Counting Points

[Jupiter]

Open for discussion on points? Someone had asked about the possibilities of fencing stronger fencers in the future and we went around and around about the rating systems and so forth. I went into the USFA site to do a little homework for Sarah, who asked: how long will it take to 'rise' to the level of I don't know what.

It appears that it would depend on your division. And Division III has no point counting? That would mean a person would float around in Division III forever?

Someone on the board knows more. Can you elaborate?

[a517dogg]

Only thing you can earn in div 3, 2, and 1A events are ratings. Thats why nobody fences them.

Division One is to earn points to qualify for the national team and go to world championships. It's basically the age group for people over 20.

[Peach]

Actually, quite a large number of people fence Div III, II, and IA. The only people who fence Div I are people who have an A, B, or C (next year, A or B) and, in many cases, who think they have a shot at making a national team. In other words, the minority of fencers. Some of those fencers, though this will pass once the C is dropped from the Division I, also do the Division II.

In addition, the gradual permutations of the system mean that fewer of the people who fence the Division I, especially in WS, do get points. In the last couple of years, as they changed the point system, I've been finishing at about the same place in Div I, but I have now gone off the point standings because the percentages were changed.

So to "rise to the top" a fencer has to first earn a B in order to be permitted to compete in Division I. Then they have to finish high enough in the percentages to earn any national points, which in turn gives them a more reasonable pool for the next Division I NAC because seeding gives national points priority.

The idea for the Div III and II is not that people should float around them forever (though some do). It's that they should develop into better fencers and knock themselves out of the lower ranks and into the higher ones by earning a rating. When I earned my first B, it was in the Div II. The I-A, I think, was originally intended to serve as an elite competition at Summer Nationals so that the better fencers wouldn't stay away or fence only the Under-20s. It's also an incentive to earn an A you couldn't earn in the Div II and are unlikely to earn in the Div I. That's where I earned an A myself.

If a fencer does want to "rise to the top" the Division II--especially the Division II Championships at Summer Nationals because of its competitive qualification, which makes it quite a strong event--is excellent training for fencing other elite fencers who are on their way up, in an environment where though points may not be earned, experience can (and sometimes a higher classification).

[Jupiter]

Thanks for the explanation. I understand why a fencer who's worked hard for their rating would hate to have to struggle in a pool of newbies, it's not really challenging, trying to fence with more skilled fencers, is what a newer fencer does in order to learn more by the way the blade feels when you're fencing a better fencer. It's completely different.

I'm happy as a clam in division III, there are zillions of fencers, and I'm a long way from a B.


Thanks for the explanation of the point system.