SFA Athlete Rep

We are trying to arrange a time to do a sport nutrition session over Zoom with the wonderful Heather Hynes! Please provide us some feedback as to what time works the best for you by following this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PSFPCG7 You can record multiple responses from the same device, so if you are in the same household with multiple schedules you can count them as well! Thanks for helping us out! We'll see you soon!

Even though we can't always meet in person, we're finding great ways to still get together and learn about fencing while we wait for our next competition season! Thank you to Lisa from the Swift Current fencing club for another awesome Zoom session! I missed the footwork, but we had a great chat about Yellow cards and P-cards in fencing! If you would like to join in on the sessions, get in touch with Lisa, or let me know and I'd be happy to pass your information along to her!

It's National Coaches week this week!! Our fencing coaches are such an important part of so many fencer's lives - not only are they mentors and teachers within the sport, but they are also mentors and friends outside the sport! What have you learned from your coach that you are thankful for??

What a beautiful post celebrating the best part about fencing (aside from the sport itself)!! Happy World Fencing Day everyone!

This is a great video done up by the Swift Current fencing club! If your club is sharing any kind of promotional material, let me know! I'd love to share it on my page!

Hi everyone! As mentioned in my previous post, I'd like to do a "girls talk" open to all female-identifying and non-binary members of the SFA! I'm hoping to do a video call similar to how the Swift Current club did their training sessions, and provide a space where people can feel comfortable sharing, listening, and supporting one another! All we need is to figure out a schedule! If you are interested in joining, please either comment your preference, or send me a message! Al...so feel free to let me know what times work best on any of these days! Monday, July 20th Wednesday, July 22nd Monday, July 27th Wednesday, July 29th Friday, July 31st

I'd like to bring back an old favorite thing of mine...GIRL TALKS!! We used to hold girl talks at fencing camps and tournaments, and it was a time for us to get together and ask questions or provode support for other fencing girls. I'd like to bring it back this summer, but online! These talks will be safe places for all female-identifying and non-binary people to ask questions, look for advice, and celebrate successes within a group of supportive people. Parents and fencers ...can join these talks! We won't just talk about fencing things, but we also understand that fencing in female events can pose some unique challenges as well! If you would be interested in joining these talks, send me a private message or leave a comment below and tell me what days/times work best for you!

We had another great footwork session put on by Lisa from the Swift Current Fencing Club! So good to see everyone come out! This was the last footwork session hosted by Lisa, so a big thank you to all the fencers who joined us!

Here's our coach Lynn! Did you know she really rocked it in the Modern Pentathalon before she became the coach we all know and love?

Thank you sooo much Lisa from the Swift Current club for an awesome footwork session, and a good chat about fencing rules! Can't wait for next week! If you want to join next week's session, send Lisa an email at [email protected] to get on the list!

The Swift Current Fencing Club is hosting fencing training on Thursday nights through Zoom! If you want to join, email Lisa at [email protected] to get the login information! Thanks for doing this, Lisa!!

This is your yearly reminder to wash your whites!! I'm just about to put mine in the wash and thought I would share my secret weapon! Spray this on your whites, pop them in the wash, and BAM! No more stinky fencing clothes! (It also works great inside shoes!) Do you have any cleaning hacks, for whites or equipment? Share the love and leave them in the comments!

The North East Edge Fencing Club has an instagram account! Give them a follow!

My dog is cooler than your dog! (And yes, his head is actually inside the mask!) Do you have any fencing pets? Let's see em!

Let's have some fun with some "Then vs Now" photos! Post of picture of you or your fencer back when they first started, and then a picture of where you/they are at now, and say how long it's been! I'll start...here's my "Then vs Now", the first photo was almost 12 years ago!!

This is an excellent resource for all fencing parents, and will be a good read while we wait to get back at it!

Hey everyone! In case you miss fencing as much as I do, I've made a crossword all about fencing for you to work on! This one will be great for younger fencers, who can maybe share their knowledge with a grownup or a sibling to make it a group activity! Have fun!

Hey all! Since we're all staying home for a while, I thought I would post my next Parent Toolkit video for everyone to enjoy! (apologies for the very quiet audio, still trying to figure out this whole screen-capturing video thing) Today we are talking about Recovery! What is it, when do we need it, and how do we do it? Recovery is one of the most important parts of training, but it's also one of the most overlooked aspects! If you have any questions or suggestions for topics you'd like covered in the future, let me know in the comments or by sending me a direct message!

Here's a fun idea during self-isolation, try some creative poses with your fencing gear!! What can you come up with??

Here's an update on events happening right now. If you have any questions, you can also get in touch with me! Hopefully we will have more positive updates for you all soon

Update on Nationals:

Out at the Northwestern Open today! We have fencing, food, and prizes!!!

Injury Prevention with Michelle Keene from Craven SPORT services

If you're like me and SUPER injury-prone, you might want to come to the training camp and check out our guest speaker! We will be having someone from Craven SPORT services come and talk to the fencers about injury prevention! I'll make sure to take notes and share them with whoever can't make it out!

Some cool epee facts, thanks to the FIE!!

As you may have already noticed, I'm back and trying to revamp the page a little bit! What sort of content would you like to see? Let me know in the comments or by sending me a message, I'm happy for any/all feedback!

Wondering how you can get yourself or your fencer from feeling like Photo 1 about tournaments, to feeling like Photo 2 about tournaments? Check out these quick tips! Focus on your improvement! Fencing is a very long-term sport, and it's okay if you're not the best fencer right away! Looking at how you've improved from the last tournament can be a huge confidence booster! Maybe you won two poule bouts instead of one, maybe you finally got a new move to work for you, or may...be you came a little bit closer to beating a tough opponent! If you get a little bit better every day, you'll be a great fencer in no time! Set a goal for the tournament! Setting goals can help improve your focus, and can help make tournaments feel good! Set a goal to land 3 hits on a tricky target, to make the top 8 in an event, or to come out of poules with a positive indicator! For ideas how to set a good goal, Google "SMART goals" and follow the acronym to help guide you in your goal-setting. Don't forget to write it down! Have FUN! Fencing is a fun sport, and tournaments can be a lot of fun too! When you start to lose your focus on having fun, soon you won't be getting any benefits from fencing and you will only stress yourself out. Spend some time catching up with your friends from other clubs, cheer on your teammates, or create a warmup playlist that makes you feel strong and fast! Finding new ways to have fun will help keep fencing enjoyable, and will improve your tournament experience! Try out these tips at your next tournament, and see how you feel after it's over! If you have any questions about these tips, or need some more ideas, my inbox is always open! Happy fencing!

Both Team Canada's Men's AND Women's foil teams have qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games!

The tournament up in Prince Albert will be a great time for fencers to come out and compete! Here are some extra details below

Mark your calendars! We have some training camp dates! Training camps are usually held in Saskatoon at the Salle Seguin fencing centre, from 10am to 4pm. If anything changes I'll update the post!

Hey everyone! Lynn has made us a survey about Training Camps, if you haven't already filled it out you really should! This survey is great for everyone, even if you haven't been to a training camp before!

How strong is your core?? We were working hard tonight in the swiss balls!!

A good way to make sure a fencer doesn't get hurt is through additional training that strengthens the whole body, not just the fencing muscles! Here, we have Strength and Conditioning coach AJ pointing a stick in the direction he wants me to go, while Zane has to follow me! It works on reaction time as well as lateral movement and stability! And it was a lot of fun!!

Thanks to everyone who came out to the Militia Open this weekend! I have a survey for everyone who attended - as you can see in this photo there were a lot of people! Please consider filling out this survey, even if you didn't come! It helps the SFA to change their tournaments to best suit the people who come out! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YPDFTZC If you did NOT go to the Militia Open, would you please fill out this survey instead? It helps us to figure out how to make tournaments better and more easily accessible! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YZG2JH5

Just in case you hadn't heard, tickets are still available for the Awards Banquet this weekend on September 7th, where we can celebrate the accomplishments of our teammates! Tickets are $25 for a buffet-style dinner followed by awards and presentations. Get your tickets on the SFA website here: https://www.skfencing.ca//2018-19-awards-gala-december-7th/

I had so much fun in Melfort at the North East Edge Fencing Club this afternoon! Thanks to everyone who came out today!!

Putting the finishing touches on my next presentation! I'll be out in Melfort this Saturday, November 30th, at 1 pm at the Legion giving a talk on the very basics of fencing! I'm very excited to see everyone come out and chat about fencing!

This Friday is the Early Bird Entry Deadline for the Militia Open in Saskatoon! Sign up now and save a little ! Registration can be found here: https://www.skfencing.ca//2019-20-militia-open-register-n/ You can also follow that link to buy your spot at our Awards Banquet, held on Saturday December 7th, during the tournament! There will be food, friends, and another talk from yours truly!

Can't stop, won't stop! The Militia Open in Saskatoon is right around the corner, even though we just wrapped up with the Chinook Open! Want to register? Click the link! https://www.skfencing.ca//2019-20-militia-open-register-n/ Also keep your eyes peeled for updates about fun things happening at this tournament, like the Awards Gala and another talk from yours truly!

Thanks for everyone who came out to the Chinook Open this weekend! And thank you to the Swift Current Fencing Club who put on such a great tournament! Now it's time for some surveys! This link will take you to a survey on the Chinook Open and is open to everyone, even if you did not attend: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WGYP5GX This link will take you to a survey on the Chinook Open and is only for those who did NOT ATTEND: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WG67KW8... Multiple responses can be recorded from the same device, so parents AND fencers can complete these surveys using the same phone, tablet, or computer. Doing these surveys helps the SFA a lot when it comes to figuring out how we can best improve our tournaments. Thank you in advance everyone!

Thanks to everyone who came out to our talks tonight! We hope you learned something new! Next stop on our talk tour, Melfort on November 30th!

Live at the Chinook Open!

This is so awesome! Good work Ryan, you're doing Saskatchewan proud!

Nothing like getting in some extra practice before the Chinook Open! I can't wait to see everyone out for the Team Supper on Saturday night!

What's your favorite memory from the Chinook Open? This is a great memory I had from the Chinook Open two years ago - someone needs a new pair of shoes! Post your favorite memory from the Chinook Open, and let's all reminisce!! I love going to our provincial tournaments because they always are so great for giving me unique memories that will last a long time!

I am BEYOND EXCITED for the Chinook Open. One week to go! Don't forget about the supper we'll be having, followed by the talk by myself and HP coach Lynn Seguin! Oh, and did I mention an escape room for the younger ones?? If you missed the early bird entry deadline, you can still enter the tournament! It's going to be great, I promise!

Just another night at the club, getting ready for the Chinook Open next weekend! Don't forget, early-bird registration deadline is this Friday! Registration link is here: https://www.skfencing.ca//2019-20-chinook-open-register-n/

There are 5 days left until the Early Bird Entry Deadline for the Chinook Open closes! You can still register after, but it's a little more expensive! If you plan on going to the Chinook Open, you should totally come to this event! It's going to be awesome for fencers AND parents! Plus I'll be there giving a quick talk on Tournament Prep for anyone who is interested!

Happy Halloween everyone! Don't fight over candy - there's lots to be had! A couple of things to remember as we head into November: 1. Resigtration for the Chinook Open in Swift Current is OPEN!!! https://www.skfencing.ca//2019-20-chinook-open-register-n/... 2. There's a tournament survey for everyone who attended the Asquith Open, I know I'm missing quite a few responses https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SG9GMJD 3. There is also a survey for everyone who DID NOT attend the Asquith Open. Again, I know I'm missing quite a few responses! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CJWT7DW

I just registered for the Swift Current Tournament! Have you registered yet? It's going to be a great one - I'm working with the Swift Current Fencing Club to host an information session during the tournament! You can sign up for the competition here: https://www.skfencing.ca//2019-20-chinook-open-register-n/

Happy Monday everyone! I have a new survey for you, this one is only for those who did NOT attend the tournament we had last weekend. You can find it here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CJWT7DW I like to collect data to try and figure out how the SFA can help encourage people to come to tournaments, and surveys are the most efficient way to do so! Please consider filling out this survey even if you don't intend on competing this year, all information is helpful! Most importantly, all survey responses are 100% anonymous. Even I as the survey creator cannot see who is behind the responses. So unless you put your name in your response you don't have to worry!

Rollin' onto the podium like but seriously, that was a great save, glad nobody was hurt at the end!! Have you filled out the tournament survey? Responses help us figure out how to help everyone have an amazing tournament experience! You can find the survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SG9GMJD

This year, I'm sending out Tournament feedback surveys to EVERYONE (even if you didn't go) so that we can figure out how to make our tournaments better. If you attended the tournament and loved it - we want to know why! If you didn't attend the tournament - we still would like to know why! Everyone can fill this survey out! I will also be sending out a survey specifically for those who couldn't attend later! Please click this link to go to the survey and fill it out as honestly as you can! All responses are 100% confidential and anonymous! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SG9GMJD

Hey everyone! I'll be hanging out this Saturday at the tournament in Delisle from 12 pm - 2 pm! Come stop by and say hi, have a chat, ask questions, or take some awesome selfies! See you all then!

We have a registration list for the tournament!! If you don't see your friends on this list, make sure you tell them to sign up! Early bird deadline is this Thursday night!

Some important information to know for the tournament next weekend! Best part is that there is no admission fee, and spectators can watch for FREE while munching on some snacks from the Canteen (run by the awesome Asquith parents)!

"What is an Athlete Rep?" Well, basically, that's me! My job is to be the voice for all of the athletes under the Saskatchewan Fencing Association. It is part of my job to represent athletes - and, by extension, parents of the athletes - to the SFA to make sure that our needs are being met. My goal is to not only represent the fencers of Saskatchewan, but to act as a resource for fencers and parents as well! Feel free to come to me with anything - a question, a problem, a con...cern, etc. - and I can either help you find a solution, direct you to someone who can help you find a solution, or bring it up with the SFA or the Board of Directors. I've left a big blue "Send Message" button on top of my page, please feel free to press it if you ever feel you need to bring something up! All names will be removed from messages if I present them to the SFA, and everything will be kept 100% confidential. Also, feel free to drop in and say hi, or share a cool fencing photo! I'd love for this page to be a hub for Saskatchewan's fencers to share victories, learn new things, and be heard by the SFA!

Have you signed up for the Asquith Open? Early bird registration has been pushed back to Thursday October 24th! https://www.skfencing.ca//2019-20-asquith-open-register-n/

Hello everyone! I hope to be posting lots of content soon, but in the meantime feel free to use this page to get in touch with me!Hello everyone! I hope to be posting lots of content soon, but in the meantime feel free to use this page to get in touch with me!