[Ponte Alto] Building the Baronial Army and Recruitment.

[Belphoebe]

Hi Ruth:

We have not had rapier demos at VAF, but we have had a
number of Virginia Academy of Fencing joining our
rapier numbers over time.  We know each other well and
some of our fighters have fought in their tournaments
and vice-versa.  Some of them stay with us, some not. 
It is two different schools of thought.

Some VAF are into it just for the fencing, with no
interest for joining the SCA.  Some others do both,
and some decide that they like doing SCA more than the
program at VAF.  Our second to last Rapier Baronial
Champion, Lord Hadrurus, joined the VAF when he moved
from Drachenwald to the area.  Then he came to us and
stayed with our group.  It is all a matter of
perspective.

We are not currently having a problem recruiting and
keeping rapier fighters.  Au contraire.  Some times we
have so many at practice that they have to spill
outside the school because there is not enough room to
hold everyone sparring at the same time.  We are proud
that Ponte Alto has become well known as a rapier
powerhouse.

I think that, like Lady Luce mentioned, recruiting and
keeping armored fighters takes a lot more resources
because of the initial investment.  And I agree that
people need to move from loaner gear to their own
gear, particularly because the loaner needs to be
"recycled" to the newcomers.  Once you have gone past
a certain time, you are not a newcomer (strictly
speaking) anymore and you need to start getting your
own gear to give other the opportunity to use the
loaner.

Organizing armoring workshops is an excellent idea and
it is very encouraging to folks, not to mention that
they can get geared for considerably less money than
purchasing stuff, and they get to socialize with the
rest of the Pontoons.  Friendships bind more than
anything else :-)

I also remember when our rapier practice had only one
old mask, and we had to take turns using it.  (Hey, at
least I didn't say "In my days, we used colanders, and
we liked it!").  We had also only one hood, which got
really nasty with everyone's sweat.  Believe me, that
was a very good reason to run home and make my own!

At any rate, it is not just a matter of handing people
the fish, but teaching them how to fish.  And everyone
gets to have fun and get to know each other in the
process.

Cheers,

Belphoebe


--- R B <catch_the_dragon at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Actually it might not help with heavy fighting, but
> have any of the fencers done an SCA demo at the
> Virginia Academy of Fencing?
> 
> http://www.vafinc.com/
> 
> -Ruth (Who does not fence.)
> 301-524-7684.
> 


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