up during their club time on Friday evening. The club also provided a tuck shop and the home baking received many compliments.

The referees are crucial to any event and a big thank you goes to all of the referees for their efforts over a busy two days.

Many thanks to The Foundation for Scottish Fencing and David Barbour who ensured the event ran smoothly. Thanks also to Fiona Morrison, Lorna Smith and Wendy Hearty who were the DT’s over the weekend, Paul Thompson, our armourer.

 

Overall Best School – Dunblane High School

 

The winners of the three weapon trophies were:

Under 16 Girls - Zoe Wagstaff

Over 16 Girls - Sophie Schofield

 

Under 14 Boys - Euan Drummond Murray

Under 16 Boys - David Kelly

Over 16 Boys - Jaimie Cook

 

Full results from the weekend can be found here.

Congratulations to everyone who took part.

Best wishes

Stan Stoodley

Scottish Fencing President

Scottish Fencing Volunteer Lead Safeguarding Officer

The Board of Scottish Fencing are looking to recruit a Volunteer Lead Safeguarding Officer who will Support the Scottish Fencing Board and staff team with the effective development and implementation of Safeguarding policies and procedures throughout the sport in Scotland.

This is a key role within the organisation and we are seeking a  motivated individual with exceptional communication skills, sound judgement and experience of adult and child wellbeing and protection.

For more information please see the full advert and role description below.

SF Volunteer Lead Safeguarding Officer Advert

SF Volunteer Lead Safeguarding Officer Role Description

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