Happy September!
We hope you have had a great summer, and that you are enjoying the somewhat cooler weather as we continue to transition into the 2020-2021 season. We realize that this is a slightly different start to the season than any of us had envisioned. The OFA continues to engage directly with the Ministry to clarify vague legislation or request for exemptions in order for some form of combat to occur. Please see the update section below for more details.
OFA Memberships are now due, and can be purchased here. If you are unsure of which type of membership to purchase, please refer to the OFA Membership Information Page, contact your club/coach, or send an email to web@fencingontario.ca. Please note that the Competitive Membership fee has been reduced to $60 (including $22.50 CFF License fee) this year due to the cancellation of several large competitions in the fall.
We have noticed that some members were issued new CFF license numbers last year (starting with C19-) despite having an existing CFF number (C18 or earlier). 2M/Interpodia has tried to correct these throughout last season, but may not have caught every single case. Please contact web@fencingontario.ca if you do run into this issue.
Virtual Zoom Sessions
The OFA will continue to provide virtual zoom Conditioning Sessions and Footwork Sessions through the fall, with some small schedule tweaks to accommodate back to school changes:
Conditioning Sessions: REGISTER HERE
Youth: Mondays 5:00pm-5:30pm
High Impact: Tuesdays 6:00pm – 6:45pm
Low Impact: Wednesdays 6:00pm – 6:30pm
Footwork Sessions: REGISTER HERE
Thursdays, 5:00pm – 6:00pm
Sessions will start on or after September 8th, 2020. Note that participants must have a 2020-2021 CFF license (OFA membership or equivalent provincial membership) in order to access the sessions.
Return to Play – Fencing Lesson Risk Table
Looking forward to when combat in private lessons and between athletes will be permitted, the OFA Medical and Health Committee has created a Risk Mitigation Guidelines for Fencing Lessons(Infographic). The French (infographic) and Chinese translations can be found in the Translations Section of the COVID-19 Return To Play Page. We are just awaiting the Chinese Infographics, and it will be uploaded as soon as possible.
Ministry Updates
The OFA has, over the summer, participated in separate teleconference calls with MPP David Smith, Minister Lisa MacLeod (MHSTCI), as well as MPP Suze Morrison to request clarification on personal instruction exemptions for physical distancing. Steve Harlow (Assistant Deputy Minister), who was on the call with Minister MacLeod and is tasked with handling the sport safety protocols, acknowledged our struggles, among other sports, with this vague section of the legislation, and confirmed that his team is meeting with the Medical Officers to discuss regulation amendments for the Sport Sector.
The OFA further requested physical distance exemptions for HP athletes to train at CSIO in the interim, and ADM Harlow also shared that both CSIO and Markham Pan/Am Centre are working with the Ministry to explore safe training options for high performance athletes.
The OFA is currently drafting a letter with MPP Morrison to the Ministry and the Premier’s Office to request further action.
The OFA has also submitted our Return To Play documents to the Ministry as part of the Stage 3 Reopening Plan for sports (this is the first time the Ministry has requested protocols from PSOs), and we have received confirmation that our documents are under review.
We hope to be able to share updates from the Ministry soon, and appreciate your patience and understanding in the meantime.
Stay safe, and happy back to school!
