BF HANDBOOK: ‘CALL IT ATTITUDE’ – EDITION 1.0

British Fencing (BF) has released the first edition of Call It Attitude, an eighty-four page handbook outlining what is involved in becoming a successful GBR Olympic and Paralympic fencing athlete.

Call It Attitude is an in-depth guide for athletes, parents, coaches and supporters that describes the journey through BF’s Sport England funded GBR Pathway programme (formerly the ADP). This recruits fencing athletes who wish to work towards representing their country from Cadet (U17) level through to when a fencer might retire from high-level competitive fencing in their mid-thirties. Call It Attitude describes what an athlete and their support team can expect at each stage, with information and practical advice for each step of the journey.

As well as guidance, Call It Attitude seeks to illustrate the meaning behind BF’s philosophy of a ‘Fencer-Centred, Development-Driven, Competition-Supported’ programme that lies at the heart of fencing’s long-game and places the fencer firmly at the heart of every objective. Fencers and their support networks of coaches, clubs and families are encouraged to be the best versions of themselves and to place trust in the process, priming everyone to achieve fulfilling outcomes in the sport. Key to Call It Attitude is the title of the document itself. The phrase showcases the unifying yet purposeful mentality that defines a GBR fencer, affording them a sustainable battle cry.

Crafted upon BF’s values of Honesty, Respect and Excellence, Call It Attitude features Our Commitment which is BF’s anthem to core understanding, worded to communicate the underlying qualities that make up an effective athlete mindset.

Call It Attitude has been designed as a consultative document that will evolve over time. British Fencing is actively inviting feedback from the GBR community on what they wish to see in the handbook, and how they think Call It Attitude should mirror their aspirations and experiences. Revised editions will be released as the guide evolves.

Call It Attitude is an eighty-four page document available as a pdf in single or double page format for readers to view, download and print. It is best viewed on a desktop computer, but can be downloaded to a mobile phone.

To view on a computer (recommended):

1. Click on the link to open the Call It Attitude album.
2. Click on the version you would like to view – single and double page spreads are available depending on how you would like to view the document.
3. Click Open to view the pdf.
4. Please wait for the document to load the first time you click to Open.
5. View, download and print the document from the viewing screen.
6. You can zoom in, change the view or save the document from your viewing screen.

To view on a mobile phone:

1. Click on the link to open the Call It Attitude album.
2. Click on the version you would like to view – single and double page spreads are available depending on how you would like to view the document.
3. Click the download icon to download and view the pdf.