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2025 COACH DEVELOPMENT WEEK A GREAT SUCCESS

Coaches from across the UK arrived in Stratford-upon-Avon for this year’s Coach Development Week, which took place between the 21st and 25th July.

BF’s Coach Development Week is held annually at King Edward VI School and offers a range of courses, allowing coaches to complete multiple qualifications in one location within the same week. Courses include Introduction To Coaching Fencing (ITCF), Coaching Fencing Level 2 (CFL2) and Weapon-Specific Level 3 (WS3).

The week opened with the hybrid format ITCF course. First, participants completed the theoretical component of the course via BF’s Learning Zone platform. They then applied what they’d learnt at an in-person one-day course delivered by Neil Brown, working in groups to deliver and peer-review fencing activities. By the end of the course, coaches were able to deliver group  sessions for fencers.

Tuesday saw the beginning of CFL2: a four day course allowing coaches to learn how to deliver weapon-specific individual lessons to fencers. Participants were split into weapon groups, each delivered by an experienced member of our Fencing Development Team. Epee was delivered by John Rees, foil by Lynne Melia, and sabre by Phil Shepherd-Foster.

The course is typically delivered over two weekends, but was instead run over four consecutive days during the Coach Development Week. Participants worked on how to coach weapon-specific actions, as well as how to apply these tactically in order to give fencers more realistic fencing scenarios. Many participants had completed ITCF on the first day, fast-tracking their coaching qualifications.

The five-day WS3 course began on Monday alongside ITCF. The course looked in greater depth at the skills acquired during CFL2, prompting coaches to think about why and when to use particular coaching methods. Delivered by Jonathan Katz and Graham Stretton, the course viewed coaching through a more psychological and holistic lens. WS3 may also be taken by coaches who wish to achieve a qualification in a second or third weapon.

Participants were also able to practise coaching wheelchair fencing. As well as metal wheelchair fencing frames, a SwordSeat™ purchased by the King Edward VI School in Stratford-upon-Avon was also put to use during the week. Coaches were therefore able to explore how they might deliver lessons to both beginner and more experienced wheelchair fencers. This allowed seated coaches to develop their skills, as well as standing coaches to explore delivery to seated participants in groups and one-to-one lessons.

Overall, this year’s Coach Development Week was a great success, and we wish our newly-qualified coaches all the best in the next step of their journey.

If you are interested in developing your coaching, please see our Upcoming Courses page.

If you are interested in having a course in your area, we offer an on-demand format which gives greater flexibility to the delivery options of the courses. Please contact development@britishfencing.com if you wish to explore this option.