What Good are Fencing Ratings and how to explain it to others

[Tom3007]

I am a D rated fencers and have just earned it. I know that it helps because in the intitial seeding I will be ranked higher than E's and U's and that means easier people in the pool which means doing better which leads to better spot in DE and so forth. But other than that what good is it and how could I explain it to others who no little to nothing of fencing.

Thanks,

Tom

[tbryan]

I am a D rated fencers and have just earned it. I know that it helps because in the intitial seeding I will be ranked higher than E's and U's and that means easier people in the pool which means doing better which leads to better spot in DE and so forth. But other than that what good is it and how could I explain it to others who no little to nothing of fencing.

Who's the audience?

If the person has watched other sports (tennis, NCAA basketball, etc.), just tell them that your new rating improves your initial seeding. That should be sufficient.

To almost everyone else...well, they really don't care. I mean, they might be your friend and all, but they're probably just asking to be polite. Keep it brief and don't go into detail. "That was my best finish ever at a tournament." Or, "Of all of the fencers in the US, I used to be among the top XXX, and now I'm in the top XXX." (You can look up the ratings distributions for each weapon.)

For example, when you earn your C, you can tell them that you're now eligible for Div I competition. It means nothing to them, but it gives you something short and concrete to say, and it sounds like some sort of improvement. They can say, "Congratulations!", and be happy that you didn't give them another 10-minute soliloquy on some obscure fencing topic.

If they really want to know more, you can go into depth, explaining how fencing tournaments work. I've never actually met anyone who was truly curious about that topic who didn't already fence or have a child who was fencing.

[Purple Fencer]

Best one I've heard is that your weapons classification is SIMILAR to a belt rating in various traditional martial arts.

Not accurate by OUR standards, but even people with no MA background understand if you tell them a U fencer is like a white belt and an A is like a black.

[DangerMouse]

Best one I've heard is that your weapons classification is SIMILAR to a belt rating in various traditional martial arts.

Not accurate by OUR standards, but even people with no MA background understand if you tell them a U fencer is like a white belt and an A is like a black.

Except that it really is not even remotely the same. It would be more accurate to say that a fencing classification is like a golf handicap, or a chess rating, or just about anything other than a martial arts belt.

[Purple Fencer]

Except that it really is not even remotely the same. It would be more accurate to say that a fencing classification is like a golf handicap, or a chess rating, or just about anything other than a martial arts belt.

Not everyone understands a golf handicap or chess rating...but most people have at least an IDEA that a black belt means you're at the top of the food chain.

Everyone I've used the belt analogy on has gotten at least the basic understanding I was shooting for.

[DangerMouse]

Unless they are a martial artist and realize the majority of belt systems are about charging for testing fees until you get to the very top.

[migopod]

FIE points: What matters
USFA points: Really good
A: Good
B: Pretty good
C: Average
D: Below average, but don't strictly suck as these things go.
E: Below average and kinda suck
U: scrub

Ratings in a nutshell as presented as one that's below average but doesn't strictly suck as these things go.

[Lady Dominga]

FIE points: What matters
USFA points: Really good
A: Good
B: Pretty good
C: Average
D: Below average, but don't strictly suck as these things go.
E: Below average and kinda suck
U: scrub

Ratings in a nutshell as presented as one that's below average but doesn't strictly suck as these things go.

Thank you! Most helpful.

[shlepzig]

Your rating reflects your best finish in a tournament (in the last five years) as an indicator of how you might finish in the next.

A higher finish in a tougher tournament and you get a better letter; A is the highest, E is the lowest and U's are wild.

-Shlep'

[wdragon007]

I am a D rated fencers and have just earned it. I know that it helps because in the intitial seeding I will be ranked higher than E's and U's and that means easier people in the pool which means doing better which leads to better spot in DE and so forth. But other than that what good is it and how could I explain it to others who no little to nothing of fencing.

*shrug* I just explain to them that it's like a grade in school. That is pretty much the easiest way I've found. The "grade" is an indicator of a person's overall skill.

[Purple Fencer]

*shrug* I just explain to them that it's like a grade in school. That is pretty much the easiest way I've found. The "grade" is an indicator of a person's overall skill.

And this explains why "E" is the first classification earned...'cause NO one wants to be an "F" rated fencer!

[Inquartata]

"Mom! Dad! I got an 'F'!"

"You're grounded. Go to your room and practice your lunges!"

[fencerbill]

How do you fairly allocate fencers to pools?

In your Division, pretty much everyone knows everyone so you can balance the pools and the pool results should be a predictor of how the DEs will work out.

But suppose the stranger rolls into town with a fancy high-stepping horse, silver ornamented saddle, a clean neckerchief, crossed gun belts, a complete (clean) FIE uniform and 6 Epees. Where do you slide him in amongst your buddies that you beat every night in open fencing?

Ratings give you a first cut. If he comes with a "D" classification he should finish behind most of your "C" fencers and ahead of your "E" fencers.

Mostly.

[tkexi991]

All things being equal (years in sport, size of division, etc.) I'd agree, but I wouldn't dare tell the parent of a fencer who just got his E after only a few months of fencing, "CONGRATS! Your kid sucks!"

Here is a humorous attempt at explaining the rating system to a curious disinterested party. http://coletrainfencing.blogspot.com...letters-f.html

FIE points: What matters
USFA points: Really good
A: Good
B: Pretty good
C: Average
D: Below average, but don't strictly suck as these things go.
E: Below average and kinda suck
U: scrub

Ratings in a nutshell as presented as one that's below average but doesn't strictly suck as these things go.

[Inquartata]

How do you fairly allocate fencers to pools?

I dunno, but on the pool sheets at Nationals there was the word "random". Kind of seemed that way, too.

[downunder]

Here is a humorous attempt at explaining the rating system to a curious disinterested party. http://coletrainfencing.blogspot.com...letters-f.html

In fact, more than any other sport - fencing rewards the people who on paper are supposed to win. Top seeds get the easiest pools, bottom seeds are fed to the lions.

Football World Cup?
Rugby World Cup?
Cricket World Cup?
Tennis?
Snooker?
Any sport with either a seeding round and/or elimination?

[shlepzig]

... a complete (clean) FIE uniform and 6 Epees.

You put him at the bottom, he is clearly a foil fencer who showed up to try out epee. Epee fencers never have clean uniforms.

[Craig]

You put him at the bottom, he is clearly a foil fencer who showed up to try out epee. Epee fencers never have clean uniforms.

That sounds like the solution to an Encyclopedia Brown story.

[bigdawg2121]

All things being equal (years in sport, size of division, etc.) I'd agree, but I wouldn't dare tell the parent of a fencer who just got his E after only a few months of fencing, "CONGRATS! Your kid sucks!"

Here is a humorous attempt at explaining the rating system to a curious disinterested party. http://coletrainfencing.blogspot.com...letters-f.html

Moderately humorous but I think that if I ever met a fencer who had been fencing 6 years and didn't have an E still my nose would spontaneously generate milk to shoot as I burst out in laughter.

[Mac A. Bee]

...suppose the stranger rolls into town with a fancy high-stepping horse, silver ornamented saddle, a clean neckerchief, crossed gun belts, a complete (clean) FIE uniform and 6 Epees. Where do you slide him in amongst your buddies that you beat every night in open fencing?

Jeff can confirm that Iron Maiden's lead singer, Bruce Davidson, walked into our tournament with hair down his back and knee-high boots. He fenced pretty well. And then there are the "Unclassified" Canadians.