The Oceania Fencing Confederation (OFC) Board, Oceania National Delegates and Regional Development Officer met in Melbourne in February for a Strategic Planning Workshop facilitated by Brooke Kneebush. A great step forward plotting the future of Oceania Fencing was made over this three-day period.
As a follow up to last year’s successful Online Coaching Trial, the OFC has begun running a Level 1 Course in a different discipline; Epee. 23 students from across Oceania are participating, working hard to gain coaching skills to meet the needs of a new generation of fencers.
Leon Thomas (OFC Regional Development Officer) traveled to PNG in March, to assist Fencing PNG to re-establish their program and to assess the remaining three Level 1 Foil Coaches from the 2022 Online Trial. The mission was successful on this front, with there now being three new accredited coaches in PNG and the Fencing Development Program back on track. Not only that but a few hundred school kids from Port Moresby were introduced to fencing for the first time!
In April, Helen Smith (OFC President) and Leon Thomas attended the OSFO and ONOC General Assemblies in Brisbane. It was great to meet old friends and colleagues, renew and research ideas and plans, receive a good update on Oceania programs and events, and – of course – see the great work Helen is doing at OSFO.
