Our college fencing club has seen a real membership growth this past year. I also seem to hear about more people getting into it via SCA these days. I know its future had been cloudy and that it was in danger of losing its Olympic status--is fencing getting healthier?
Popularity of Fencing.
- Thread starter arnisador
- Start date
I have only known one fenceing instructor. He was a good teacher and was very dedicated to his sport. I hope that fenceing becomes popular again. Its exciting to do and takes more practice than it looks to become good
T
thatoneguy
Guest
i think that fencing is making a come back
my dad's fencing club is gaining more people but that could be a isolated case
but i think that there is a general increase in the fencing population
my dad's fencing club is gaining more people but that could be a isolated case
but i think that there is a general increase in the fencing population
T
thatoneguy
Guest
private
his club is called Ragnorok
its down in GA
his club is called Ragnorok
its down in GA
My girlfriend is studying fencing at a local community-ed program. I watched a few sessions...the guy -really- drills in the basics. I've got his card somewhere....
It definately looked like fun.
It definately looked like fun.
Beginner class was 8 weeks, think it was $65
The next class requires you have gear, about $300 worth, and is also $65 for 8 weeks.
The next class requires you have gear, about $300 worth, and is also $65 for 8 weeks.
Sam said:
:jediduel: That's great Sam (antha)! I wish I had taken fencing in college. I did take Judo and it was a great course. If the Judo class is even halfway decent, you might want to take it twice. It will complement your Kenpo marvelously. We had a young woman in our first semester class who was gifted at judo - and she took IMMENSE pleasure in throwing the guys around. :ultracool
arnisador said:
I stopped by a local group who do stage fighting and fencing for the Michigan Renaisance Festival, I did nto go back as the techniques were about stage and not applied to combat. But I had to check it out
I did this about a year ago. Good guys and gals though and were about having fun, just not for me. I know this was not Fencing per se, but I understand people not wanting to mess up other training, for what ever reason
Kenpo Mama
3rd Black Belt
My daughter is training at a new facility now and she totally loves it. (Island Fencing Academy) She also trained to green belt in American Kenpo. She's a junior in high school right now and we just bought her full electric foil gear, costs about $350. Hopefully they'll be starting a high school club next year. Of course we would love her to find a college that has a fencing club as well. She loves the workout she's getting (spends about 2 1/2 hours twice a week in class and just loves to bout!
Sam! that is great you'll be taking fencing next semester, you will learn a lot of great footwork that will really supplement your kenpo training well!
Peace all!
Donna
Sam! that is great you'll be taking fencing next semester, you will learn a lot of great footwork that will really supplement your kenpo training well!
Peace all!
Donna
RITFencing
Orange Belt
According to a friend of mine who is one of the US Olympic Fencing Coaches this quadrennial, fencing is not in danger of losing its Olympic status. It is one of four sports included in every Olympiad and as such will not be eliminated any time soon.
The IOC is starting to divide sports into "core sports" and "fringe sports," which will in turn greatly influence the funding, number of medals and number of athletes allowed into each event. The danger fencing faces from the IOC is being relegated to so called fringe status.
As far as popularity, it is growing in America. The US winning Gold and Bronze in Individual Women's Sabre in Athens and the high medal hopes in other weapons for the US finally got us a bit of air time on NBC, which was later relegated to Bravo. It still produced a surge in membership in the US Fencing Association, from ~12000 to ~20000. I think the number now is somewhere between 23 and 25 thousand, though I have not looked it up in a while. Also, bear in mind that the number of actual fencers will be greater than this, as USFA membership is not required by most clubs, and is often only a prerequisite if a fencer wishes to compete.
Also, this is for modern Olympic style fencing. For classical, historical, SCAish and other variants, your mileage may vary.
RITFencing
Orange Belt
Thanks, we're really happy about it as well. There was some talk a while ago about cutting fencing, but it seems to have blown over (and my just have been a knee jerk reaction to the international governing body of fencing (the FIE) asking for more medals so that there could be women's sabre individual and team events. Sadly, they didn't want to give us any more medals and so now 2 out of the 12 events have to sit out every Olympics. In Athens it was Women's Sabre Team and Women's Foil Team (there are some rather ugly politics behind this) and this year I believe it is women's epee team and men's foil team, but I could be wrong. It's not perfect, but I'm glad that women's sabre finally got around to being instituted, especially since the USA is so strong in it.
