Real Sticky Situation

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

Is this class preventing you from doing other (better) fencing?
And nice knickers, by the way

When did you see my knickers? And it isnt preventing me, its just another opprotunity to fence.

[keith]

Didnt I just say that she dont give lessons or teach anything but the basics? I say boy, do ya hear me?

well it wasn't clear if it was that or you didn't want lessons from an old fuddy duddy classical foilist.

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

well it wasn't clear if it was that or you didn't want lessons from an old fuddy duddy classical foilist.

Not that I would mind a lesson now an then, but when I say aldo nadi I mean stance wise, not skill wise. If you've seen his stance, then you'll get my drift.

[HillBilly]

I have seen his stance. And I just read your Journal entry...

If you're not missing any other fencing, then

WHY NOT ****ING DO IT!

[keith]

fair enough, in which case think college application - if you need an arguement beyond "for the good of your soul".

There is a reason they all like these 'extras' or ask for admission essays - your SAT score etc are, once above a certain threshold, useless for determining your academic success once at college (the dirty little secret of college admissions). So a prolonged community service can be a great addition to an application - everyone and their dog starts volunteering in their senior year so you shall appear a tad more sincere.

[HillBilly]

I've heard that colleges don't only look at your SAT scores (everyone can be smart, y'know) but they also look at your extracurricular activities. Think about it, once a week, for about two hours, for a month = roughly 8 hours of community service.
How much pain is it going to cost you to spend 8 hours of your life (depending on how long you do this for) helping other people? I volunteer at the special olympics (vt), and it turns out it's great fun! Who knows man, if you embrace it instead of shun it, you might actually get something out of it.

[Sarah]

DFP, don't worry too much.. I always am moving so I never get enough time to really learn with a coach, they always end up reteaching me. It's about perseverance. Don't give up. I used to coach beginners, in fact I'm considering it again, and it does get very boring, but it can be of use. You will know the basics down flat and you can perfect your footwork, one of my coaches was obsessed with perfect footwork, (and he was insanely excellent so it must work) so work on that. (that's what I'm doing now, I don't have a coach or a club or anyone to fence.. it'll be a while before I get one). Just don't give up!

[achilleus]

DFP,

Many people have been in similar situations.

Most people seem to be telling you what they think the right thing to do is.

When I first started fencing, my coach, an Olympian told me something I'll never forget:

Be selfish with your fencing. It's your time. It's your gift. It's your talent. You do it for yourself, and no one else.

It took me a while to figure out what he meant.

If you don't enjoy coaching, don't do it. If you are interested in activities for your 'resume'. do something besides sports. You've already got fencing, and hopefully you'll be able to list a national ranking and some results by the time college comes around. Diversify. Do debate, or editor, or photography...

[grotto]

DFP,

Use the coaching experience to help your fencing. example, while you are endlessly correcting footwork, hand positlion, parries etc. your are also training your mind to see small imperfections in your opponent. right now you are fixing the imperfections. Later, on the strip you will use the same awareness to score when your opponent is off tempo etc. I agree with Achilleus though, if you do not feel you are getting anything out of it, do not waste your / or others time. Do legwork at home, hit the ball, or wall, or home built fencing dummy. Your fencing time is precious, absolutely so use it, whether coaching or not.

[Artisan]

Little I can add to whats already been said, except:

If you don't find the coaching you do interesting, then chances are your students don't either. You are doing them no favors You may be turning future fencers away. Who knows? Either find a way to be enthusiastic which isn't entirely self serving (as in: for your college resume or to earn a few bucks) or get out. It seems you should get out, as you already have little respect for the club, its master or the kids there. A mindset like this is rarely transparent to the pupils, even for the best most seasoned professionals. The succesful teachers make the material fun to learn by enjoying the teaching, connecting with the students and are gratified by the reward of knowledge and skills successfully transfered. - We all know they don't do it for the money.

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

Little I can add to whats already been said, except:

If you don't find the coaching you do interesting, then chances are your students don't either. You are doing them no favors You may be turning future fencers away. Who knows? Either find a way to be enthusiastic which isn't entirely self serving (as in: for your college resume or to earn a few bucks) or get out. It seems you should get out, as you already have little respect for the club, its master or the kids there. A mindset like this is rarely transparent to the pupils, even for the best most seasoned professionals. The succesful teachers make the material fun to learn by enjoying the teaching, connecting with the students and are gratified by the reward of knowledge and skills successfully transfered. - We all know they don't do it for the money.

Good point, Artisan. I shall take your advice.

[CvilleFencer]

DFP, I coach at 4 different clubs, but I do it for the love of the sport. I make a small bit of money, maybe and extra 3-4000 grand a year from private lesson and such at a couple of them, but I teach for between 10-12 hours a week, have attended coaching clinics and have gotten to the point where I am a better coach than I am a fencer. I love to teach and to see fencing grow as a sport in my area and that is my main reason for doing it. I think it is important to give back to the sport and am a firm believer in fencing karma. Also I have found that teaching, and working with a very old-fashioned coach at one of my clubs, has helped me a great deal as far as my form, my patience and my knowledge of fencing in general.

I do think that if you do not have a strong club to fence with outside of what you are teaching your fencing will suffer a bit. It is a trade off and I do not know what would be best for you, but for me I am always willing to help out and grow the sport.

[D'Artag-NOT]

No, I have two other, better clubs, where I am not the coach/assistant coach, thank god. The one I teach at isnt really a club, but a class.

Okay. It's a class. Having mastered the material in this class, which you say exists for people who perhaps don't have the means to join two "other, better" clubs, you're now doing a little entry-level assistant teaching of this class.

I honestly don't see the problem here.

You don't want to help out without being paid? Don't. Your choice.

You want to concentrate on improving your fencing at your other two clubs? Great. Go for it. Also your choice.

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

Okay. It's a class. Having mastered the material in this class, which you say exists for people who perhaps don't have the means to join two "other, better" clubs, you're now doing a little entry-level assistant teaching of this class.

I honestly don't see the problem here.

You don't want to help out without being paid? Don't. Your choice.

You want to concentrate on improving your fencing at your other two clubs? Great. Go for it. Also your choice.

A little more then entry level, teaching some of the more complex moves, tactical concepts, the idea of first intention and second intention, ROW, things like that, not just the bare basics.

[D'Artag-NOT]

Fair enough--my mistake. I still say, if you don't want to do it any more, then don't. But you may be getting more value out of teaching than you realize.

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

Although I will say that it feels a little odd teaching when I've only been at it for a year and a half.

[D'Artag-NOT]

Ok, I fence at a Ghetto fencing class on wednesdays. Its cheap, the quality isnt real good, but its for kids who dont have alot of income or are just starting fencing and dont want to cough cash yet. Well, I'm the best and most experienced in the class (of 18 people) and the teacher has me working with the more inexperienced people, teaching the newbies basic footwork, bladework, and occasionally giving lessons. The problem is that I am not getting any challenge, or learning, so I'm wondering if its worth it. I would like to be paid, but the class doesnt have enough money to pay me. I enjoy coaching, but and most coaches do, but I like money also. I'm doing most of the work and getting no pay.... what should I do?

DFP=H, something occurred to me the other night. If you want to continue helping out, you can still learn. A parry drill for your student, with you as the attacker, is an attack drill for you. An attack drill for your student is a parry-riposte drill for you. No-one can ever do too much footwork or too many distance drills--even elite athletes continually practice the fundamentals of their sport.

So you could use this situation as your opportunity to keep your fundamentals sharp--after all, you want to set a good example for your students--and that would free up some fencing time for you to work on tactics and more advanced skills at your other two clubs.

Just a thought!

[broncofencer]

I have been in this exact position for the last 4 years I started in a college club that had no "coaches" just a few fencers who were about where you are now. After I gained some experience and the others left I had to take over. last year i took over another club that lost its very talented instructor. Did my fencing suffer yes. Did I feel like it was pointless at times yes. But I know have students who are equal to my skill if not better than I was after 1 year of fencing. Try getting a car pool or something together for tournaments with these guys once they start getting into competitive fencing the will gain experience and soon challenge you. Plus its great to see someone you taught do really well in a tournament against people who are coached by actual "coaches"