SFA 2003 Jeux Canada Games Program

  - Contents of this page in Adobe Acrobat format (suitable for printing)

CONTENTS:

• Announcements    24 Jan 2003 
• Program Overview
• Program Outline
• Frequently-asked Questions
  1. Who is eligible for the Canada Games Team?
  2. How will the team be selected?
  3. How many athletes will be selected to the Final Games Team?
  4. Is there any funding available for the Games Squad athletes?
  5. When are the Games?
  6. How important are the in-province competitions?
  7. What events should the athletes be entering?
  8. How often should the athletes be training?
  9. Who will be accompanying the athletes to the Games?
  10. What is the format of the competition at the Games?

Announcements:

• Canada Games Camp / Team Challenge
  Camp: 25 Jan - meet at Williams Building, 221 Cumberland Ave N, Saskatoon at 9:45 a.m. for fitness testing.  Camp continues at the salle with fencing in the afternoon, Drug Education Seminar at salle at 3:30 p.m. (attendance is mandatory).
  Team Challenge: 26 Jan - Canada Games Team members will be fencing as a team with their weapon-mates.
    
• Selection of Athletes who will attend Games
  The SFA Technical Committee has met and ratified the selection of the Canada Games athletes who will travel to New Brunswick.
   
• SFA Development Squad Training Camp
  • Sunday, Dec 8
  • 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Salle Seguin, 2nd floor, 224 Pacific Ave, Saskatoon
  • All members of SFA Development Squad (Initial Games Team), plus invitees, are expected to attend.
  • For more information please contact Lynn at the SFA Office.
     
• Canada Games Selection Placings (Final - as of 25 Nov 2002)
   
• Registration of Initial Games Team athletes
  • Team Saskatchewan Mission Staff require that ALL members of our Initial Games Team complete and submit the Participant Information form.
  • The form resides on a secure server. All information that you submit is encrypted to ensure that it cannot be read as it is passed from your computer to the server.
     
  • Participant Information form (on secure server)
     
  • Forms (all in pdf (Adobe Acrobat) format):
         - Physician form 
         - Optometrist form
         - Code of Conduct agreement form
         - General Release form
         - Medical Release form
     
  • Please complete and submit the form as soon as possible, and no later than Fri 15 Nov.
  • If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Brian Zulkoskey, Manager, 2003 Canada Winter Games Fencing at bwz@shaw.ca or (306) 477-1396.
     
• Initial Games Team Fitness Testing
  • Sunday, Sep 8
  • 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
  • College of Kinesiology, Williams Building, 221 Cumberland Ave, Saskatoon
  • All members of Initial Games Team are expected to attend.
  • For more information please contact Claude Seguin (SFA Prov Coach) or Lynn at the SFA Office.
     
• Canada Games Training Camp
  • Saturday, Sep 7
  • 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., meeting to follow
  • Salle Seguin, 2nd floor, 224 Pacific Ave, Saskatoon
  • All members of Initial Games Team are expected to attend.
  • For more information please contact Claude Seguin (SFA Prov Coach) or Lynn at the SFA Office.
     
• 2002 Summer Fencing Camp information (Adobe Acrobat format)
   
• Canada Games Training Camps
  • Saturdays:  April 6, April 20, May 18 (no camp on May 11)
  • 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • Salle Seguin, 2nd floor, 224 Pacific Ave, Saskatoon
  • All Canada Games-eligible athletes and their personal coaches are expected to attend.
  • For more information please contact Claude Seguin (SFA Prov Coach) or Lynn at the SFA Office.
     
• 2002 Westerns results
   
• Northern Alberta Open results
   
• Calgary Open results
   
• Canada Games Training Camp
  • Sat, Nov 17, at Queen Elizabeth School (1905 Eastlake Ave - corner of Taylor St and Eastlake, one block west of Broadway Ave) in Saskatoon.
  • 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
  • All Canada Games-eligible athletes and their personal coaches are expected to attend.
  • For more information please contact Claude Seguin (SFA Prov Coach) or Lynn at the SFA Office.

Mission:
Promote opportunities for youth

Objectives:

1. Field a complete team for Games
2. Achieve competitive results
3. Make the program a stepping-stone to the future

Goals:

1. Find 5 athletes per weapon
2. Select the final 3 athletes as late as possible
3. Provide opportunities for all regions to participate
4. Provide objective criteria for selection
5. Minimize subjective criteria
6. Prepare the Games contingent as well as possible: Technically, Physically, and Psychologically

Means:

• Identify and train as many potential Games team members as possible from all clubs
• Provide and promote the best coaching possible
• Shield the participants from as much hype as possible
• Allow as much time as possible for selections
• Objective criteria stem from out-of-province results to avoid club rivalry
• Promote Saskatchewan, and not the clubs, regarding participation
• Any subjective criteria will be the responsibility of the Provincial Coach and the Technical Committee based upon experience with 3 previous Games
• The young athlete is the primary concern
• Any athlete who tries is a success
• Camps will be held and everyone in the program is expected to participate
• Some financial support will be provided for travel to Eastern Canada next fall

Conclusion:

• Canada Games program is a stepping-stone for future Provincial Squad members
• Learned responsibility, sportsmanship, congeniality, competitiveness are key to the success of our contingent
• Personal discipline is a cornerstone
• Learning to travel is integral
• Success, however measured at this age, is directly tied to FUN

Outline of SFA Program for Canada Games
February 2003
Bathurst-Campbellton, New Brunswick
(revised 28 Oct 2001)
(updated 18 Jan 2002)

2001-02 Season

Games Squad
All athletes who are under 17 before Jan. 1, 2003 (born in 1986 or since) are welcome to join the Games Squad

• All Games Squad athletes have this season (2001-02) to qualify for the Initial Games Team.
• Results from designated out-of-province competitions (listed below) will be considered for initial team selection (June 2002).
• Initial Team selection (June 2002) will be 5 athletes per weapon in 5 weapons (Women's Foil and Epee, Men's Foil, Epee, and Sabre). (Note that this is two more athletes in each weapon than will make the Final Team that will travel to the Canada Games.)

Competitions
Saskatchewan:
    Regina Open - October 2001
    Militia Open (Saskatoon) - November 2001
    Wheatland (Prince Albert) - January 2002
    Northwestern Open (Prince Albert) - February 2002 
    Provincials (Saskatoon) - March 2002
    Asquith Open - April 2002

Out-of-Province (ground transportation provided by SFA for two of these competitions, results from the Open and age-category events at these competitions will be considered during initial and final team selection):
    Northern Alberta Open (Edmonton) - January 2002
    Calgary Open - March 2002
    Westerns (Regina) - May 2002
    Nationals (New Brunswick, optional) - June 2002

Training Camps:
Camps are scheduled for November of 2001 and March and May of 2002.
- recommend that all serious Games Squad members attend all camps.

Summer Camp 2002 is compulsory for the selected Initial Games Team.
- serious training camp (1 week).

Notes to parents:

• During the course of 2 seasons, in this age category, improvement can often be dramatic from one season to the next. Also, this improvement can often be dramatic to the next season, whether or not the athletes qualify for the 2003 team.
• All serious Games Squad members are expected to be outfitted almost completely with their own equipment by the end of the 2001-02 season.

2002-03 Season

Competitions
Saskatchewan:
    Regina Open - October 2002
    Militia Open (Saskatoon) - November 2002
    Wheatland Open (Prince Albert) - January 2003
    Team Challenge (Saskatoon) - January 2003
    Northwestern Open (?) (Prince Albert) - February 2003
    (?: depends on training program and dates of competitions in relation to Canada Games)

Out-of-Province (these competitions will be used in selecting the Final Games Team, some funding will be available for the Eastern event):
    Eastern Canadian Elite Circuit Event
    Western Canadian Elite Circuit Event

Training Camps
Camps are scheduled for September, October and December of 2002 and January/February of 2003.

General

• Initial Games Team members are still competing for berth to Canada Games.
• Final Games Team selection based on results, attitude, injuries, illness, etc.

NOTE: Rest will be provided after the Games. Continuation of regular season's participation is important for our normal ongoing Cadet and Junior programs. Season will end with the Nationals in June of 2003. Some Games Team athletes may continue to receive funding after the Games.

SUMMARY

The Canada Games program is important to all Cadets. It is not an end to a career but merely a stepping-stone for all Games Squad members whether or not they are selected to the Canada Games Team. We have other programs, Provincial and National, for our athletes. Canada Games Team members and non-team members from Saskatchewan have gone on to Cadet, Junior, and Senior National Team status.

During a period of 2 years the SFA will spend a minimum of $20,000 on Canada Games athletes.

As Provincial Coach I am very much interested in all our young participants whether or not they achieve 'excellence'. They are our future Senior Provincial Squad and Elite members and most importantly our recreational fun and fitness members. The sport does offer something for everyone.

Thank you for your support or participation in your choice of the numerous opportunities offered in the sport of fencing.

- Claude Séguin, Sask Provincial Coach

For more information contact:

 

 
Frequently-asked Questions concerning the SFA Program for the 2003 Jeux Canada Games

1. Who is eligible for the Canada Games Team?
   All athletes who are under 17 before Jan. 1, 2003 (born in 1986 or since) are welcome to join the Games Squad. Athletes who have not already applied to be part of the SFA's Canada Games program, and who wish to be considered for Canada Games, should contact Lynn at the SFA Office as soon as possible to ensure that they are put on the mailing/contact list.
    
2. How will the team be selected?
   There will be two selections made. An Initial Games Team of 5 athletes per weapon will be selected at the end of the 2001-02 season, likely in June 2002. The Final Games Team (the athletes who will travel to New Brunswick) will be selected as late as possible, likely in late December 2002 or early January 2003.
   
   Both the Initial and Final Games Teams will be selected by the SFA Provincial Coach, Claude Séguin, in consultation with the SFA Technical Committee. Selections will be based on competitive results in the designated out-of-province competitions (2002 Northern Alberta Open, 2002 Calgary Open, 2002 Westerns, 2002 CFF Eastern Elite, 2002 CFF Western Elite) and on other factors such as training habits, health, injury, and attitude.
    
3. How many athletes will be selected to the Final Games Team?
   The Final Games Team consists of 3 athletes in each of the following events: Men's Foil, Men's Epee, Men's Sabre, Women's Foil, and Women's Epee for a total of 15 athletes. An athlete may not be selected in more than one event.
    
4. Is there any funding available for the Games Squad athletes?
   Direct funding will be provided in the form of subsidized van transportation to some out-of-province competitions during the 2001-02 season and airfare subsidies to the Initial Games Team for travel to the CFF Eastern Elite in fall of 2002.
   
   Indirect funding will be provided in the form of training camps and training programs, presentations from Sports Medicine consultants (nutrition, mental training, …), and fitness testing.
    
   Athletes selected to the Final Games Team are fully-funded for their air travel to and from the Games and for their meals and accommodations while at the Games.
    
5. When are the Games?
   The Games are February 22 to March 8, 2003 (competition in any particular sport occurs in either the first or second week of the Games).Fencing is a first-week sport (February 22 to March 1).
    
6. How important are the in-province competitions?
   Canada Games Squad athletes need as much piste experience as possible, and so are expected to compete in all SFA competitions (see next item). If an athlete is unable to attend an in-province competition, s/he should contact the Provincial Coach and/or Lynn at the SFA Office.
    
7. What events should the athletes be entering?
   Games Squad athletes should enter all events for which they are eligible in their weapon of choice (e.g. Cadet, Junior, and Senior events in provincial competitions).
    
8. How often should the athletes be training?
   Athletes should be training in their clubs at least once a week, more if possible. Please note that all the club coaches in the province are under the supervision and direction of Claude Séguin, the SFA Provincial Coach, and all club coaches are adequately qualified to prepare and train their Games Squad athletes.
    
9. Who will be accompanying the athletes to the Games?
   The SFA staff accompanying the athletes will be comprised of two coaches (John Brunning and Lynn Seguin) and one manager (Brian Zulkoskey). Both coaches must be NCCP-certified Level III in at least one weapon, and one of them must be female.  Selection of the staff will be made by the SFA Technical Committee, in consultation with Claude.
    
10. What is the format of the competition at the Games?
    Team Event
    The team event is a complete round-robin. The first round of the event is an intra-team match - each fencer fences a 5-hit bout with each of his/her teammates. Each team then fences every other team in the event. A team match consists of 9 5-hit bouts, with each member of a team fencing each of the members of the opposing team. The winner of a team match is the team that wins at least 5 of the 9 bouts. At the end of the team round-robin, placings are decided by number of match victories. If two or more provinces are tied in match victories, the order of tie-breaking is total bout victories, total hit indicators (hits scored minus hits received), and hits scored.
    
    Individual Event
    Since in the course of the team event each competitor fences every other competitor (including his/her own teammates), it is possible to rank the competitors individually at the conclusion of the team round-robin. The top 8 fencers (most victories), are then seeded into a direct elimination tableau. Bouts in the individual final are for 15 hits.

While we have tried to anticipate all your questions and concerns, please contact Claude Seguin or the SFA Office if you require any additional information.