Practice in a Nutshell
Type of Practice: Dueling
We will have lessons for students and Open Workshop for Swordsmen at 6. Please read your lessons before you come. The Swordsmen will join the students for the last half of their lessons to help them practice.
After lessons, we are turning the time over to our Students to run activity time! They have planned a great set of dueling-focused games and activities, including Dueling Sharks and Minnows, a Dueling class on closing range against a taller opponent, a Wise Man bear pit to practice the class, and a few other dueling focused games. It’s going to be a great practice! Thanks to our students for preparing it!
Lessons
- Newcomers: As Needed
- Initiates: Draw and Tip Cuts
- Novices: Death Stick and Cloak
- Swordsmen: Open Workshop and Student Assist
Announcements
New Month
It’s a new month if you do not have a Shire Membership please bring your $5 this week and pay your fees through Edward.
Helmets
Hey, we made a decision on the bagged helmets. With cleaning supplies available and the knowledge that they are sitting in a hot garage for a week between practices, we have decided that bagged helmets will no longer be necessary. Please still wipe down any borrowed gear and place it nicely in the provided bags. There were a couple of sets of personal gloves in the white bags we have saved those and owners can find them in the gorget bag. If you are concerned about contamination from gear please come talk to Shay as we can direct you on how to buy your own personal gear. If there is enough interest we can put together a group order and receive discounts on price and shipping.
T-Shirts
Hey if you didn’t see before here is the link to the new T-shirts. Including a SHASy one! Thanks, Ul’vade for the saying and Kane for the design. And our Cryptids one too!
Masters School
Saturday 9-11 Masters School. For those of us regularly attending, let’s chat about how we want Masters School to get even cooler. Think about what you want from it. 11-1-ish Let’s play melees! Let’s get better at melee by applying the principles we have recently learned, and have loads of fun.
Stag Tourney/Bake Sale
June 6, 10 AM. Look for an event on the site later this week. Save the time folks. This is going to be a fun one! So Yummy!
Shay’s Thoughts
There have been so many good conversations about Masters and Apprentices lately, and I love how many new declarations have happened or are about to. So I want to share my thoughts and feelings on the Master/Apprentice relationship. Hint: I love it!
I have had one apprentice and two masters, and I have three sword siblings. I love them. These relationships have been tremendously influential in my growth as a fencer and as a person. Even now that most of these official relationships have ended I still go to these fencers for practice, advice, and help in life too! They are like a family within my Order of the Rose family. It has been these relationships that have kept me going when I felt like quitting. These people have been there to cheer my successes and I’ve cheered them along and supported them too. I deeply value being able to bounce ideas off them and talk through what I’m seeing and experiencing. Their perspective enlightens my own. I am a better fencer because of these people.
I have noticed in all my years of fencing that there are two major leaps in Skill for fencers. The first comes immediately after a fencer buys their own first sword. The second comes with entering a Master/Apprentice relationship. Having these relationships enables fencers to progress in an accelerated way because in them Masters and Apprentices are relying on each other. Often we are willing to do more for others than we would or could do on our own. This level of trust boosts confidence too, and that usually helps with skill.
I can’t say this will work for everyone. I just know it really helps me. Fencing has always been best-learned one on one and in small focused groups. I love this aspect of our fencing community. I strongly support it. Swordsman I highly recommend trying out the Master/Apprentice opportunity. Talk to a Master Swordsman or to me and let’s see what we can do for you. I totally believe it can help you and that it is so worth it.
