How to: Host an awesome free fencing class

Posted bysabrecoachkatePosted inFencing, Fencing information, Fencing newbie, marketing, recruitingTags:, , ,

The SabreCoachKate Blog has moved over to a new site, on https://www.cuttingedgefencing.com/sabrecoachkate-blog! To view this post about hosting a free class, click here https://www.cuttingedgefencing.com/post/how-to-host-an-awesome-free-fencing-class.

Published by sabrecoachkate

I am a native Iowan who longed for more than a simple Midwestern life. I went to school in France for two years and fell in love with the people, culture, and language. Since I am a crazy woman I moved to Texas–land of Spanish-speakers–after graduation to teach French in a high school. 13 years in public school taught me a lot and gave me many leadership opportunities. In 2012, my husband, David, and I decided to take a risk and both teach part-time so we could try and build up our fencing club. It was a long, challenging road, full of sacrifice and lots of beans and rice to save money. It paid off as the club grew from 1400 square feet, to 5600, to our third location with 10 metal strips, a workout area, a full armory, and a large parent area. One year in, when we were just starting to break even, Covid came. We offered classes every night on Zoom and worked so hard to keep our tight-knit community together but, as more people had to drop fencing for financial reasons, we had to close CEFC. When quarantine was over, we tried to have a physical location again in a room on the top floor of a hockey center in Euless but it just wasn’t the same. We sold all our equipment to a friend in St. Louis and reluctantly closed the door on that dream. David interviewed for other coaching positions and was hired as the sabre coach at Atlantic Fencing Academy in New Jersey. We packed up everything that would fit into our pickup and moved East. I found a job as an Instructional Designer at Seton Hall University and David also secured the Head Fencing Coach job at Wagner College. We never imagined he’d be a Division 1 NCAA coach, but here we are. I’m a Volunteer Coach there so we still get to travel together to tournaments and keep our joint involvement in the fencing world alive. I was never able to successfully coach and compete at the same time and had given up competition for about five years to focus on the club and our fencers. Now that I no longer have the stress of club ownership, I have once again turned my focus and determination to making the Veteran World Team. Although I still miss the camaraderie of CEFC and being able to train regularly with adult fencers, I find ways of keeping my fencing skills sharp. Although life definitely threw some curve balls, this move has been good for me. I enjoy exploring this new area and relish seeing the Raritan Bay every time I return to our apartment complex, the New York skyline as I venture farther north, and the Atlantic Ocean at Shore Points south. I now have strong opinions about pizza and know how to navigate jug handles. It doesn’t feel yet like “home” but I look forward to the kinds of adventure this new chapter will bring.

3 thoughts on “How to: Host an awesome free fencing class”

  1. Hey Kate,

    Great article. We do ours slightly differently. The only “free trial” we offer is through a current member. Our fencers can take “free trial” cards and give them to their friends. They come on the first night of beginner class and if they continue to the rest of the beginner session, that night is prorated off. It’s a small way to give back to our fencers by giving them an exclusive benefit know one else can give away. For all other inquires, we don’t advertise a “trial” but we have calls about them every month, and when asked about a trial class we handle it as a regular enrollment. That potential student may come and participate in the first night of beginner class and does not pay until after class. If they loved it and want to continue they pay for the full month, including that night. If it wasn’t for them, nothing is owed and we hope they had a great time and learned why we love this sport! We’ve never had anyone not come back for the rest of the classes, so this has worked really well for us and those trying to decide if it’s the right activity for them. I think it’s important to lay the ground work early for people to understand the value of the sport and a coaches time. We certainly want them to feel the return on the investment and at the same time, I need the coach to be compensated for their work and can do that by combining those few with a paid class. And then when they continue, everyone is at the same level.

    Happy fencing!

    Thanks!

    Like

    Reply

Leave a comment