Heriot-Watt Uni Fencing Club: A year of change.

When I joined the Heriot-Watt Fencing Club as Head Coach in late October 2018 I was really looking forward to the challenge. When I had been at College in the early 1990s it had been one of the strongest clubs in Scotland and on a par in fencing terms with almost any Uni Team in the country. As I walked through the fabulous sports facility that is the Oriam (located just outside Edinburgh) I took in the other teams training. Netball, Handball, Basketball, the Strength and Conditioning and then on past the squash courts where the HWU and Scottish Squash Squad trained.

I reached Sports Hall 2 to find only a handful of students sitting about. They were thinking about getting their kit on and ‘having a bash’. It was clear that the club at that point, despite the efforts of some valiant young student fencers, had become a shadow of what it once was. It truly reminded me of the film ‘dodgeball’ and I stated so. We all realised we needed to do something to get the club back on a path to recovery and to where it once was.

It was clear that a few things needed to change quickly. This wasn’t going to be instant but with determination from the Committee and a little help from me as Head Coach I was sure we could change the culture. For a start we needed to improve club communications and get more than just the handful of folks attending as was happening at that point. A real apathy had set in. We set out or plan for the next few semesters. The overall goal was to get the club and team up and running and for that plan to be solidified by the following season. Also, to attempt to implement an American collegiate training system on a Scottish budget. A few inspired individuals made up the new committee and became determined to change things. We did the following:

• A new committee was voted in which was mobilised into action.
• Communications, which had almost entirely disappeared, was improved both with the Sports Union and the larger fencing community.
• A grant for new kit was sought from the Sports Union (the boxes along with most of the other kit were almost 20 years old). We sought an emergency grant on grounds of safety and development. (Thanks to the Sports Union).
• Our new amourer (Chloe Fielding) swung into action and starting resolving issues relating to the other kit and training others to become Armourers.
• The training sessions were formalised (with Wednesday especially being set aside for performance training).
• The committee worked hard to gain new members for the 2019-2020 season and to also resolve some of the issues and misconceptions around membership requirements and costs.
• We opened our doors to new community members, which also brought in stronger training partners for the team and the potential for another funding stream.
• We strengthened our Internet and Social Media presence with a new website, Facebook and Instagram links.
• In terms of coaching we had a clear coaching strategy which included bringing in another qualified coach (Paul Stanbridge) and ensuring that the senior and most experienced fencers became qualified also. (Ben Schuessler, the team captain, now also has a level 2 qualification.
• We improved our links and integration with other clubs in Scotland (especially West Lothian Fencing Club) where I also coach.
• We sought to strengthen our identity through a formal team uniform and tracksuit.

So after all that hard work, how did the year go? You could say it was a good start.

• We increased our membership. Not only that but our sessions were regularly attended by over 20 fencers. (Up from anything between 3 and 6).
• All performances and results improved.
• Our beginners, many of them had only started in September, benefitted from TGfU (Teaching Games For Understanding) including rhythmic footwork exercises and teaching fencing based on skills that they already had, as well as constraints led teaching. (More on that in my later blogs).
• The culture of training changed. Not only were many training 3 times per week but they were also accompanying Ben to strength and conditioning sessions.
• The results were improved and the team grew stronger. Especially between November 2019 and Feb 2020.
• The club beginners took 1st and 3rd place in foil in the Scottish Student Sport beginners championships, along with 3rd in the Sabre and 5th in the epee. (A marked improvement on the previous year).
• The club reached its silver qualification which meant it could qualify for most developed club and other awards.

Unfortunately, like many fencing clubs, Corona Virus cut all the training and other club activites short. We had, however, just managed to finish the Club vs Alumni match. So, as the team lined up in their club Yellow and Blue socks, the spectators drank their coffee and ate cake and the cameras rolled on the facebook live event we could all take some pride in how hard we had worked and how far we had come this year. The Alumni carried off the freshly made trophy but we aim to get stronger and bring it back next year. As Yazz said – “The only way is up!”