Women and Saber

[Feanor]

This isn't truly an observation based on anything but personal observation and my own experience, but why is it that the preponderance of women seem to be drawn to Saber?

I could be way off base here and perhaps the stats will show something different, but it just seems like there are many more women in Saber at our Salle, everytime I see a woman post on this board she is a Sabrist, and when I talk to the women and younger ladies in the intro class they all say "I'm going to do Saber!" and they say it with gusto!

Just the other night at a demonstration, I overheard two ladies talking and one said to the other, "That was really exciting! especially the Saber!"

Is it the prevailing trend for women to feel an affilliation to Saber? Is this something that has been common knowledge for the last 100 years and I just got wind of it?

Just Curious...

My wife tells me, "Maybe its because their husbands are 'whipped' and they just want to drive the point home with more enthusiasm..."

I laughed nervously... and then put all my foil gear away...

[Peach]

Hmm . . . explain to me why for many years I was the only regular female sabre fencer at my club? I think your evidence is anecdotal.

The other possible reason is that sabre is the best weapon, and that until recently women were not permitted to fence it at all.

[40Saberthieves]

I guess women are just smarter than most men.

[Feanor]

Originally posted by Peach
Hmm . . . explain to me why for many years I was the only regular female sabre fencer at my club? I think your evidence is anecdotal.

The other possible reason is that sabre is the best weapon, and that until recently women were not permitted to fence it at all.

Hi Peach!

I forgot to qualify that my observation was only based on less than a years worth of data Maybe the female drive to Saber is a regional thing that just happens to be more intense in my region

Its just funny because I see the evidence constantly! Or maybe its just because no one wants to fence foil after they believe they are sufficiently "initiated" into fencing and the Saber numbers are actually normal...

*wracking brain to try to figure out why I like foil*

Have a good one!

[Peach]

Well, I coach a little fencing club, and though when I started I did it with a fellow coach who is an epeeist, he moved on to another school a couple of years ago. It used to be that everyone went to foil and epee, before he left. Now they all want to do sabre. Funny thing about that People gravitate to the weapon that seems most attractive to them, and I guess I look like I'm having great fun with sabre. Well, that and I'm a lousy foil or epee coach.

Our sabre group at the club where I train is always shamelessly recruiting from the adult class, or trying to tempt foilists into playing with us. We attract a percentage, but still a minority.

[swordAlys]

Years ago I worked for Cornell U. after I graduated, and became interested in fencing when during lunch hour I'd see members of the club or team practicing. I signed up for lessons and during my 2nd lesson the instructor suggested I try saber because I kept making moves that looked like I might have a natural affinity for it. I did and fell in love with it. I think I was the first woman they instructed in saber. I was only there a short while before doing a job relocation. The bulk of my training over the years following was private lessons with Al Kwartler (who has passed on, much beloved Pan Am champion and West Point coach). I think he had a few other women learning saber, but not during the times I was there. Since I don't compete I've actually never fenced another woman LOL, only men!!!!!!!
I treasure my saber because I bought it from Giorgio Santelli himself and still remember him assembling it for me and giving me that intense thoughtful stare.
Saber's a great weapon. I agree though that it's probably pockets of anecdotal interest in it by women. Probably those of us who are natural slashers lol!!!!!!

[dunastor]

Unfortunately in my club there are hardly sabre fencers at all, let alone female ones...

Although I don't figure why everybody doesn't just let their foil/epee where they are and pick up a sabre..

somehow people don't grasp the esthetism of the weapon...

[cowpaste]

It's because sabre requires very little thinking. :P

[MyraTrue]

You know, I've seen that to vary by club.

When I was in Wales, my old coach (also recently passed on ) told me about what it was like with women and sabre early on. He'd been coaching 55+ years when I got there. Initially, UK coaches were forbidden to teach women sabre, but he'd do it anyway. He said that once it was opened to women, that the numbers of female sabreurs skyrocketed. Then it dropped again, and foil again predominated.

Interestingly enough, I fenced in the BUSA's there (University team competitions), and according to British Fencing, men fenced all three weapons, and women only fenced epee and foil. This changed the semester after I left (one year ago), but Sabre was never open to women in university competition before.

That said, my current club has ONE other woman who fences sabre, no sabre equipment, and a grand total of three women, myself included. It has ONE epeeist beside myself. My club before that had TWO womens sabre, both come to my chin (at 5'6", thats something), and a pretty even distribution of epee and foil.

I think how you sell a weapon is half the allure. I suppose I can sell all three, but I have a passion for epee. If sabre is the main attraction, showing the most women, and is publicized well, I can see it being the best seller

-My'

[Peach]

I liked it even though no women at my club fenced it and the male sabre fencers there at the time were either eleven years old, completely nuts, or both. I still knew I wanted to fence sabre. It just felt right in my hand and made sense to me.

One of said male sabre fencers is now one of my coaches, BTW, but it's been a few years. He isn't completely nuts any more.

[KShan5[PrFC]]

I agree with Peach on the fact that women are fencing sabre because it is indeed the best weapon to fence. Other than that...the acceptance of women sabre fencing is still fairly new thus more women have the chance to fence it. So they are fencing it, increasing the number of women sabre fencers in all regions.

[Craig]

Sabre overall (Men's and Women's) has also been the recipient of a significant amount of press due to the world rankings of the US fencers. The USFA with a limited PR budget is backing the sabre "horse".

When our women's foil team was in position to take a medal in Sydney and when Cliff was in the top 25 and top 10 in FIE rankings in Men's Foil, Foil was the "horse".

The fact that sabre is the current "in" weapon, plus the fact that it is a fairly new weapon for women is driving the growth. There was similar growth in women's epee when it first got added to the WC competitions.

Cheers,
Craig

[fencergal33]

Let me first say that I have really enjoyed reading everyon'e responses to this thread.

My coach tends to teach people what they want to learn, instead of the traditional foil, epee, sabre sequence. The funny thing about it is that if I were made to fence foil first, I probably would have been bored. Don't get me wrong, I like foil, I just don't have a passion for it. Anyway, the day I met my coach, he talked to me for about five minutes, then looked at me and said "No doubt about it, you're a saber fencer." He was right. I may not be in the national point standing or anything, but saber is what I love and no other weapon could ever be my primary. I guess I always chalked it up to the fact that I'm feisty and angry, and in my opinion, saber fits that best.

-K

[dunastor]

Originally posted by fencergal33
I guess I always chalked it up to the fact that I'm feisty and angry, and in my opinion, saber fits that best.
-K

Feisty women... there should be more of them....

hooray for sabre fencing

[MyraTrue]

Feisty and angry, huh?

You know, I fence epee, and have been told repeatedly by my coach that I'm a sabreur, not an epeeist. But I don't have that love for sabre, even if I am best suited for it. I'm "too short" to fence epee... which just means I'll stab you in the toe and walk back to my enguard line giggling at the look on your face.

Every woman who fences should have a wicked streak, and a good sense of fun. They ALL should be feisty!

Always liked fencing because I could give as good as I got!! No one ever cared that I was a woman. They just worried about what I was going to do, not what I was.

[Inquartata]

Eh heh heh...soon we will have ALL the women...eh heh heh heh...

Reason #127 to fence sabre!

[MyraTrue]

Sorry Inq- but while it may be "there's just something about a woman in a sabre lamee", I also state "there's just something about a man in a foil lamee". On that basis, I'd head right off for foil. As it is, I tried all the weapons, and I've decided that epee is the only TRUE weapon...

I think you STILL need a bigger draw to sabre before you get ALL the women.

[whtouche]

Originally posted by cowpaste
It's because sabre requires very little thinking. :P

An ignorant way of thinking for sure.

[a517dogg]

Originally posted by whtouche
An ignorant way of thinking for sure.

Compared to epee it's true.

[cowpaste]

Originally posted by a517dogg
Compared to epee it's true.

I agree, and so I do foil instead. We only think in moderate amounts and whip each other.