Fencing.Net - Your Guide to Fencing & Fencing Equipment

Arie-Nolan · 01-26-2005, 01:42 PM

Hi. I am new on here and to fencing as will. There aren't any clubs around my area. I am searching for a fencer in the Southern area of Indiana or even Owensboro, KY region to teach me some basics. I am not asking for a coach, just a well practiced fencer.

Also, I am intersted in seeing a club. I haven't been to one before and would like to get an insiders view. Just a little visit. Would anyone know of a club I could visit. I am 2-3 hrs from Louisville, Indy, and St.Louis.

Thanks...

haroldbuck · 01-26-2005, 02:22 PM

Check out:

http://www.indyfencing.com/about_the_IFC.aspx

Arie-Nolan · 01-26-2005, 08:05 PM

Thanks Harold, I'll look into it, even though it is still 2 and a half hours from me. Do you go there? Anyone else have any suggestions?

parryDoh · 01-27-2005, 12:01 AM

I fence in Indy and we have a strong fencing club with a great coach. I have also visited many clubs around the area. There is a fencing club in Bloomington at the college that admits non students that you could try. I believe one of our old coaches now teaches there.

Arie-Nolan · 01-27-2005, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by parryDoh

I fence in Indy and we have a strong fencing club with a great coach. I have also visited many clubs around the area. There is a fencing club in Bloomington at the college that admits non students that you could try. I believe one of our old coaches now teaches there.

Hey, thanks Paryy! I'll look into it. It's still a drive (about an hour and 40 min.), but it's getting closer. Could you tell me more about your club?

MyraTrue · 01-27-2005, 12:16 PM

hmm... I'm afraid the others have suggested what I can think of as the closest to you. There seem to be more northern (in relation to you) clubs than those south. Both Purdue Uni and River City (Lafayette) are too far to be going. Indy has nice facilities, and I've enjoyed the few times I got to go fence with them.

From what I know, the club at IU (Bloomington) (not sure if there is a univiersity/non-uni club combo going there, or if its all one), they don't compete much and I'm not sure they're very large. One of our epeeists is down there for law school and is fencing with the club there. If you're interested, I could pass on an e-mail for him if thats close enough to you.

darius · 01-27-2005, 12:25 PM

I fenced at Indy Fencing the week preceeding Christmas. (Well, one session anyway. Then I got snowed into my parents' house.) Not much foil or epee. But if you're into sabre, there's plenty to go around. I watched a few lessons; Val definitely knows his stuff.

darius

Arie-Nolan · 01-27-2005, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MyraTrue

hmm... I'm afraid the others have suggested what I can think of as the closest to you. There seem to be more northern (in relation to you) clubs than those south. Both Purdue Uni and River City (Lafayette) are too far to be going. Indy has nice facilities, and I've enjoyed the few times I got to go fence with them.

From what I know, the club at IU (Bloomington) (not sure if there is a univiersity/non-uni club combo going there, or if its all one), they don't compete much and I'm not sure they're very large. One of our epeeists is down there for law school and is fencing with the club there. If you're interested, I could pass on an e-mail for him if thats close enough to you.

It's still a good drive away, but it may be a place I can start at least getting some info. from. If you wouldn't mind to send my email, I'd appreciate it.
mrwinkler@psci.net

MyraTrue · 01-27-2005, 04:23 PM

I sent you his e-mail address. Hope it helps out, like I said, he shouldn't mind getting e-mail, especially fencing related.

Good luck,
Myra

Lefty1 · 01-27-2005, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darius

I fenced at Indy Fencing the week preceeding Christmas. (Well, one session anyway. Then I got snowed into my parents' house.) Not much foil or epee. But if you're into sabre, there's plenty to go around. I watched a few lessons; Val definitely knows his stuff.

darius

I fence in Indianapolis right now. I moved here about a year ago from fencing in Ohio. They just got a good epee coach here (I was stuck without fencing for a year)! And yes sabre is huge here.

Arie-Nolan · 01-27-2005, 08:15 PM

I emailed Val and he responded fairly quick and seems like a nice guy! He also told me about a clinic on Feb. 26. I am planning on being there, but he has to send the rest of the info yet.

Orangeaholic · 01-28-2005, 06:01 PM

No! Don't start with sabre! Start with foil and then go on to epee or sabre. I'm telling you this because foil is the beginner weapon that can help you learn the basics. Believe me we have a great foil/epee coach at Indyfencing. He is actually from Russia and went to college for fencing. If you want your fencing experience to go well start foil.

haroldbuck · 01-28-2005, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orangeaholic

No! Don't start with sabre! Start with foil and then go on to epee or sabre. I'm telling you this because foil is the beginner weapon that can help you learn the basics. Believe me we have a great foil/epee coach at Indyfencing. He is actually from Russia and went to college for fencing. If you want your fencing experience to go well start foil.

That's certainly one opinion. I've heard other fencing masters say that if you know you want to fence saber then it's a waste to learn foil first. OTOH, if you want to learn epee, doing foil first isn't such a bad idea; plus, it's easier for a fencing club to teach all of the would-be foilists and epeeists the same thing first and then split them up later. Otherwise you have too many classes to schedule, expecially if you have a small club.

FWIW, I learned saber first and don't think it made any difference.

Orangeaholic · 01-28-2005, 11:04 PM

I'm not saying that you have to start with foil i'm just saying if you want to learn the basics of fencing and consider all three weapons I suggest foil first. Then you can go on to whatever you like best. I think if you try sabre first your locked in to that weapon. This is my personal opinion from personal experience

Arie-Nolan · 01-28-2005, 11:12 PM

Thanks for the heads up Orange. However, seeing as this may be the only oppotunity I have for a while, perhaps even years, to try fencing, I think I'll take it. It's only a couple of hours and this way I can decide if I still think it is something I want to pursue. If there were a club/coach closer to me my options would be different, but I don't and I really[i] want to do this.

Orangeaholic · 01-28-2005, 11:37 PM

Thats cool i know you'll take any options you can which is good because it shows your determined. Hey if you want a really good epee/foil club in Indy. It is in the same place as where you are going in Feb. While your there taking that workshop/ class thing you might want to talk to Alex Melinkov the epee/foil coach. Here is the website:
www.alexandersfencing.com

Arie-Nolan · 01-29-2005, 08:39 AM

I checked out their site. It would be awesome if he could hold something like what Val is holding. Do you know if he has ever talked about it? I'm not su4re what weapon I want to pursue yet and I'd like to keep my options open as much as I can. Which, ironically, isn't hard when you don't really have any!

parryDoh · 01-30-2005, 11:07 PM

Sabre by far the most popular weapon here at indy. No doubt because of Vals experience. But we have foilists and epeeist as well, I fence only foil myself.

aisha · 01-31-2005, 09:39 PM

Hi,

I did not see your home town, but here in Urbana-Champaign, IL (central IL) we have a great club called The Point. We are 3 hours east of St. Louis, 1 1/2 hrs. west of Indianapolis (30" west of the IN border), and 2 1/4 hrs. south of Chicago. I don't know if that is too far for you, but we have great foil and epee coaching, lots of varied classes (adults, children, over 40 adults) as well as foil and sabre coaches who come down from Chicago for workshops (and LOTS of open fencing and fencing partners!).

Best,
Aisha

jtnation · 04-18-2005, 12:23 PM

We've just started the Bloomington Fencing Club, which is separate from the IU club.

We are starting a beginner's class this week, and will be starting another one in about 2 months. If you'd like more information, email me. We're a strong epee club, but we'll be starting up some foilists here in this first class.

We don't even have a real site up yet, but you can visit http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/bloomingtonfencing
for more information