Darius blogging from PASO

[tbryan]

In case anyone missed in in the general forum, Darius is blogging from the Pan-American Sports Organization's "High Level Technical Courses for Fencing Coaches":

PASO High Level Technical Courses for Fencing Coaches

http://stabbing-westward.blogspot.com/

[MdA]

Hey Darius,

Nice promo for your blog on the homepage of f.net. How come my threads never get this type of coverage.....maybe I should take a more politically correct stance.

Anyway, thanks for doing this blog. I am interested in your honest, professional assessment of the PASO clinic.

[darius]

Yea, except all that publicity will result in the entire fencing community knowing that I never manage to update my blog! Although perhaps that will compel me to do something about it.

[MdA]

darius,

Can you find out who is taking video of this clinic and put them in contact with me? I am willing to edit and post clips of the foil presentations on Youtube...or f.net.

[Allen Evans]

darius,

Can you find out who is taking video of this clinic and put them in contact with me? I am willing to edit and post clips of the foil presentations on Youtube...or f.net.

...and if the price is reasonable, some might actually pay for it.

I would assume ,however, that all video and such would below to the USOC. If they have their own plans to market this, I'd like to hear about it.

[MdA]

.... If they have their own plans to market this, I'd like to hear about it.

Plans?

[Allen Evans]

We can't assume that the USOC is less astute (from a business point of view) than the USFA. On the other hand, considering that "Olympia Pizza" in Seattle once got a "cease and desist" order from the USOC concerning their name, one might have reason to pause.

AE

[darius]

Don't mistake a lack of resources for a tin ear. I spent some time talking to the video production folks at the USOC ... they're doing everything with a staff of 2 + an intern. Recent budget cuts have also shuttered the sports library. That doesn't mean things aren't being recorded, but it does take time and energy to do something with the archival. That time and energy may not be available.

I will not be videotaping the foil presentation; our nice DVCam belongs to NWFC, and my plan is to participate in the clinic. You'll have to settle for the written word. If somebody from the USOC tapes it, I'll do due diligence and ask.

[MdA]

..... You'll have to settle for the written word. If somebody from the USOC tapes it, I'll do due diligence and ask.

I read your blog. Thanks for summing it up. How many American coaches attended the PASO clinic? What was the total number of participants? Did the USOC/USFA video any portions?

[oiuyt]

I read your blog. Thanks for summing it up. How many American coaches attended the PASO clinic? What was the total number of participants? Did the USOC/USFA video any portions?

There were 6-7 American coaches there, a mix between funded and self-funded.

Total participation was about 70-75 coaches.

The USOC taped portions throughout the six days. There were also still photos taken by Amy Timacheff.

-B

[MdA]

There were 6-7 American coaches there, a mix between funded and self-funded.

Total participation was about 70-75 coaches.

The USOC taped portions throughout the six days. There were also still photos taken by Amy Timacheff.

-B

That is a low number of USFA coaches...less than 10%. So...using your numbers from the thread on the Coaches College. In the last two years, the USFA trained 43 USFA member coaches and at least 64 foreign coaches.

Good thing the USFCA is picking up the slack. What is the plan for the video?

[darius]

That is a low number of USFA coaches...less than 10%. So...using your numbers from the thread on the Coaches College. In the last two years, the USFA trained 43 USFA member coaches and at least 64 foreign coaches.

The money was mostly PASO/USOC foreign relations money. In other words, if it wasn't used for the PASO conference, it would have been used to send people on junkets (and not necessarily fencing, I believe). As it was, the conference spread good information and built relationships between coaches throughout the zone. Nothing wrong with that.

Good thing the USFCA is picking up the slack. What is the plan for the video?

You'd have to talk to the USOC about that; I spent a lot of time talking to the USOC broadcast team, they're some pretty seriously overworked folks.

darius

[oiuyt]

That is a low number of USFA coaches...less than 10%.

PASO/USOC funded 1 coach/weapon/country, including the US. It was possible for up to 2 more US coaches/weapon to go on a self-funded basis*. I know sabre maxed out at 3 US coaches. Off the top of my head I can name 2 (US) foil coaches and 1 epee. I could easily be forgetting one or more.

The program was not designed as a mechanism for training US coaches, but rather as a mechanism for training coaches around the PanAmerican Zone and building intrazonal relationships, both between the coaches and the NGBs. I believe it accomplished those goals. It additionally provided quality training for a small number of US coaches.

-B

* I was one of the self-funded coaches in attendance for sabre.

[MdA]

I may be mixing apples with oranges. I understand the goals and objectives of the PASO/USOC clinic/conference. I was just thinking about the cancelled Coaches College sessions and the PASO clinic at the same time….and it occurred to me that the USFA offered more training to foreign coaches than USFA coaches this year.

Last year there was no Coaches College because of preparations for the Olympics. This year the Coaches College dates, schedules, and applications were posted too late (April) and not enough coaches were able to sign up in time…and then the PASO clinic was thrown together at the last minute.

I just hope that next year things will be managed a little better…starting with a functioning USFA Coaching Task Force with clear goals and objectives.

This also makes a strong case for the USFCA as an independent organization focused on development and training for fencing coaches. If we coaches leave the organization of our training and development to the Amateur Federations (USOC/PASO/USFA), it often does not get done…at least not with the numbers required for the advancement of our profession in the USA.

[qatet]

I was never clear on this - were sessions 1 and 2 cancelled because of a lack of interest or to make rooom for PASO? I never connected the two until PASO started and I realized how close they were.

[MdA]

….
…..You'd have to talk to the USOC about that; I spent a lot of time talking to the USOC broadcast team, they're some pretty seriously overworked folks.
darius

As for the video…I assume the videographers from the USOC are not fencers or fencing coaches. They can probably produce some nice PR videos for the USOC but if we are going to get anything worthwhile for coaches….we need some coaches to volunteer to break down the video into chewable chunks with some explanations and produce a training video. This takes time. I know from my experience with the Gia Clinic videos.

Gia Kvaratskhelia Foil Coaching Clinic in San Antonio – April 3-5, 2009

[MdA]

I was never clear on this - were sessions 1 and 2 cancelled because of a lack of interest or to make rooom for PASO? I never connected the two until PASO started and I realized how close they were.

According to Craig's post below…that is an offline question for Andrea.

Pan American Sport Organisation Fencing Coaching Course Invitation - Colorado Springs

[darius]

I don't know that the video they took would even help that much; there was one camera bouncing from group to group. Although they did video all the lecture sections in their entirety.

The Brazilian team did video the foil group with Buckie. I have yet to go through and even look at it, but that content exists. No clue if anybody was videotaping the epee or sabre sessions.

Clearly, anything which relies on the USOC is going to be problematic ... the OTC cost increase and the short lead time (for either conference) is on them.

I don't think anybody is arguing that the USFCA shouldn't exist, merely that they haven't cared about coach education in the past. Even most of the detractors will say that they're moving in the right direction, we'd just question whether the degree of movement is enough to consider getting certified.

darius

[Allen Evans]

If we coaches leave the organization of our training and development to the Amateur Federations (USOC/PASO/USFA), it often does not get done…at least not with the numbers required for the advancement of our profession in the USA.

How many Coach-Training-Days does the USFCA produce every year?

At what level?

[oiuyt]

I was never clear on this - were sessions 1 and 2 cancelled because of a lack of interest or to make rooom for PASO? I never connected the two until PASO started and I realized how close they were.

They were unconnected. Space was assigned for each independently.

There was significantly lower than usual demand expressed for Coaches College this year. I strongly suspect that this was due to the late notice of the program, originating with how late the USOC was in assigning bed space. There was additionally a new "facility fee" added by the USOC, which increased the cost. That additional cost and/or macroeconomic environment could also plausibly have contributed to the low response rate.

Hopefully Kurt and/or the rest of the office staff will be successful at encouraging the USOC to assign space in a more timely manner next season. He is aware of the issue. That said, it can be decidedly non-trivial to get the USOC to move on things early.

According to Craig's post below…that is an offline question for Andrea.

Actually, I believe Criag's point was in response to your suggestion that Andrea should have funneled the PASO clinic/money/attendees into the USFCA conference, rather than run it at the OTC with USOC support. That's a VERY different question.

No clue if anybody was videotaping the epee or sabre sessions.

Other than the times the USOC videographer was around none of the sabre sessions were taped.

-B