Coach J. Gerard Poujardieu, Jr. died this morning

[JEC]

Photo

It is with sadness that I post this message. Coach Pouj lost his bout with lung cancer this morning (Dec. 27) around midnight. Information about his memorial service will posted in the salle's website (see below).

http://www.sallepouj.com/news.html

http://www.sallepouj.com/

[Mergs]

Damn it. At least it was 15-14. And he made it past Christmas. We have all lost a great friend and inspiration. Thanks for posting this.

[Peach]

Darn. My daughter and husband will be sorry to hear that. He was always kind and friendly to us when we saw him at tournaments. He will be missed.

[wbowman]

Really sorry to hear that. I met him when I fenced against him at the '95 Veterans' Nationals. He was a heck of a nice guy -- always had a friendly word when I ran into him at a Nationals or a Circuit event.

[dekko]

To say Pouj was a class act would be the epitome of an understatement.

He was what every fencing coach and fencer should aspire to be. He was very positive and upbeat all the time.

I do hope his club continues and they can find someone who can take over and keep his great tradition going.

The event that bears his fathers name this next year will no doubt take on special meaning.

Lastly memory; for those who knew him and spoke with him knew he had a very think southern French accent, not to be confused with southern US and French conbined, and how he would answer the phone:

Salle Pouj this is Pouj!!

He is missed and his legacy will be felt for a long time.

[jeff]

My sympathies to his families and friends. He's obviously left a wonderful legacy behind and will be sorely missed.

[schlager7]

I just want to add my sympathies, as well, to his family and many friends.

[TeskoSuicide]

He is indeed sorely missed. The fencing community won't be the same without him. Everytime I fence now I'll be sad because I'll think to myself, "Pouj taught me that". I don't know what else to say, I'm pretty upset right now.

[nahouw]

My condolences to his family -- I just met him once, after he approached me after I had beaten one of his fencers -- a most engaging, positive and pleasant man. He will me missed.

[FencingAg]

An Aggie "Here" for Pouj.

Everything everyone above has said is true, and I wanted to add a little more.

I was never a true student of Pouj's, I never once visited his salle, never took a lesson from him. It didn't matter to Pouj. He would come over, talk to me before bouts and tell me what I needed to do in the next bout to win. I can still hear his most common bit of advice, used when I was severely agitated with myself, or goofing off - "Bobbo, extend your arm. You will hit them if you extend your arm."

Goofy sure, but it always got me thinking (and often the win). One thing I do know for sure, is that we've lst a great figure in fencing with Pouj.

Bobby Thornton
Now removed to Sulphur, LA

[JEC]

Update from the salle Pouj website:

"Because fencing was such a central part of his life we will hold the memorial at the fencing salle on Sunday, January 2nd 2005 starting at 11:30 AM."

[fencerontheline]

my condolances- he was the first coach of a good friend of mine.

[Lone Wolf]

Sorry to hear the sad news. He will be missed but not forgotten. I myself can still feel his strong and friendly handshake whenever I met him at the tournaments.

[R. Exnicios]

We have lost a truly class act.

To sort of echo what Bobby said. I too was never one of Pouj's students; but when I was just starting out as a fencer I met Pouj at a tournament and he gave me pointers and advice. Later when I became a coach he again offered his assistance when ever I needed it.

We will all miss his humor and style.

My deepest sympathies to his family and all those whose lives he touched.

Richard Exnicios

[Monkeyboy]

I'll never forget the time he didn't bring his regular glasses to a tourny he was competing in...he fenced in his prescription sunglasses! What a character... I think I will miss him the most when I next attend a S. Texas event, only to look around and not see an eccentric icon that I've become acustomed to seeing. I hope his legacy and his salle last for a long time. God Bless.

Jon M Robinson

[SAnderson]

Pouj was one of the great coaches, not only because he taught you the game, but because he always kept it in perspective and had fun. One of the most vivid memories I've got is those days when he would fence foil and beat up on people like Dave Burns. It would chap Dave's hide when people would cheer Pouj's "slime" and no one would cheer him.

Scott, old Aggie fencer clas of '97

[oso97]

When I was in college at TAMU, I'd go home to San Antonio during the summers and holidays and fence at Salle Pouj. Maitre Pouj always was kind and gracious to me, and always willing to give me a lesson, or let me trade armoury work for strip time when funds were tight. He also helped me get started on the referee's path, helped me understand the hows and whys of calling actions properly, and most importantly, helped me devise a system for continuing to learn.

Over the years I would turn to him with a question about fencing or refereeing, or later on, coaching. His replies were occaitionally caustic, often humorous, and always enlightening. I learned so much from him.

I'm glad the fencers of the Southwest Section were able to honor him while he was still alive last fall at the Longhorn Open in Austin. He truely was touched by the support and well wishes from everyone.

David Sierra, another old Aggie fencer class of '97

[dekko]

Pouj did get the better of me in foil often but who cares it's foil. Since when did foil matter.

I also recall him giving lessons to some of our more advanced fencers, Greg, Scott, John, and doing so with his eyes closed or looking at someone or something else. Once he did that to John and John tried to change the drill and hit him for looking away during the drill and Pouj still caught it.

Pouj is and will be sorely missed and many fencers in this country who will always have a warm spot in their heart for him. This one definately included.

[Fencing Institute of Texas]

I was one of Pouj's "dumb****s" for almost two years after Salem went to the Air Force Academy. Salem gave me skills, Pouj gave me a brain to use those skills - then he taught me it was okay to win. He knew what button to push to get me to fight back when I was sure to lose - ask Nick Mosca and Jerry Benson....

Pouj was always teaching, even if you were just having lunch. Pouj taught me about waiting tables, French culture, history, and just exactly what "joie de vie" really is. I learned the most important thing is to do your job to a level of excellance - no matter whether that job is serving someone's lunch, being a coach, or fencing a bout.

He was my coach. He was my friend. Hopefully, I can teach others the important lessons Pouj taught me about fencing, about life, about honor, and about friendship. I think he would want that...

---Drew "Dumb****" Waddoups

[dekko]

someone asked me my most vivid memory of him and that's easy.

When I started fencing he would give me a lesson and had such a thick accent when he would tell me what to do I thought he was saying 'Beat, Zingy, Zingy, Hit'

I found out later he was saying disengage but had such a thick french accent to me it sounded like zingy.

Thats and when he would answer the phone at his club.

The more I type the more I miss him. Dammit. This sucks.