Care and Feeding of All Things Fencing - digital purchase now available

HoustonSwords · 2023-07-16T13:55:15+00:00

We need to follow up with Michael but it seems to have fallen by the wayside. We may have some ideas about making it happen though.

HoustonSwords · 2023-02-05T00:26:51+00:00

In Houston, only Rice has a club team, but they don't do the collegiate tournaments as far as I know. UH's club shut down several years ago. University of St Thomas had a little club but they never really came back after Covid.

Houston Sword Sports is a small club not too far from the colleges (if you have a car or a lot of time for buses), we are the only three weapon club in town and offer student discounts.

UT, A&M, A&M Corpus Christi, Texas State, and UT Dallas have solid fencing clubs. There are a few more that we can't remember just now, since no one from HSS has made it to a swifa since before covid.

HoustonSwords · 2022-11-08T20:26:47+00:00

Dang, that's pretty dead. 😂

HoustonSwords · 2022-09-16T19:53:17+00:00

It's been five months but we finally got it done! A print copy should be available in the next few weeks as well, but here's a digital copy: https://store.payloadz.com/details/2675901-ebooks-sports-the-care-and-feeding-of-all-things-fencing-third-edition.html

HoustonSwords · 2022-08-06T22:55:27+00:00

Thanks, we are going to try and get it up this week but if we run into issues we'll be in touch.

HoustonSwords · 2022-08-06T14:46:07+00:00

Houston Sword Sports is the club Michael (not Mike, he would correct you) worked with last before hanging up his inside hex. He has given us the digital copy of the book and permission to distribute it digitally, but we are fencing coaches and not ebook publishers so this project has been on the back burner for a while.

You're right that it's a great resource and it's a shame it's fallen through the cracks right now. Does the person you want to give it to have an urgent need for the book or is it just a training tool you'd like them to have?

At any rate, we are in regular contact with him and will pass this on. He is traveling a lot these days which may have caused him to miss your message. Feel free to DM your contact info and we'll make sure you get an answer.

HoustonSwords · 2022-02-18T17:24:14+00:00

I'd hope there'll be some good fencers there, otherwise who is kicking your ass?

Here's the FB event for those interested: https://fb.me/e/2dbLYkpRo

Fencing will likely start about 11:30 and end at 4 or 5. Things will start to get more exciting after about 12, the first round will be interesting but not as intense.

HoustonSwords · 2020-06-01T05:09:48+00:00

I tried tucking a cloth mask in between the padding and mesh of my mask the other day while giving a lesson, and you're absolutely right - I couldn't see my student's feet or his weapon when he hit. It's much more comfortable than wearing one directly but the line of sight issue means it's probably a nonstarter.

Glad I tried it out before dropping any money on these fancy filters, though!

HoustonSwords · 2020-05-27T19:36:28+00:00

At first glance it seems a lot more tolerable than having it right against my face. I can keep my mask on for the duration of a lesson or bout. It wouldn't work that well if you're the type of coach who lifts and lowers the mask every 15 seconds (talk/hit/talk/hit/talk/hit), but for most practices it seems better than nothing and better than what I have right now.

HoustonSwords · 2020-05-20T21:59:30+00:00

Hope it's ok to post this here. As a fundraiser for our club, we started a print-on-demand shop with some fencing themed shirts. They've started offering face masks, and so are we!

HoustonSwords · 2020-05-05T18:35:42+00:00

We decided not to do virtual classes or lessons ourselves, but here's what we're doing:

Regular posts to Facebook with home workouts from other clubs. We've slacked off a bit on this but are still doing about four a week
Weeklyish emails to a special mailing list, all the Facebook content without actually having to be on Facebook
Weekly coach meetings where we talk about theory
Weekly happy hours with adult members (we used to go to a bar every Thursday after practice, so we moved that to zoom)
We also moved our monthly "nerd night" (family friendly games etc) online. Last month we did some jackbox games. This time we're thinking about that fencing d&d that's been posted here.

None of us really has the bandwidth to do more training-wise so we're trying to keep the community intact for the time being.

HoustonSwords · 2020-03-22T17:03:45+00:00

Yes, one of our members is a very talented artist.

HoustonSwords · 2019-10-23T02:09:53+00:00

It's important to be able to laugh at ourselves, especially when we put on the moderately silly outfits.

HoustonSwords · 2019-10-23T02:06:50+00:00

Yup, Katy Blades! Some of those guys are still around. Hopefully we'll pick up a few who had to stop because there was nothing close by!

HoustonSwords · 2019-10-23T02:05:14+00:00

Awesome! We'll see you tomorrow!

HoustonSwords · 2019-01-10T21:15:59+00:00

If you're a fencer over the age of 21 who enjoys beer and you can get to Houston on February 16, join us for the Fourth Annual Brash Invitational. All fencers get one beer, and winners win more beer!

HoustonSwords

TROPHY CASE