competitive, leisure

[Bugaboo]

From your observations and/or personal experience, what is the approximate percentage of fencers at your local salle(s) who fence competitively (actually leave town a couple times a year for USFA events) vs. the casual, or leisure, fencers who take lessons but don't leave the club to play? (Don't include 'musketeers' in your estimations.)



------------------

[Mergs]

25-40%

[Peach]

I'd say about 85% at our club compete at some level, though more like 30-40% compete at the national level. We have a busy divisional schedule and some good regional tournaments, so people arrange themselves all along the spectrum from not competing at all to doing all the NACs and the occasional international competition.

[Ron Antrim]

20% Mostly Epee, some Sabre.

[Gav]

Not sure what the total attendance at my main club is (about 50 on various nights). From what I know it's only the epeeists who compete! Of us, only 8 compete - that makes approxamitely 16%!

I've thought about this in the past and think it's odd (and unfair). Especially as the ones who do compete don't get access to the coach very easily. I get a lesson once a month there! I would fence elswhere but fencing (in this section) in Scotland is very cliquey and its difficult to prise the good coaches away from their charges for 5 minutes.

Consequently I am investigating options at another venue. It's very frustrating as the coach at my current club is very good and my fencing has come a LONG way since I started.