Deaf Fencing question

[Marquis1972]

Hello all,

A good friend of mine in VT suggested fencing in the Deaflympics. Despite the fact that I know one deaf girl from Ohio formerly who's into Saber, I'm pretty much the only one who does this in my state. I've asked a certain Sue Barnes from an organization and this is what she said:

--Hi Adam,

Thank you for your inquiring in Fencing in Deaflympics. Unfortunately there
is no fencing in Summer Deaflympics. In order to add a new sport in
Deaflympics, we need to have enough interest in 2 regions with at least 5
teams. You will want to contact the USA Deaf Sports Federation and inquire
if there has been interest in Fencing among the Deaf Sportspeople.

Kind regards,
Sue Burnes
ICSD Office Administrator--

And then there's this:

--Unfortunately, both Deafylmpics and USA Deaf Sports Federation doesnt have any knowledge of deaf fencing organization.

Thank you for your interest

D. Cole Zulauf, USADSF Home Office--

I find this very interesting and also surprising because there's no way that I would have been one of the very few deaf who fences in this country. Something's not right with the picture here and I'm wondering if any of you are aware of such deaf fencing divisions and I think the USADSF office needs to be made aware of it. I fail to see how they could not know.

Thanks!

-A

[MyrddinsPrecint]

Well, if there are only a handful of deaf fencers across the country, I can't imagine there's a deaf fencing *organization* already. Because, really, why would it exist already? I think you would have to be willing to but it together.

How many people have to be on a team?? ....How deaf do they have to be? How much do they have to function as a team? If you only have to get 10 people, each of whom says their in a team with one of the others, who doesn't have to practice with the other until the Deaflympics, and whom only have to have some significant hearing loss or significant involvment in Deaf culture......... this is probably very easy.

If a team has to have 16 people who practice together regularly all of whom were born completely hard of hearing..... I don't think it's going to happen.

[Marquis1972]

I think the deafness can be either natural or environmentally caused, therefore they should be able to qualify. Those who are not actually born deaf but hard of hearing, might not, but I don't know the criteria of qualifying on the deaf organization's part.

I know there are deaf fencers out there, but an actual fencing club? I would'nt know. I know I'm the only one in VT, so far, besides the one lady in her 50s who did a little of bit of it.

I'm only saying that it's a little surprising to see how there is not a fencing division in the Deaflympics organization. Snowboarding and skiing is never a problem as they've always been popular in the New England area. But when my friend suggested looking into it, I did some searching online and made some inquiries which ultimately led me to question why that was the case. I've only been fencing for almost two year now, though.

[hello?]

Snowboarding and skiing is never a problem as they've always been popular in the New England area.

There are probably more snowboarders and skiers than fencers, which probably translates to more deaf snowboarders and skiers than deaf fencers.

But, yes, I am with you -- there have to be more of you and, yes, it would be great if you could get connected in order to make the sport a part of the Deafolympics, if possible.

If you are really interested in making fencing a part of that event, I would get a very clear (in writing) criteria from that organization: what do you have to DO in order to get fencing to be considered or, better yet, included in the Deafolympics (as was stated before -- ask them to define "team," to define "deaf," etc.).

Then, I would contact each Division (getting the USFA involved MIGHT be harder). Ask the divisions to put a notice on their website asking other deaf fencers, if they are around, to contact you?

Just some thoughts.

[lindajdunn]

Have you tried contacting someone at Gallaudet? They're supposed to be a NEAC member in 2010-11.

[Fencergrl]

Cornflower from this board goes to Gallaudet (I'll e-mail her and ask her to pop into this thread) as I think she would also be a good person to ask. If she isn't currently fencing , she's likely to be interested in setting up a team.

I did a fencing demo in a high school that also had classes for the deaf (it was an integrated school with support for deaf students). One PE class had about 6 deaf students. They picked up the sport easily. My adjustments were minor, growing up with a deaf brother I knew to made sure they could see my lips when I spoke and I'm sure that helped for some. When they were fencing, I also made sure I used hand signals they could understand for indicating points, halts etc... so I doubt any fencing coach would have any issues, although one that does sign language would be ideal.

Edit... finding Cornflower might be more difficult as initially expected.

[Marquis1972]

Fencergrl,

Do let me know if you manage to hear from Cornflower. I would be interested in hearing about her point of view.

Lindajdunn, I have not contacted Gallaudet, even though I'm waayyy out of college and have been mainstreamed myself years ago .

To Hello? I have thought about this approach even though I have no coaching experience because I've only been fencing for almost two years now without a rating yet. I do agree that there needs to have some kind of existence of such deaf fencing in the Deaflympics. I find it hard to believe that they would not have any knowledge of deaf fencers' interest. Either they're lazy about it or do not have any experience with the fencing industry.

The reason I brought this up was because there was a Snowboarding/Skiing competition up in Vermont with deaf athletes a few years back but they change locations from west to east coast and back every few years.

[Empty Wallet]

There are deaf fencers about the place.

Frank Bartollilo recently represented Australia in the Olympics.

A quick little googling indicates that the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf has teams in the NJ competitions. It could be another lead to see if you can located a cohort, or to press for inclusion in things like the deaflympics.

[hello?]

I have thought about this approach even though I have no coaching experience because I've only been fencing for almost two years now without a rating yet.

You don't have to coach them if you manage to find other deaf fencers who are already fencing (so already being coached). You could just get in touch with them and form a team...Just a thought.

[chinbeard]

The hard of hearing already have their own fencing league: they call it "saber."

[lindajdunn]

The hard of hearing already have their own fencing league: they call it "saber."

Hey! I ressemble that remark!

WSV50. Hearing impaired since age 3.

[Marquis1972]

Thanks for the suggestions, folks. I'll see what I can dig up for more info and what they can do about it.

[cornflower]

Hey, this is cool! I don't fence anymore, because I live in DC, and there aren't that many sabre fencers here... and I'm poor these days.

Although I do work there right now, I'm currently on leave of absence from my studies at Gallaudet. Hoping to be back this Fall, and if not, then the Spring.

Way back when I was in HS, I do remember contacting some people at the Deaflympics about having fencing, and got a similar response as you did, Marquis1972.

[Marquis1972]

Cornflower,

Yeah, now you know what I went through. Bizarre, is'nt it?

[occasionalfencer]

Hey, this is cool! I don't fence anymore, because I live in DC, and there aren't that many sabre fencers here... and I'm poor these days.

Poor might be a problem, but living in D.C. is not. Look up D.C. Fencer's club. Plenty of saber.

[KD5MDK]

My guess is that deaf fencing isn't very developed because deaf fencers integrate very well with mainstream fencing, and so there's no need to develop a critical mass of deaf specific fencing. So there can be hundreds of deaf fencers, but if they're all in different clubs, there's no organization for it.

Repeating what MyrddinsPrecint already said well, it would help a lot to know what the requirements for "teams" are in the Deaflympics. I would look at other individual sports in there and see what they do.

Also, this might be something that would be good to advertise in American Fencing, either as a letter to the editor or request for some column space. Since it's received by most USFA members, I would expect most deaf fencers to either see it in their issue or have it mentioned to them by a friend or clubmate, so it would likely be a good way to try and get responses from deaf fencers. Something like "Send an email to (address) if you are a deaf or hard of hearing fencer, and also indicate if you are interested fencing in the Deaflympics."

[Wetmelon]

The hard of hearing already have their own fencing league: they call it "saber."

What? Sorry, i didn't hear you say "halt". I was too busy bashing my opponent's skull in.

[Marquis1972]

KD5,

Good points. the requirements so far, to my understanding, as I quote the person is that "Unfortunately there is no fencing in Summer Deaflympics. In order to add a new sport in
Deaflympics, we need to have enough interest in 2 regions with at least 5
teams. You will want to contact the USA Deaf Sports Federation and inquire
if there has been interest in Fencing among the Deaf Sportspeople.
"

One alternative is to have the Deaflympics headquarters communicate with the USFA and find out if they are aware of any numbers or demographics of deaf fencers and tap into that database to draw attention over to their side.

My guess is that deaf fencing isn't very developed because deaf fencers integrate very well with mainstream fencing, and so there's no need to develop a critical mass of deaf specific fencing. So there can be hundreds of deaf fencers, but if they're all in different clubs, there's no organization for it.

Repeating what MyrddinsPrecint already said well, it would help a lot to know what the requirements for "teams" are in the Deaflympics. I would look at other individual sports in there and see what they do.

Also, this might be something that would be good to advertise in American Fencing, either as a letter to the editor or request for some column space. Since it's received by most USFA members, I would expect most deaf fencers to either see it in their issue or have it mentioned to them by a friend or clubmate, so it would likely be a good way to try and get responses from deaf fencers. Something like "Send an email to (address) if you are a deaf or hard of hearing fencer, and also indicate if you are interested fencing in the Deaflympics."

[MyrddinsPrecint]

KD5,

Good points. the requirements so far, to my understanding, as I quote the person is that "Unfortunately there is no fencing in Summer Deaflympics. In order to add a new sport in
Deaflympics, we need to have enough interest in 2 regions with at least 5
teams. You will want to contact the USA Deaf Sports Federation and inquire
if there has been interest in Fencing among the Deaf Sportspeople.
"

One alternative is to have the Deaflympics headquarters communicate with the USFA and find out if they are aware of any numbers or demographics of deaf fencers and tap into that database to draw attention over to their side.

The way Volleyball defines a "team" is so absurdly different from the way the USFA clubs define a "team", and that's different from the way college fencing clubs define a "team". Saying "five teams" doesn't tell you if you need a minimum of 10 fencers or 120. Knowing that to start with will give you a much better idea of how feasible the entire thing is.

.........If you wait for the USFA to get involved, it will never happen.

[KD5MDK]

I see no point in the past when the USFA would have the opportunity to gather information about deaf fencers, so I don't think they're going to have anything useful to contribute right now.

Again, we don't know what a team means yet.