What do you think it takes to start a fencing club?

[Schiavona]

I've started, or rather helped start, two fencing clubs that are still up and running, so I have some ideas, which I'll post later. I wanted to tap the collective fencing mind out there. I'd like to hear about the invisible things as well as the visible. Keep in mind that there are many places without a matre close at hand. Have fun!

[Katman]

Dedication, practicality, and money.

[Schiavona]

Well, I agree with one of those.........when is starting a fencing club(or fencing itself) ever practical? As to the clubs I've been involved in, they both were started without any money and still don't have any!

[dreadfoily]

I would suggest a three weapon club. With instructors [at least 2] who have good solid backgrounds and classifications in the three weapons, with capable directors and rated, certified people who know what they're doing, as well as projected schedules of events for students who want to fence competitively in Nationals, etc.

[Schiavona]

I would suggest a three weapon club. With instructors [at least 2] who have good solid backgrounds and classifications in the three weapons, with capable directors and rated, certified people who know what they're doing, as well as projected schedules of events for students who want to fence competitively in Nationals, etc.

This would be very nice.......And I'm sure it doesn't happen very often.

What I was trying to point out is that people don't need a lot of material things.
Yes, yes, yes, you do need personal fencing gear(or kit for Louweasel) and a place to practice.

If you are wanting to start a club, because there isn't one where you are or you don't like an existing club, and you are waiting 'till there's enough money or you find the perfect space-you'll most likely never do it. Salle Auriol in Seattle started in a small exercise space in the middle of a Safeway bakery!

If you want to start a club, find a space-no! BEG a space from some one, ask somebody to teach-or teach yourself and most important have some one show up EVERY TIME. Never stop having goals, never settle for status quo.

So;
1. Have a place you can meet
2. Teach
3. Always show up-and stick around!
4. Never stop trying to grow

Having a dedicated space 24/7, electric scoring equipment, metallic strips, certified coaching staff, gear up the wazzoo and a juice bar would be WONDERFUL!, well maybe not the wazzoo part, but if you are waiting till you can have all that-you won't.

Just find some other crazy people and try to do those four things listed above. Blink, it will be twenty years later and you'll HAVE that juice bar!

[Inquartata]

you do need personal fencing gear(or kit for Louweasel) and a place to practice.

If you are wanting to start a club

You have to buy kit for Louweasel before you can start a club? Man, how did she manage to get THAT clause enacted?

[Schiavona]

You have to buy kit for Louweasel before you can start a club? Man, how did she manage to get THAT clause enacted?

Inq, have you looked at her profile?

[Inquartata]

Inq, have you looked at her profile?

You mean the part about her not being a member of any public gropes? I fail to see how that---

Oh, wait, that's groups....

At any rate, I'm afraid I don't ken your reference, Shiv. Maybe it has something to do with not having slept in the last 26 hours...

[Schiavona]

Sorry, I was trying to say, "She posts a pretty picture" of herself.

[Inquartata]

Oh. Nolo contendere, then.

[hpfencing]

I helped start the Amarillo College Fencing Assoicaiton (http://www.acfencers.com) and then started 2 clubs on my own: Fannin Fencing Team (in a public school) and High Plains Fencing (a competitive club; http://www.hpfencing.com)

ther eare four things that I think you must have before starting a club that will be successful.

1. A coach (there are lots of training opportunities, a strong, good fencer does not make a great coach in all cases)
2. A comittment (from a group of people to stick with it and help it out, one person will have a hard time doing everything themselves--I know my first club Fannin--it was really rough for a while)
3. Money or sponsorship (somehow you have to find a way to afford space and at some point gear... some clubs require there fencers to buy all there own gear, this gets really expensive and the club will loose members)
4. Membership base (you have to start out with a few people that want to fence and then recruit a bigger audience..) This was my biggest challenge at High Plains Fencer; getting a stable group together. Now it is a great place to fence but at first numbers made it hard and expensive on everyone..

[reawl]

Being in the process of starting my own club I'd say it is all about the people. You have to have hard working leader-type people, be they coaches or owners, or just enthusiastic fencers. Then you have to have the population, an interest in the community and the ability to keep up and grow that interest so that your club will continue to have support. The rest will fall into place once you have people.

Some thoughts on getting thew masses involved. Demos as local schools and groups like boyscouts or the boys and girls club. Advrtisements at local businesses, and radio.

Web sites help too: http://www.rivercityfencing.net

[dreadfoily]

Schia darling!!!! Thanks for the little PM. I didn't know what you were taking about, but it was fun retreiving the message. I agree that money is probably the last thing a salle needs to begin. Most gyms can be rented for very little money and if you can find two buddies to start off with you and put together some classes it will work. The problem is......if you start the club and several experienced fencers walk in, they will want to fence more strongly.

Beginner classes can be different than other fencers. For example a beginner class can and probably should consist mainly of group lessons. With the primary emphasis being on footwork and bladework drills. Those students by the way would not need more than a mask and garden glove, wearing their own sweat suits to begin with. After these students 'shape up' as it were, they may be interested in joining a beginner competition on the local level. Then, depending on the leniency of the Division, they may be able to get away with wearing blue pants and other 'incorrect' colors. Later on, should they want to continue, they begin to puchase equipment at a modest cost. The salle continues to run an ad maybe once a year, co-inciding with the beginning of a new fencing season [August] taking in beginners who will start off in the group lessons. The cycle continues endlessly until, in about 4-5 years you have a corp of about 5 students who can fence competetively, at a decent level, with 10 others who compete well, but not as successfully, and the bottom ranks slowly developing or dropping the sport. Hopefully in 20 years you'll end up with a corps of 20-30 veteran fencers who will have little do's for your group and outfit the club with goodies like plastic strips; tape; some extra cords they have laying around,and of course assist in the directing of your newer, younger, thinner students.

[that's an ice-cream cone]

[hpfencing]

Nice idea dreadlyfoil, thanks.....

[KC]

We started with a core group of 4 (who are still fencing) and no money. We are now filing our 501c paperwork. We meet 3 days a week. We are steadly growing and have had to move twice. We are now in a brand new 7000 sq ft community gym at no cost to us.

All we had was a desire and now we have fencers on the NRPS in their respective age groups. We fence sabre exclusively and had just finished holding the largest sabre tournament Tennessee has ever had. We even gave away 1000.00 in door prizes.

There are a lot of ideas flying around about what you need. Many of them are valid and should be considered but imho desire to fence is first and foremost.

[grphiw]

Actually I've been trying to start up a club for about a year now at my school, with many false starts and stops. The main problem is getting enough money. Ideally we'd like to have a variety of weapons and equipment that will remain school property, along with several scorng machine set ups, and a spare parts kit. Sadly, this comes to almost $5,000. If anybody has any suggestions on how to start up really cheaply in terms of equipment (we have a gym, dedication, interest and legal waivers), they would be greatly appreciated.

[telkanuru]

Hmf. Have you tried to get (a) company/ies to sponsor? Remind them that community outreach is good. Regular fundraisers work, too. If you a highschooler, than the PA or whatnot may be able to help a bit. Don't ask for the full sum from either the PA or the administration, just ask for some to help get things going.

[KC]

Actually I've been trying to start up a club for about a year now at my school, with many false starts and stops. The main problem is getting enough money. Ideally we'd like to have a variety of weapons and equipment that will remain school property, along with several scorng machine set ups, and a spare parts kit. Sadly, this comes to almost $5,000. If anybody has any suggestions on how to start up really cheaply in terms of equipment (we have a gym, dedication, interest and legal waivers), they would be greatly appreciated.

Start with dry equipment, once the interest is there, start the move to electric. You can do this for approximately 1000.00. Its how we started.

[Schiavona]

If anybody has any suggestions on how to start up really cheaply in terms of equipment (we have a gym, dedication, interest and legal waivers), they would be greatly appreciated.

Are there any other fencing clubs in your area? That might be a good place to look for help, used equipment to buy or equipment to borrow. Your Division might be able to help, some Divisions have programs for Juniors. every fencer I know would be happy to help highschoolers start a club. Do all the usual things that people do to raise money. Car washes, tournaments, raffles and so on. Yes, it's a lot of hard work, but that's what makes it worthwhile.

[Schiavona]

We started with a core group of 4 (who are still fencing) and no money. We are now filing our 501c paperwork. We meet 3 days a week. We are steadly growing and have had to move twice. We are now in a brand new 7000 sq ft community gym at no cost to us.

All we had was a desire and now we have fencers on the NRPS in their respective age groups. We fence sabre exclusively and had just finished holding the largest sabre tournament Tennessee has ever had. We even gave away 1000.00 in door prizes.

There are a lot of ideas flying around about what you need. Many of them are valid and should be considered but imho desire to fence is first and foremost.

Thank you KC. I've been reading too many posts starting out with, 'you need money'. Something I haven't seen yet is the idea of teaching fencing classes in exchange for floor space try this with community centers, Boys & Girls Clubs and so on. I know this works, my club taught fencing in return for space at a community center and now does the same thing at a Boys & Girls Club.