- 2008 USFA Rules Book
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Information for American Referees
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Summer Nationals
Information for Officials
From the Arbitrage Commission
The Arbitrage Commission recently met in Lausanne, Switzerland with all members present except Marco Siesto from Italy and a new representative to the Executive Committee, Emmanuel Katsiadakis. The first issue we decided was the referees to this year’s Senior World Championships. We have seven referees from our zone going to Turkey; Ariana Klinkov will be the referee representing the United States. The FIE office also told us the dates of the next referee exam. Originally, it was to be held in San Salvador, just prior to our zonal championships, but scheduling conflicts have necessitated its delay. The FIE set all of the tests in the world for the same two-week period, and there are only ten members of the commission who must also go to the Zonal Championships, so it was decided to delay the Pan American tests. I believe this the best course of action as it will give more time to arrange your travel and it will not conflict with our National Championships. We also decided that we can have more than one exam per zone per year if the demand is high enough, so do not worry if you cannot go to this one, as there will be additional exams; this Commission is committed to this. Still on the subject of testing, we are considering changing the format, from video to live or some combination of the two. This will not be in effect for the next test, but for all future tests you should be on the look out for a change in the testing procedure. To determine the new method of testing and the overall subject of referee training and development, we have established a Referee Development Committee, whose job it will be to remake the process of preparing, testing and the continuing education of our international referees. For our referees on the Grand Prix list – there has been talk of a sanction against those refs who renege on Grand Prix assignments. It was decided that if you accept an assignment, you have one week from that date to renege, after that the sanction will be a one year removal from the Grand Prix list and knowing this Commission, I think in reality you will be removed for the remainder of the quad. So take care what you accept. Finally, I am happy to report that the phrase “non-correct” has been eliminated from the referee verbiage. Going forward we will use the phrase “sur la preparation” or in the preparation. If you have any questions, please ask via phone, email, or face-to-face. I look forward to working with you all on our drive to London.
Becoming an International Referee
During a discussion with the President of our Association it was suggested that I author an article outlining the key attributes and requirements for our international referee corps. Additionally, as the United States representative to the Arbitrage Commission, I have been approached by many people regarding their prospects as an international referee. I want to take this opportunity to communicate with all of you what we, the Arbitrage Commission, the FOC and the President of US Fencing, consider the necessary traits and skills required to represent the United States as an international referee. I hope that many of you are already modeling the traits that we feel are necessary to succeed. International fencing is a very different game from the domestic version. The stakes are much higher and the intensity level matches those high stakes. Because of that, the expectations of the referee corps are higher. In addition to making a higher percentage of correct calls than we do domestically, the international referee must bring, with him or her, a cache of respectability. For many of your international colleagues, this cache will include competitive success at the highest level of the sport either as a competitor or a coach. Unfortunately, not all of us have that luxury. Most of us have, at best, a respectable domestic record. That will not help you at this level of competition. What we Americans, North, Central and South, have as our cache, is our reputation as honest and competent independent arbiters of the rules. This image of our referees has been carefully crafted over the last 20 years, and it is directly responsible for the way US referees are currently used in international tournaments. It is to that end and in that image that referees have been, and will continue to be, judged. It is the opinion of this organization and this administration that only those who will best represent the United States Fencing Association and our country will be promoted to the highest level of refereeing in the sport. What does this mean? It means that making the right calls has never been the sole determinant as to who gets promoted. Obviously you will not be considered if you cannot make reliably good calls. However, we also evaluate candidates on appearance, attitude, reliability, punctuality, trustworthiness, responsibility and maturity. The FOC and the coaches, parents, athletes and the organization as a whole are all part of the decision-making process. If you need an example of the type of referee we want, look at those who have earned their way to the Grand Prix list. All are very reliable, professional, and take their role as a referee very seriously, including regular consultations with other top refs, video review, and intense study of fencers’ trends and personalities. They all know how to socialize with others but also know when it is time to call it a night. You know who these people are; model them in look and attitude, and you will have a chance to be considered for the very short list of referees representing all of us internationally. Gerrie Baumgart Gerrie suffered a heart attack this past Wednesday, and was admitted for open heart surgery on Thursday. She is doing well, and would appreciate cards and letters.
Gerrie Baumgart
Attention USA International Foil Fencers
Other major countries such as France, Germany, Italy, Britain and Spain have various timetables for their domestic implementation. To the best of our knowledge the following is the schedule of implementation for the following countries:
Points of Emphasis by George Kolombatovich The full text of the recent article from the FOC newsletter. Referees: Please send in your favorite refereeing story for publication here. Travel woes, irate spectators, unusual situations, etc will all be considered. Send your stories (under 500 words) to: Editor FOC Newsletter Welcome to the Fencing Official's Commission Official Web Site. It is our objective to provide a comprehensive source for information concerning the rules and the practice of fencing in the United States. In addition, we have included information on the FOC's mission, our vision, and some information on the members of the FOC, themselves. Please note that this web site is (always) under construction. |
