kids fencing equipment

Hi all: My grandchildren (10.5 & 6.5 yrs) are interested in my teaching
them fencing. I haven't fenced in 20yrs. but did teach beginners
classes for my fencing master so I have some experience at that level.
If they get into it there is a fencing school in my area. (Tucson AZ)
The local school was too intimidating and has other problems for them at
the moment though I agree that would be best.

1. Should I just get mask, plastron, glove and foils to start or should
I get the whole uniform?
2. Who offers the best value for the dollar these days in kid fencing gear?
3. Children's foils or full size? Can one even get children's foils
anymore?

Thanks
RSE

"R.S.E." <rse2@qwest.net> wrote in message
news:3E402340.3040608@qwest.net...
> Hi all: My grandchildren (10.5 & 6.5 yrs) are interested in my
teaching
> them fencing. I haven't fenced in 20yrs. but did teach beginners
> classes for my fencing master so I have some experience at that
level.
> If they get into it there is a fencing school in my area. (Tucson
AZ)
> The local school was too intimidating and has other problems for
them at
> the moment though I agree that would be best.
>
> 1. Should I just get mask, plastron, glove and foils to start or
should
> I get the whole uniform?

There is no way I would let anyone fence or do pair drills without a
fencing jacket. Knickers is another matter -- we don't insist that
beginners have knickers, so long as their legs are suitably covered.

> 2. Who offers the best value for the dollar these days in kid
fencing gear?

I don't know.

> 3. Children's foils or full size? Can one even get children's foils
> anymore?

You certainly can get children's foils. Santelli has them, for
example. I'd recommend that for the younger child. For the
10-year-old, it would depend on the child's size and hand strength.

--

Dirk Goldgar

(to reply via e-mail, remove NOSPAM from address)

"Dirk Goldgar" <dgoldgar@NOalumni.SPAMprinceton.edu> wrote in message
news:cUV%9.1482$SI2.456903791@news.netcarrier.net. ..
<snip!>
>
> There is no way I would let anyone fence or do pair drills without a
> fencing jacket. Knickers is another matter -- we don't insist that
> beginners have knickers, so long as their legs are suitably covered.
>

I agree, and, yet, it seems to be standard practice in many salles for the
coach to be fully leather clad and the student wearing only a mask, glove,
shorts and shoes.

How many folks out there drill in such a minimalist kit? Just curious.

Paolo

--
-)-------

"He is a man of splendid abilities but utterly corrupt. He shines and stinks
like rotten mackerel by moonlight."

same here. Many lessons are done in T-shirts. No "practice" is done
without jacket.

"wreckferret" <jerpxsreerg@hxez.arg> wrote in message
news:tu524v081pnk3spv75dsimsa55jq41m6pu@4ax.com...
> On Tue, 4 Feb 2003 22:30:03 -0500, "Paolo Damiani"
> <paolo.damiani@cinghiale.org> held forth:
>
> >How many folks out there drill in such a minimalist kit? Just curious.
>
> Dirk was talking about pair drills, not coaching one-to-one.
>
> FWIW I prefer to practise against my coach wearing my breeches and
> t-shirt, but then I'm lazy and don't like sweating buckets if I'm
> trying to concentrate on ironing out my bad habits. When practising
> with an opponent (ie either scored or having a knock about) we'd be
> wearing full clobber.
> --
> Cheers,
> wreckferret
> Use ROT13 to reply ICQ#163264

Children of different ages use different size foils (not sure, but I
think that it goes something like size 0, size 2, size 3 - with size 5
being adult/full size). In the UK, children under the age of 14 have
to use size 3 foils for age group competitions. I pressume that there
are similar rules in the US.

So - even if they/you are not thinking of a competitive career in
fencing for them quite yet - it is worth starting them off with the
smaller blades.

When you speak to equipment suppliers about buying equipment, tell the
supplier the kids' ages and they can advise you accordingly.

Honey.

>it seems to be standard practice in many salles for the
>coach to be fully leather clad and the student wearing only a mask, glove,
>shorts and shoes.
>
>How many folks out there drill in such a minimalist kit? Just curious.
>
>Paolo

I only take lessons from private coaches like that. The salle requires that
both fencers be wearing full gear including long socks while drilling and
fencing. The school team requires full gear for competition, but for practice
you dont need knickers, just long pants.

In rec.sport.fencing on Tue, 4 Feb 2003 22:30:03 -0500
Paolo Damiani <paolo.damiani@cinghiale.org> wrote:
>
> I agree, and, yet, it seems to be standard practice in many salles for the
>coach to be fully leather clad and the student wearing only a mask, glove,
>shorts and shoes.
>
>How many folks out there drill in such a minimalist kit? Just curious.

If we are doing drills, it's usual that he's going to be hit, and I
won't be. Even if he's riposting or otherwise sending a sword point
in my general direction, his job is to do it so that I will react
properly, and it doesn't land.

So there's a very good reason for him to cover up! And no real reason
for me to do so.

If the gear changes my game any, I'd have to wear it, but it doesn't
that I can tell.

If it's any kind of free fencing, that's different, but the usual
drills are such that I don't need gear.

Zebee

"Paolo Damiani" <paolo.damiani@cinghiale.org> wrote in message
news:b1q0gj$ccu$1@bob.news.rcn.net...
>
> "Dirk Goldgar" <dgoldgar@NOalumni.SPAMprinceton.edu> wrote in
message
> news:cUV%9.1482$SI2.456903791@news.netcarrier.net. ..
> <snip!>
> >
> > There is no way I would let anyone fence or do pair drills without
a
> > fencing jacket. Knickers is another matter -- we don't insist
that
> > beginners have knickers, so long as their legs are suitably
covered.
> >
>
> I agree, and, yet, it seems to be standard practice in many salles
for the
> coach to be fully leather clad and the student wearing only a mask,
glove,
> shorts and shoes.
>
> How many folks out there drill in such a minimalist kit? Just
curious.

This is not at all uncommon in a private lesson, where the premise is
that the instructor will not hit the student. That requires both
student and instructor to be competent at their respective levels --
for the instructor this is obvious, but the student must also have
sufficient control of his motions that he won't throw himself on the
instructor's point.

I've taken many lessons like this but I don't do it with my students,
because (a) I want them to be accustomed to executing with their full
gear on, and (b) I want the option of hitting them if they make a
mistake. Or even if they don't, sometimes, to keep them on their
toes.

--

Dirk Goldgar

(to reply via e-mail, remove NOSPAM from address)