fencing with long hair

[jmageras]

Hi Everybody,

I am new to this forum and I have a question re woman (or men for that matter) who fence with long hair. My daughter is a junior foilist and always ties her hair back. I have never seen her hair fly into the target area.

At a recent tournament, she was asked mid-bout to tuck her hair into her jacket. I have checked the USFA regs but have not found anything specific to this. Are there any rules re this? Thank you, Jim

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

Originally Posted by jmageras

Hi Everybody,

I am new to this forum and I have a question re woman (or men for that matter) who fence with long hair. My daughter is a junior foilist and always ties her hair back. I have never seen her hair fly into the target area.

At a recent tournament, she was asked mid-bout to tuck her hair into her jacket. I have checked the USFA regs but have not found anything specific to this. Are there any rules re this? Thank you, Jim

If the hair touches the lame, its obstructing target. She must put it in a bun, or in her jacket, or something.

[jmageras]

That must be it. It must be swinging forward and touching the shoulder. Thanks for the help.

[Peach]

They are explicitly enforcing this in Pittsburgh.

[nyacfencing]

This is one of those topics where it is at the discretion of the director. Technically, it is illegal for your hair to cover any part of the lame. Some referees will not say anything if it is simply covering a small bit in the back, although they certainly have the right to. At the point that long hair is hanging over the lame or even threatening to get in the way of any potential touches, the referees should ask for the hair to either be tucked in or tied up. Your daughter is best off finding a convenient way of doing this and having the right equipment (scrunchy, barret, etc.) on hand at the onset instead of worrying about if/when a referee will object.

[parrythis]

Originally Posted by jmageras

That must be it. It must be swinging forward and touching the shoulder. Thanks for the help.

It doesn't have to swing forward to cover target. Even if it is hanging down the back, it is covering valid target.

[Black Jeebus]

Aren't Refs required to enforce this rule when the opponent asks them to?

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

Originally Posted by Black Jeebus

Aren't Refs required to enforce this rule when the opponent asks them to?

They're required to enforce it at all times. Its covering target, and you can be carded for it.

[Capt. Slo-mo]

Besides, your daughter will soon learn that having long hair is an advantage when you need a mental break during an intense bout.

A number of top fencers will hold up a hand, pull off their mask, and laboriously retie a bun or pony-tail...not to get it out their faces, mind you, just to break momentum.

[Mo]

Originally Posted by Capt. Slo-mo

Besides, your daughter will soon learn that having long hair is an advantage when you need a mental break during an intense bout.

A number of top fencers will hold up a hand, pull off their mask, and laboriously retie a bun or pony-tail...not to get it out their faces, mind you, just to break momentum.

Or they will see their opponent running up some points and complain about the fictitious piece of hair escaping from their mask.
Stalling to catch one's breath, figure out what the heck to do, break momentum or sneak advice from the coach gets more and more sophisticated in the senior events.

[KD5MDK]

Originally Posted by Peach

They are explicitly enforcing this in Pittsburgh.

I've been told (as in, at every referee's meeting in the morning) to enforce that every tournament this year. It must be completely off the lame. I gave yellow cards to 5 girls in 3 consecutive WS pool bouts because of that once.

[MyrddinsPrecint]

last year, it was enforced in enough competitions that i eventually cut my hair to the exact length that i can still put it back comfortably (into pigtails) but that it doesn't hit my lame.

it's a little too long right now, it's going to be hitting my lame soon.

i'll get it cut over christmas.

[bmcfencer]

My next jacket is definetely going to be one I can tuck my hair into... I'm so sick of putting my hair in a low bunch/bun. It's such a pain!

[lauralitz]

They were seriously enforcing this at Summer Nationals. One girl had short hair that barely covered the back collar of her lame. The director made her figure out how to get it off of her lame.

What we did for my daughter, which seemed to work, was braids on each side and then clipped the braid up. She looked like Heidi, but it worked.

For local competitions she just tucks her pony tail into her lame.

LL

[noodle]

its also a very good idea for someone who wants to preserve their hair.
i know a guy who has long hair and lost large pieces of it from it getting hit.

[Purple Fencer]

Ahhh...the memories of Freewind's ponytail hanging out the BOTTOM of his lame!!!

This, of course, is a problem I don't have...

[Mo]

Originally Posted by lauralitz

They were seriously enforcing this at Summer Nationals. One girl had short hair that barely covered the back collar of her lame. The director made her figure out how to get it off of her lame.

What we did for my daughter, which seemed to work, was braids on each side and then clipped the braid up. She looked like Heidi, but it worked.

For local competitions she just tucks her pony tail into her lame.

LL

I like the hairball. That is when the long hair is in a messy bun type thing that rips their hair to shreds. I've seen more than one female fencer take a spill that should have knocked them silly in the back of the head. The one's with a hair ball bounce right up. The added padding to the back of their head protects them.
I like Sada Jacobsons two curly hair balls on either side of the back of her mask.

[Boo Boo]

Originally Posted by bmcfencer

My next jacket is definetely going to be one I can tuck my hair into...

Surely that restricts a bit of mobility/freedom of movement? Wouldn't think it would be the most comfortable thing and, indeed, haven't seen fencers over a certain level (novice) do it - certainly at foil, don't know about sabre.

Fortunately my hair is really quite short, I just use a hairband to keep it off my face.

Boo

[Black Jeebus]

I actually used to have pretty long hair for a guy, but it never came down far enough to cover target. I did have another problem though. Anytime I put my mask on it would force my hair into my eyes. I got around this with a nifty bandana, and eventually a hair cut.

[myhero]

One ref at summer nationals this year kept telling me to brush my hair back when my pony tail would come over my shoulder....which is understandable except for the fact that I was fencing epee.