11-04-2002, 01:32 PM
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#1 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Pacoima, ca USA
Posts: 5,529
| My sabre student
Remember a number of weeks ago when I said I was starting to teach sabre to one kid, and that I was a bit worried about the quality of my teaching?
As they say, the proof’s in the pudding, as SwordPlay’s Kelsey Williams competed in her first event yesterday. It was a non-USFA sanctioned Y14 sabre event in the SoCal Division. There were 5 competitors. Kelsey came in dead last, but she a) listened to her coach (me) between bouts as far as attacking, what the other fences did etc. b) she WATCHED the other fencers with an eye to how to beat them (how many beginners do that?) c) she made a variety of nice actions; parry-ripostes, head cuts, flank cuts and I think I saw a feint head/chest cut in there once, and d) she didn’t give up. She lost her four pool buts either 5-2 or 5-3 (YAY!! She didn’t take a bagel!), and she lost her DE 15-14...she was actually ahead at first and probably could’ve won it, but she had a mental lapse and attacked onto her opponent’s guard 6 times in a row befor3e continuing the attack. All in all, she enjoyed herself...maybe as she gets more money, she can buy her own stuff and not have to borrow mine!
The only thing that really sucked was I was the only director and had to make all these calls against my own student! Ah well... | 
|  | | And now for this message... |
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11-04-2002, 05:01 PM
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#2 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2001
Posts: 1,410
| Sam,
What you are doing with your student is making yet another women's saber fencer. That is a very good thing.
Getting over the fear like you did have helping her get off to a good start is just what fencing needs.
Way to go to your student and to you!!!
I salute!! 
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A friend will bail you out of jail,
a true friend will help you hide the body...: ) | |
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11-04-2002, 05:29 PM
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#3 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Pacoima, ca USA
Posts: 5,529
| :blushing: | |
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11-04-2002, 08:54 PM
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#4 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Gulf Coast Division
Posts: 2,221
| Victory is not the most important thing. What is important is the attitude that your student displayed in her competition. She may not have won, but it sounds like she came out of the event more knowledgable about fencing than she left.
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D'Art | |
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11-04-2002, 09:46 PM
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#5 | | Curmudgeon-in-Chief
Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Somewhere in your nightmares!
Posts: 22,272
| Did you lend her the purple socks, too? 
Sounds like she is learning and still having fun. Those are the ones who last. Good work! | |
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11-05-2002, 12:17 AM
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#6 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Pacoima, ca USA
Posts: 5,529
| D'art...I certainly tried to impart my own outlook on the sport...have fun uber alles...I'm gratified that she seemed to learn that lesson.
Inq...nnnope...I loaned her my lame, underarm protector, knickers, manchette and body cord, weapons & mask...everything, it seems, EXCEPT my socks! | |
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11-05-2002, 11:25 AM
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#7 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Gulf Coast Division
Posts: 2,221
| Another thing I am pleased to hear of is your own integrity as the director. Considering how close her DE was, you could have made a few calls different that may have advanced her to the next round. By being unbiased, you are teaching your student and everyone there the importance of winning fairly.
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D'Art | |
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11-05-2002, 12:19 PM
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#8 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Pacoima, ca USA
Posts: 5,529
| Thanks...I always make it a personal policy to throw my salle affiliation out the door when I'm directing...I've carded my own team in a match! It's tough sometimes.
I also made everyone aware that Kelsey was my student and that if anyone has a problem with me directing her bouts and coaching her between bouts/during the 8 point break, that should speak up. No one did (as I was the only one even remotely qualified to direct anyway!) I ALMOST said a few things during to bouts, but held the comments until the bout was either over or we got to the break in DE. | |
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11-05-2002, 08:41 PM
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#9 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Kodiak!!!
Posts: 257
| directing and coaching
Last night I was directing a little foil team tournament we were experimenting with. I was also fencing in this tournament so I was directing my teammates. I was trying not to coach too much but during one bout there was a situation developing that I wanted to remind my teammate about as it tied in nicely with what we had been discussing earlier... rather than coach her directly I asked one of our team mates to talk to her about it ( "at the next touch/break, tell her to notice that when the other guy recovers from his lunge, he's bobbing a little bit and is standing on his back foot too long. It would be a great time to launch a fast attack while he's bobbing up and down on one foot!")
I think it came out as "Coach says be more aggressive."...
after that I decided to go ahead and coach anyway.
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