How to keep our teen/college fencers as adult fencers

[qatet]

At my club we tend to get a few fencers each year who have just rgaduated and are looking for a club. They join up (at a full one-year commitment) and then stop coming after a few months. Sigh. But clearly it's not the money - they're already paying that!

For me the hardest thing was starting training in a situation that had no group drills. We have classes for newbie adults and lots of serious training for young fencers, but until recently there was nothing for more advanced adults. (Of course, I coach during this wonderful class, so I still don't get to play. Gripe, gripe.)

But really, to my eye the biggest problem with fencing after college is that the varsity system burns out its fencers. I've heard far too many seniors who look forward to graduation when they'll have weekends and evenings without fencing.

It also seems to create a lot of one-trick ponies, who are perfectly good on a collegiate circuit where they fence a lot of people who've been fencing for four years or fewer but have trouble when they hit some "old codger" who's got 10 or 15 years under his or her belt and knows how to think past that one great attack or parry-riposte. Moving into a new world of fencing and having to (re)learn how to think is pretty discouraging. Telling them that it will be a long process, and having other fencers at different points in the relearning process helps.

[PeterGustafsson]

Hi!

There are a bunch of sports that have little or manageable transition problems here in Sweden, but since the sports systems are quite different, that is of very limited interest.

More interesting: can anyone name a sport in USA who handles the transition well, considering that graduation/starting family/starting career happens to people in all sports? If such a sport exists, what do they do right? What of that can be transferred to fencing, and what is sport-specific?

Have a nice time!

Peter Gustafsson

[JEC]

Sarcasm intended, but as usual you're correct as yours was the logical and appropriate consequence.

Now, truly, back to the topic, what do you think are the best strategies to keep these teen/college kids fencing?

In 10 years, we will have over 8000 of them considering leaving or staying.

[JEC]

Originally posted by PeterGustafsson
can anyone name a sport in USA who handles the transition well, considering that graduation/starting family/starting career happens to people in all sports? If such a sport exists, what do they do right? What of that can be transferred to fencing, and what is sport-specific?

Peter,

Golf and tennis. Both are individual sports and people continue playing them after college because it is seem to help professionals.