Coaching fencing vs. ethics

[ESLyon]

*sigh* Sometimes I wish coaching were simply about teaching the kids how to move and how to use the blade instead of how to be decent human beings.

James.

This was brought up in another thread, and my response wasn't really on subject, so I made a new thread. First off I am not a fencing coach, but I do coach gymnastics and have been involved in gymnastics for 9 or so years.

As a gymnast who worked out ~20 hours a week, usually with just one coach, my coaches throughout my gymnastics career had a huge ethical and moral impact on my views. I would not be the same person today if I had not had the tutoring and guidance of my coaches. Besides just coaching me on gymnastics, they also became friends and trusted advisors, I went to them with problems of personal nature, especially during a time in my life right after high school and I had to make major life decisions about college and other things which I will not go into here.

My point here is that if you spend any number of hours with an individual you have an impact on them, whether you wish to or not. I realize fencing is not as hour-intensive as gymnastics, but as a coach, how responsible do you feel for the character development of your fencers, specifically your more advanced fencers who are in the club many hours per week?

Personally as a gymnastics coach I am not coaching at a level where I work with any individual more than two hours a week, and as such I do not have much influence, but during my classes I strictly enforce (especially with my boys, who like to get a little rough sometimes) rules about respect for other coaches and the many, many other girls in the gym. First warning is 100 push ups and second warning is they sit out for the rest of the class. This includes disrespectful behavior and downright bullying. If it happens again either myself or the gym owner will have a serious talk with the parents about their child continuing in the class.

As frustrating as it is, I think it is one of the more fulfilling aspects of my job as a gym coach.

$.02

[telkanuru]

My coach is a sarcastic jerk.

I'm totally nothing like that, and it didn't rub off at all.

[oiuyt]

My coach is a sarcastic jerk.

I'm totally nothing like that, and it didn't rub off at all.

Probably true. You were a sarcastic jerk way before you met Dave... ;)

-B

[telkanuru]

You didn't know me before I met Dave!

[Mo]

Quote:
Originally Posted by telkanuru
My coach is a sarcastic jerk.

I'm totally nothing like that, and it didn't rub off at all.

Probably true. You were a sarcastic jerk way before you met Dave...

-B

You didn't know me before I met Dave!

Have yourself a Merry little Christmas....... such spirit in here!!!
I feel so at home,
The Momster

[ESLyon]

not excatly the direction intended...

[ESLyon]

This is from a gymnastics forum where I have opened up a similar thread:

I beleive coaching is less about teaching the sport and more about teaching life skills. That is why we teach sport. Through sport kids learn team work, dedication, committment, discipline, confidence, focus and so many more. Few ill grow up to be "professional gymnasts". Very few will ever do giants and back tucks again once their gym careers are oiver but the other skills they learn through gym will affect them for a life time.

[oiuyt]

You didn't know me before I met Dave!

Probably around the same time.

Becca introduced us when you were looking at UMass originally. I think. She might just have told me about you. Wouldn't be surprised if you knew Dave through BU/BUA from around then, but he probably hadn't had TOO much chance to rub off on you yet.

Mo- Telk and I have known each other in RL for a while. This is good-natured. The smilie was for other people's benefit as I knew Telk would understand what I was saying even without it.

-B

[telkanuru]

All this is true, but Becca wasn't exactly devoid of sarcasm herself

[RkfdFencer]

Well, fencing competitively can last longer for a person than I imagine gymnastics does.

I agree that fencing students are learning more than just the sport when the students are youth (teen and under). Even if a coach is not intentionally imparting good life skills, kids will pick up on the general atmosphere of a club and it's members, coach included.

I am not sure that there is going to be much impact on the behavior of adults.

[Sabresque]

Neither is Mo