Starting a club

[pixie]

How does one go about starting a fencing club?

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

Crap, I posted on my sisters account accidentally (she left it on), but anyway, the question still apply's.

[RebelFencer]

Well, technically you just need to fill out the USFA paperwork and send that in with the money and voila, you're a club! Now getting a place to practice and members, gear, etc....that's a different animal.

[fluidfencer]

This is a huge subject. Can't you search the forum archives for past threads on the subject. The question involves marketing, and finances, and fee schedules, and student retention...

[DangerMouse]

Don't forget liability for a coach who's not even old enough to sign his own paperwork.

[VERITAS]

I've been contemplating a similar question myself...although why would I bother with the hassle and risk of starting a new club when the club I study at now is very good and offers plenty of challenges already?
Still, it has a certain appeal, to help introduce more people to fencing and get plenty of experience yourself...

I know from talking to my instructor and seeing other clubs that the official paperwork is the easy part and actually running a good club is an entirely different proposition.

It would seem to be a lot easier to start a club through a university, high school, or perhaps a health club. That would make the paperwork side of things a little harder, but is more likely to provide you with support and a place to practice...maybe even some funds for equipment.

A downside of running a club through a school is that you rarely will keep a student around for longer than 4 yrs, if that. Our club counts as a club sport so that we can allow community members to participate.

You really just need willing teacher(s) and students. Serious students will help you find a practice space, and will provide their own equipment, eventually helping with teaching responsibilities.
Our club had to practice outdoors or in hallways for some time before we even got a real room to use on a regular basis.


Is your club going to be competitive or recreationally oriented? Which weapons will you offer?

Will you provide equipment or expect students to buy their own?

Will you require dues, or have a fee for each session, or offer the club for free?

Will you offer reduced fees for students who stick with the sport, or offer discounts only to new members?

Will the instructor/coach get paid?

Can you get a dedicated space for practice?

etc.

Any thoughts from people who have actually started a club?

[glowstix]

Originally Posted by VERITAS

Our club had to practice outdoors or in hallways for some time before we even got a real room to use on a regular basis.

that sounds too familiar..

to form a club you have to take into account the 90% dropout rate. this means that you have to do tons of marketing to attract enough members to that when the accurately predicted 90% drops out, you actually still have a club left. this is really hard.

i think a club needs structure and a coach that people will trust. if they don't trust him, they'll leave. if there's no structure, or it seems like no one cares, they leave. you need to have a core group that is really really really dedicated to keeping the club alive and keep marketing. my school club died this past semester for a number of reasons: 1. coach didn't really want to coach anymore; 2. no marketing whatsover; 3. lack of structure; 4. and this will sound weird buti really think its a reason as well but smelly gear that just seems unsanitary.

problem, too much responsibility was placed on one person. to make it worse, the school made all non students ineligible to practice so we lost 90% of members there.

i think to form a good club, a lot of things must go right and must all occur at the same time: the coach, the dedicated core group and the marketing. otherwise, it probably won't happen...

[RebelFencer]

What I would recommend if I were you, would be to put off forming a completely new club. What I would focus on would be expanding your coaching knowledge and get Bart to let you coach at Chattanooga with him, I'm sure once you're 18 he won't have that much trouble accepting you as sort of a partner. That way you a)have the facility b)have the people and c) have the equipment. Once you're on board as a coach you can expand the club in number of days a week you meet, lessons, etc. That just seems like it'd be a much more viable option.

[bmcfencer]

I agree. If you have a club to fence at, keep up with that! Trying to start a club is like coaxing sea turtles to climb a volcano while you're doing the salsa and pretending your clothes aren't on fire and that there is, in fact, a volcano. Or at any rate, it's fairly difficult. And frustrating.

[VERITAS]

Originally Posted by bmcfencer

Trying to start a club is like coaxing sea turtles to climb a volcano while you're doing the salsa and pretending your clothes aren't on fire and that there is, in fact, a volcano. Or at any rate, it's fairly difficult. And frustrating.

Hilarious! I love that simile. . .

It certainly seems to help if you have others helping with organization, PR, instruction, etc.

[josephthelord]

You need a core of hardworking, dedicated fencers who are willing to help out a lot. You also need a space to fence in, and a way to advertse. All in all, it's very difficult, but if you can find a place (e.g. as a college club) where you can fence, and people can see you and develope an interest, it just might be able to work. At the least, you and the other hardcore people can fence together.