Hey guys, new to the board, SCA fencin' question

[Xaaron Swiftblade]

Hi all. I think I posted on the board a while back, but that was before I started fencing. Anyway, I'm an SCA fencer, and since I can't find and sca fencing board, I came here. I've been fencing now for almost a year, and I'm near the top of my class. My biggest problem though is confidence. If someone charges me or if I'm forced into close combat, I'm a gonner. Now, this is against an instructor, otherwise I'm usually alrite. Anyway though, what exercises can I do to boost my confidence? Also, is there an SCA board somewhere on the web?

Thanx in advance,
-XSwiftblade

[MikeHarm]

yeah, www.sca.org is the site. You should know that one though.


Mike

[swordsen]

Not having actually done SCA fencing (but knowing several people who do), I would recomend practice. same as I do for sport fencers who have the same problem. talk it over with whoever you workout with and have them do it to you till you get it right.
If you actually have a coach somewhere (I am sure that someone out there has started making money coaching SCA, If not maybe I should start....) talk to him and he should be able to design lessons that will work you through the problem.

[Inquartata]

You could try www.swordforums.com. It's not specific to the SCA, but there are a lot of people who fence in it, as well as those who do heavier combat of all sorts, i.e. "live" steel longsword, live steel rapier, etc.

[Xaaron Swiftblade]

I have an instructor... he's not a personal coach, but I guess pretty close. I'm not in the sca yet (not 18) but its the style/rules we follow.

[Christopher J Umbs]

Xaaron,

try http://www.bobhurley.net/cgi-bin/rr_.../ikonboard.cgi

As for the close combat situations, sorry.. all of my responses to those situations tend to get me into trouble with the SCA marshals.

Swordsen,

You said "I am sure that someone out there has started making money coaching SCA, If not maybe I should start....)"

Ok... here I go on another rant (Xaanon, cover your ears).

No, nobody is receiving any money for teaching the SCA. The SCA is a non-profit organization and can not, legally, pay their teachers. The SCA teacher teach because they like to, think it’s honorable, and to give back something to the society (since they were often taught the same way). Of course those of us with any experience with the SCA, know how low their skill level is compared to those of us who take instruction under people who actually make their living teaching fencing (whether sport, classical or historical). In fact, just about all of the best SCA fencers have studied in other forms of fencing.

Now the reason that more SCA fencers don’t take lessons is the due to the fact that it’s sort of the SCA culture to view the practice of charging for information as somehow dishonorable. Sometimes it’s gets really funny, like when they go up to a professional and offer to have a free exchange of information between them or ask one of them to teach a class in return for beer and crash space. But to return to the original point, nobody will ever make money teaching Scadians… they expect to have everything given to them for free on a silver platter and are deeply offended when they are asked to show a little sacrifice for their art.

Now is the point in the rant where I always have to mention that I am aware that there are a scattered handful of Scadians doing good work and trying to raise the level of fencing and authenticity in the SCA and I wish them well. I’m just not very optimistic of their chances.

Chris

(once upon a time, Don Armand de la Poor, Order of the Golden Rapier)

[epeemike81]

Point of fact, Chris: Non-profits certainly CAN pay their employees. All non profit means is that any monies received must, if not used to pay employees, be re-invest in the company.

Whether the SCA chooses to charge, I don't know and defer to you (apparantly, from your post, the answer is no), but it is not illegal for them to do so.

-m

[Ken Mondschein]

Originally posted by Inquartata:
<STRONG>You could try www.swordforums.com. </STRONG>

It's www.swordforum.com.

Other than that, I shall endeavor to remain silent on this subject.

[Foilerist]

sorry but this may be a silly question. What is SCA fencing. I've never heard of it, is it American? what's involved? weapons etc. thanks, just curious.

[Xaaron Swiftblade]

SCA - society for creative anachronism
More realistic... no right of way or points, you either die, get cut, or get a limb hacked off U can use epee, foil, schlager, saber (i think), dagger, cloak, buckler... even seen rubber band guns (big melees only i think though) O, and u can where black

[MikeHarm]

Sabre in the SCA? Last I heard they banned it just about everywhere as too dangerous/painful. Michigan is Schlaeger only as well, and I think that the majority of states that SCA operates in its the same deal last I talked to folks about it.

Mike

[ 08-12-2001: Message edited by: MikeHarm ]

[Xaaron Swiftblade]

Alrite, I'll take your word for it... I'm not 18 yet, so I can't get in... the lessons I take go by sca rules though

[Iwant2bafencer]

Film Maker? I really don't know any web sites for that kind of fencing, although it sounds really interesting.

[Matt_Bailey]

I looked at joining the SCA recently, being always interested in a broader range of folks to train longsword with.

I read the "rules of engagement" as they were.

Ya know, at least 1/3 of my bread and butter techniques are illegal.

I also went to the trouble to talk to some members. I learned, that despite the fact that I have both heard of and even read some of De Liberi, Talhoffer, and Ringeck, I still don't know anything about Medieval swordplay. You can only get the real skill in Medieval swordplay from hitting each other full contact with rattan while wearing plastic armor...except we don't hit each other in the legs or the hands or the lymph nodes or wrestle, or hit each other TOO hard with our full contact, or use footwork, or any of those un-chivalrous things.

[epeemike81]

Originally posted by Matt_Bailey:
<STRONG>I also went to the trouble to talk to some members. I learned, that despite the fact that I have both heard of and even read some of De Liberi, Talhoffer, and Ringeck, I still don't know anything about Medieval swordplay.</STRONG>

I must say that I too, in my few dealings with SCA have found their members to be incredibly arrogant. I used to work at the Higgins Armory Museum in Worcester, MA, and SCA members would routinely come in and try to tell the staff, most of whom had Masters or PhD's in the subject, that their description of weapon uses etc. were wrong. Any SCAdiens out there, please do not take this statement as a personal affront. It is simply a statement about the experiences I have had with certain SCAdiens.

-m

[Xaaron Swiftblade]

I have no personal experience with any SCA events (for the third time, I'm not 18 yet) so I can't say whether they're arrogant or not. I do know that my instructor has had some very bad experiences with them, but prefers their rules over olympic/sport fencing. Its a shame though that with the absence of electric scoring, there seems to be alot of corruption/politics in the SCA, and that just ain't kewl

[latenight]

"More realistic" ????

Oh please, this is going to be a LONG thread.

I will choose to refrain from going there yet again.....

[Ken Mondschein]

<STRONG>I do know that my instructor has had some very bad experiences with them, but prefers their rules over olympic/sport fencing.</STRONG>

See the Association for Historical Fencing rules at the AHF's Web page.

<STRONG> Its a shame though that with the absence of electric scoring, there seems to be alot of corruption/politics in the SCA, and that just ain't kewl</STRONG>

I see you're in New Jersey. If you're interested in historical fencing, you should check out the Martinez Academy of Arms Web site. Also, there will be a very large event this October in New York City at which you can become more acquainted with what's going on in the mad, mad world of historical fencing.

[ 08-14-2001: Message edited by: Ken Mondschein ]

[Peach]

I have an acquaintance (he takes fencing lessons at our club) who enjoys the SCA very much and has been involved in it for years. I guess it depends on where you are and what you want from it.

--Delia

[Ken Mondschein]

Originally posted by Peach:
<STRONG>I have an acquaintance (he takes fencing lessons at our club) who enjoys the SCA very much and has been involved in it for years. I guess it depends on where you are and what you want from it.

--Delia</STRONG>

Hi--

I promised I'd try to be quiet on this thread, I edited my previous message to take out too much of an anti-SCA slant.

I was a member of the SCA for many years; my brother is at Pennsic even as I type this. If Mr. and Mrs. Swiftblade are OK with their son going away to events, the SCA can be a very fun place for a kid.

If anyone wants to know my opinion on why the SCA can be a very dangerous and unhealthy thing, they can e-mail me privately.