Shopping for SF Bay Area Sabre Coach

[Drifter]

Who has the hot hand with regard to Sabre coaches and clubs in the San Francisco Bay Area? (I know I'm not giving much to go on with relation to what I actually like in a coach, but really this question is to get more of a feel of what options are available. Kind of like asking what cars are on the market this year.)

If you choose to chime in please do give a bit of a feel for the quality and atmosphere of the club as well as the general personality of the sabre coach you're discussing.

Thanks in advance for everyone's opinions.

[KD5MDK]

Try Wal-Mart, they're often on special.

[piste off]

Try Wal-Mart, they're often on special.

But they are made in China.

Even China gets their sabre coaches from somewhere else.

Rick

[edew]

Try First Place Fencing Club...

[epeemike81]

Try First Place Fencing Club...

Not that he's biased or anything...

-m

[HDG]

Try First Place Fencing Club...

Nice website; what's you visiting fencer policy? I'll be out there at the end of March, but traveling w/o fencing equipment.

[Drifter]

Try First Place Fencing Club...

Who is giving the sabre instruction? What are thier credentials? What kind of lessons do they give? What is the general atmosphere of the club? (i.E. mostly kids?, high pressure success based?, laid back?) How good is the equipment at the club? Basically, why should I choose that club and that coach?

As I begin shopping for a new coach I'm kind of realizing that as a sport we don't do a very good job reviewing and rating our coaches (it can be argued that outside of athletic ability the single most important factor in determining one's success is the choice of a coach). There are the telltale signs of what coach and club is of what caliber. And of course the grapevine is the traditional method, but as I get a bit more uh... dare I say wiser (read approaching oldfartism), I find that I usually want to know more about a given club than I can gleen from thier website (if they have one) or asking around and potential coaches before plunking down money, and time, and sweat.

This is not intended to be a slight at Eric or his club, I like Eric. His response just happened to be the last one I looked at.

[edew]

Who is giving the sabre instruction? What are thier credentials? What kind of lessons do they give? What is the general atmosphere of the club? (i.E. mostly kids?, high pressure success based?, laid back?) How good is the equipment at the club? Basically, why should I choose that club and that coach?

This dude named Eric. He's just an instructor. No maestro or anything in front of his name. Results wise, he's got two Y10 National Champions over the course of 3 years, Y12 silver medalist, vet-40 bronze medalist (all in saber). Club has been in existence for about 4+ years.

Kids in the afternoons, adults (and older kids) in the evenings. No pressure, laid back fence as much (or as little) as you like.

Equipment at the club works. Not the greatest, as an incentive for fencers to GET THEIR OWN STUFF!!

As for why you want to choose this club or coach, it really depends on what you want.

As I begin shopping for a new coach I'm kind of realizing that as a sport we don't do a very good job reviewing and rating our coaches (it can be argued that outside of athletic ability the single most important factor in determining one's success is the choice of a coach). There are the telltale signs of what coach and club is of what caliber. And of course the grapevine is the traditional method, but as I get a bit more uh... dare I say wiser (read approaching oldfartism), I find that I usually want to know more about a given club than I can gleen from thier website (if they have one) or asking around and potential coaches before plunking down money, and time, and sweat.

This is not intended to be a slight at Ed or his club, I like Ed. His response just happened to be the last one I looked at.

Ed, on the other hand, is a big A-hole. Eric, nice guy, Ed, evil twin.

[Drifter]

Ed, on the other hand, is a big A-hole. Eric, nice guy, Ed, evil twin.

My deepest appologies. In my defense, even when I see you in person I think 'Edew' instead of Eric which results in me thinking of you as an Ed as opposed to an Eric.

[wahrman]

Since we would have a hard time figuring out what you value in a club/coach,
why not go visit a few?

No reason why you can't do a few nights of drop in to form your own opinion.

If you are unfamiliar with the area you may have to figure out your travel
restrictions first anyway. Getting to practice in SF from Sunnyvale after work
can be a real pain. For example.

[jjefferies]

Is this a short term or long term proposition?

EDEW and 1st Place Fencing is one option.
Halberstadt (HFC) has a saber program. I don't know the coach myself.
Cardinal (Stanford) has a saber program and (I believe) the head coach is an olympic gold medalist.
Sword Play (out in Concord) has/had? a saber program.
Cal has a saber team. The head coach has his own club, EBFG, and can accommodate drop in lessons.

And there are several clubs around that can offer saber instruction but don't have a saber squad (PFC is one).

Those are the ones that come immediately to mind. I've over heard a number of discussions about saber programs. But if you're just drifting through why should they spend their time with you? Other than money of course.

[berghouse]

At yesterday's Bay Cup, my 12 year old son asked how come Eric has edew on his lame. I suggested that maybe it was because his last name was short and he could get four letters stenciled for the price of three. Is that the case?

Also, California Fencing Academy in San Jose, has started up a sabre program. Mostly youth but some adults.

[edew]

'Cuz MBERGHOUSE just doesn't look too cool no matter what styling you can do to it. Maybe there's a way. I'm all for logolizing one's name. Unfortunately, the FIE and most others aren't.

[Sabresque]

I would recommend halberstadt, from my experiences with all the clubs. As a saber fencer who fenced right outside the bay area my best experiences tended to usually have to do with halberstadt guys who are all very welcoming people and well rounded saber fencers who compete at regional and national level.

[RITFencing]

Seacoast and Sacramento come to mind. If you're just looking for a coach, then find Tomek Amborski. I'd say he's probably the best sabre coach out here, but then I don't know the scene very well. I do know that Tomek really knows his business and is a great guy to boot.

[edew]

That's Coastside. Maestro Joslin doesn't work with adults too much, although he's trying to start one.

Sacramento is hardly "Bay Area".

[RITFencing]

That's Coastside. Maestro Joslin doesn't work with adults too much, although he's trying to start one.

Ah, right.

Sacramento is hardly "Bay Area".

Feh. It's close enough for me. Everyone out here seems scared of long drives.

[DJ Apostrophe]

Ah, right.



Feh. It's close enough for me. Everyone out here seems scared of long drives.

It's not just out there... I heard a parent of a high school fencer bellyaching that the nearest club was "so far away" ... it's two towns away...

-w

[wahrman]

You do know how far I drive to practice, right?

Feh. It's close enough for me. Everyone out here seems scared of long drives.

[veeco]

Find Tomek Amborski.

Last I heard, he wasn't doing much coaching, because he was being swamped by work, though...