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Course activities and teaching strategies
The course will consist of a mix of lecture/discussion, group
drill/instruction, and pair practice. Later in the course students will
participate in bouts, getting the opportunity to experience
fencing competition as well as judging and directing of bouts.
Lecture/discussion will revolve around assigned readings and will
require active participation and integration of topics in the students’
fencing practice.
Course requirements
Students must arrive on time and ready to participate in the class. They
are responsible for equipment issued to them for the duration of the
semester, and are required to keep equipment clean, maintained and
secured while not in use. If fencing equipment becomes the subject of
any incident that results in a disciplinary action, then the student
will be administratively dropped from the course.
If a student is unable to participate in class activity due to injury or
illness, it is expected that they will make every effort to attend the
class and participate to the best of their ability, as a judge,
videographer or commentator.
The student will be required to purchase a foil, a spare blade and a
fencing glove. All other equipment will be supplied by the
college. Lost or damaged equipment will be charged to the student.
Costs are: Mask - $55, Jacket - $45, Equipment Bag - $20.
Method of evaluation
Final written exam
Individual skills assessment
Attendance policy
Students must make every effort to attend each class session prepared to
participate. A student is permitted to miss a total of two class
sessions during the semester without penalty. Students receive
points toward final grade for on time attendance - they receive half
credit for the day's class for being late.
Readings will come from
the website and will be critical for participation in class
lecture/discussion.
Unique aspects of course
Fencing is one of the very few sports where women and men can compete on
entirely equal terms. This is because the intelligent and focused fencer
can successfully compensate for any perceived deficiencies he or she may
have, and may even be able to turn them into assets. At the same time,
any fencer, no matter how skilled, has vulnerabilities that can be
exploited. Any opponent’s skills can be made into vulnerabilities with
diligent study.
Fencing requires a mastery of skills that are sequential and hierarchal
in nature. If one of the skills is not acquired, the follow-on skills
will be very difficult to master and the fencer will be at a permanent
and serious disadvantage. This is absolutely critical in the beginning
stages of the class, becoming less so as time goes on but never totally
fading away. Thus if a fencer feels that he or she has not adequately
understood a lesson or acquired a skill, it would be important to seek
additional help outside of class. The instructor and club members
are available at club practice sessions to work individually with
students.
College Catalog description of course
“Study of the history, philosophy and practice of foil fencing. Course
places an emphasis on the development of fundamental skills, including
the advance, retreat, lunge, basic attacks and defenses plus instruction
on bouting and strategy. No prerequisites.”
Course goals and objectives, as measurable student outcomes.
At the end of the course students will be able to:
- Describe the evolution of swordplay from medieval dueling
through modern competition.
- Define basic fencing terms and demonstrate basic fencing
actions.
- Know the USFA rules of bouting for foil fencing and apply those
rules to given situations.
- Demonstrate growth in fencing skills.
- Relate the skills and the cultural attitudes of fencing to life
outside the salle.
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