04-15-2003, 12:09 AM
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#1 | | Member
Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: USA
Posts: 88
| Club Help
A few questions and a bit of your time... I've been fencing for a few years now (just went to my first tournament). I want to become a serious competitor someday, but I don't know if I'm fencing in the right place. I've quickly rised to the top in my class level, but I don't know a single person who has the same goals I have. My coach knows what I want to accomplish, and gives me extra attention. My question is, should I find a new club, or should I stick with my own coach? Any input would be highly appreciated! 
Last edited by d0gz|song; 04-15-2003 at 12:23 AM.
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04-15-2003, 12:16 AM
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#2 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Georgia
Posts: 1,145
| Without knowingt where you are fencing now, what weapon, what experience your coach has etc. your questions are pretty much unanswerable.
(not that someone won't answer them anyway I am sure)
__________________
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If you set a man on fire, he is warm for the rest of his life.
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04-15-2003, 12:22 AM
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#3 | | Member
Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: USA
Posts: 88
| Quote: |
Without knowingt where you are fencing now, what weapon, what experience your coach has etc. your questions are pretty much unanswerable.
| Hmm... Sorry... I fence foil. My coach has been teaching for about 25 years, and has coached a few fencers up to the international level. | |
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04-15-2003, 02:42 AM
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#4 | | Member
Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 47
| If you feel your coach is investing extra time in you, and that your fencing improves because of his instruction, why not stay?
If you aren't challenged by the other members of your club, attend local tournaments whenever possible to fence some 'new blood'. At least the other fencers in your club benefit from fencing you, since that makes them better.
If you really want, and if you feel you and your coach are at the top of the food chain in your club, you might consider going to USFA coaches' college and becoming a certified coach and give him a hand. You'll learn a lot to further your own fencing, make great contacts, and be able to return the favor to your coach by helping him out. (my 2 cents)
PisteOff | |
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04-15-2003, 12:28 PM
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#5 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: North attleboro, MA
Posts: 1,825
| If your coach is that experienced it sounds like there should be some people at your club who can challenge you.
But, if not it doesnt mean you have to switch coaches. What you could do is stay with that coach if you feel he's able to help you, and as suggested before go to lots of tournaments to test out your skills, and also stop by other clubs once a week or so for open fencing and fence new/better people you'd normally only see in tournaments.
Last year I got to the point where nobody in my club could really challenge my anymore. I still went to practices, fenced with the coach, but wednesdays I drove up to a more competitive club and fenced with some of the best fencers in the division. As a result, I've gone from E to D to C very rapidly this year and Im still improving.
Most clubs usually have open fencing hours, you may have to pay a floor fee but it's worth it.
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"Their interpretation is, however, refuted most elegantly by your system of radioactive atom + amplifier + charge of gun powder + cat in a box"
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04-15-2003, 01:35 PM
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#6 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: New York
Posts: 327
| who's your coach and where do you fence? If you tell us that we'll probably be able to help you a lot more. I realize giving out names may not be the most comfortable thing, but I think people will give you a pretty honest assessment of waht you can or should do. | |
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04-15-2003, 10:40 PM
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#7 | | Member
Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: USA
Posts: 88
| Maybe u guys may have misinterpreted my meaning of a part of my message. I'm NOT the best in my club, far from it in fact. Just one of the better among the other fencers who have been fencing for about the same amount of time. Thanks for the suggestions, tho! I'll definitely think about them... | |
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04-16-2003, 01:17 AM
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#8 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Downers Grove, IL
Posts: 144
| I've been fencing for almost three years now (to give you an idea of my level of experience) and when I first started I was in a similar situation as you were, after 8 weeks of instruction I won our club's Y-14 tournament. But after I got my technique and form down to a pretty good level my coach had me move up to the adult open fencing group. Note: Our club wasn't very competitive at the time. So now I'm up against people who are at my skill level, so I get the help that I need, and my coach still takes extra time, like you're saying to give me special instruction. Perhaps you should talk to your coach about moving up to a higher skill level, or at least fence with them as well as those at your own experience level. If you want to be competitive, more fencing never hurts (though not to an extreme).
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04-16-2003, 02:07 AM
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#9 | | Quit (no longer with us)
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 59
| look at the usfa listing of ranked fencers in your weapon and read coaches name next to it, see where the coach is located and see if you can be taken in as a student. | |
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