Coaches College 2009

[MdA]

..... If there's no USFA CC this year you'd think the USFCA would have *more* clinics, not fewer, and would think about extending some sign up dates; the deadline for the Dallas clinic at the end of May was several weeks ago. I tried to register in the middle of April and it was too late.

K O'N

There are more USFCA clinics this year than in the past. I checked the pre-registrations on AskFred for the Dallas clinic in mid-April....there was not a single coach signed up. What do you expect the organizers to do in that situation...when there apparently was no interest?

I don't think it is fair to expect them to lose money on the clinic...especially when they are flying in the instructors.

Coaches need to plan their education and training a few months in advance. Maybe its the economy.

[K O'N]

There are more USFCA clinics this year than in the past. I checked the pre-registrations on AskFred for the Dallas clinic in mid-April....there was not a single coach signed up. What do you expect the organizers to do in that situation...when there apparently was no interest?

I don't think it is fair to expect them to lose money on the clinic...especially when they are flying in the instructors.

Coaches need to plan their education and training a few months in advance. Maybe its the economy.

There were three people signed up on askfred when it cancelled, plus at least me and one other Texas coach who's PMed me about it who were unable to sign up because the pre-reg deadline was so early. I don't know how many you need to make it go, but I don't exactly follow your point. The USFA CC didn't make or not make until when, mid April? And then a USFCA clinic, scheduled for the end of May, had its plug pulled in early April? I know you two are not the same organization, but could you talk? Have a chat? Make a deal? A plan? Something?

Perhaps my life is not sufficiently centered upon what coaches clinic I'm going to go to, so I can make these decisions with the alacrity required. Apparently I was supposed to hang on the edge of my seat until the CC fell through, then sign up with lightning speed for the Dallas USFCA clinic. If I had reflexes like that I'd still be a good fencer.

Seriously, I know you need advance notice, but that was too early to pull the plug.

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K O'N

[K O'N]

Apparently, the Dallas clinic was cancelled for lack of interest. Give me some specific feedback. Was it the location, course material ...or instructors?

I suggest you go to the USFCA annual conference, July 24-26, 2009, in San Diego.

Besides Ed Korfanty and Mike Pederson...I hear that Greg Massialas may be a guest instructor.

Here is a link

http://usfca.org/Default.aspx?tabid=135

The location was perfect for me, and for at least one other person who's PMed me, in addition to the three who were signed up.

The course sounded fine, I'm resigned to a three weapons thing.

The instructors sounded great. Salem was my coach for a year or so, back in my more competitive yoot. Good guy, good coach, he's on my short list of people I'd like to learn about epee coaching from.

The timing of the pre-reg deadline and then pulling the plug was very early, IMHO. How many did you need to make the thing make? You had three on askfred, plus me, plus one other guy from Texas, all by early April. What would be the harm of letting it ride for another few weeks? I mean, if you have to know a few months in advance I guess you have to, but I think once it became clear CC wasn't going to make you might well have picked up quite a few more people.

Anyway, what's done is done, I guess I'll go to the San Diego thing.

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K O'N

[Jason]

I suggest you go to the USFCA annual conference, July 24-26, 2009, in San Diego.

Besides Ed Korfanty and Mike Pederson...I hear that Greg Massialas may be a guest instructor.

Here is a link

http://usfca.org/Default.aspx?tabid=135

Seems like there will actually be quite an all-star cast at the conference--it looks like everyone of the speakers is worthwhile. This appears to be quite an approvement over previous years' guest-lists.

Are there plans to video the conference and put it up on the web? That's definitely the sort of value that could make me consider rejoining the organization.

[Allen Evans]

Are there plans to video the conference and put it up on the web? That's definitely the sort of value that could make me consider rejoining the organization.

I know that the last conference was video-taped, but I don't know what was ever done with the footage.

[oiuyt]

Bed/gymspace has finally been confirmed for Coaches College this summer.

Partial information (and a promise of more to come) is on the US Fencing website:

http://usfencing.org/news/article/12462

-B

[catwood1]

HURRAY! Thanks Oiuyt.

[MdA]

Bed/gymspace has finally been confirmed for Coaches College this summer.

Partial information (and a promise of more to come) is on the US Fencing website:

http://usfencing.org/news/article/12462

-B

Thanks Brad. I hope they get the applications and schedules posted soon...it would be nice to know the content and the instructors too....might even want to videotape some of it....and post it on the web.

[jjefferies]

Point of curiousity but are we seeing a limitation in the sessions? The last time I attended (2 years ago) there were definitely more than 2 sessions available each week. This year it's only showing L1 and L2 and I thought there were several more levels. Is this an indication of a lack of space or has the curriculum changed in some manner while I wasn't attentive?

[darius]

No CC for me this year. The extra $200/session is beyond me, and there are no Level 3s to do. I'll probably be going to the USFCA conference.

darius

[Allen Evans]

In the past, Coaches College has worked through a "cycle" of classes, with a lot of emphasis on Levels 1 and 2 after an Olympic Year, and then, right before the Olympics, offering Levels 3 and 4.

There tends to be a big demand for the lower levels (esp. 1) but the demand for the higher levels falls off rapidly. For instance, I think there were some 20-30 people in the last Level 1 class I saw (next to me at the gym) but only 5 in my Level 3 class (saber) and only 3 or 4 in the high level foil class next to mine.

[catwood1]

Hopefully there will still be enough people attending, even with the delays of getting it set up.

I'm happy that it is still happening, even with the additional OTC fees, it is still a very cheap crash course in coaching.

[MdA]

Who are the instructors?

[JEC]

Alex Beguinet and Gary Copeland (Epee) have been instructors of those courses.

[darius]

I had Alex for L2 Foil, Gary for L2 Epee, Kelly Williams for L2 Sabre.