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The_Jazz · 03-11-2006, 11:07 AM

No problem, although both of these questions are pretty open ended.

We've got 8-10 kids in our program with realistic chances of getting into college programs, if not full scholarships. There's a girl at the NAC in Reno this weekend who probably just sewed up a couple of offers with her results in the Div II tournament last night. The point is that that's how you get yourself onto a competitive team - national exposure and points. If you're in your second year of community college, I'm guessing that you're between 19 and 23. Honestly, you probably don't have much of a shot at any of the big programs on the East Coast unless you find a coach that needs a walkon for target practice. However, there are lots of lower profile programs that you can probably find your way into with a little luck. Check out your local Division's website and see what tournaments are coming up. Start at the lower level ones and see how quickly you can earn a rating. Once you're rated, you can start to accumulate national points, and that's what's going to attract the college coaches.

Or you could just look for a school with a club program that doesn't make cuts. I'd chose the school before the fencing program myself. There's not much money in being a professional fencer until you get into the coaching ranks, and even then it's not great.

As far as the Italian vs Spanish debate, it's pretty easily settled for me. The Italian school is the internationally recognized one. That's what's in the Olympics, national tournaments, North American Cups and every other organized tournament that you're going to go to that's not run by a bunch of crackpots (no offense meant to anyone). The Spanish style is pretty much just a way to do something a little different. It's similar to the hockey/broomball debate. People play both and both are fun, but only one is internationally recognized. If you want to be considered a serious fencer, stick with the Italian style.

Let me know if you want to know anything else.

03-11-2006, 11:07 AM	#8 (permalink)
The_Jazz Asshole Administrator Location: Chicago	No problem, although both of these questions are pretty open ended. We've got 8-10 kids in our program with realistic chances of getting into college programs, if not full scholarships. There's a girl at the NAC in Reno this weekend who probably just sewed up a couple of offers with her results in the Div II tournament last night. The point is that that's how you get yourself onto a competitive team - national exposure and points. If you're in your second year of community college, I'm guessing that you're between 19 and 23. Honestly, you probably don't have much of a shot at any of the big programs on the East Coast unless you find a coach that needs a walkon for target practice. However, there are lots of lower profile programs that you can probably find your way into with a little luck. Check out your local Division's website and see what tournaments are coming up. Start at the lower level ones and see how quickly you can earn a rating. Once you're rated, you can start to accumulate national points, and that's what's going to attract the college coaches. Or you could just look for a school with a club program that doesn't make cuts. I'd chose the school before the fencing program myself. There's not much money in being a professional fencer until you get into the coaching ranks, and even then it's not great. As far as the Italian vs Spanish debate, it's pretty easily settled for me. The Italian school is the internationally recognized one. That's what's in the Olympics, national tournaments, North American Cups and every other organized tournament that you're going to go to that's not run by a bunch of crackpots (no offense meant to anyone). The Spanish style is pretty much just a way to do something a little different. It's similar to the hockey/broomball debate. People play both and both are fun, but only one is internationally recognized. If you want to be considered a serious fencer, stick with the Italian style. Let me know if you want to know anything else. __________________ "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - B. Franklin "There ought to be limits to freedom." - George W. Bush "We have met the enemy and he is us." - Pogo