Hello. My daughter, who is 8, is showing an interest in fencing. I know our town high school has a fencing team, but I haven't been able to touch base yet with any of the parents or coaches to find out where the girls took lessons pre-high school. I'd like to start her when she is perhaps, around 10. I think she's a little young now, although I'm not sure.
We live in Morristown (Northern New Jersey). I'd like to start researching places. Any recommendations in the area? I'm willing to travel within reason, but not too far! Thank you for any info.
I would say 3 clubs you should look at at Clinton Fencing Club, Mr. Ma Fencing (whichever club is closest) and possible check out gutkovskiy.
I'd recommend clinton, but I'm not entirely unbiased. I haven't been to GFA, but I've spent a significant amount of time both at a Mr. Ma club and at clinton and the atmosphere is VERY different. Check them out, see what will work best for your family.
Welcome to fencing.
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"Sir, didn't I parry"
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I used to bout then 9-year-old, now exOlympian Emily Cross. I've heard coaches say 6 is the youngest to start.
re: Gutkovskiy Fencing Academy (http://fencegfa.com/Default.aspx) has a large group of middle- and high school foilistas, including 14-year-old A-classified Jackelyn Dubrovich, who won last weekend's ROC.
Hello. My daughter, who is 8, is showing an interest in fencing. I know our town high school has a fencing team, but I haven't been able to touch base yet with any of the parents or coaches to find out where the girls took lessons pre-high school. I'd like to start her when she is perhaps, around 10. I think she's a little young now, although I'm not sure.
We live in Morristown (Northern New Jersey). I'd like to start researching places. Any recommendations in the area? I'm willing to travel within reason, but not too far! Thank you for any info.
You have a lot of good choices within reasonably close proximity. Last year Mr. Ma openned a location in Fairfield, whoever I am not sure how well attended that location is relative to his others, nor how much attention he'll be able to pay to it now that he's the coach at UPenn.
GFA is not too much further away and has a relatively strong group of kids your daughter's age. I'd encourage you to pay a visit and see if she is interested in it. If you ask 10 people what the right age is to start you'll get different 10 answers. There are plenty of 10 and Under and even 8 and Under events nearby and lots of kids her age taking lessons. Only your daughter can tell you when she is ready -everyone is different- but having a group of peers to participate with will help.
I think that you're smart to start doing research now; though the staff at various clubs might change in the next couple of years, your research should still be useful.
Stas and Vlad of GFA used to work at FASJ and are both terrific people and coaches.
Though Mr. Ma is quite busy with his new job as head coach at Penn, the three locations (FASJ in Cherry Hill and Mr. Ma Fencing in Fairfield and Hillsborough; see www.fasj.com) have a number of other great coaches such as Slava Danylov, who was the Star-Ledger high school coach of the year last spring.
I agree with the others above that you really should go and observe the clubs in session. Chances are your daughter (and your family) will be happy in more than one place, but perhaps one place will just "feel right" to her.
Medeo in Bridgewater is closer than most mentioned and has very good coaching, facilities.
Not knowing where in Parsippany the OP is, I used MapQuest from center of town to:
Fairfield (Mr.Ma) 12 Min
Bernardsville(Medeo) 20 min
Fair Lawn(GFA) 25 min
Since most people take lesson during the week after school, I'd bet the 20 min on Rt. 287 is really more like 45, while the trip east on Rt. 80 to GFA will be relatively traffic free.
Not knowing where in Parsippany the OP is, I used MapQuest from center of town to:
Fairfield (Mr.Ma) 12 Min
Bernardsville(Medeo) 20 min
Fair Lawn(GFA) 25 min
Since most people take lesson during the week after school, I'd bet the 20 min on Rt. 287 is really more like 45, while the trip east on Rt. 80 to GFA will be relatively traffic free.
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