Submission by UTS Fencing Club on NSWFA Selection Policy
UTSFC is one of the largest and most successful fencing clubs in Australia. Its
members range from 7 years to 70+ years and all weapons for both men and
women. It is home to some of Australia’s most successful fencers with numerous
international, national, state, and school champions. Fencers from other clubs in
NSW and Australia regularly fence at our club and we frequently host visits by
international fencers and teams. Our Club organises an annual international tour
for its members. We run learn to fence classes for adults and for children as well
as squad training, bouting and club tournaments. UTSFC is celebrating its 50th
Anniversary in 2011. It works closely with the UTS Union to meet the needs of
UTS students, faculty and alumni, as well as welcomes fencers from the public.
The club considers a transparent, objective and consistent selection policy is an
indispensible process to ensure high performance. It is the view of the Executive
of UTS Fencing Club that the guiding principle for any selection policy of NSW
teams at any age level should be objective and merits based. The primary
objective of a team is to win the event, its objective should not be for the vague
purpose of the ‘development of fencing in NSW’. The Club Executives have put
forward this view to its membership for comments, and have received
overwhelmingly positive feedbacks on this position.
The Proposed Selection Policy
The selection policy for any NSW Teams should provide certainty, fairness and
transparency.
In all age groups, selection to the first two places of the A team should be preselected on NSW rankings obtained prior to the competition. This will mean
that the first and second highest ranking available NSW fencers be automatically
selected to the A Team. The remaining two places on the A team should be filled
by fencers according to their final placing in the individual event for the same
weapon at the same competition. In the rare circumstances where the individual
event does not take place before the team competition then the remaining two
places on the A Team will be filled solely on the basis of NSW rankings prior to
the competition.
For the B team or any subsequent team selection will be based on placing in the
individual event of the relevant competition.
The order of fencing will be determined by the Team Captain. The Team Captain
will be selected from the members of the team at the discretion of the Team
Manager, or in the event that a Team Manager has not been appointed, or is not
available at the competition shall be the highest ranked fencer.
Weighting of rankings should be simple and follow the AFF system or similar.
This policy allows for so called wild card entry to accommodate personal
difficulties fencers may face, eg missing a competition due to illness, study or any
reason. It allows for different pathways to success – not all fencers can meet
requirements of attending minimum or specified competitions – including for
example, regional fencers, fencers who for religious reasons can’t compete on
Sundays and a range of other circumstances – fencers can either ensure their
place by participating and winning in the lead up events on which rankings are
based, or they can achieve a place by fencing well in the individual event. It also
precludes selection on the basis of age (other than for age specific teams) and
any perceived or real conflicts of interest which arise from a subjective selection
process. No coaches should be appointed to any selection panel, and on the
system proposed, there is no real need for a selection panel in any case.
Results from higher age categories (eg open results for selection to Under 17
team) may be used in calculating rankings for age specific selection. However,
results from lower age based events may not be used in calculating rankings for
higher age rankings (e.g. Under 20 results will not be taken into account in
ranking for purpose of selection to open teams).
Given the relatively small number of fencers in Australia, the weighting for
different competitions, used by the AFF should be followed. This will address
differentials in skills and competitions, without a complex formula dependent on
who is in the competition. To base rankings on who is in the competition, is
unfair for those who do choose to turn up – they can only fence those who are in
any given competition and weighting different results based on who shows up
places another barrier to those who wish to compete in the few competition that
are available. AFF competitions should be included in calculating rankings as
these are often larger more challenging competitions and will give a truer
picture of a fencer’s capabilities.
The purpose of this selection policy is to encourage all fencers, not to put up
further barriers or narrow pathways which do not suit all participants. This will
ensure the team is composed of the finest of available NSW fencers and all
participants in the sport have an equal opportunity to aim for team selection,
should they so choose.
The views expressed at the meeting held on 20th February 2011, and those who
have made submissions, are overwhelming in support of an objective system of
selection. UTSFC supports such a system and asks that any further draft be put to
a further meeting for consideration, rather than simply ratified by the NSWFA
Executive, as occurred the last time selection policy was rejected by the
Committee Meeting.
UTSFC memberships support policies that build a strong and inclusive fencing
community in the state. The club will continue to be supportive of NSWFA
initiatives that work toward these goals.
Secretary
UTS Fencing Club