Veteran Fencing
What do you see as the future of veteran fencing?
Given the current demographic trends in the
It’s also one of the areas where US Fencing has shown significant international success. While an increasing number of countries are starting to put significant emphasis on veteran’s fencing and more and more former champions are returning to competition, the US still has a first-mover advantage, which combined with cultural differences* position us well to remain as one of the world powers.
* The
Do you have any suggestions for encouraging increased participation, strengthening our national competitions, improving the team selection process, communicating and facilitating Veteran Committee work, and supporting team participation in World Veterans?
Breaking this apart into separate questions:
Do you have any suggestions for encouraging increased participation?
The first step is to give more opportunities, both for competition and to find and show other ways for veteran fencers to be involved. We need the experience of our veteran fencers not just on the strip but also elsewhere in our fencing community
Really the best resource to tap to encourage increased participation among veterans is the other veterans. Veteran fencers are very good at including the social aspects of the sport with the competitive. As a group our veterans are probably the most welcoming and receptive to newcomers and the most supportive of their adversaries and friendly rivals. Leveraging this peer influence and openness is one of the keys to expanding the number of veteran fencers and getting and keep involvement and participation levels high.
What plans do you have to strengthen our national competitions?
Increased strength can come from two, related directions. The first is getting more of the existing veteran fencers to come out to each tournament. The second is encouraging “retired” veteran fencers to pick up their weapons and return to the piste. Basically this comes down to the same answer as the previous question, although with the focus exclusively on competitive participation.
How do you expect to improve the team selection process?
We envision the design and management of the team selection process remaining as part of the purview of the Veterans Committee.
Do you have plans for improving communications and facilitating Veterans Committee work?
The Veterans Committee is one of the better committees with regards to communications. The committee under the recent leadership of Paul Levy and now Rinaldo Campana does a good job of holding meetings open to its constituency and routinely submits timely reports to the Board of Directors. The committee already has a website which is contains up-to-date information.
If there are areas of concern with regard to communications or ways in which the Committee feels assistance would or could be beneficial, of course we would support those efforts. Overall, however, this currently appears to be a strength, rather than a weakness.
How do you propose to support team participation in World Veterans?
Our goal, as soon as funds allow, would be to treat our Veteran National Team like our other National Teams. This includes support for international competition, but especially significantly improved support for the World Championships. Our veteran fencers have done an excellent job of representing the
Realistically, there are some difficulties with this plan. As has been widely covered elsewhere, US Fencing is currently in a poor spot financially. Additionally, many funding sources don’t put anywhere near the same level of emphasis on veterans results as they do for senior, junior, and cadets. This is notably true with the USOC. On the other hand, veteran fencers themselves have historically shown both the ability and willingness to support the sport in general and veterans programs in particular. It is also quite possible that targeted sources of funding can be found with outside groups, organizations, or sponsors that are specifically interested in supporting our veteran athletes.
Of course support doesn’t just come in financial forms such as funding for referees, warm-ups, and potentially travel and cadre. One place where change can have an immediate impact is in the relative importance that the Association puts on the efforts and results of our veteran fencers. Just as we routinely and publicly celebrate the achievements of our cadet, junior, and senior athletes, we need to routinely and publicly celebrate those of our veterans.
This includes recognition on our website, press releases to the media, and inclusion in email blasts to the membership. We honor those who bring home international medals in the other age categories and we need to honor our veteran athletes with international success.
How do you plan to build on the strong 40-49
As mentioned, the 40-49 age group is not represented in the World Championships. This has led to lower participation and weaker competition domestically. It’s been widely observed that many of the top veteran-combined competitors are in the 50-59 category. Is this because the additional decade of experience more than compensates for the effects of aging? Of course not.
Currently there are limited incentives for top-level 40-49 competitors compared to the enticement of an opportunity to qualify for and participate in a World Championships. Unless and until that changes at the FIE level it will remain true here at home.
Are there creative ways of coming up with alternative inducements to encourage strong, experienced fencers in this age group to either return to competition or to start participating in veteran events? Absolutely.
We don’t know what form such encouragement might take. We are willing to commit to working to help find and implement potential solutions in that area. It might take the form of crowning a season-long NAC cup winner (a circuit winner over the course of a season) or something of that nature. It certainly includes recognition that our top-placing 40-49 veteran fencers have achieved a significant accomplishment.
We encourage people to provide input and suggestions to the Veterans Committee on how this might be accomplished and are receptive to whatever ideas may develop out of that process. Having a large number of strong, active athletes in the 40-49 age range should pay off in increased performances in the future when those athletes and others who have improved by competing against them represent us at the Worlds in the 50-59 and 60+ categories.
What could be done better?
Much of this has already been answered in the question about supporting team participation in World Veterans.
Right away we can at least do a much better job of recognizing the contribution of our veterans to fencing in the US, especially with regard not only their to international competitive success, but also in the myriad other ways in which veteran fencers have and continue to support US Fencing and its mission.
What can the veterans do for the USFA?
First, carry on doing what’s already being done. Continue to represent us domestically and abroad and act as ambassadors of the sport and the Association.
Second, continue the amazing patience that has been shown with the existing inequities. While our goal is to ameliorate them, due to the financial pressures that the Association is currently under this will take some time. We will count on veteran fencers to help US Fencing deal with and solve this problem with their knowledge, experience and expertise in the areas where we most need help.
Third, veteran fencers can continue to stay involved and participate in the non-competitive aspects of the sport. In addition to the contributions on the strip, we count on our veteran fencing community to become or stay involved with many different roles, both facilitating the conduct of our tournaments and with the administration of the organization. Veterans provide valuable input not only into matters directly relevant to veteran fencing, but to the sport as a whole.
Fourth, reach out to compatriots. Encourage them to get back on the strip. Whether experienced fencers who laid down their weapons decades ago or recent acquaintances who have just been introduced to the sport through the experiences that you can relate. Help introduce (or reintroduce) them to the world of fencing and the world of veteran fencing. Build the veteran community. Increase the numbers and participation.
Finally, remain an example to the generations of athletes that follow you. Show them that fencing is a valuable activity that can be pursued for a lifetime.
Where is the USFA lacking in its approach to veteran fencing?
The obvious answer, and one that’s been previously mentioned here, is in the support and recognition given to veteran fencing. Historically veteran fencing has been treated as a side issue of lesser importance. Both in terms of the resources dedicated to it and in the importance of the results.
There have also been issues with the relationship between the
What are its strengths?
We have at least equally obvious strengths in our a large, vibrant, and growing community of veteran fencers.