Coach Profile: Laycy Elys


Coaching Focus (Community, Development or Performance)
Development

Qualified since
2018

Last CPD Course With Year
TRE® TRAUMA RELEASE EXERCISES Authorised Provider Certification Modules 1-3 -2022

Coaching Rates Group Individual


My Coaching Philosophy
"FIGHT ON, BUT FIGHT RIGHT"

My coaching philosophy is that everyone in the world should learn to Fence in order to learn how to stand their ground in life, without apologising for existing; without excuses, and without need to take another life or to cause pain to another. In Fencing, ‘No one has to die!’ There are only temporary winners and temporary losers. The real experience of Fencing recognises that who you think you are will fall apart and crumble, over and over, and over again.That is the only true Fencing death you experience. That is normal. That is life. The game is not panicking or giving up. The game is not being normal. The game is handling the stress and simply not leaving the room, staying in your body and not running away from living or from the Fencing piste. The fun of the game is rebuilding yourself. The challenge is realising that you can do so, over and over, and over again, in so many ways, and against the odds. There is always enough victory for everyone because there will always be another fight, another competition, another medal, another coach, another fighter, another Fencing repertoire, more rules, more regulations and even, another Referee.

My coaching philosophy for Fencing allows my sport to exist without irony or cognitive dissonance of the problematic place weapons and violence holds in society, especially where knife crime, domestic violence and a disturbing yet, ‘generalised’ violence against women and girls is concerned. My coaching philosophy identifies ' touch' or 'touche' as the responsibility of owning what you put out into the world, as a decent human being and as a Sport Fencer.

I am a black female Fencing Master accredited and examined as such for all 3 Fencing weapons (ambidextrously) by the FIE directly, and not by any partisan Fencing Federations or Academies. I have 20+ years experience as a competitive and ranked British based Fencer in Sabre, Foil & Epee. I was trained as a Fencing Coach by President of the FIE Coaching Council, Gennady Tyshler; the son of my Fencing Coaching idol, the multiple World Champion and Olympic training legend that is, Prof. David Tyshler.

Both I, and my Fencing coaching training, pre-dates the international BLM movement in 2020. If there were more Fencing coaches with my profile in the world; no racism, no sexism, no Fascism, no ageism, and no misogyny; I wouldn't have to say that, but I do.

I understand Fencing in all its forms and identities to be international, complex, and diverse; just like me, and just like my welcomed and varied clientele. Over time and not overnight I have become the coaching hero I never had or could regularly rely on in the past. I have become the coach who understands what it feels like to be constantly underestimated and overlooked, but to stand your ground and persist anyway. I have become a coach who understands what it is to believe in yourself and be the only one in a room or Fencing Salle who does. I have become a coach one can trust and who one can rely upon to follow through with commitments promised, and to be mutually respectful and honest in front of someone’s face, as well as behind their back. I am a coach who has never been frightened to not be complicit and to never turn a blind eye to inappropriate behaviour, language, or systemic conduct, that does not facilitate a fair, skilled fight, or training. I am a coach who honours my teaching knowledge to clients regardless of their age, sex, race, gender or preferred Fencing weapon and I do so without ever trying to diminish or humiliate someone's spirit in the process. I understand what it is to put 100% effort into a lesson every time; and to share all my knowledge and to not cut corners ; and know that doing so, MATTERS.

Disclaimer

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Coaches are encouraged to work within their qualifications and competencies, and if they don't, they are not insured. For more information click here.

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