THOSE INVOLVED
Nick Chapman, Mike Thornton, Tristan Hale, Matthew Thompson, Neal Thomas, Su Stuart
GB Boys Cadet Epee Coach
First fenced in Redditch in 1979.
Took over running Cadet Epee in 2001
Qualified coach at all three weapons
Coaching professionally since 1991
Experience
Competitive success of pupils
Since he turned professional in 1991 Nicks fencers have won 24 national titles, 18 places in the England Youth Team, two places in the Welsh Youth Team, five Leon Paul Series, four Public Schools Titles and four places in the British Team for the World Cadet Championships. In 2003 Nicks fencer won 25% of all the Epee medals at the British Cadet & Junior Championships.
Coaching (Schools)
Nick has been teaching at Warwick School since 1992
Nick has been teaching at Bromsgrove School since 1993
Nick has been teaching at Winterfold House Prep School since 1995
Nick has been teaching at Myton School (Warwick) since 1996
Nick has been teaching at Alice Ottley School (Worcester) since 2000
Coaching (Clubs)
Nick has been coaching at Evesham Club since 1992.
Nick has been coaching at Stourport Club since 1993.
Nick also act as assistant coach to Professor Northam at the West Midlands Junior Centre of Excellence and has done since 1995.
Competitions
Nick ran the Redditch Cup (Open, Foil Teams) between 1995 and 2004
Nick has been running the Bayer Cup (Hereford and Worcester Closed Mixed Doubles Foil) since 1996
Nick has been running the Bromsgrove Challenge (Age group Foil and Epee) since 1998
Nick has been running the Warwick Leon Paul Epee (Age group Epee) since 2001.
Nick has been running the Bill Hoskyns Open (Senior men’s Epee) since 2005
Nick also assist with the organisation and running of a number of other events;
The Birmingham Schools Individuals three times a year.
The Birmingham Schools Teams three times a year.
Courses
Nick has been running a summer training camp at Warwick School since 1998.
Nick has been course organiser for Coaching Courses leading to Academy exams three times (2000-2002).
Nick was the lead epee coach at an England Youth Training day at Upper Heyford in 2001.
Nick was the lead coach on an England ‘Tomorrow’s Achievers Training day at Warwick in 2004
Nick was assistant coach on the Midland School of Sport (Keel University) 1992.
Nick has also assisted Professor Northam on many of his courses since 1994.
Nick has also been assistant coach on 5 GB Junior Epee training sessions (2001-2004)
Trips
Nick was on the coaching staff for the England team for the ‘Junior Home International’ in Tidworth 2001.
Nick has been GB Boys Cadet Epee Coach since 2001 and as a result has organised and participated in 13 foreign trips for the GB Boys Cadet Epee Squad.
I have been on the coaching staff for the Great Britain Team for the ‘Junior World Championships’ on 2 occasions. Plovdiv (Bulgaria 2004) and Linz (Austria) 2005.
Committees
Nick has served on the Hereford & Worcester County Fencing Union committee continuously since 1993.
Nick has served on the West Midland Region committee continuously since 1996.
Nick served briefly on the ‘Foil Committee’ in the mid 90’s
Nick has served on organising committee of the ‘Public Schools Fencing Competition’ continuously since 1999.
Nick has served on the ‘Epee Committee’ since 2001.
Awards
In January of 2004 Nick was awarded the ‘British Academy’ ‘Award of Merit’ for ‘services to fencing’.
In March of 2004 Nick was awarded the Leon Paul Series’ ‘Anne Smith’ Award for ‘making a significant contribution to youth fencing in the context of the Leon Paul Junior Series’.
In May of 2005 Nick was awarded the ‘Epee Club’ ‘Eddie Knott’ award for ‘a coach who has made an outstanding contribution to British Epee fencing’
Mike Thornton (centre in above picture)
GB Boys Cadet Epee Assistant Coach
First fenced in Bristol in 1966
Has helped in the running of Cadet Epee since 2001
Board Member and par time Professional coach
Coaching professionally since 2004
Success as a fencer
Mike was a member of the Oxford University Fencing Team on the seasons 1974-5 1975-6 and 1976-7. He was also President of the Oxford University fencing club in1976-7.
Success of fencers
Mike has been involved in fencing and coaching for many years but among his recent successes were two fencers in the team for the 2005 World Cadet and Junior Championships.
Coaching (Schools)
Mike has been coaching at Arnold School (Blackpool) since 1998.
Mike has been providing coaching for members of the MPAGB North West World Class Athlete squad since early 2005.
Mike also coached at Lancaster University during the 2004-5 season.
Competitions
In 1975 Mike and his wife Mavis set up, what is now one of our largest British Opens, the Bristol Open.
Mike again along with his wife Mavis, have been running the Arnold Leon Paul Epee (Age group Epee) since 2000.
Mike has been responsible for running the British Youth Championships National Age Group Finals since 2004.
Trips
Mike has been GB Boys Cadet Epee Assistant Coach since 2001 and as a result has helped organised and participated in 13 foreign trips for the GB Boys Cadet Epee Squad.
Mike was also on the coaching staff for the Great Britain Team for the ‘Junior World Championships’ in Linz (Austria) 2005.
Refereeing
Mike is one of the countries busiest referees. In the 2003-4 season he refereed 1904 fights including 48 finals. He is a qualified international referee at both Foil and Epee and is currently on the Grand Prix list of elite referees for epee.
Committees
Mike has served on many committees over the years.
He was Secretary of the under twenties committee in the late 70’s.
Since 1999 Mike has served on the Refereeing committee and since 2001 he has also been on the Rules committee.
Since 2003 he has served in the ultimate committee in the country, the Board of British Fencing.
Awards
In March of 2002 Mike and his wife Mavis were awarded the Leon Paul Series’ ‘Anne Smith’ Award for ‘making a significant contribution to youth fencing in the context of the Leon Paul Junior Series’.
Tristan Hale BAF
Coach
First fenced in Evesham in 1991
Joined the Cadet Epee Coaching team in 2003
Student (Studying MSc in Sport Management)
Qualified to coach Foil and Epee
Experience
Competition
As a young fencer Tristan regularly represented the West Midlands at the National Age group Championships.
Tristan was Captain of York University Fencing Team 2002-2003.
Tristan is now fencing for Northumbria University at all three weapons.
Coaching
Tristan started coaching as a part time professional at 18 when he went to York University. He was teaching at a number of local Schools, the university itself, as well as having some ‘Private Clients’.
Tristan is presently running a beginner class at Northumbria University.
Courses
Tristan was involved with running the summer training camp at Warwick School in 2003, since when he has been involve with all the GB Boys Cadet Epee training.
Tristan was an assistant coach on an England ‘Tomorrow’s Achievers Training day at Warwick in 2004.
Tristan has also coached at the international Girl Guide camp 2003
Refereeing
Tristan is qualified Level 3 Epee referee.
Trips
In 2005 Tristan joined the GB Boys Cadet Epee Trip to Dinant.
Committees
Deputy Chair - Central Council for Physical Recreation (CCPR) Youth focus
group.
Awards
Tristan was a finalist in the Whitbread Young Achiever of the Year (Sport) 2003
Neale Thomas BAF
Neale joined the Cadet Epee Coaching Team in 2005
First fenced Folkestone, Kent in 1972 with Prof. Alfie Mallard. Gave up fencing
in 1982, then resumed again in 1994 on moving to Surrey.
Worked for a software based consultancy firm for fifteen years, before taking
up coaching professionally in 2003.
Personal Competitive Success
Took to serious competitive fencing late (mid 30’s!) and competed on circuit
seriously between 1996 and 2002. Fenced in Winton Cup for SE region on numerous
occasions between 1977 & 2003! Finalist at various opens.
Fenced for the Welsh team from 1998 through to 2003.
Notable results:
Commonwealth Championships (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) 1998 –Team Bronze
Commonwealth Championships (Australia) 2002 –Team Bronze
British Team Championships –Winner in 2000 & 2001
Competed at numerous senior ‘A’ grades, European Club Championships, European Veterans Championships.
Competitive success of pupils
Neale has not been coaching professionally for long, but has several fencers
in cadet youth squads, and five fencers representing the south east at the BYCs.
Coaching (Schools)
Since commencing coaching Neale has introduced fencing to a number of local
schools, none of which had previously offered Fencing:
-Royal Grammar School, Guildford
-Reigate Grammar School
-Aberdour School, Burgh Heath
-Lanesborough School, Guildford
-Micklefield School, Reigate
-St Joseph’s Primary School, Redhill
Coaching (Clubs)
London Thames Fencing Club
Redhill & Reigate Fencing Club
Guildford Fencing Club
Shene Sports & Fitness Centre
Whitton Sports & Fitness Centre
Competition Organisation
Neale has been involved with local fencing for more than ten years and has alternately
run the Surrey Youth Epee & Sabre Championships and Surrey Senior Epee &
Sabre Championships since 1995, as well as assisting with SE Region events etc.
He has also assisted in the running of the Winton Cup when run by the SE Region.
Courses
Neale has assisted with Cadet courses since joining the Cadet team in 2005.
Neale has assisted with various Junior Squad courses since 2004.
Trips
GB Boys Cadet epee trip to Bonn 2005
GB Boys Cadet epee trip to Dinant 2006
GB Boys Cadet epee trip to Pisa 2006
Committees
Neale has served on the Surrey County Fencing Union committee continuously since
1994.
Neale has been the Athlete’s Representative for Men’s Epee since 2003.