Youth Levels

Youth Levels Explained

What follows is an explanation of LSF’s Youth Ranks (ages 7-18). Lincoln Square Fencing acknowledges and thanks the Canadian Fencing Federation’s “Sport For Life” booklet, their Armband Program, Ranil Sonnadara, Ayach Bounachada and the many other coaches who were instrumental in authoring the program. It has been used as a guiding principle since the club’s inception. Maestros Sonnadara & Bounachada have given the coaches of the club many hours of guidance and instruction in how the program is utilized and implemented. Further thanks goes to Jason Sheridan of Sheridan Fencing Academy for organizing a structure that keeps the principles of Long-Term Athlete Development simple and easy for each of the instructors to implement in their classes. Finally, we thank Professor Laszlo Szepesi for work that is instrumental in taking the youth groups to the competitive level and his continued support of our athletes.

Mini-Musketeers (ages 7-9)

The goal of this program is to introduce children to the sport and teach them the basics of the game while encouraging them to enjoy sports and increase their physical and mental well-being. With this in mind, there are no differentiation for the levels, all the students are given exercises that will challenge them during the course of the classes. The testing can be requested and done by a coach at any time. There are no minimum requirements for each level. The only requirement is that the student has demonstrated the requirements for each level before testing. New students with no experience start in the first rank, and will work through the ranks during their time in the program. Students with experience in the sport before joining the club will be evaluated and placed in the appropriate rank after starting the program.

Level A (White Band)

The goals for this level are for the student to become familiar with the basic fencing movements and terminology. All of our classes include games and activities that emphasize correct fencing movement to build a foundation for future stages.

Level C (Orange Band)

Students should have a better understanding of defense, including the use of both footwork and bladework. They should become more comfortable in using their saber for defensive actions. They will also develop their coordination and motor skills as they learn to execute certain movements in different ways – varying speed, rhythm, timing, etc. Their balance and understanding of distance should show improvement.

Sample Questions

Explosive Lunge:

1. What should you move first?
2. How extended should your arm be before you move your foot?
3. What distance is it used in?
4. Describe its speed.

Level D (Green Band)

In this level, students should increase their ability to move in a varied but controlled manner, executing a larger number of fencing movements with a greater degree of control. The understanding of distance should improve, along with a greater ability to control how the distance between the two fencers changes.

Sample Questions

• What are three ways you can change your rhythm?
• What are half-steps used for?

Level E (Blue Band)

By the end of this level, students should be able to do fencing footwork naturally and have no trouble keeping their body upright while moving. Additionally, they should have improved their ability to change their rhythm while moving, including the ability to accelerate and decelerate smoothly. If students have not yet added private lessons to their training, this is a great time to do so, as it will help greatly accelerate their learning.

Sample Questions

• Describe the speed of a patinando? Why do we start slowly?
• What part of the opponent’s saber should you hit when you make a beat?

Level F (Purple Band)

Having improved their motor control, students in this level should be developing a better understanding of bouting and what is happening tactically while they are fencing. The goal is for the fencers to be able to understand the choices they should make to score while recognizing what their opponent is trying to do at the same time.

Sample Questions

• What does it mean to have “right-of-way”?
• What is the fencing word for a hit that occurs immediately after missing?
• What is a counterattack?

Young Adult (ages 10-18)

This program takes all students between the ages of 10 and 18, and puts them in training times together. The goal is to allow the younger and newer students to get exposure to those athletes who have been training for some time and work together to foster team cohesion and inspire those newer to the club with direct contact with those who have been training with us for some time. While those older students will continue to work with each other and improve their skills, they’re also expected to show mastery and understanding by working directly with the newer and younger students in a mentor capacity.

Beginners, those with no previous Fencing experience, start in Level 1. Those athletes with previous fencing experience will be evaluated and placed in a level appropriate to their skill.

Due to the Long-Term Athlete Development aspect of this program; committed students in this program may exceed 18 and continue to train and refine their technique and tactics against those they’ll be actively competing with and against. What follows is a sample of the Introductory levels and how we have adapted the Sport for Life guidelines to our approach.

The first three levels are the “Learn to Train” or Beginner levels, in these levels the student learns the basic and fundamental concepts of the sport and begins to develop the physical and mental aptitudes required for the future. The next three levels, 4-6, are the “Train to Train” or Intermediate levels where the students are introduced to competitions and more physically and mentally demanding training modes such as individual training with a coach and training camps requiring travel. The next two levels, 7 & 8, are the “Train to Compete” or Advanced levels where the students are attending practices and lessons 4+ times week and generally training 15 hours each week (including conditioning and strength training time outside of practice). In these levels the students have identified long-term goals and are actively working on identifying the paths they must take to achieve those goals while balancing their lives to stay healthy. The final two levels in the program, 9 &10, are the Train to Win stage. In this stage, the student has fully committed to the sport and will be looking towards fencing beyond college in the Senior Elite levels.

Testing requirements: in the beginning levels, the students must fulfill the required number of classes before they can test for the level. In the upper levels, the students must either fulfill the required number of classes or demonstrate the skills needed in bouting or competitive situations before testing.

Level 1

In this level, the student learns the basics of the sport: movements, attack and defense in a 1-hour class. Familiarity with the movements and terminology build a foundation for the future. We think it is more important at this level to understand the concepts than have perfect execution as the physical literacy is gained over time. Additionally, during this time, many of our students are experiencing growth that impacts their coordination and control, and we understand that those factors impacts their ability to perform the actions at a highly consistent level.

The student will attend 10 1-hour classes before being allowed test.

Sample Questions

• How and why do we change the rhythm of our steps?
• What are the three main targets of saber?
• How can we identify where the opponent is trying to hit? What are two ways to defend ourselves?

Level 2

In this level, the student continues to reinforce the concepts learned in the previous level and expands on them. New methods of moving are introduced as well as additional methods of training: physical training with a partner, individual lessons with an older student-coach and directed tactical training with a partner of equal level.

The student will attend 10 90-minute classes before being allowed to test.

Sample Questions

• Describe the speed of a patinando? Why do we start slowly?
• Describe the speed of a balestra, how does it vary from the patinando?
• What are the situations we should use a waiting lunge versus the acceleration lunge?

Level 3

In this level, the student is introduced to Open Fencing, and consequently, begins to use the the tactical aspects of the sport they started to develop during the previous level. They will begin to further their understanding of Priority and identify who has it and how to get it. The student will begin to develop their own style through lessons and bouting and develop a tactical awareness and begin to see how their decisions effect their opponent’s decisions.

The student must attend 10 2-hour classes before being allowed to test.

Sample Questions

• What does it mean to have right-of-way?
• When does the counterattack have right-of-way? What about the remise?
• What is the purpose of a check step? How does it help us change the rhythm?

Level 4

As the first of the “Competitive” levels, the student, upon entering this level, is invited into the competitive program and offered private lessons to supplement the training and accelerate their knowledge and expertise. Students in Level 4 are encouraged to be coming to classes 2-4 times per week and attending the Open Gym times during the week in order to get extra bouting practice. Additionally, students are guided through competition training and planning using a periodized plan based on their personal goals and family schedule. Private lessons are offered once/week in a package and additional lessons can be added based on the coach’s availability.

Students must attend a minimum of 15 2-hour classes before being eligible for testing into Level 5.

At this point, students should begin to acquire their own equipment, especially if they want to attend competitions.

Sample Questions

• What can you do if you keep missing your attacks?
• What can you do if the opponent rushes forward with their hand back?
• What can you do if the defender keeps parrying you when you attack?