The timetable is below and will be updated regularly as new sessions are announced. Please continue to check back to this page for sign-up links and information on new sessions.
To help inform the timetable’s content, we’d like to hear your thoughts. If you have a topic that you wish to discover or learn more about, please fill in the form here.
Got a question? Head over to our Learning Week FAQ page for more info.
What is a Team Manager, and how do I become one?
Monday 4th September, 12-12.45pm
Want to know more about being a Team Manager? In this session, Lorraine Rose discusses the training required to become a Team Manager, and also talks with Pat Aiyenuro and Nat Lewis about their experiences and what to expect in this role.
Self-Care for Coaches, with Dr Jonathan Katz
Monday 4th September, 2-3.30pm OR Wednesday 6th September, 10-11.30am
Opportunity to explore the notion of self-care for coaches. In this session, Dr Jonathan Katz from The PinM Consultancy will explore resilience, stress, mood and well-being through a coach lens. This is a must for all coaches and should not be missed!
Dr Jonathan Katz is a consultant psychologist whose experience includes holding a wide variety of senior advisory and coaching positions in high performance sport and business environments. He has been involved in fencing since the late 1970s as a fencer, coach, coach developer and sport psychologist to a range of individual athletes and squads to youth, senior and veteran fencers.
(Please note: the link via the button above will automatically sign you up for both sessions, you will only need to attend one)
SafeGuard Core (fully booked!)
Monday 4th September, 6-9pm
This is the Core of our safeguarding training. If you are a coach, welfare officer, event welfare office, or team manage, this course is a requirement in order to remain on the appropriate workforce register.
Payment is required for this session.
ADP Parent Conversation
Monday 4th September, 6-7pm
Aimed towards parents and guardians whose children are joining the international competition circuit for their first Cadet or Junior seasons.
ADP Athlete Conversation
Monday 4th September, 7.15-8.15pm
To share information and to provide clarification and expectations for all involved in competition trips in the upcoming 2023-24 season.
The Transformative Power of Quality Coach-Athlete Relationships, with Sophia Jowett
Tuesday 5th September, 10am-11.30am
An opportunity to hear from one of the most prominent speakers on the the transformative power of quality coach-athlete relationships. Sophia Jowett, PhD, is a professor at Loughborough University, UK. Sophia’s research revolves around interpersonal relationships, leadership and communication in performance-orientated contexts including sport, school and business.
Muslim Girls Fence: Focus on Wellbeing
Tuesday 5th September, 11.30am-12pm OR 5-5.30pm
Discussing the importance of having creative, physical, and safe spaces, focusing on wellbeing and mental health.
Learning to Adapt
Tuesday 5th September, 2-3.30pm
Understanding disability inclusion and how to advocate for and support disabled people within the fencing community.
SafeGuard Event Welfare Officer Training (fully booked!)
Tuesday 5th September, 6-9pm
Essential course for anyone who is looking to provide welfare cover at a fencing event.
Payment is required for this session.
Planning for Performance – A New Vision, with Richard Cheetham MBE
Tuesday 5th September, 7-8.15pm
In this session, we explore how we can design new and innovative sessions which allow the athlete to grow and perform. Richard Cheetham MBE will also help us understand the importance of reflective practice and the benefit of planning with, and for, the athlete and their performance.
Self-Care for Coaches, with Dr Jonathan Katz
Wednesday 6th September, 10-11.30am OR Monday 4th September, 2-3.30pm
Opportunity to explore the notion of self-care for coaches. In this session, Dr Jonathan Katz from The PinM Consultancy will explore resilience, stress, mood and well-being through a coach lens. This is a must for all coaches and should not be missed!
Dr Jonathan Katz is a consultant psychologist whose experience includes holding a wide variety of senior advisory and coaching positions in high performance sport and business environments. He has been involved in fencing since the late 1970s as a fencer, coach, coach developer and sport psychologist to a range of individual athletes and squads to youth, senior and veteran fencers.
(Please note: the link via the button above will automatically sign you up for both sessions, you will only need to attend one)
What is the GB League?
Wednesday 6th September, 12-1pm
Find out about BF’s recreational, competitive product. Hosting a GB League fixture is as simple as running a normal competitive fencing club session. The format for the GB League has been designed to be a simple addition that fits in with what we know clubs do really well already. With no formal requirements for piste layout, referees and timed bouts, it can be adapted to suit the needs of any club.
NEW: All Things Sport80
Wednesday 6th September, 12-12.45pm
Using Sport80, FAQs and helping new members navigate Sport80 so they are more confident in using the platform and managing their accounts.
High Performance Coaching, with Chris Porter
Wednesday 6th September, 7-8.30pm
Chris Porter returns to help us explore performance planning through the lens of high performance coaches; specifically the day-to-day answers in contributing to the overall performance objective. We will also explore the importance of the inter-connections within the support team and their ongoing contributions to the goal.
Club Zone – what’s on offer for BF’s affiliated clubs
Thursday 7th September, 11am-12.30pm
Hannah Gavin, BF’s Development Officer, will talk through the newly updated Club Zone on the website. The aim will be to talk through what the zone has been designed to inform members on as well as asking for feedback on what clubs would like to see more of and which areas they deem as important for them.
A sign-up email for this event has been sent to club admins. If you haven’t received an email, please contact [email protected].
Coaching with The True Athlete Project (TAP), with Kirstie Urwin
Thursday 7th September, 12-1.15pm
A session designed to help coaches to understand the partnership between The True Athlete Project (TAP) and the Athlete Development Programme (ADP), nurturing young fencers to excel both on and off the piste. Explore the experiences that fencers have with TAP at ADP camps, and get inspired to bring these insights into your own coaching. The workshop will promote strategies for championing a holistic style of coaching and aims to extend the reach of the TAP approach beyond the confines of the ADP.
Kirstie Urwin is a TAP practitioner who has worked with British Fencing extensively, both in the UK and abroad, across the Athlete Development Programme. A former professional sailor, Kirstie is a performance psychologist, mindfulness teacher and coach.
This session is designed to be interactive, so please come prepared to contribute.
UPDATE: This session will now take place via Zoom.
NEW: Running a Fencing Event 101, with Evie Millar
Thursday 7th September, 12.30-12.40pm
In this short pre-recorded webinar, Evie Millar (BF Events Manager) will be discussing event licensing and the resources available in the BF Event Organiser Zone. This webinar also covers templates and checklists, resources for running events on Sport80 and an overview of the event licensing system.
Championing Inclusivity: Coaching the person in front you, working with Neurodivergent Participants, with Daniel Mynott
Thursday 7th September, 1.30-2.45pm
Presented by Daniel Mynott from the Change Foundation, this webinar will focus on the results from the recent ASD (Autistic Spectrum Disorder) Pilot that BF and the Change Foundation have been running and the research gained from that work.
Daniel will also talk coaches through how he and his partners at the Change Foundation support neurodivergent young people to get the most out of their participation in fencing activities, giving tips and tricks that BF member coaches can try in their clubs to support neurodivergent participants.
Fighting for a Sustainable Future, with Clare Halsted
Thursday 7th September, 4-5pm
Join BF’s campaign to make the sport as environmentally friendly and sustainable as possible. Sport has both a big impact on the world and a platform to inspire positive change. Recycling is not enough – what else should we all be doing?
ADP Individual Athlete Development Plans Conversation
Thursday 7th September, 6.30-7.30pm
The session is to explore the purpose of an Individual Athlete Development Plan (IADP) and how it related to the Pathway and performance planning. An IADP is an important tool in helping athletes to improve and appreciate their own progress. They help athletes recognise their own strengths and weaknesses, identify the things they would like to improve on, and understand how they can do it. By working alongside athlete to create effective learning and development plans, we can facilitate self-reflection, encourage them to take ownership of their own journey in fencing, and, most importantly, help them to develop as both fencer and people.
IWAS Referee Training Theory Seminar Part 1, with Chris Farren
Thursday 7th September, 7-10pm
This session is the first step towards achieving a IWAS Refereeing Qualification. This is the first for two theory sessions, which will include the theory examination paper.
NEW: Completing Club and Competition Risk Assessments
Friday 8th September, 12-1pm
In order to have valid insurance, coaches, club administrators and competition organisers need to have risk assessments in place. This session will cover the basics of creating a risk assessment – how to identify, record and control risks, with the help of a simple template. We will also update you on the risks that we would expect to see recorded and discuss the options to control and minimise these risks.
NEW: Thematic Delivery and Physical Literacy
Friday 8th September, 2-3pm (originally 3-4pm)
Using We Are Forging Futures, we take a focused look at the learning development model used to inform a thematic delivery style. Exploring the benefits of this style to make delivery inclusive, and how it links to physical literacy.
ADP Parent Conversation
Friday 8th September, 6-7pm
Aimed towards parents and guardians whose children are joining the international competition circuit for their first Cadet or Junior seasons.
ADP Athlete Conversation
Friday 8th September, 7.15-8.15pm
To share information and to provide clarification and expectations for all involved in competition trips in the upcoming 2023-24 season.
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