Refereeing: Developing in multiple events simultaneously

[Mr Epee]

Per PG's excellent point... I have recreated this thread elsewhere.

[PeterGustafsson]

Hi!


This cries out for a poll!


Have a nice time!

Peter Gustafsson

[knave]

I think that depends on the referee. If the referee fences and is fairly experienced in refereeing multiple weapons (assuming they have fairly good judgement of RoW and on/off strip), strip control is the primary component for them to develope..

However, if a referee does not already posses a solid eye for RoW and the things one needs to watch in epee, then one weapon's concern and strip control are more than enough to learn.

[RoninX]

At the very beginning it seems best to focus on a weapon but at a certain point the disimilarities between the weapons and their tempos/actions etc actually help the ref define what they are seeing in their "primary weapon" more precisely.

From there it depends on the individual, and their interests. I believe good three weapon refs are the best refs - which of course means the ones *I* would most like to ref a bout I am fencing in. I do not know any refs that I actively enjoy fencing in front of that are specialist/one weapon refs...

[Peach]

So very often, a young ref arrives to be observed & practice at a national event in one weapon, and then is used extensively in another. A ref of my acquaintance is a foil fencer and foil ref who did a bad job on the first day and then was assigned to epee for the rest of the week, which doesn't make the foil reffing any better, though it certainly helped develop strip management. I don't know that I would want people wished on my weapon because they weren't good at another one.

[Peach]

I do not know any refs that I actively enjoy fencing in front of that are specialist/one weapon refs...

I much prefer fencing sabre with sabre referees whose main specialty is sabre.