Guide for Parents
We understand that you need to know more about our sport before allowing your child to participate. Below are a few points about fencing and you should also feel free to contact us with any specific questions
Its fun! |
It inspires the imagination
- it isn't hard to imagine yourself as Luke Skywalker, or Darth Vader,
or Jack Sparrow. |
It's for everybody |
Unlike most other sports,
there is no ideal body type for a fencer. How can that be? Winning
at fencing is a combination of many things: the mind of a chess player
(watching for your opponent's openings), the face of a poker player
(bluffing your opponent), the flexibility of a gymnast (good for lunging),
the hand-eye coordination of a calligrapher (Zorro would not be able
to Z without it), and the endurance of a marathoner (to win a tournament).
No child or adult, for that matter, is going to come into fencing
with all of these different attributes. |
Encourages self control |
Imagine standing there when a person suddenly moves
quickly toward you with a sword pointed at you. What to you do?
Tell your feet to move backwards, your hand to move your sword to
block theirs, tell your mind to stop racing and think what you are
going to do if you stop this attack. As a fencer, you will need
to have the self-control to tell your body to handle these three
different actions at one time. Compare this with other sports that
have you just try to kick or hit a ball. The strategy and self-control
is an afterthought. In fencing, self-control and body-control are
what keep you from losing a point. |
Respect |
Each bout that your child
fences starts in the same way: with a respectful salute of the sword
to the opponent, to the referee, and to the audience. When fencing
without referees, fencers are taught to acknowledge their opponents
touches. At the end of the bout, there is a required handshake among opponents. Winning and losing gracefully is not only encouraged, it is expected, along with maintaining respect for the fencers and the referees. |
Safety |
Don't worry, the swords
aren't sharp. And the kids aren't really trying to stab each other.
Fencers score points and win matches when the blunt tip of their sword
merely touches their opponent. They also wear plenty of protective
clothing -- cool mesh helmets and padded white vests that make them
look like something out of a "Star Wars" movie. |
Age |
The best age for children
to start fencing is somewhere between 7 and 10 years old. |
Benefits |
First, fencing helps children
get fit, which is very important. Second, fencing helps children learn
to pay attention and to develop their decision-making abilities. Fencers
must make good, quick decisions. Fencing also helps children learn
to release aggression in a controlled manner. It could be said that
fencing is a lot like boxing, but without anyone getting hurt. It
is also an indoor sport, which means your child can participate no
matter what the weather is like outside. |
License |
Everybody who participates is required to hold an IFF licence. The subscription for children is €2 per annum. You can download an application form here |
More |
Visit our FAQ page on the main website |