Ok I'm going to leave it up to fate

[Markstorm]

I talked to my parents about whether i should take lessons of foil or enroll in Master Sabre. We decided that if I can get straight A's and be healthy at the end of the quarter, I can take master sabre. Just thought I'd share that with those of you who've given me a lot of help on making the choice.

[ThornOfTheBlood]

Master Sabre?? What the hell is that? And by all means, it will benefit you in the long run if you started with foil.

[Unmarked]

I talked to my parents about whether i should take lessons of foil or enroll in Master Sabre. We decided that if I can get straight A's and be healthy at the end of the quarter, I can take master sabre. Just thought I'd share that with those of you who've given me a lot of help on making the choice.

I can see how health would influence your choice but how does your grades affect your choice?

[Markstorm]

Well see my parents want me to do what I want in fencing but still get good grades. If I can get good grades with my current schedule, they'll let me try my hand at master sabre. It's a lot more time consuming so they want to see that I can manage my time well. It's better than a lot of other asian parents, who would say "you're never gonna get a fencing scholarship, so no fencing for you"

[SOA9286]

But what's master sabre?

[frenzl]

It's better than a lot of other asian parents, who would say "you're never gonna get a fencing scholarship, so no fencing for you"

there's a steriotype for ya. please at least save your non-PC comments for the water cooler, or better yet for your own thoughts.
not all asian families are like that, give them a break.

[Inquartata]

But what's master sabre?

Stage fencing as practiced by the Master Thespian?

[D'Artag-NOT]

It sounds as though your parents are making a reasonable compromise. Once you've proved to them that you can manage your own schedule and stay healthy, then they let you take on more. Seems to me as though their priorities are in the right place. I'm glad you were able to work this out with them.

[MyraTrue]

to me, the grades stipulation makes really good sense. As a college fencer (non-varsity), grades do come first. You can't pay for the rest of your life with fencing, and you need an education. You still have to do the work to get the grades, or you don't fence. (or the university boots you out and you REALLY don't get to fence.)

Good luck!

[SOA9286]

to me, the grades stipulation makes really good sense. As a college fencer (non-varsity), grades do come first. You can't pay for the rest of your life with fencing, and you need an education. You still have to do the work to get the grades, or you don't fence. (or the university boots you out and you REALLY don't get to fence.)

Good luck!

Good point, I'm in the same boat, and everything really does run around grades and classes. If a class interferes with it, its not like other sports (mainly varsity programs..BIG varsity programs) where its like you miss a practice, tsk tsk, its you miss a class, tsk tsk.

[Larrison]

Two comments I think..

First, the parents are presumably paying for the lessons and the equipment. If they pay, they get to pretty much set the rules I think.

Secondly, for 99% of the students fencing is going to be a great hobby and great way of getting exercise. But grades and school are required to be an eventual success in college, and later on in establishing a career and life of their own. That's probably more important in the long run, than more fencing at the expense of good grades and education.

For 1% or less (I'd guess *much less*) of students have the mental outlook, the physical gifts and the intellectual talent to really become one of the best in the world. I expect for them, this will be obvious from an early age that they are a prodigy at Fencing. For they and their families, they will have to make a big decision about how much FAMILY time and energy and money will be spent for one member to possibly become the best in the world.

As an aside -- now that I'm restarting my fencing after a 20 year hiatus in conjuction with a 14 year old, I'm really glad that fencing doesn't have a professional fencing track. I've seen wayyyy too many parents get all up tight about having their kids be the school star athelete in soccer, or baseball, or basketball or football -- with the expectation of a college scholarships and a professional career immediately following. The odds of that are miniscule... unless you have a gift, and regrettably but true -- few do.

[nahouw]

to me, the grades stipulation makes really good sense. As a college fencer (non-varsity), grades do come first. You can't pay for the rest of your life with fencing, and you need an education. You still have to do the work to get the grades, or you don't fence. (or the university boots you out and you REALLY don't get to fence.)

MyraTrue is right -- you need to focus on your education -- there is no money in fencing. But, since Markstorm has the high goal of International competition, the costs incurred by National team members annualy are on the order of magnitude of about $15,000. Fencing is a sport that you do because you love it and have disposable income to do so.