letting go?

[aamct2]

I agree. It would definitely be a good idea to talk to your current coach first before seeking lessons with other coaches. As Allen says in that blog, it's good manners.

[randomsabreur]

I'm coming at it from a different perspective I guess. In the UK, outside the major fencing centres, clubs meet once a week. Coaches are available at those clubs then, and may be available somewhere convenient (another club) another night, or they may be doing their main job, looking after their family or coaching a closed club (e.g. university/school) or even just that bit too far away/too early for you to balance around your job/home responsibilities. Therefore as a relatively serious fencer, you will often need to find two or more coaches in order to train more than twice a week. Therefore a fencer doesn't always "belong" to a coach (unless the coach is available every night of the week, obviously).

If you are an inexperienced fencer, it is worth sticking with a coach (or group of coaches at the same club) so that you are not confused. As a more experienced fencer, it may be necessary to train with other coaches on an occasional basis (Regional/National teams for example). If that is unacceptable to your current coach, ask yourself why. I really don't like "possessive" coaches - I choose who to give my loyalty to, and whose club to fence under in a competition. This has to be earned by the coach.

Anyway, if you really can't stand the coach, don't waste your cash - given fencing's inability to pay the bills, it is a recreational activity, and, as such should be fun, not a chore you keep trying to get out of.

I also don't see why you shouldn't go and get a couple of lessons from a different coach, just as an experiment, without telling your current coach. If you want to leave them, tell them why, but it's not as though the coach-pupil relationship has to be one on one - unless of course you are your coach's number one priority at competitions and they watch every single touch of each and every one of your bouts...

[aamct2]

Possessiveness is generally not a good thing for a coach. As you said, for a beginning fencer it is though.

But even if you're not switching, it would still be polite to tell your coach that you're taking a few lessons elsewhere. They may even be able to give you some advice or help to suggest other coaches.

But most importantly, it's good manners. After spending a long time with a coach, you develop a relationship with them. You need to respect that.

[Hauptman]

My first reponse if I'm not satisfied with the lessons is to actually discuss it with the person giving the lessons. If the coach is willing to change (or can accurately argue that I'm at fault) then all is well; if the coach is unwilling to change then all is clear to find another coach with no hard feelings.

The teacher/student relationship is just that; a relationship. There are many variables involved and the two people, no matter how talented or well-intentioned, may not be compatible on some important level. Oh well... that's life. Talk it over... make an effort... and if it doesn't work then move on.

That's my two-cents.

[swordwalker]

Originally Posted by alex a

How long should one stay with a coach before deciding it is just not working? How do work out if a coach is actually good or not?

If your classmates are progressing but you are not, reconsider your goals.
Perhaps you're not olympic material but will enjoy the sport for many years recreationally. Two students starting the same class with the same coach may not get the the same results. After many years of coaching you just have to realize that sometimes a student just doesn't have "the gift".
Me; i never could learn the piano.