Rule on fleching??

This question has been posed to at least three
knowledgeable coaches and there have been three
different answers. I've looked through the USFA
rule book (one presumes it is the same for the FIE)
and not found a direct answer. Can anyone on the
list cite a specific rule regarding:

Which side of an opponent should you fleche to?
This of course presupposes that one is going to fleche.

There are several tactical reasons why one would
fleche to one side or the other. In general a
rightie would fleche to the right side (as seen
from the person fleching). But why tactically
would a leftie? And I've seen several who do just
that. One would think tactically it would be
advantageous to fleche to the side which allows
the attacker the most open space - i.e. allows
the attacker the most freedom of movement and
causes the receiver the most difficulty.

Comments, but most desired is any specific rule
covering this.

thanks
J.

In article <3faa0766$0$9410$2c56edd9@news.cablerocket.com>,
Jonathan Jefferies <jonathanjefferies@alamedanet.net> wrote:

> This question has been posed to at least three
> knowledgeable coaches and there have been three
> different answers. I've looked through the USFA
> rule book (one presumes it is the same for the FIE)
> and not found a direct answer. Can anyone on the
> list cite a specific rule regarding:
>
> Which side of an opponent should you fleche to?
> This of course presupposes that one is going to fleche.
>
> There are several tactical reasons why one would
> fleche to one side or the other. In general a
> rightie would fleche to the right side (as seen
> from the person fleching). But why tactically
> would a leftie? And I've seen several who do just
> that. One would think tactically it would be
> advantageous to fleche to the side which allows
> the attacker the most open space - i.e. allows
> the attacker the most freedom of movement and
> causes the receiver the most difficulty.
>
> Comments, but most desired is any specific rule
> covering this.


I don't believe there is a rule. However, at coaches college, they told
us to teach people to fleche to the non-weapon side so they don't rip
people's arms off.

--Harold Buck


"I used to rock and roll all night,
and party every day.
Then it was every other day. . . ."
-Homer J. Simpson

Dans le message <3faa0766$0$9410$2c56edd9@news.cablerocket.com>,
jonathanjefferies@alamedanet.net disait...
> This question has been posed to at least three
> knowledgeable coaches and there have been three
> different answers. I've looked through the USFA
> rule book (one presumes it is the same for the FIE)
> and not found a direct answer. Can anyone on the
> list cite a specific rule regarding:
>
> Which side of an opponent should you fleche to?
> This of course presupposes that one is going to fleche.
> [...]
> Comments, but most desired is any specific rule
> covering this.
>
> thanks
> J.
>

There is no rule about the side you should fleche.
You can go either left or right, but never straight on your opponent :-)

--
michel
-)-----o

In article <3faa0766$0$9410$2c56edd9@news.cablerocket.com>, Jonathan Jefferies
<jonathanjefferies@alamedanet.net> writes:

>There are several tactical reasons why one would
>fleche to one side or the other. In general a
>rightie would fleche to the right side (as seen
>from the person fleching). But why tactically
>would a leftie? And I've seen several who do just
>that.

Duh. If the rightie fleches to his right and the lefty simultaneously fleches
to his left, they both get headaches!

And Yellow (or red) cards.

Bill Hall

"Jonathan Jefferies" <jonathanjefferies@alamedanet.net> wrote in
message news:3faa0766$0$9410$2c56edd9@news.cablerocket.com
> This question has been posed to at least three
> knowledgeable coaches and there have been three
> different answers. I've looked through the USFA
> rule book (one presumes it is the same for the FIE)
> and not found a direct answer. Can anyone on the
> list cite a specific rule regarding:
>
> Which side of an opponent should you fleche to?
> This of course presupposes that one is going to fleche.
>
> There are several tactical reasons why one would
> fleche to one side or the other. In general a
> rightie would fleche to the right side (as seen
> from the person fleching). But why tactically
> would a leftie? And I've seen several who do just
> that. One would think tactically it would be
> advantageous to fleche to the side which allows
> the attacker the most open space - i.e. allows
> the attacker the most freedom of movement and
> causes the receiver the most difficulty.
>
> Comments, but most desired is any specific rule
> covering this.


There is no rule, in the rule-book sense. It's usually a good idea not
to fleche into your opponent's point, and you certainly don't want to
run into the opponent's body. I've seen a few people who seem to think
that fleching other than to the non-weapon side constitutes disorderly
fencing, but they are mistaken.

I have a student with shoulder and neck problems who simply cannot
fleche to the non-weapon side without causing herself great pain. She
has no choice but to fleche to the weapon side, avoiding the opponent
and the opponent's blade as best she can.

Consider also the position of your opponent's weapon. If the weapon has
been moved far into 4, then a fleche and follow-through in the 6 line
may be the wisest course.

--

Dirk Goldgar

(to reply via e-mail, remove NOSPAM from address)