Making your debut into Div I

[aStackhouse]

Ok so you've probably risen to the top locally. You've got a C B or A. You've got a Div II medal or national points or whatever. You feel pretty good about your fencing. It's time to start fencing with the big kids in Div I.

What advise do you give to fencers new to the Div I catagory? What are the main differences between Div I and other events? And last how can you imprive your Div I game?

[rcmatthews]

Somebody getting a little anxious???

[dramamine]

Well, being a canuck who doesn't have that much money and a lowly B I haven't fenced a lot of them... but I think you just gotta chill out.

Everyone is so worked up... I think you just need to relax and think clearly through the pools. Don't get stressed out unless you have to.

I'll see how I do in Ohio then maybe I'll have some real advice.

[aStackhouse]

I've actually fenced my share of Div I's and am not worked up/nervous. Just working to improve my game and of course help the game of others......

[ViewtifulMisho]

Just remember that anyone in the competition can lose any bout to anyone at any time. Most of the time, the difference will be determination and will power.

[Craig]

Fencers that are good at the Div II level often have a tough time doing well in Div I because the level of fencing is so much better.

How many times have you seen some of the better local fencers go out to a NAC and come back having gotten trashed in the pools?

Here is my story: I was the top foil fencer in my division and one of the top ones in my section. Went to Div I nationals and got 1st rounded. I was quite shell shocked.

Later when I was visiting a friend in CA, my friend and Derek Cotton were talking and Derek made a comment about my fencing - basically wondering why I was doing all of the crappy stuff that I was at the time. My friend nailed it:

That stuff worked in my region.

The biggest thing to do to help your game at the upper levels is recognize what works at that level and focus on training to it. It doesn't matter if you can win your local 30-50 fencer tournament with your 5 best actions if those actions don't lead to touches in Div I.

The best thing to help your fencing will be to get rid of your ego in practice.

Don't use what you are best at. Force yourself to work on what will get you touches at the next level. It doesn't matter if you drop every bout for 3 months straight in practice and local tournaments (though if you do, you're missing out on a lot of fundamentals of distance and timing!). What matters is that you master what you and your coach have observed as working at the higher levels.

You also have to work more. Do more drills, more footwork, and more physical training outside the salle.

Going through various threads and forum archives alone, we could probably find several pages of good advice or content on each point. Boiled down it comes to: work harder, work smarter, focus on the long term.

Craig

[rcmatthews]

Good advice, Craig. I will be attending this coming NAC (likely getting hammered), but I'm looking forward to seeing some good fencing, and hopefully doing some good fencing myself.

[Craig]

Originally Posted by rcmatthews

Good advice, Craig. I will be attending this coming NAC (likely getting hammered),

We do that AFTER the fencing.

[sabreteur]

The NACs and Nationals were never much fun for me. Kind of like being thrown feet first into a chipper*. This summer, I relaxed more, told myself to let my training take over and focus more on strategy instead of tactics.

It seemed to work.

*Except that I ended up being a much better fencer for having been through the experience.

[rcmatthews]

Originally Posted by Craig

We do that AFTER the fencing.

Ohhhh, maybe thats why I haven't being doing so well.

[bigdawg2121]

Originally Posted by sabreteur

The NACs and Nationals were never much fun for me. Kind of like being thrown feet first into a chipper*. This summer, I relaxed more, told myself to let my training take over and focus more on strategy instead of tactics.

It seemed to work.

*Except that I ended up being a much better fencer for having been through the experience.

What praytell is the difference between tactics and strategy?

Also, I think we can all rejoice a little that with the new format it should significantly easier to make it into DEs if nothing else.

[eac]

How to succeed in Div 1, a rough guide:
1. Find the coaches of all the fencers on the Div I points list.
2. For each coach, add up their fencers' points. (Options: only count the highest fencer, give newer coaches credit for not having very long to produce this level of fencer, whatever. Maybe give credit for that coach's past results as a fencer. This is a rough guide, anyway.)
3. Go to the coach highest on this list you're willing to travel to. If you're a sensitive type, check that you can tolerate them as people.
4. Do what he/she says, with great determination.

Don't theorize; get it from the horse's mouth (i.e. a high-powered coach). Also, don't think a coach who's been coaching for ten years and never produced a fencer with Div I points will suddenly become effective as your coach.

A coach capable of producing Div I fencers has to KNOW a way of fencing that works on that level, and if they've been around for a while and they haven't produced any, they probably don't know a way.

[garyhayenga]

Originally Posted by bigdawg2121

What praytell is the difference between tactics and strategy?

Also, I think we can all rejoice a little that with the new format it should significantly easier to make it into DEs if nothing else.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tactic_%28method%29:

The terms tactics and strategy are often confused: tactics are the actual means used to gain a goal, while strategy is the overall plan, which may involve complex patterns of individual tactics.

i.e. "I am going to attack him mercilessly" is a strategy. "I am going to attack with a feint to four and disengage to six" is a tactic.

What new format will they be using this season?

gary hayenga

[bigdawg2121]

The single round of pools with a smaller cut straight to DEs format. Last season was 2 rounds of pools, usually with about a 60% cut each round then DEs.

[whtouche]

Originally Posted by bigdawg2121

The single round of pools with a smaller cut straight to DEs format. Last season was 2 rounds of pools, usually with about a 60% cut each round then DEs.

In previous years it's been 60% promotion from each round to the next, not a 60% cut, I believe.

The new format is one round of pools, with 75% promotion to DEs. In sabre there is no reprechage, where it still exists in foil and epee.

[bigdawg2121]

Yep, my bad. I meant to put that the opposite way around. Either way new format = easy to make DEs. Now what happens in DEs is a different story. Seeding everyone that has points above everyone else makes for some very interesting pools, and interesting pools make for rather interesting DE brackets.