Some fencers are closet fencers, hiding their vice from their friends and
family. Others merely don't see any reason to bring it up. I however
love my sport and want everybody to know about it.
Take my cubical at work for example. On the wall is pinned some fencing
cartoons, and a magnet on the metal locker. My computer desktop features
some robots fencing, and while I'm away a fencing screen saver pops up.
When I go on leave, my boss asks "So, where are you fencing this time?".
Faced by such a display of fencing pride, passers-by can't help but want
to be a part of it. Among the many "Fencing? I always wanted to try that."
there were several "Hey, I used to fence.".
So, I thought it was time to return these old ex-fencers to the fold, and
it'd be fun to get some extra fencing in at lunchtimes. And if I could find
4 just in my building, what about theother half dozen that my employer has scattered
throughout the Melbourne CBD?
My employer is the National Australia Bank, and they have a staff social
club which supports staff sport clubs. There was bowling, cricket, tennis...
time for fencing! I contacted a few people, found there were no rules as such,
and so arranged for a mass e-mail looking for fencers.
That was Tuesday. On wednesday I had 40 expressions of interest, by the end
of the week it was over 50. Eep! What had I gotten myself into?? My little
lunchtime gathering had turned into a monster, but I wasn't about to miss a
chance to spread the word of fencing. I set my mind to working out a managable
solution and called a meeting.
Not many people showed up, but we discussed things and they were reasonably
happy with my proposal. I'd decided to split us into 3, (inter-division
tournaments!) each opperating more or less autonomously with their own coordinator.
We'd ask for funding for equipment, and I'd see if I could find us
a night venue.
By the time I hashed out an arrangement with a nearby fencing club (we send
our people to you if you give them a huge discount, being big has some benefits:)
our interest level had risen to 60. I expect to convert maybe half of them.
We started training that week, my group on mondays, the others on tuesdays
and wednesdays. Was it really only 2 weeks ago that I had the idea?
With no funding yet I had to borrow equipment, carrying it to work on public
transport was literally a pain in the neck. I missed out on lunches as I attended
sessions and found myself taking on a teaching role in two of them. I'm
not qualified! How can a sabreur teach foil?! I've probably given them all
awful habits, but at least they'll be lunging properly. Fortunately there is a
fencing coach working in the third building, he's promised to visit them
occasionaly and straighten them out.
Starting a fencing club is hard work, but worth it I think. We've got
several advantages that normal clubs don't, those being free venues (pity
about the carpet), members all on good incomes who've largely been employed
for being the sort of people that will volunteer to help and take on
positions, and a social club that is willing to encourage these endeavours
with cash. So it's not something that will work everywhere, but so far it
seems to working here and I think I've finally found my fencing saturation
point. (No! Please! Not another word about fencing!)
Of course, once I've got the club trundling along on automatic and have
some free time again I'll have to start hassling my friends in the ANZ and
Telstra to put together some teams so that we can have a fencing corporate
cup. Today the NAB, Tomorrow Victoria, Next Friday the Corporate World! And
once we get the CEOs fencing instead of fooling around with golf, I'm sure
the sponsorship dollars will start flowing:-)