Pezza & Kaidanov Creative Approach to Coaching

Foil, Epee, Saber Coaching Clinic with member of USFA Hall Of Fame, the most winning coach in NCAA History, 4-times NCAA Coach-of-the-Year, 12-times National Championship Coach Maestro Emik Kaidanov and Maestro Gil Pezza, former member of Italian National Fencing Team, National Coach of Women's Epee, one of the most successful fencing coaches in NCAA history, current Chair of Certification and Accreditation Board of the USFCA. Preregistration opens on 08/01/2019. Preregistration closes on 02/08/2020. Clinic Start: Saturday, February 8 at 9am Sunday, February 9 at 9am Cost $250 for both days. Breakfast, lunch and late afternoon snack are catered both days. This is clinic # 2 of the series Transformative and creative approaches to coaching fencing. As in the first clinic, Maitre Emmanuil Kaidanov and Gil Pezza will act as facilitators and not as lecturers. This clinic will be a high-intensity clinic in which participants will have pre-clinic assignments, clinic overnight assignment; and will be constantly challenged in interactive discussions and creative group problem-solving exercises. Expect an early start, working lunch and the clinic to stretch late in the evening. The goals of the clinics in this series is to teach individuals coaches how to think as fencing coaches and not what to teach. To that end, this clinic follows a teaching methodology predicated on the development of a progression of abilities rather than skills aimed at helping coaches develop their very own methodology. Who should attend. This is an inter-weapon clinic that follows an interactive approach in which knowledge is shared. Therefore, it is open to all coaches regardless of certification level. We are targeting return participants from Clinic #1, as well as new participants. Therefore this clinic is designed to (a) provide new ideas and materials for return attendees as well as (b) provide key materials and ideas from clinic #1 to new participants; this by separating return participants from first-time participating in different groups during the creative sessions exercises. Combined interactive and practical sessions will be new to both. Fencing Masters with large number of students and who have young assistant coaches, will be exposed to methodologies that they can then just hand-over to their assistant coaches. Clinic content The content of the clinic will revolve around four methodologies all of which are based upon a progression of 12-13 abilities m, each one heavily predicated on tempo, velocity and distance as applied to both conventional (foil and saber) and unconventional (epee) weapons. Each of the weapon methodologies will include interactive and group creative sessions on strategy and tactics. The first methodology to be introduced at the clinic will be the Preparatory Methodology. It applies to all three weapons, which all require certainly footwork and fencing arm abilities predicated on tempo, velocity/acceleration and distance. To that end, this methodology is more aligned with the predominance of tactical footwork over technique in modern fencing and, therefore is predicated on a definition of tempo applied to footwork rather than to blade movements. This preparatory methodology is ideal for competitive clubs with many young fencers. In fact, by implementing a standardized progression of footwork abilities based upon tempo, velocity, acceleration and distance outside of the lesson, this methodology prepares children for the fencing lesson, so that the Coaches’ time will be spent more productively and efficiently when they are ready for the lesson. Pre clinic assignments. Required reading. Please read the following articles by Gil Pezza before January 27, 2020. In search of lost time in today’s fencing. IN SEARCH OF LOST TIME IN TODAY’S FENCING - La Frase Schermistica On the biomechanics of posterior knee injuries in saber fencing. http://www.carmimari.com/blog/fraseschermistica/on-the-biomechanics-of-posterior-leg-knee-injuries-in-saber-fencing/2019/02/28 Clinic participants are required to submit the following short essays to Gil Pezza at pezzag@hotmail.com no later than January 27, 2020. All participants: Briefly explain how, in your opinion, the relationship between footwork and bladework has evolved from the times of classical fencing to today’s fencing Uncertified and Moniteurs- Primary coaching weapon Epee: It is often said that epee is the weapon closest to the real duel. Make the case, instead, that -of the three weapons, epee is the farthest one from the real duel. Uncertified and Moniteurs- Primary Coaching weapon foil or saber It is often said that epee is the weapon closest to the real duel. Make the case, instead, that -of the three weapons, foil and saber are the closest ones to the real duel. Prevot/Master Level: Epee primary weapon Differentiate the fundamental element of speed in epee fencing from speed in the conventional weapons. Then, extrapolate, identify and discuss what is, in your opinion, the most important underlying ability, as applied to “unconventional speed” that beginning epee fencers need to develop. Prevot/Master level: Foil or Saber primary weapon Differentiate the fundamental element of speed in foil and saber from speed in the unconventional weapon. Then, extrapolate, identify and discuss what is, in your opinion, the most important underlying ability, as applied to “conventional speed” that beginning foil and saber fencers need to develop. NB: all participants are required to submit two short essays. Of course, all can submit more than two, if they so wish. While well-written essays are always appreciated, this is not an English class. If English is not your first language, do not fret. A brief outline following a logical conceptual progression will suffice. For the purpose of all clinic assignments and exercises, substance is more important than form.