The BF Coaching Framework

The British Fencing vision for coaching is to create the conditions for quality, relevant coaching for every fencer

Page Updated 10th October 2023

The framework recognises that fencers have different development needs in their fencing journey and therefore coaches use different skills and attributes for those development needs, or fencers have different coaches at different stages of their journey.

Coaching systems have typically valued the high performance coach more than the community coach. The BF Coaching Framework highlights the need for high quality coaches at each stage of the fencers journey, and therefore the importance of the community coach. It also differentiates  the skills and attribute in each coaching space. A coach can by focusing and developing the relevant skills and attribute move across coaching spaces.

There are four keystone principles to the BF Coaching Development Framework:

Culture of Learning – This relates to the fencing community as a whole, to continually increase its knowledge of, competence and performance in our sport. The purpose is to make a step change in raising the standards of fencing coaching as a ‘conscious act’, e.g. ‘are you the coach you want to be’ or ’the coach your fencer needs’. It aims to help coaches identify what they don’t know and therefore receive training to development themselves in areas of need.

Continuous Improvement – This is based on the principle that the best coaches are reflective practitioners and look for the next opportunity to learn and refine their coaching behaviour.

Flexible Modules – The Framework importantly offers, a) recognition to people with prior coaching experience, and b) that knowledge on ‘how to coach’ is available in various formats and is delivered in a variety of ways, e.g. informal, semi formal and formal

Coaches are valued – The Framework sets out to ensure that BF and the fencing community consistently recognises everyone on the Coaching pathway, regardless of where and who they coach.