Mr. Ma USFCA Coaching Clinic is now available on AskFred.net

[MdA]

May 16 and 17, 2009.

http://askfred.net/Clinics/whoIsComi...clinic_id=8442

For some reason it's listed twice

[Mo]

May 16 and 17, 2009.

http://askfred.net/Clinics/whoIsComi...clinic_id=8442

For some reason it's listed twice

That is because Mr Ma is DOUBLE GOOD!!!
The Momster

[MdA]

That is because Mr Ma is DOUBLE GOOD!!!
The Momster

Thanks for the indorsement Mom...coaches start signing up so we know how many to expect. Don't miss this opportunity ....or leave it 'til the last minute.

Coaches education takes a little planning.

[catwood1]

That is because Mr Ma is DOUBLE GOOD!!!
The Momster

QFT...

[MdA]

QFT...

Thanks for registering online....and Mr. Ma thanks you.

[catwood1]

Hopefully more people will sign up for this, so it does not get canceled.

Why is it that every coaches education program I plan on attending has issues that could result in it being canceled.

[Allen Evans]

Is it my imagination, or does the coaching staff keep changing? I don't remember Salem being one of the listed coaches before.

And it would seem that the actual coaching clinic only lasts one day...the rest of the clinic is USFCA exams?

[MdA]

Is it my imagination, or does the coaching staff keep changing? I don't remember Salem being one of the listed coaches before.

And it would seem that the actual coaching clinic only lasts one day...the rest of the clinic is USFCA exams?

Allen, I don't know too much about this clinic. The info did change to include Abdel. I suggest you email the organizer or Abdel at President@usfca.org and ask how many people have requested exams. If there are not many exams, perhaps they can continue with additional instruction on Sunday.

[catwood1]

From email from FASJ:

"I just got a notice that May 16, 17 coaches's clinic is move[d] to August because not enough people are registered. Please check askfred in the near future for the August date."

[catwood1]

From another email 5 minutes later

"I just got a call from president of USFCA that we will still have May 16, 17 clinic as scheduled because more people just come at the door. Sorry for confusion."

[MdA]

I am encouraged that USFCA President Salem has made the decision to proceed with this clinic….no matter what happens or who shows up.

BTW this clinic is in our most populated region for fencing coaches.

I will take this example to point out an opportunity the USFCA has with hosting these training clinics. I have often been criticized in this forum because the USFCA does not conduct training….and is “only interested in giving its certification exams”….”Certification only organization”

Here is an example of a case where we have a well known and respected coach and club owner/businessman. He offers to take a weekend and host a training clinic in his salle/club. Few coaches sign up in advance. The host coach is faced with the prospect of taking a financial loss on the entire weekend. He cancels….which would seem to be the correct business decision. The USFCA must then step in and offer him some type of guarantee of attendance or (I am assuming here…because I don’t know the specific arrangements) a financial reimbursement…or some other type of bailout.

Allen pointed out earlier in this thread that one entire day, Sunday, seems to be taken up with certification exams. There are some members that want to take the certification exams…and other coaches who only want the training...or have already been certified. The USFCA is trying to deliver both in the same weekend. Is this a bad plan? Should we change the format to offer 2-days of training and offer the exams at another time? This is possible.

At our clinics at the Alamo Fencing Academy, we let the coaches observe the exams taken by the other coaches (if the examinees agree to be observed) on Sunday. The other coaches, who are not interested in certification, can depart on Sunday or Saturday night. Our thinking was that this saves them time away from their clubs/competitions, and money.

Observing the exams is also a form of training, IMO. It allows coaches to observe other coaches. It also helps them prepare for the exam. In the past, we have video taped the practical exams. This often takes several hours depending on the number of exams and often involves several of the instructors.

But, Allen’s suggestion seems to imply that the time and money already invested in the travel to the clinic would be better spent on an additional day of training. We could even bring in another instructor.

Should we separate the training and exam weekends? Let me know before I start planning next year’s South Region clinics with Andrei Samorodov and Gia Kvaratshelia.

I would also like to see more cooperation with the USFA and the Coaches College in the future. See other threads in this forum. I am very interested in the number of coaches who will be attending the L1 and L2 sessions at the Coaches College (CC) this summer. It would be helpful if the applications were posted online…so we could compare the numbers…and see who is coming. But, we can get the data later.

Maybe the problem is online registration. Perhaps coaches don’t like having their names show up on a training list online. Thoughts?

[Allen Evans]

In short, the clinic is trying to do too much.

Even though the trip is "local" for me, it's a 3-4 hour drive to the clinic, one way. It looks (from the schedule) that only 2-3 hours are going to be devoted to each weapon on the training day. So if I'm only interested in one weapon, I'm making an 8 hour drive for 2-3 hours of training.

That doesn't seem optimal for me.

It's a good idea to increase access to the exam. But for most coaches (and I'm just guessing here) probably only need to have access to the exam 2 times a year. Offering the exam at every clinic might not be necessary.

[MdA]

From: Salem, Abdel H
Sent: Saturday, May 09, 2009 8:52 PM

Subject: RE: F.net comments about the Mr. Ma clinic

Coach,
I read this thread, sorry I do not follow all of them.
Please can you tell everyone that we scheduled and advertised the clinic, and we will honor our word even if only one person will be there.
I assure that every coach will leave the clinic very satisfy. I am very sure that more coaches will sign up.
We are determined to reach and help all the Coaches, very soon this organization will meet our coaches expectation.
I will be there, I will share my knowledge with anyone interested all Saturday and Sunday.
I will have a great time, please join me.
Thank you
Abdel Salem

[MdA]

Does anyone have any feedback on this clinic? I heard that 12 coaches attended and several exams were given.

[catwood1]

There were a number of coaches there.

The good:

All of the coaches there did a good job on explaining some of their methods. It was extremely user friendly, ie alot of questions, with practical demonstrations as answers. Facility was beautiful, wow, thats a nice club. It was great for myself, having been the first of this type of clinic I'd been to. They covered a great deal about all 3 weapons.

The bad:

Because it was 3 weapon, it was not very specialized. Personally, I would have prefer a single weapon clinic that can go into greater depth in the weapon. It was very low level. The majority of discussion was for beginner coaches, coaching beginner fencers. I would have liked a discussion of treating better fencers a little bit more, but I understand it because it was majority low level fencers.

A bunch of exams. I passed my moniteur in foil and epee. I know Mr. Ma passed (with flying colors) whatever test it was that he took, either Prevot or Master. Sorry I don't remember more about the exams.

I would definitely like to take another clinic with Mr Ma. He is such a smart coach, there is clearly alot more to learn from him than can be absorbed in a 2 day clinic.

[Allen Evans]

I know that Wang Yung tested (and passed) his Prevost for saber. Doesn't Andy Ma already have certification?

Allen

[catwood1]

I know that Wang Yung tested (and passed) his Prevost for saber. Doesn't Andy Ma already have certification?

Allen

Mr. Ma, I believe, does not have any sort of USFCA certification untill the clinic. And come to think of it, that must have been for prevot, because there werent 3 masters there...

IMPRESSIVE lesson though...

[Jason]

Mr. Ma, I believe, does not have any sort of USFCA certification untill the clinic. And come to think of it, that must have been for prevot, because there werent 3 masters there...

IMPRESSIVE lesson though...

The USFCA accepts foreign certifications. Were he to have, say, a Fencing Master degree from France, the USFCA would (as they should) accept him as a Fencing Master without any exam.

Seems weird that the person giving the course was taking an exam at the same course.

[catwood1]

While I agree it seems kinda odd at first glance, at second glance, I don't see the problem.

There is an extremely distinguished coach who gave a seminar. (logical)
An extremely distinguised, but uncertified, coach wanted to take the test. (logical)

Where is the problem? Obviously, no one is doubting Andy's coaching ability. He wanted to get certified, and inherently support the USFCA, so he took the test. Makes sense to me...

[MdA]

.........
Where is the problem? Obviously, no one is doubting Andy's coaching ability. He wanted to get certified, and inherently support the USFCA, so he took the test. Makes sense to me...

Thanks Catwood. Andy Ma is one of those outstanding coaches referred to in this thread...

Referee exam vs Coach exam

He does not have an AAI recognized diploma. China is not a member of the AAI and their coaching education program is not recognized by the AAI. So according to the AAI requirements, he needs to take an AAI, USFCA exam to be certified.