[Ponte Alto] Fencing and Minors in Ponte Alto

[Sorcha de Glys]

Thanks for sending this out.  I have reviewed the list of equipment for
myself!

Sorcha  :)

Shannon and Jason are no longer using the same inbox.  Messages for Shannon
will be picked up at shannonrsmith at att.net or sorchadeglys at att.net.
Messages for Jason will be picked up at jasonhsmith at att.net.  Thanks!
----- Original Message -----
From: "Belphoebe" <belfebe at yahoo.com>
To: <ponte-alto at atlantia.sca.org>
Sent: Tuesday, January 21, 2003 11:30 AM
Subject: [Ponte Alto] Fencing and Minors in Ponte Alto


Greetings,

In recent times we have had an influx of young fencers
in our Ponte Alto practice.  Currently, we have 7 kids
ranging from 12 to 16 years old.  As you can imagine,
there are a lot of questions from parents and kids
regarding rules and equipment.  For that reason, we
have prepared a pamphlet with information which I am
hereby posting for everyone to read.  We will have
hard copies available at practice as well.

I have been in touch with the Kingdom Marshall for
Fencing on this subject, since Atlantia does not have
a Youth Rapier Program.  We call it the "Ponte Alto
Experiment" since we are to our knowledge the first
Barony to try this on a larger scale.  I will be
informing him regularly of our progress and
experiences so when the time comes, and Atlantia is
ready to have a Youth Program, there will be at least
some background information and experience to draw
from.

So here it is.  If you have any questions, do not
hesitate to contact either Marcellus, Thomas Lyon, or
myself, the Ponte Alto Marshals.

YIS,

Belphoebe

              Barony of Ponte Alto

       Teen Fencing Experimental Project

    Basic Information for Parents and Teens


I. INTRODUCTION

So, your child has decided to take up SCA fencing.
Congratulations and welcome.  The first question that
you need to ask yourself is whether or not your child
is really going to stick with this new interest before
spending any money on a lot of equipment.  The good
news is, we have loaner gear.  What does this mean?
It means that for the first practices, you will not
really need to spend any money on it.


II. ARMOR AND GEAR

Once you come to the conclusion that your child wants
to do this, he or she will need armor and gear.  Yes,
we have loaner clothing and equipment, but we also
have a regular influx of new fencers all the time and
there simply is not enough gear for everyone to be
using it indefinitely.

In that regard, this is what your child will need:


1. Cup (Boys), Chest Protection (Girls):  A cup must
be worn by all male fencers.  This is a rule of the
Atlantian Standards of Armor.  As for the ladies,
chest protection is encouraged.  Depending on the age
and development of your daughter, she may or may not
need it.  Hard plastic cups can be purchased online
for as little as $4.00 a pair from such companies as
American Fencers (www.americanfencers.com).  Chest
protection for female boxers is another good option,
while some ladies swear by Victoria's Secret padded
bras.  At any rate, the Ladies of the Iron Rose have
put together a series of links of other merchants that
sell female chest protection.  Please take a look and
see if there is anything that works for you.
http://www.peak.org/~grainne/Ironrose/breastprot.html.


2. Gloves:  One of your first purchases should be a
pair of fencing gloves.  Why?  Because for one thing
it is unpleasant to have to wear the sweaty gloves
that someone just used.  Secondly, ill-fitting gloves
will get in the way of the kid's fencing and will lead
to much frustration. You can pick up a pair of padded
epee gloves for about $30.00 at American Fencers.
Another cheaper option is a pair of goatskin gloves
for $19.00 from Triplette Competition Arms
(www.triplette.com).  We recommend the padded epee
gloves, as they tend to be better quality, and will
last longer.  Now, if you want to go really cheap, you
can purchase a pair of working gloves at Home Depot or
Lowe's, and attach a heavy brocade, canvas or denim
cuff.  Should you go this route, make sure to bring
both the gloves and the cuff to the marshals so they
can determine if they comply with Atlantian Standards
of Armor.


3. Hood:  Along with the gloves, you will want to get
a hood.  Like with the gloves, hoods are very personal
items and it is very unpleasant having to wear one
that has been sweated in by someone else.  Hoods are
easy to make, and are also inexpensive to buy.  Your
best bet for material is either four layers of trigger
or two layers of sturdy denim duck.  Before you put it
together, bring your material to the marshals for
inspection.  You can also pick up a ready-made hood
from Triplette for a about $25.00, or from The Gypsy
Peddler for about $35.00
http://home.sprynet.com/~gipsyped/index.htm. (You will
have to call in both cases, as their hoods are not
shown in either merchant's web catalog.)  If you find
hoods from other merchants, please let us know, as we
like to have as many sources as possible.

4. Weapon:  Your next purchase should be a weapon.  A
foil or an epee will do.  Since this would be a first
weapon, you don't have to purchase anything terribly
fancy.  A basic epee from Triplette, American Fencers,
or Santelli (www.santelli.com) will cost you anywhere
from $55.00 to $115.00.  A standard French foil is
even cheaper (less than $40.00 at American Fencers).
When choosing your weapon, remember that French and
saber grips are SCA compliant, but pistol grips are
not.  Also, it is a good idea to purchase an extra
blade, as well as tips and tip tape.  In a bind, you
can use electrical tape for the tips, but tip tape is
much better (about $5.00 for a big roll).

5. Body Armor:  If your child is younger than 15, a
regular modern fencing jacket will do for practice.
Why?  Because your child will not be able to authorize
until he or she is 16, will continue growing anyway,
and will probably outgrow any fancy fencing armor.
Just remember to specify that it's the kind that
covers the entire torso and arms, as some of those
modern jackets only cover half the torso. Also avoid
the ones made out of stretchy fabric, as they are not
SCA compliant. At any rate, when going to an event,
your child can always throw a period shirt or tunic on
top of the fencing jacket in case there is an
opportunity for pick-up bouts (minors being allowed to
do pick-up bouts depends on the marshals in charge and
the MOL). A Triplette undergarment does the same
trick.  Both garments run about $60.00. Of course, if
you want to make him or her period fencing armor,
that's great.  If you want to purchase ready-made
fencing armor, you can always pick it up from
suppliers such as Triplette or the Gypsy Peddler.
Remember, any body armor that you make or purchase
needs to be inspected by the marshals.

6. Mask:  When purchasing a mask, make sure that it
fits snugly but not tight, and that it doesn't jiggle
when moving the head.  Also make sure that he or she
tries it on while wearing a hood, unless he or she has
decided to wear an over-the-mask style hood.  It will
need to be a Three-Weapon mask, and you can pick it up
from any of the merchants we have mentioned before
(again, if you find others let us know).  I am partial
to the ones from Triplette (the model #1999, $80), as
they are much deeper, more comfortable, and
constructed specifically for SCA needs (and available
in different colors! :-).  If trying a mask on in
person is not an option and you must order online, it
is a good idea to try on the masks of different
fencers to see which one is the most comfortable, and
order a similar one.

7. Pants:  For practice, sturdy jeans or sweatpants
are fine.   They should be loose enough to allow for
freedom of movement, but not so much that the pants
will drop and drag to the floor, creating a tripping
hazard.  Of course, period pants are neat and much
encouraged when going to events.  You can make them or
you can purchase them.  The most popular are the Gypsy
Peddler's.  If your daughter decides that she wants to
fight in a skirt, then by all means make one, as she
will need to practice in it.  Circular skirts are the
best kind as she will be able to parry blows with them
and learn all sorts of fun tricks.  One word of
caution, make sure that you measure the hem while she
is at her deepest lunge.  Otherwise she will trip in
those skirts every time she lunges or goes into a low
stance.

8. Footwear:  Footwear should consist of closed toe
shoes such as sneakers or boots.  Sandals and such are
not SCA compliant.  Remember, the Atlantian Standards
of Armor tell you that no amount of skin should be
shown for reasons of safety.  Make sure that the shoes
provide good ankle support and traction.  If wearing
sneakers to an event, black ones are your best choice
as they will not look jarringly modern and will still
provide the comfort and protection your child needs.
One good and inexpensive alternative to sneakers is
Chukka boots ($20-$25 at Payless Shoes).  Not only do
they provide excellent traction and ankle support, but
also at a distance they look period in the Elizabethan
style.

9. Socks: As for socks, particularly when wearing a
skirt or period breeches, fencing (can be purchased
online), hockey, or soccer socks must be worn.  Hockey
socks are nice because they go all the way up above
the knees, which is very convenient when wearing
breeches, as there will be no gaps to cover between
breeches and socks.

10. Gorget:  A gorget is rigid throat and neck
protection required for fighting with Schlager, a
period weapon much heavier than an epee or a foil.
Since we are not training our minors in schlager yet,
your child really does not need one.  However, should
he or she decide to play in melees or learn to fight
with single dagger, then it is of the utmost
importance to acquire one.  Better to be safe than
sorry.  Choosing a gorget is not much different than
choosing a mask.  If the child wears an under-the-mask
hood, then he or she must wear it when trying the
gorget on.  There are several merchants that make
different types of gorgets, from Kydex, to steel, to
leather, to everything in between.  We can discuss
this when the time comes.

11. Starter Sets, The Other Option:  You can also
purchase an SCA starter set from Triplette Competition
Arms for about $200 or less (actually $182 with a
foil, and $190 with an epee).  It includes an epee,
mask, gloves, and either a fencing jacket or fencing
undergarment.  It does not include a hood, but you can
either make one or purchase one from them.  It's up to
you.

III. CONDITIONS AND NECESSARY DOCUMENTATION FOR RAPIER
MINOR COMBAT

Attached to this pamphlet you will find the Rules and
Conditions for Minor rapier combat, as well as the
documents you will need to fill out. If you are
reading this electronically, you can download those
documents at:
http://rapier.atlantia.sca.org/forms/minors/minors.html.
Remember, we do require that at least one parent be
present at practice when a minor is training.

Because youth rapier is still in its experimental
stages in Atlantia, we are being extra careful and
demanding when it comes to minor's safety procedures.
We will very much appreciate your cooperation in this
matter

The Ponte Alto Marshals



=====
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dressed.
(From the Rules of Ettiquette of the Ankh Morpork Guild of Assasins)
House Fallen From Grace: http://ffg.freeshell.org

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