A few years ago, someone asked for advice on starting a career as a fencing coach (the poster was a young fencer). I made a reply, and forgot about it. Someone just reminded me of it and I wanted to put it here, so I don't forget it:


Very few coaches in the United States make their sole living as fencing coaches. Most of us have jobs or significant others that support what we do. However, with a little planning, some perseverance, and some luck, it's possible to turn fencing into a career.

Some advice now, before you have to make some difficult decisions:

1. Keep fencing. The more experiance you have as a fencer, now, when you're young enough to train and compete a lot, the more you will bring to the sport in your later years. Dabble in more than one weapon, later in your career. Take advantage of camps and training seminars outside of where you are.

2. Take care of yourself. Avoid risky behavior like smoking. Eat healthy, lift weights, stretch, and study how your body works and functions. It's the tool you are going to be using the rest of your life and you'll need to get a lot of mileage out of it. The base physical conditioning you put down now will give you a long career.

3. Educate yourself about your sport. Learn the history behind it. Not just the ancient history, but talk to the older fencers around you about old practices and rules. D'Angelo is important, but so is Romankov. Knowing where fencing came from can help you see where it is going. "Everything old is new again."

4. Pick good mentors and advisors. I can't tell you how valuable coaches like Ed Richards, Gary Copeland, Jim Denton, Vinnie Bradford and others have been to me. When I have a problem I can't solve, I go to them.

5. Continue with your education. Fencing doesn't always pay the bills at first, and having something to fall back on is invaluable. It could even be something related to fencing such as a degree in sports science or sports managment. Education - especially higher education - opens up your mind to thinking in concepts and generalities, rather than just facts. You'll need that, later.

6. Keep laughing. A lot. The first time you see someone you've worked hard to train completely fall to pieces on the strip, the only thing that will save you, and your student, is a sense of humor.

It's not a complete list, but it's a start. I never thought, when I was 17, that I would end up coaching fencers at a National level. I wish I had been given the foresight to prepare, like you are. Good luck!