When I started fencing in college back in 1970, at a teachers college in a small town in western Maine, I just wanted to fence. I took a Phys. Ed. class from the little old grey haired (actually wig-wearing) lady instructor who also taught volleyball, dance, badmitton, archery--you know, the stuff no male teacher would bother with. I remember suiting up in my one armed plastron (had to turn it inside out since all of them were for right handers), brought my leather winter glove (still no left handers), and stood there in a class of about 20 girls and one other guy who (I was never quite sure of).

The point of this is that I was a farm boy, only child, who had read way to many swashbucking books, and saw every Guy Williams Zorro show/movie he ever did. I lost myself in the world of dashing heroes, and a few pirates, much to the chagrin of my poor old horse, who put up with a wooden sword swinging around his head with greater patience than could be expected. I JUST WANTED TO FENCE!

I have taught fencing at the college level, high school level, and have a prize student, 12 years old, and all the kids who stayed with it JUST WANTED TO FENCE.

At my peak, I was into the whole competition thing. It gave me a sense of value and accomplishment. I did fairly well, considering I didn't have much in the way of instruction, no professional masters to guide me along. In all honesty, I think it was largely due to the fact that I was left handed, and I was a big fish in a small pond. There were quite a few fencers in Maine back then, and quite a few competitions, but we were all on the same playing field. No one had access to those old, noble European masters who came tothe States after WWII. Heck, we didn't even have a scoring device until I was almost out of college. Lots of dry tournements, with real judges (when they weren't fencing themselves). We accomplished a lot, with no money, no real support, JUST BECAUSE WE LOVED TO FENCE.

In all honesty, I only joined what was the AFLA because it was the only show in town, and I needed that association to fence at "real" competitions out of state. I had no problem with the AFLA, and I have no problems with the USFA now. They provide a great service to fencing.

I just wanted to mention all this to some younger members, or members who have always had "access" because there is a huge number of fencers out there right now who will never fence competitively, will likely not join the USFA, and who probably have given up trying to spot fencing on the Olympic coverage. The real reason so many people are joining classical fencing programs is that they JUST WANT TO FENCE.

This is the real reason Classical Fencing will succeed.

I now step off the soap box.

Cleon




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