Fencing in San Francisco

[Simcoe]

Hello,

I'm a foreigner and will move to San Francisco next year. I'm trying to figure out how fencing works in the U.S. but the USFA website isn't very useful.

My first question is about the classes (A, B, C, D, E, U) that decide in which category you can fence. I never fenced in the U.S. before, so which class will I be in (if any) ?

Second question is about how many competitions a year there might be in (or not very far from) San Francisco for seniors ?
On the USFA website I only found the ROC and NAC ones.
On the Northern California Divison of the USFA (norcalfence.org) I only found one or two.
Is there anywhere else I could look or is that all ?

Thanks !

[oiuyt]

You'll start as a U, but most competitions are open to all classes.

http://www.askfred.net is your best source for competitions. Looking at results from last year might be a better way of getting a sense of how many competitions will be in your area, as most of next season's won't yet be loaded.

For your area http://www.thebaycup.com is also a good place to look for information.

-B

[counterattack]

Which weapon?
The Bay Cup is the local circuit and you can expect 6 events a year for a senior. If you start as a U then you could possibly fence in several different classes as you improve your rating, and then you might get a dozen events or so. Beyond that there are usually one or two non-Bay Cup events around the bay plus another couple within a few hours drive (San Luis Obispo and Davis, for example).

-ph

[Purple Fencer]

And keep in mind that most divisions haven't completed their schedules, since we just NOW finished with nationals.

Give it a few more weeks and you'll start seeing local events scheduled.

[edew]

Bay Cup schedule is 90% finished. Needs looking over by the clubs and coaches, but will be ready for assigning venues by August.

Where will you be living. There are a number of clubs in the Bay Area, depending on where you live and what weapon you compete in.

[Simcoe]

Thanks everyone for your replies.

For your area http://www.thebaycup.com is also a good place to look for information.

Exactly what I was looking for, thanks !

Seeing this year's calendar, I won't be in SF for the first event. On the members list I see some were added in 2009 so I'm guessing this is not a problem and I will still be able to take part in the following events ?

Which weapon?

Épée !

If you start as a U then you could possibly fence in several different classes as you improve your rating

When are the classes updated ? Once a year ?

Where will you be living. There are a number of clubs in the Bay Area, depending on where you live and what weapon you compete in.

I have no idea yet, but I'll have to be in downtown SF every day, so not very far. I'll chose my club depending on how easy it is to get there by public transport.

Speaking of which, two more questions come to my mind :
- is it possible to go at two different clubs ? I know I'll have to choose one for the license, but fencing twice a week isn't a lot, and every time a friend wants to go out on fencing night I don't really want to... being able to go fencing almost every day of the week would be very nice
- does an FIE license exempts from a local license (i.e. USFA) ?

[edew]

Thanks everyone for your replies.

Exactly what I was looking for, thanks !

Seeing this year's calendar, I won't be in SF for the first event. On the members list I see some were added in 2009 so I'm guessing this is not a problem and I will still be able to take part in the following events ?

The 2009-2010 season's event calendar is not yet published. I'm guessing you're looking at the current 2008-2009 season's calendar. We've had, for a number of years, fencers from other country fencing in the Bay Cup.

Épée !

Es tut mir leid. (j/k)

When are the classes updated ? Once a year ?

USFA classifications are updated at the USFA national office as soon as they're submitted by the division secretary. Usually takes about a week for the turn-around time. The Bay Cup's change is immediate, although unofficial.

I have no idea yet, but I'll have to be in downtown SF every day, so not very far. I'll chose my club depending on how easy it is to get there by public transport.

You have 4, maybe 5 clubs that have some epee experience near downtown SF. The two closest are Halberstadt Fencers Club (HFC) at 16th St and S. Van Ness and Golden Gate Fencing Center (GGFC) at 20-ish St and Harrison (2417 Harrison). Of the two GGFC is stronger in epee. Another within SF city limits is San Francisco Fencers Club at 40th Ave and Balboa (or thereabouts). Outside of San Francisco City, there's Marin Fencing Academy in Marin (actually, San Rafael) on the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge; and East Bay Fencers Gym in Oakland, on the other side of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.

I can't speak on behalf of any clubs, but I don't think any require that you be a USFA member to practice there. You just need to be a club member, pay the club dues (whatever the amount may be) and pay for lesson fees (if you choose to take private lessons).

Speaking of which, two more questions come to my mind :
- is it possible to go at two different clubs ? I know I'll have to choose one for the license, but fencing twice a week isn't a lot, and every time a friend wants to go out on fencing night I don't really want to... being able to go fencing almost every day of the week would be very nice
- does an FIE license exempts from a local license (i.e. USFA) ?

Even if you are a member of a club, you are always allowed to attend another club for additional practice. No club in the SF Bay Area (that I am aware of), locks you in and prevents you from practicing elsewhere. Since you're not a US national or permanent resident, you can't fence for a team anyway (at least not in official USFA team matches, look for the upcoming Bay Area team epee matches, which will allow foreign nationals), so there's no incentive for a club to force you to fence for them. The bottom line is $$. Pay your money, practice where you wish.

As for FIE license exempting one from a USFA membership... I'm not clear on that.

[edew]

Oh, with regards to public transport.... good luck! I think in that case, and with epee, you're stuck with GGFC or HFC. All the others are virtually inaccessible without a car.

[masker]

Traveling across the bay to East Bay Fencer's Gym wouldn't be too difficult using BART--the Bay Area Rapid Transit train system--since you'll be in downtown Frisco anyway.

[edew]

How close is EBFG to a BART station? I haven't tried, but that would be convenient if it is convenient.

[Cerian]

I think EBFG is only a few blocks from the 12th street Oakland BART stop. Both GGFC and HFC are easy to get to from Downtown SF by bus. While clubs don't have any de jure policy prohibitting practicing at another, if you fence single weapon it is usually de-facto ruled out from what I remember, at least within SF, as single weapon practices are held on the same days across clubs. Looking at EBFG though it looks like you could do M/W in SF (at either GGFC or HFC) and Tu/Thur in Oakland for Epee.

[contre-Sixte]

Speaking of which, two more questions come to my mind :
- is it possible to go at two different clubs ? I know I'll have to choose one for the license, but fencing twice a week isn't a lot, and every time a friend wants to go out on fencing night I don't really want to... being able to go fencing almost every day of the week would be very nice
- does an FIE license exempts from a local license (i.e. USFA) ?

You CAN go to different clubs... and some people do. But be prepared for drama. Most fencing instructors in the bay area are extremely possesive. If it is known that you are frequenting other clubs (esp. if you have talent), the instructor at your "primary" club is likely to throw some attitude your way. Also, half of the clubs in the Bay area are renegade splits from the other half. So depending on which two clubs you frequent, the level of animosity can get quite high.

[theLuz]

You CAN go to different clubs... and some people do. But be prepared for drama. Most fencing instructors in the bay area are extremely possesive. If it is known that you are frequenting other clubs (esp. if you have talent), the instructor at your "primary" club is likely to throw some attitude your way. Also, half of the clubs in the Bay area are renegade splits from the other half. So depending on which two clubs you frequent, the level of animosity can get quite high.

sometimes it's fun to "poke the bear". This can be very entertaining if you do it right. Ask around when you get here and you will discover whom you can piss off the most. It's good sport here.

[counterattack]

So depending on which two clubs you frequent, the level of animosity can get quite high.

Reality is that this isn't true for senior epee fencers. This only seems to be true for poaching of homegrown junior/youth fencers. I just can't imagine any of the clubs being anything but happy to have a new senior epee fencer stopping in at their club, pay floor fees, and fence. Maybe this isn't true in foil, I don't know. But since Simcoe is a senior epee fencer, don't scare him with stories =)

-philip

[Dr Epee]

We recently had a visitor from Chile who competed using his FIE membership. I am pretty certain that yours will suffice.

[contre-Sixte]

Reality is that this isn't true for senior epee fencers. This only seems to be true for poaching of homegrown junior/youth fencers. I just can't imagine any of the clubs being anything but happy to have a new senior epee fencer stopping in at their club, pay floor fees, and fence. Maybe this isn't true in foil, I don't know. But since Simcoe is a senior epee fencer, don't scare him with stories =)

-philip

Didn't realize epee fencers were such a congenial bunch

[edew]

The epee fencers have a Bay Area epee group on Yahoo groups. They actually arrange to meet on Fridays or weekends at one club or another for inter-club practice bouting. Imagine that.

I guess it works since there's little technique and tactics involved in the weapon so that there's no ability to actually learn some technique or tactics from among your eventual opponents.

[jjefferies]

The F.net guys have covered most subjects but I'd like to add a couple of points:

East Bay Fencers Gym, EBFG, (my home club) is easy walking distance from the BART station in downtown Oakland. We've had several young women from UCB who come by BART, The club is open for epee Tuesday, Thursday nights from 7:30 -10:00 and Saturday afternoon from 1:00PM to 3:00. The coach, Abdul Habeck is also head coach at the University of California Berkeley, and is Russian trained as a professional coach. Most people have found EBFG to be one of the most reasonably priced clubs in the Bay Area.

My preferred weapon is epee. And in the Bay Area the major epee clubs are EBFG, Golden Gate Fencing Center (GGFC), and particularly for Veterans, Cardinal (Stanford University). Halberstadt (HFC) is in the running but their epee contingent right now is not quite as prominent . Between GGFC and EBFG I believe that EBFG put more fencers on the podium or at higher placements at SN than GGFC (THIS YEAR). Neither one shown really well for a number of reasons including typical losses due to fencers moving. GGFC is the older, larger and definitely much more expensive club by a factor of 2 or 3. But does boast of having two national coaches on the Staff whereas EBFG has just one coach.

It is definitely possible to fence more than one club if you can juggle the times. I myself have fenced three nights a week at EBFG, two at GGFC, and one or two at Cardinal or Cal. So this can be done if you can make the times work.

Hope this helps with any confusion. Private Message me if you have any unanswered questions.

[occasionalfencer]

Based on the reactions of European fencers coming to our club (DCFC) prepare expect the club fees to be much higher than you are used to in Europe.

[wwalkerjr]

We've had several young women from UCB who come by BART,

Jonathan,

There is no question EBFG is a very good club (I enjoy fencing you guys), but this coming year at Cardinal we will get the pleasure of fencing some of the emerging bright epee lights that will attend Stanford, including the #10 finisher in S/N Div 1. We're not just all geezers any more.

Eric,

From your comment, I take it that First Place is no longer teaching epee.

Respectfully,

Bill