Coaching: Do we need to?

[RoninX]

Oh knock it off. You know full well what shes talking about. Yeesh.

Did finally losing a game in the fantasy football league really stick in your craw?

[Warrior Princess]

Practice makes perminate. If you start off doing stuff completly wrong, and you keep doing that; its going to be really hard to get it right. I do however think that it's important to, at somepoint during their first class, turn the new fencer loose. That way they won't think that fencing is all drills because you have to know how to react to your apponent. I guess it would be ok to start them off for like a class or two just by turning them loose, but not for long.

[swordsen]

I would much rather have a student with desire than a student with ability. The desire will carry them alot further. Ideally you would get a student who has both but that is unfortunetly not that common. But you can tell the studet with desire becasue he (or she) will come to you asking for lessons. Teh one who alwasy decides to fence on his own may have skill, usually enough to beat the others in his group, but not desire. I spent many years chasing after that type in club trying to get them to take lessons. I eventually decided to coach those tha wat to be coached and help others as possible but I won't go after them anymore. I have better things to do with my time.
And yes, he who pays gets the first lesson and probably the longer one too.