Bad taste in Coaching?

[fencing-widow]

At the NY World Cup in June, I saw a fencer w/her US Coach screaming insults at her while trying to fence. When she lost the coach was screaming insults at her, the girl was still trying to disconnect, all the while tears streaming down her very red face, trembling hands. Once disconnected he followed her all the way off the piste still screaming then she put her palm up to his face and he stormed off. She was the best student in his salle, with a good national ranking. I later heard that she wouldnt speak to him again, called her parents from NY and immediately switched to another salle when returning home. Really shameful behaviour on the coach's part.

[dreadfoily]

I really can't believe it. It's like a horror show, like the little league kids with overbearing parents who fist fight when their kid loses. What can I say? You can't cry, not even when your glucose is down.

[Mo]

Originally posted by fencing-widow
At the NY World Cup in June, I saw a fencer w/her US Coach screaming insults at her while trying to fence. When she lost the coach was screaming insults at her, the girl was still trying to disconnect, all the while tears streaming down her very red face, trembling hands. Once disconnected he followed her all the way off the piste still screaming then she put her palm up to his face and he stormed off. She was the best student in his salle, with a good national ranking. I later heard that she wouldnt speak to him again, called her parents from NY and immediately switched to another salle when returning home. Really shameful behaviour on the coach's part.

I admire this fencer and her parents. It is a good thing when they will stand up together and tell an abusive coach NO!
It sucks she went through this but it is good the coach did not get away with it.
The emotions at fencing meets are STRONG but that is no reason for a coach to be abusive.
He needs an "I CANNOT BEHAVE" vest and to be on garbage patrol.

[MyraTrue]

The first coach I ever had has proven to me that a coach need not be a overbearing monster on the strip. The few tournaments he made it to, I'd always ask him, "Munro, what do I DO?" (I was facing a royal beating most of the time)

And he'd smile and say "What I taught you to do. And what you know to do. I'll be here cheering for you." Sometimes he'd mention "So and so has a good beat-beat-disengage, watch out for that." But he'd just cheer for me, let me fence, and encourage me to do my best. He was proud when we won, and proud when we fenced our best.

I admit my current coach is very different. But he isn't like that at tournaments (you're on your own) so I don't mind too much.

I also admire the fence who changed Salle's after that kind of abuse from a coach. Unacceptable!

It only makes me appreciate a good coach all the more!

[laughingduelist]

I fence in Cleveland an i am curious, who was the coach causing the problem?

[sabreklutz]

Originally posted by The0ne
Coaches like that always get bad reputations, and are shunned by all fencers not from his/her club. We have some like that up here in the Northeast coughChrisPullocough

Just don't let go of the reels, and be glad you don't fence for desf, than you're really in trouble.

[persistence]

Sadly, it's not just the occasional coach who goes off the deep end. I've watched more than a few parents at fencing tournaments (local and national) who do the same thing to their child. And there's no real recourse for kids when it's the parents who are tearing them down for not winning.

[JAySE SUiCiDE]

i have a coach, where today in a competition i ask what to do, and he just says to fence strong. and as long as you try, and you have a good attitude, and listen to his advice, then he's happy. he doesnt care how well you do, as long as you try.

and he'll say "oh, that was a bad call.." ((foil) i attacked, slowed down but didnt stop, and kept attacking, 2 lights, she got the touch), and he wont expect you to get a touch off of a bad call, but that isnt an excuse for you to lose the bout.

and then i remember a coach i saw at JO's and he would yell to his student "fight! fight! dig for it!" (now a common joke among my family ) in a heavy russian accent, and the opponent taking it nice and calm, and sometimes thats all you need to do, and you dont need to control the kid to make them do better, and let them do their best.

~Jes