NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME PLAN:
PATHWAY TO CADET & JUNIOR COMMONWEALTHS

FeNZ Website Edition

6 APRIL 2017

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This paper outlines Fencing New Zealand’s national development programme for Under 15, Cadet and Junior fencers.

The programme will support the development of our young fencers so that they can progressively improve their international performance at age group level and ultimately become internationally competitive fencers at the open level. It has an initial focus on establishing a pathway to success at the next Commonwealth Cadet & Junior Fencing Championships. It also provides the foundation for a broader national development and high performance strategy that will have a longer term (10 year) outlook.

Theprogramme has three broad goals:

  • To support and develop fencers to achieve individual and team success at the next Commonwealth Cadet and Junior Fencing Championships.
  • To support and develop a wider group of young fencers that have the potential to compete successfully in age grade competitions interationally.
  • To support the establishment of a longer term national development and high performance strategy that aims to build the capability of our fencers to achieve international success at Commonwealth, Asian Zone, World Cup and Olympic level in the period from 2018-2028.

The key elements of the programme designed to acheive these goals include:

  • General guidance to fencers, parents and coaches on development pathways for young fencers (covering training and competition progression)
  • Nomination and selection arrangements for enabling fencers to join the programme
  • A competition calendarfor Under 15, Cadet and Junior level fencersthat provides a pathway for development and selection to the New Zealand team that will compete at the next Commonwealth Cadet & Junior Fencing Championships.
  • National training camps associated with key competitions in the school & university holiday periods
  • The choice of a January international training camp or an overseas tourencompassing training and selected competitions
  • Early confirmation of eligiblity to attend internatioal competitions for participants
  • Programme management arrangements that include:
  • A Director responsible to the FeNZ Board for leading the development and implementation of the programme
  • An operations manager to provide administation services for the delivery of the programme
  • A partnerships manager to attract funding and establish relationships with other organisations willing to support the programme
  • A Steering Group to advise on the development and implementation of the programme
  • Training camp convenors, tour managers and coaches.

A participant cost estimate and programme management budget with a three year outlook, together with a, estalbishment plan, funding strategy and risk & implementation management plan have been established.

The cost of participating in the national and international competition and training camp programme will range from NZ$6,100 to $19,400 per fencer per annum, depending on the mix of events selected in each particular year of the programme. Programme overhead costs are estimated at $27,500 in 2017 and 2018 rising to $33,350 by 2019 asthe programme expands to encompass high performance open fencers.

To cover the gap between estimated income and expenditure FeNZ has set an initial grants and sponsorship target of $17,500 for 2017, $17,500 for 2018 and 21,500 for 2019. Any additional sponsorship or grant income over and above this initial target will be used to defray participant costs.

INTRODUCTION

1Fencing New Zealand (FeNZ) is establishing a national programme to support the development of our young fencers so that they can progressively improve their international performance at age group level and ultimately become internationally competitive open fencers.

2The programme has an initial focus onestablishing a pathway to success at the Commonwealth Cadet & Junior Fencing Championships.

3It also provides the foundation for the implementation of a broader national development and high performance strategy that will have a longer term (10 year) outlook.

CONTEXT

4The programme is based on a realisticassessment of the sport’s current state of development in New Zealand and the opportunities and challenges FeNZ New Zealand facesinternationally (see Appendix A for a high level analysis).

5FeNZ has a small but growing pool of fencers competing nationally and internationally. They are supported by a small but able group of coaches, referees and administators many of whom have international experience.

6In recent years our best age group fencers have achieved podium places in Australian, Oceania and Commonwealth age group championships in foil and epee. We do not currently have any age group fencers ranked in the FIE World top 100 fencers for foil, epee or sabre.[1]

7To lift our performance we need to better leverage and utilise our coaching and fencing talent. FeNZ has decided, therefore, to initially focus its limited resources on foil and epee where we have the best opportunity of achieving international success in individual and team events.

8While this programme focuses on the development of young fencers that have the potential to achieve success internationally, FeNZ recognises that we also need to:

  • Continue to grow the base because from a larger base there is a greater opportunity to source talented high performance athletes
  • Continue to grow our coaching, refereeing and administative capability and capacity, which is required to support the growth of the sport and the development of high performance athletes.

PROGRAMME OVERVIEW

9We have an immediate need to develop and support young fencers seekingto compete successfully at international level, and in particular during the lead up to Commonwealth Cadet and Junior Fencing Champs. There is, however, further work to be done before we can establish and implement a fully formed national development strategy.

10Our approach is, therefore, to implement key elements of the national development programme immediately while we continue work on a longer term and more comprehensive strategy. Towards this end the remainder of this paper outlines:

  • Goals that reflect FeNZ ‘s interest in progressing immediate development efforts for our young fencers while also developing a more comprehensive strategy
  • The core elements of the programme which encompass:
  • The release of guidelines on development pathways for young fencers
  • Nomination and selection arrangements for fencers
  • A competition and training camp calendar for 2017/18
  • Arrangements for supporting participants at targeted international events that form part of that competition and training programme
  • Arrangements for fast-tracking confirmation of selection to compete in nominated events
  • The development and implementation of a longer term comprehensive national development strategy and plan
  • Putting in place management arrangements to give effect to the programme.
  • Seeking grants and sponorship, and establishing other partnership arrangments to support the implementation of the programme
  • Cost estimates and funding requirements for the period ending 31 January 2018
  • Risk management and implementation plans

GOALS & OBJECTIVES

11The programme’s immediate goals are to to:

  • Support and develop fencers to achieve individual and team success at the next Commonwealth Cadet and Junior Fencing Championships.
  • Support and develop a wider group of young fencers that have the potential to compete successfully in age grade competitions interationally.
  • Establish a longer term national development and high performance strategy that aims to build the capability of our fencers to achieve international success at Copmmonwealth, Asian Zone, World Cup and Olympic level in the period from 2018-2028.

12More broadly our national development and high performance strategy will aim to develop fencers that:

  • Achieve podium and top 8 finishes at selected international events, including:
  • Australian U15, Cadet & Junior Championships (from 2017)
  • SE Asian & Pacific Cadet & Junior Championships (from 2018)
  • Commonwealth Cadet & Junior Fencing Championships (from 2018)
  • Progressively improve their performance at benchmark international events, including:
  • Asian Zone Cadet & Junior Championships(targeting top 50% with top 16performances by 2020[2])
  • World Cadet & Junior Championships(targeting top 50% with top 16 by 2020).
  • Become internationally competitive open fencers – the very best of whom – represent New Zealand at World Cup, World Championship and – by 2024/2028 - the Olympics.

DEVELOPMENT PATHWAY GUIDELINES

13To help frame fencer, parent and coach expectations, FeNZ is publishing guidelines on development pathways for young fencers. The guidelines provide generic advice to fencers, parents and coaches on staged training development and recommended competition pathways.

14The guidelines are available to the fencing community on the FeNZ website and will be provided to all programme participants. The national development programme’s competition and training calendar are aligned with the guidance.

NOMINATION & SELECTION

15The programme has adopted a relatively open approach to participation – we want to encourage the growth of fencers who are committed to their own development and want to compete and succeed internationally. Programme participants must, however, have sufficient aptitude and experience to be able to benefit from participation in the programme and train comfortably with other team members with similar motivation and skill levels.

16The FeNZ Secretary Generalwill, therefore,call for nominations. Nominations will initially be considered and shortlisted by the Programme Director before being reviewed and approved by the FeNZ Selectors.

17The following selection criteria will apply:

Fencers should demonstrate the commitment and potential to fence successfully at an international level and have the endorsement of their coach.

Selectors should determine that there is a reasonable expectation that - through ongoing development at club and regional level and participation in this national development programme - fencers can develop the capability to meet the criteria for selection to New Zealand teams for the Commonwealth Cadet and Junior Fencing Champs or other signature international competitions, such as Asian Zone age group competitions

By way of guidance FeNZ anticipates nominees will:

-Be at least 13 years of age or older (or achieved exceptional national results at a higher age group level) - previously competed at a national age group level and achieved a top 50% ranking on the FeNZ Ranking System[3]

-Demonstrate a commitment to participating in the events (or a tailored version of them) as laid out in the programme calendar

-Demonstrate a commitment to an individual training plan that reflects the guidelines outlined in the programme calendar.

18Individual fencers who meet the FeNZ qualifying criteria may, of course, continue to enter competitions on the programme calendar in their own right, whetheror not they are a member of a national development squad. FeNZ will also encourage other fencers to participate in the national training camps.

COMPETITION & TRAINING CALENDAR

Overview

19National Development Programme members are expected to commit to a competition and training calendar that targets selected regional, national and international competitions and participation in a series of training camps both in New Zealand and overseas.

20The national competition and training calendar is intended to:

  • Provide a development pathway that supports the progressive development of participants
  • Optimisethe opportunity for participants to meet the selection criteria for Commonwealth Cadet & Junior Fencing Championships
  • Enable fencers, parents and coaches to undertake forward planning
  • Build a critical mass of New Zealand participants at international events that:
  • Enables our fencers to enter team as well as individual events
  • Make it more cost-effective to provide management and coaching services at these events, both improving the support fencers receive and reducing the costs they incur by sharing them with the other participants
  • Establish a community of fencersthat will support one another at international events.

21The competition and training camp calendar for 2017/18is attached as Appendix B.While it provides generic pathways for each age group,individual athletes may tailor their competition and training programme -in consultation with their Coach and the Programme Director- to take account of their stage of development and particular situation.

22The aim is to provide an appropriate mix of events for each fencer that enables them to experience both winning and more challenging stretch tournaments, in individual and team events. This might, for example, involve a particular athlete mixing and matching events from across two or three of the age group streams to take account of their stage of development and particular situation. They may also choose to add additional events from the regional or national competition calendar or substitute different international events.

23The calendar for 2018 and 2019 has not been outlined in full as the dates for key international events, including the Cadet and Junior Commonwealth Fencing Champs, have not been confirmed. It is anticipated, however, that the 2017 calendar will provide the basis for the 2018-19 calendars.

Competitions

24The calendar of 10-12 events for each fencer endeavours to strike an appropriate balance in terms of a reasonable annual competition workload - enabling some flexibility and choice in terms of targeted events - and providing scope to add events that are not on the programme, if the individual fencer and their coach consider they have the capacity tomanage a higher workload.

25The mix of events takes account of the FeNZ Selection Criteria forinternational events - in particular Commonwealth Cadet & Junior Fencing Champs - and provides fencers with a pathway to achieve the ranking points required by the FeNZ Selection Criteria.

Training Camps

26The development programme aims to include:

  • National campseach year in association with key competitions that fall in the school or university holiday periods.
  • An ‘Oceania Camp’ in conjunction with the Oceania Cadet or Junior Fencing Champs when that fits with the New Zealand fencing calendar(subject to OFC & host Federation agreement)
  • Participation in the Ultimate Fencing Camp in Melbourne in January or an international tour to Europe either in conjunction with the AFF’s planned tours or as a member of a FeNZ tour.

National Camps:

27National training camps will be heldin conjunction with tournaments that are scheduled for the school holiday periods. The school holiday period provides a more convenient window for these camps than holding them during the school or university term.The addition of these camps may also offer an incentive for athletes to attend the events they are associated with. The proposal does not preclude additional regional camps, although we need to take care not to overload athletes.

28The options flagged in the attached calendar include:

  • NZ Juniors (2017).
  • NZ Under 15 & Cadet Fencing Champs (2018)
  • New Zealand University Fencing Champs (2018)

29Holding a national camp in conjunction with NZ Juniors is subject to Fencing South agreeing to act as host for the event. The proposed 2018 training camps will be confirmed with the host regions and included in FeNZ tournament and events calendar for the coming year.

Oceania Training Camps

30The Oceania Juniors Training Camp, held in conjunction with the 2016 Oceania and NZ Junior Fencing Champs, was very successful. There would be value in encouraging the Oceania Fencing Confederation, and the host Federation for future Oceania events to host a similar camp so fencers get more ‘fencing-value’ from an overseas trip.

31The 2017 Oceania Cadet event, being hosted by Ligue d’Escrime de Nouvelle-Calédonie in Noumea, is currently scheduled on the same weekend as NZ Juniors in Dunedin. Because New Zealand Junior are not eligible to attend and our top Cadet fencers may give priority to the New Zealand event for selection purposes, New Zealand attendance at the Oceania event is likely to be smaller than usual. We should, therefore, approach OFC about holding a camp in conjunction with Oceania Juniors in 2018 when a larger managed New Zealand team could attend.

January Tour

32To continue the preparation of fencers for Commonwealths, arrangements will be made for fencers to either participate in the Ultimate Fencing Campin Melbourne, or participate in an overseas training and competition tour.

33UFC: The Ultimate Fencing Camp usually offers a 10-day training programme for fencers along with a coach development programme led by Italian coaches.

34Overseas Tour: The overseas tour will comprise a mix of training and competition events. This opportunity will be particularly well suited for the more experienced Cadet and Junior fencers. FeNZ will explore two options:

  • Joining or shadowing the AFF tours to Europe (subject of course to the AFF’s agreement); and
  • Organising our own overseas tour to South East Asia, Europe or the United States.

FAST TRACK SELECTION FOR INTERNATIONAL TOURS

35Selections for competing in the following international events will be fast-tracked for programme participants that have prevously met the FeNZ selection criteria, provided that they continue to meet any pre-requisite tournament participation obligations (for example, attendance at NZ U15 & Cadet Fencing Champs remains a pre-requisite that must be met by all frencers intending to compete at Australian U15 and Cadet Fencing Champs):

  • Australian U15 & Cadet Fencing Champs
  • Australian Juniors
  • Oceania Cadet & Junior Fencing Champs
  • Asian Cadet & SE Asian Cadet & Junior Fencing Champs.

36Those fencers that have not met the selection criteria in prevous years still have the opportunity to do so at the relevant qualifying events (e.g. NZ Under 15 & Cadet Champs would in effect be a ‘last chance’ qualifying tournament for international Cadet competitions).

37This will enable:

  • Tour Convenors to undertake planning and organisation of arrangements, including confirmation of coaching requirements
  • Most fencers and their parents to make travel arrangements earlier, potentially achieving cost savings through earlier bookings.

38The standard selection process will continue to apply to all other international events, including Commonwealth Cadet & Junior Fencing Champs, Asian Cadet & Junior Champs.

INTERNATIONAL TOUR SUPPORT

39Programme participants will be supported ondesignated international tours by a tour manager/coach or where numbers make it cost effective a manager and designated coaches.

40Managerswill be appointed for international tours involving our Under 15 and Cadet fencers. This will also cover several events being attended by the Junior squad. For smaller tours the manager may also be the squad coach.