Strategies for team events

[Wafath]

For NCAA style Dual Meets (3 fencers per weapon per team, for a total of 27 bouts, first to 14 wins, all bouts fenced), I'm no expert on the subject, but here are a few thoughts:

1) No matter what else is going on, it's still a collection of fencing bouts. The fencer on the strip will either win it or loose it based on their own ability. Give them room and the confidence to win it.

2) Don't be afraid to use strategic time-outs. (like, doing a time-out just because your fencer has lost two or three touches in a row.) Even if you go up to your fencer and tell them a joke, it might be enough to break the opponents rhythem.

3) In a time-out, you have enough time to tell your fencer one and ONLY one thing. Don't confuse the fencer by trying to tell them more than one thing. (like "Stop counter attacking" or "use distance to parry" or "Every time you attack under the arm, it fails, but drawing the attack from them is working.")

4) Observe. Observe your opponents, your ref, your fencers. If the ref can't see beat attacks to save his life, let your team know. If you see a critical flaw in your opponent, let your fencers know.

5) Don't get cocky with your subs. The easiest way to loose to a team is to underestimate them.

6) Weak refs are sometimes vulnerable to strategic cheering. The ethics of using this tool is debatable, but be aware of it if the other side starts using it.

7) It's still about fun, team play, and sportsmanship. If you can't be friends with the other team or the ref after the meet, you are doing something wrong.

W

[fencerbill]

fencerbill is quite right that sabre teams cannot get away with telling their weakest fencer to burn time and try to keep the score down.

I am not as sure about the evaluation of the team events at Summer Nationals. Certainly to some extent it is true, lots of teams were formed more or less for fun and with almost no experience working together. However, lots of the teams did seem to have some pretty good cohesion. Look at the amazing results NWFC pulled off in the team event. Either all their fencers are that amazing, or Michael Marx (who was there at all their gold bouts, at least, which is most of what I watched) has figured out some good magic to get his fencers to do extra well as a team.
Or there's the Div I WS, which had all of 4 teams involved. Given the clubs (OFA, FC, PWF, and Mt. Valley) I'm pretty sure they had coaching if they wanted it and plenty of experience in how their opponents fence.

You are reinforcing my thesis. I specifically compared Las Vegas to the Summer Nationals Senior Teams, not the Div I teams.

And I would certainly put Michael Marx right up there with Ed Korfanty et al in strategy and tactics for team events.

[KD5MDK]

I'm sorry, I completely missed the Senior Team reference.

[Dave]

Fencing in a relay match can be a very different experience to a normal bout and there are many different tactics to play with.

Tactics for the worst fencer on the team (this was generally my situation)

When your worst fencer is fencing their best you have to remind your guy that any hit is a good thing, losing 5:1 is better than 5:0.
If you have a lead and are fencing some one better it is often worth playing for time (three minutes isn't long) in order to maintain the points difference. Who ever is on next can then fight for a few more hits but keeping a lead is important.
If you are fencing epee go for doubles, forget about winning just get to the next fight keeping the points difference as close as possible.

Team order
Generally as everyone has said put your best guy on last. However, there may be circumstances where getting your best fencer on one from last to build up a lead which your second best fencer can hold onto is a good move. This depends on your team and what you think your opponents will do.

UK inter university competitions consist of three relay matches with the winner being the team with the highest cumulative score. If we were out classed in one weapon we would sometimes put our fencers on in reverse order (IE worst last, then middle then best) This would make it fairly likely that we would get a score in the high thirties. Playing to win that relay would have probably resulted in our worst being beaten by there worst and so on resulting in a far worse loss.


Personally I really like team fencing. I have seen seemingly imposible situations recovered and then lost, matches go to the wire and, with a bit of support, team mates fencing well above themselves. Team matchers, if both teams want to win are by far an away the most exciting fencing to watch.