This is a reminder for Scottish Fencing's Annual General Meeting (AGM) taking place on Tuesday 10 December at 6pm online. As part of the AGM process members can vote on any changes to Articles of Association or Bye Laws; this year there are no proposed changes for voting on.
During the meeting members will confirm if the minutes from AGM 2023 are accurate via proposer and seconder. The 2023 AGM minutes are available here.
Staff and board will give a short report based on the content of the annual report. You can view the Annual Report here
If you have any questions you would like to ask you can submit these in advance, this will allow the Board to give a full answer. Attendees can also ask questions on the night but we may need to get back to you depending on what information we have to hand.
You can submit questions using the sign up form below.
To sign up and attend the AGM, or to note your apologies, please use the link below. Please note that all members are welcome to attend but only members over the age of 16 can vote.
To attend sign up here
The agenda is available here
SF Club Project Fund
Clubs are now able to submit applications to Scottish Fencing’s Club Project Fund.
The project will be focused on Girls & Women, but clubs can be creative and innovative in how they plan to explore this space. Clubs can consider how their project can link to the Active Scotland Outcomes - more information here.
As part of this fund, there is money to fund two clubs with £1000 each to deliver a project in the early part of 2025. Further funds will also be available to support continuation of club projects and open up further funding of other club projects throughout 2025 - 2029.
If any clubs have questions or would like to have a further discussion around their project idea before submitting their application then get in touch with Daniel at daniel.baker@scottish-fencing.com to arrange a chat.
The deadline for applications is end of November 2024.
SF Club Project Fund Application
A timeline is shown also below for information, but this can be flexible to suit the club’s needs and their projects. It is provided to give a rough timeline for information.
A timeline image that is showing the different stages with dates for project milestones.
Please direct all questions and queries to Daniel Baker, Club & Community Development Manager, daniel.baker@scottish-fencing.com
Pathways Squad 2024-25 - Sign Up
This years Pathways Squad is going to begin in November and will have a specific focus of preparing fencers for a qualifying event for the British Youth Championships (BYC) and for those that qualify/choose to attend it will also assist with preparation for the BYC as well.
The dates for this years programme are:
17 November
26 January
23 February
16 March
13 April
The programme is open to any fencers U16 that are keen to develop in a supportive environment.
U16 born in 2009 or 2010
U14 born in 2011 or 2012
U12 born in 2013 or 2014
Venues are likely to be in Stirling or Perth.
The sessions will focus on scenario based games and situations specific to the level of the fencers. There will also be support from services like sport psychology, nutrition, strength and conditioning integrated into the days.
Coach support will be available at the qualifying event, full details of this will be available soon but we expect it to take place before the end of March.
If the costs to attend are prohibitive to anyone and they would benefit from a subsidised place on pathways squad please contact alan.martin@scottish-fencing.com
Coach Education Weekend
Our next coach education weekend will be taking place on 7/8 December at Easterhouse Phoenix in Glasgow.
Easterhouse Phoenix Community Centre
5 Shandwick Street
G34 9BN
This will be the first opportunity for candidates to go through our new Level 1 assistant course. We are currently working with sportscotland and the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) to have all our coaching qualifications recognised by the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF). Our new Level 1 course sits at stage 5 on the SCQF framework.
Our new qualifications will have some online coursework to complete prior to attending a coach education weekend, the deadline for completing the online content is 2 weeks prior to the weekend so tutors have adequate time to review what each candidate has submitted. When you sign up and indicate you want to complete the new Level 1 full information will sent to you on how to complete all the online coursework.
The new Level 1 is aimed at those who are less experienced in leading fencing activity or are aged 16 or 17. (To complete Level 2 you need to be 18).
We have also recently received support from sportscotland that will allow us to cost our coach eduaction programme in a more innovative way. If you belong to one or more of the following groups, then coach education could be free for you to complete:
Women and girls
Under 25
Disability
Rural community
Low SIMD
If you feel you belong to one or more of the above categories then please indicate this on the sign up form (for SIMD we will check your postcode against the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation). You will then have the option to pay a discounted amount of £50 or you can pay £0 if you log 10 hours voluntary coaching within your club and local community, ideally engaging with the highlighted groups above.
If you do not belong to one of the groups above you have the option to pay £150 for the weekend or you can also choose to log 10 hours voluntary coaching ideally with the groups above and pay a discounted rate of £50.
2024 Scottish Open - Request for referees
The 2024 Scottish Open is on 30 November and 1 December in our new venue Alva Academy (10 minutes drive from last year’s venue in Stirling).
We are currently asking for referees - ideally those qualified at Level 2 or above but we are also interested to hear from experienced fencers.
If an invited referee comes to the Scottish Open for both days and ONLY to referee we will pay a day rate plus expenses including travel. The pay rate is dependent on qualifications:
FIE/Level 4 £60
Level 3 £50
Level 2 £40
The Scottish Open will only pay accommodation expenses where the invited referee is covering both days and when the accommodation is booked by the organisers. Accommodation is booked on a twin room basis. If referees require accommodation on the Friday night please contact us (admin@scottish-fencing.com) to arrange this.
The organisers will pay the following travel expenses:
Standard class rail travel at cost. We expect referees to book in advance to minimise costs.
Fuel costs are recompensed at 35 p per mile.
We will provide lunch on the day.
If a fencer stays and referees the next day or prior day we will refund their entry fee and pay a day rate but not cover their accommodation / travel expenses. Any competitor wishing to do this should get agreement first by contacting admin@scottish-fencing.com
On the day if a fencer makes themselves available to referee in an event they are no longer fencing in they can have a refund of their entry fee once approved by the organisers. No travel expenses will be paid and only once agreed by the organisers.
Scottish Open timetable:
Saturday 30 November Check In times
Mens Epee 8.45 - 9.00
Womens Foil 9.45 - 10.00
Mens Sabre 12.45 - 13.00
Sunday 1 December 2024 Check In times
Mens Foil 8.45 - 9.00
Seated Sabre 9.15 – 9.30
Womens Epee 9.45 - 10.00
Womens Sabre 12.30 -12.45
If you are interested in refereeing please email us at admin@scottish-fencing.com
Highland Open 2024 Results Round up
Elgin seemed like the fencing epicentre of the world when Elgin Duellist Fencing Club hosted the Highland Open Fencing Tournament at the end of last month (28 & 29 September).
A tournament record of 150 fencers from 32 clubs, from as far afield as the USA and China, gathered at Elgin High School to compete in the most northernly nationally ranked fencing competition in the UK over the weekend.
A record number of 18 fencers from Elgin Duellist Fencing Club -ranging in age from 13 to 72- also took the brave step to compete in the Men’s and Women’s Epee, Sabre and Foil categories and to fight against ex-Olympian, Commonwealth and national pentathlon champions.
There is a summary of results below but please read the full account in Elgin Duellists Highland Open Write Up here.
Summary of results:
Men’s Epee
1. Tristen Bell, Forth Valley Fencing Club
2. Alasdair Baker, Unaffiliated
3T. Will Miller, Eastbourne Fencing Club
3T. Duncan Readle, Dundee University Fencing Club
Women’s Epee
1.Ying Ki Lee, Braveheart Fencing Club
2. Laura Jamieson, Braveheart Fencing Club
3T.Mhairi Gifford, Shetland Fencing Club
3T. Avi Jaffe Tsang, St Andrews University Fencing Club
Men’s Sabre
1. Jack Geddes, Salle Ossian
2. Callum Kettles, Salle Ossian
3T. Gellert Neiszer, University of Glasgow Fencing Club
3T. Adrien Catte, Edinburgh Fencing Club
Women’s Sabre
1. Lucy Higham, Salle Ossian
2. Sophia Milne, Salle Ossian
3T. Rosalind Graham, Sancroft Blades Fencing Club
3T.Yue Shao, University of Glasgow Fencing Club
Men’s Foil
1. Lachlan Grant, St Andrews University Fencing Club
2. Gleb Iakovlev, Edinburgh University Fencing Club
3T. David Moody, Salle Solas
3T. Joe Joyce, Culloden Fencing Club
Women’s Foil
1.Chloe Campbell, Forth Valley Fencing Club
2. Ao Feng, Edinburgh University Fencing Club
3T. Lily Graham, Edinburgh Fencing Club
3T. Mhairi Gifford, Shetland Fencing Club
For Elgin Duellist club members, this may be the only time that they have an opportunity to compete against some of the top-ranking fencers in Scotland and further afield. With the nearest fencing tournaments usually held in the central belt of Scotland, we are delighted that so many of our club members competed and did so well. This is the highest proportion of Elgin Duellists that we have ever managed to get beyond the first direct elimination stage. We look forward to doing even better next year.
Pathways Squad - Coach Vacancy
Scottish Fencing is recruiting a Lead Weapons Coache – Sabre – on a consultancy basis as maternity cover, to our Pathways Squad for athletes looking to attend a qualifying event and the BYC in 2025.
The main goal of the Lead Weapons Coach (LWC) is to assist the Pathways group to create a positive learning environment that best prepares young athletes to perform to the best of their abilities whilst upholding Scottish Fencing’s culture, values and relevant policies. The Lead Weapons Coach will work with Pathways Squad members to ensure they are best prepared to perform at the qualifying event and BYC’s in 2025. The LWC will take responsibility for designing and delivering engaging scenario based fencing sessions for those athletes who specialise in their chosen weapon.
Lead Weapons Coach (LWC) Duties:
At Pathways sessions:
· To design and deliver fencing training that nurture and develop young fencers.
· Attend staff meeting, prior to Session 1, to work with other LWC, and the pathways group to design a fencing programme for Pathways athletes.
· To work with other LWC, and the pathways group to create a positive, “development-first” learning environment for athletes, staff and parents.
At BYC qualifiers:
· Provide coaching advice and support to individuals and other coaches as required. This may include providing warm ups and lessons to unaccompanied athletes.
· Work with any club coaches attending to ensure the young person is put first and they are not made to feel conflicted between club and pathways coaches.
· Promote and adhere to Scottish Fencing’s best practice guidance/code of ethics and behaviour including anti-discriminatory practice.
· Assist Scottish Fencing to fulfil its responsibilities to safeguard young people including maintaining confidentiality,
Essential requirements:
· Commitment to attend all Pathways sessions and qualifying event for BYC.
o 10th November
o 26th January
o 23rd February
o 17th March
o 13th April
· Have a minimum Level 2 – preferably Level 3 (or working towards) - qualification in sabre.
· Evidence of Continual Professional Development.
· Understanding of Long-Term Athlete Development and Growth Mindset.
· Great communication skills.
· On the British Fencing Coaches Register. (Completed PVG, CWPS course and first aid)
· Knowledge of Scottish Fencing’s role and responsibilities to safeguard the welfare of children.
What the LWC can expect:
· £700 to cover all sessions and qualifying event
· Scottish Fencing branded clothing.
· Free CPD
· The opportunity to support and develop young athletes.
How to Apply:
To apply, complete the jotform.
Please direct any questions to alan.martin@scottish-fencing.com.Deadline for applications is Wednesday, 2nd October at 12pm.
We Need to Talk about Performance - An Open Letter to the Scottish Fencing Community
Recent research carried out in Scotland found that “fencers are disappointed by the shallow and not well-organised support policies for student-athletes.” There is an inclusive fencing community in Scotland and a desire for higher levels of performance, but access to resources appears to be the biggest barrier to fencers progression on an athletic career path. This is not just a student-athlete problem, it affects any fencer from any club aspiring towards high performance.
So why are there no high performance pathway structures nor mention of performance in the latest iteration of SF’s sport strategy? In the absence of any significant change in funding for high performance, it will, for the foreseeable future remain beyond the national governing body to take up this issue on its own.
But is the lack of funding the end of the conversation? What are the alternatives? What if there was a another better way available to us?
Currently, British Fencing require fencers to meet a certain performance standard before they are selected for the World and European teams. This is expressed as an average percentage finish at international nominated events of 35-40% or an individual result of 8%. That means regularly making last 32 stages or better of nominated international events. If we accept this as an indicator of performance, then the question is how to deliver the QTT relevant to these performance goals. Looking at the duration and frequency of training in high performing countries, this equates roughly to the following volumes of training, even before we start looking at quality:
Cadets 12-15 hour per week
Juniors 15-20 hours per week
Seniors +20 hours per week
And the more training an athlete undertakes, the more support they need wrapped around them to balance their development and wellbeing needs as a person, as an athlete and as a fencer.
What about participation fencers, those who will never aspire to high performance and those who might be late developers? When it comes to talent development systems, there are only three variables that are consistently highlighted as necessary and these are 1. to keep as MANY people in the sport 2. for as LONG as possible, 3. doing QUALITY work. Fencers doing 2 hours a week or 22 hours a week are all part of this talent system. It creates a powerful pyramid, one where everyone is contributing to everyone else’s participation, development or bid for high performance.
Currently, most clubs provide between 2-6 hours a week training opportunity for their members. Even where there is collaboration between clubs, the best we see is around 8-10 hours per week. This falls well short of the necessary QTT to give our fencers a fighting chance at performance events.
There are certainly many disadvantages to being a small under-resourced sport, but there are also many advantages. For example, the road to the Scotland Fencing Team is a short one, by which we mean that anyone can be motivated to aspire to and achieve a place on the Scotland Team as a first step towards high performance. We have a small, agile population, with close-knit networks and a positive culture of belonging and togetherness from which there are opportunities to help each other, to share information and to develop stronger ties in ways that aren’t possible in bigger countries and sporting systems.
Can we capitalise on this advantage? If there is a will, we believe there will be a way.
Using the SPLISS model as our benchmark, the main barriers to high performance is a lack of or absence of the following:
1. Financial resources
2. Governance, Management, Culture
3. High Performance Plan and Pathway
4. Talent identification and development structures
5. Athlete welfare support
6. Training Faciliites
7. Coach Development
8. Competition strucutre
9. Sport science, medicine and research
We are writing this letter to the fencing community to acknowledge the problems and the challenges and to make the first move towards establishing a high performance environment in Scotland. This will mean taking very small steps to build a performance culture, facilities, resources and knowledge over the next few years. And we need your help to do this.
We are aiming to build the programme from scratch over the next three years with a view to developing a performance programme that will provide the necessary QTT and access to resources to support the physical and psychological aspects of a fencer’s performance and in wellbein. As we take these first small steps, we’d like to hear from anyone who would like to be part of this initiative, who has experience of working in high performance environments and in particular to anyone who can contribute directly to any of the nine areas highlighted above.
We know that high perfomrance can’t be done by any one coach, club, or national governing body, but we believe that together, we can.
Please do get in touch.
Phil Carson (prof.carson@yahoo.co.uk)
Keith Cook
De-linking Volunteers with Disclosure Scotland
Scottish Fencing and our member clubs are only entitled to PVG data for those currently working or volunteering in regulated roles in the sport.
We are currently working on de-linking those no longer involved in the sport but in the past have had regulated roles. These people would have had PVG checks through Disclosure Scotland and will be linked to either Scottish Fencing or a Scottish fencing club. We need to inform Disclosure Scotland that these people have left the sport and to de-link them to Scottish Fencing and/or any Scottish fencing club.
To help us with this process we emailed clubs and asked them to provide us with the names, membership numbers and the roles for those currently working in their clubs.
We had asked for this information by 1 September.
Because we have had such a poor response and because this is such an important legislative piece of work we are now putting out reminders by social media.
Clubs now have until Tuesday 24 September to return this information – there will be no extensions. After this date Scottish Fencing will take steps to de-link anyone not listed in a club return.
If you are a coach this means you will be operating without insurance and committees will be liable for employing coaches and volunteers without PVG checks.
As a reminder these are the regulated roles in fencing:
Coach
Welfare Officer
Parent Helper
Team manager
To those clubs who have responded – thank you!
Senior 5 Nations
This years 5 Nations event will be taking place in Derry on 16th November in the Foyle Arena.
Initially we are looking for notes of interest to see how many are interested in taking part in the event, from here selection criteria will be applied to decide the final teams taking part.
We can take 4 fencers in each discipline:
Women's/Men's Foil
Women's/Men's Epee
Women's/Men's Sabre
Scottish Fencing are able to support the team by sending a team manager with no additional charge to those attending. If U18s are selected we will revert to taking a safeguarding lead and appointing captains for each team.
Please note that U18s will be required to travel with and be supervised by a parent, guardian or carer at all times.
Unfortunately we are unable to cover the costs of entries and levies for the event. This means that everyone competing will need to cover the costs which will be £75 each assuming a full quota of 24 take part. If there are less than 24 the cost per head will increase.(For example if 18 go the cost will be £100 per head). We will strive to get full teams selected and aim to have the maximum cost per head of £100.
Selections will be made from those that have completed the note of interest form below. Selection criteria will be published very soon and implemented if more than 4 apply for any of the teams.
All notes of interest should be submitted by noon on Thursday 26th September.
