Armband Ranking in Canada

[CheekyCanuck]

I did a search and didn't see a post on this. My apologies if there is one.

Let’s hear from the Canadians out there.
We all know the CFF's whish to institute Armbands in every club, but as yet it is not mandatory.
Has your club picked it up yet?
Do you like the idea?
Are there any countries outside of Canada that are currently doing this?

To give you non-Canadian's out there the full picture it is just like belts in Karate.
Canadian Fencing Federation Documentation

Personally, I don't like it. It will just be another reason to charge members $ for "testing". It is possible for someone to know everything about how to fence, but still be a bad fencer. Our head coach wants to institute this soon.

[keith]

It seems interesting - mainly given that the aim seems to be to develop fencers into coaches.

The stages is of skill development chart is worth nailing to a wall.

What is your problem with it?? It seems slightly more healthy than the Southern Canadians obsession with ratings.

[CheekyCanuck]

It seems interesting - mainly given that the aim seems to be to develop fencers into coaches.

The stages is of skill development chart is worth nailing to a wall.

What is your problem with it?? It seems slightly more healthy than the Southern Canadians obsession with ratings.

When I was young, my father forced me to join Karate. I hated it. I guess I don't like the association.
We were charged for "testing" to gain a new belt. (As if it isn't expensive enough)
The higher belts picked on the lower belts.
I also guess I'm more of a traditionalist. I don't think of a fencing master as a whatever degree black band. I also think that it is more arbitrary than ratings, not that I'm obsessed.

[Fencergrl]

I could see it could have a real psychological advantage/disadvantage in a tournament setting. Could you ignore a black, brown or blue arm band on your competitor when you’re a white or a yellow?

Knowing someone's ranking is one thing.... having it stare back at you as you attempt to focus on your bout...

[keith]

well leaving aside the psychological scars.........

I'm not sure that it would be such a big deal at competitions - after all sooner or later you have to learn to just fence the person on the other side, irrespective of FIE gear, bandana, or little coloured bands on their arm......

[RITFencing]

When I was young, my father forced me to join Karate. I hated it. I guess I don't like the association.
We were charged for "testing" to gain a new belt. (As if it isn't expensive enough)
The higher belts picked on the lower belts.
I also guess I'm more of a traditionalist. I don't think of a fencing master as a whatever degree black band. I also think that it is more arbitrary than ratings, not that I'm obsessed.

I'm inclined to agree, although I liked karate when I did it. I like the more casual feel fencing has vs. oriental martial arts, and I don't like how a myriad of ranks can separate fencers, and even drive a wedge between fencers and coaches.

[veeco]

It's been done in France for a while now, only for kids though, and they love it.

We don't have armbands however, just little tags that you can sew on your jacket.

I don't think there are as many levels as the proposed CFF change, but there is a specific tag for kids who know how to referee well (can't remember what color right now).

The neat stuff about this is that it gives kids an event to look forward to, as they can take the test every year, at the end of the season. And it gives them a good measure of their technical progress, as opposed to how many competitions they won, which at this age isn't really an indication on how well they can fence, despite what many coaches in the US would like parents to think.

[RITFencing]

At what age do they stop using this system?

[veeco]

Cadets <characters>

[Lemberg]

My coach has basically so far ignored the implementation of this thing. I dont hate it, I see the utility for the kids, to give them some extra incentives to learn the various aspects of the sport. Dunno if the adults need it, however... Won't get tested until am required to do so myself.

[RiseAndFall]

...? I didn't have to pay for my testing...

As for the intimidation factor of armbands, if you fence some people that have them you'll soon pick up on the fact that people with much higher level armbands can turn out to be horrible fencers. Some guy with a green who I fenced a while back, he sure knew some advanced techniques and such, much more than what I know, but he couldn't string it all together into a coherent package. Armbands, at least up to green (I haven't seen a single person higher than green), just mean the fencer can demonstrate a few tricks when 1-on-1 with a coach. Maybe at higher levels they mean something, but really, they are no indicator of a tough opponent.

[Jason]

We use something like this at NAFA. It's a wonderful motivator for the kids and the tests not only measure their progress, but give them various skills, abilities, etc., to focus on developing.
We don't charge for the tests, however.
I would also add that our tests are pretty challenging, so when a kid reaches a higher level, he feels a significant sense of accomplishment.

[OROD]

I think it would be really cool to have armbands to show your rating, no need for any testing or whatnot, just a different color for each USFA rating. It would be an insentive to go to competitions and do well if you know everyone will see your rating when they look at you. It would also be great for spectators to be able to look around and get some information on who's who, and the ratings of people in a bout.


.

[Zilverzmurfen]

We don't have armbands however, just little tags that you can sew on your jacket.

We have the same in Sweden for kids/young teens. They can take 'exams' earning a blue or a yellow (different levels of technical knowledge) patch that they can sew onto their off jacket arm.

I suppose it's encouraging, like earning the different belts in judo etc. so I think it's agood thing.

[needle]

I think it would be really cool to have armbands to show your rating, no need for any testing or whatnot, just a different color for each USFA rating. It would be an insentive to go to competitions and do well if you know everyone will see your rating when they look at you. It would also be great for spectators to be able to look around and get some information on who's who, and the ratings of people in a bout.
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Different color and size codpieces?

[RITFencing]

Different color and size codpieces?

Wouldn't THAT make nationals interesting.

[glowstix]

not too off topic but is there good epee fencing in alberta??

[needle]

Wouldn't THAT make nationals interesting.

Well, FIE wants TV appeal, I think this would actually draw more attention than other crap they are trying to pull

[Fencergrl]

not too off topic but is there good epee fencing in alberta??

Quite a number of good epee fencers are in Alberta, Glow. The most notable is Sherraine McKay, who came out of Alberta.

Both SJB & Jbirch come to mind as F-Netters that are in that province. Here's the link to the Alberta Fencing Association web site. Alberta Fencing

If you are considering moving there, you might want to choose Calgary over Edmonton. Calgary has a great Epee club and the weather is milder.

[kalivor]

We don't have armbands however, just little tags that you can sew on your jacket.

Technically, we don't have armbands, either. Just little tags (much like swimming badges) that can be sewn onto jackets.

They're only called "armbands." A more descriptive term would be "fencing badges."