Club Update - April 20th

Van Diemen Fencing Club is based at the YMCA in Glenorchy: 

8a Constance Avenue, Glenorchy.

You can contact the club 10am-9pm, 7 days a week:

0428 057 473

van.diemen.fencing.club@gmail.com

http://www.hobartfencingclub.com.au/

 

BEGINNER FENCING

If you are interested in fencing lessons for yourself or someone else, Van Diemen Fencing Club provides individual and group lessons for ages 7 and over.

For more information, call or e-mail Head Coach Avril Roddam.

 

Newcomers are more than welcome to come along to the fencing club on a Tuesday night to have a look and a chat. The best time to come along is from 6.40pm, as members will be busy warming-up and going footwork until then. Bring a friend if you'd like :)

 

SQUAD TRAINING DATES, 2012

April: Saturday 28th, 10am-3pm
May: Saturday 19th, 10am-3pm
June: Saturday 16th, 10am-3pm
July: Saturday 21st, 10am-3pm
August: Saturday 11th, 10am-3pm
September: Saturday 22nd, 10am-3pm
October: Saturday 20th, 10am-3pm
November: Saturday 17th, 10am-3pm
December: Saturday 1st, 10am-3pm

Squad training runs on one Saturday each month. Fencers participate in a range of activities designed to improve their fencing skills. Activities include footwork drills, distance-keeping and footwork games with balls, skipping, plyometrics, bladework drills structured bouting and free bouting. The training sessions are designed to cater for a range of levels and fencers can train aty their own pace. Each session is $20 per student and participants are asked to register and pay on the club night prior to the training session.

TOURNAMENT #1 - 2012

The Tasmanian Epee Shield – MAY 12^th.

Open to all Tasmanian fencers, the Tasmanian Epee Shield will have an Open Women’s Epee event and an Open Men’s Epee event. The shield will remain at the club venue and winners will receive medals and their name on the shield. 

The tournament will be run at the Van Diemen Fencing Club venue at Glenorchy's YMCA.

ROLECALL + REGISTRATION: 9am

FENCING COMMENCES: 10am

FINISHED BY: 4.30pm

2012 Club Dates

Hello Everyone,
Please ignore the previous post, we have had to change some dates.

Van Diemen Fencing Club is based at the YMCA in Glenorchy: 

8a Constance Avenue, Glenorchy.

You can contact the club 10am-9pm, 7 days a week:

0428 057 473

van.diemen.fencing.club@gmail.com

www.hobartfencingclub.com.au

Changes to VDFC in 2012:

• Instead of beginner courses for children aged 7 to 10, new students now have 4 x individual lessons, then attend club. Additional individual lessons are optional.
• Saturday club will not run until we have enough members to cover venue hire costs. However, Tuesday club is still running.
• We have monthly squad training for ages 11+, training sessions from 10am to 3pm, designed to give a big boost to fencers' skills.

BEGINNER COURSES:


Ages 11 to 15 and 16+ 
Courses run for eight weeks, each class is 90 minutes long.
Each course costs $100 per student. Course fees are non-refundable.
All equipment is provided, students need only wear full length pants, sneakers and bring a full drink bottle.
Students must attend a minimum of six out of the eight classes to receive the Beginner Epee Fencing certificate.



DATES:
Beginner Epee Fencing:
Course #1: Thursdays, from March 8th.
11 to 15s: 5pm-6.30pm
16 and overs: 6.30pm to 8pm



Ages 7 to 10
New students have four individual lessons with Coach Avril Roddam. 
Each lesson runs for 30 minutes and costs $20.
On completing the four lessons, students will be ready to attend club, where we provide:

• games for co ordination, balance, agility and to improve fencing movements
• footwork and bladework
• free bouting
• basic refereeing

Junior club runs from 5pm to 6pm on TUESDAYS, $5 per session.

11s+ Club runs Tuesdays 6pm to 8pm, $60 per term, $2 per session for equipment hire.


Squad Training
Five hours of footwork, blade drills, games to improve speed, accuracy, balance and co ordination and free bouting.
$20 per fencer. 
Registration (+ payment) due a week prior to ensure adequate numbers.


Squad Training dates:
March: Saturday 17th, 10am-3pm
April: Saturday 28th, 10am-3pm
May: Saturday 19th, 10am-3pm
June: Saturday 16th, 10am-3pm
July: Saturday 21st, 10am-3pm
August: Saturday 11th, 10am-3pm
September: Saturday 22nd, 10am-3pm
October: Saturday 20th, 10am-3pm
November: Saturday 17th, 10am-3pm
December: Saturday 1st, 10am-3pm


Tournaments

The Tasmanian Epee Shield – MAY 12^th.

Open to all Tasmanian fencers, the Tasmanian Epee Shield will have an Open Women’s Epee event and an Open Men’s Epee event. The shield will remain at the club venue and winners will receive medals and their name on the shield.

VDFC #2 – JULY 28^th.

Van Diemen Fencing Club’s second tournament for the year will be open to all Tasmanian fencers and will feature U15s, U17s, U20s and Open events for Epee and Open Sabre.

The Tassie Teaspoon Cup – October 27^th.

The TTC ran in ’02 and ’03, but due to a declining Tasmanian fencing community, it was cancelled for ’04 and all subsequent years.

In 2012, Van Diemen Fencing Club is resurrecting the tournament and will hold it annually.

The idea for the tournament came when a fourteen year old Avril heard that in America, a tiny country town renowned for its potatoes, started a tournament called the Golden Spud, which became a famous fencing event on the USFA calendar.  Avril decided that Tasmania needed a similar event and after some brainstorming with fellow fencers, it was decided that an event, where engraved teaspoons on appropriately coloured ribbons were to be awarded in place of medals, would be held annually.

Thus the Tassie Teaspoon Cup was born.

VDFC #4

This event will be open only to Van Diemen Fencing Club members and will feature both Epee and Sabre events. The date will be set in the second half of the year.




If you would like more information about fencing in Tasmania or to book a fencing lesson, please contact the club:
0428 057 473
van.diemen.fencing.club@gmail.com
www.hobartfencingclub.com.au


Regards,
Coach Avril Holderness-Roddam

Beginner and Intermediate Courses

Hello!

It is coming to the end of a fantastic year at Van Diemen Fencing Club. 

I have enjoyed meeting so many lovely people and look forward to meeting more in 2012!

This year:

• VDFC opened at the YMCA in Glenorchy with a lovely opening night consisting of cupcakes and fencers from beginners to very experienced, some of whom hadn't fenced for several years and some of whom were training for National tournaments this year.
• We have had two tournaments and one still to come before the year ends. We held OPEN, U20s, U17s and U15s events and saw fencers competing in a happy and friendly atmosphere.
• We have had fencers from Europe visit and currently we have the lovely Magaly teaching the beginner Sabre course - everyone is loving it!
• We went to watch The Three Musketeers together at the cinema... an interesting adaptation it was!
• Some club members represented the club at other tournaments, another congratulations to Jack Aylward for coming 3rd at the Scullduggery Golden Blade Tournament!
• I have seen many members transform from nervous beginners to very fine fencers, using finesse, accuracy, speed and style to win their bouts.
• We have grown from a hand full of members to lots of regulars ranging from beginners to ex International fencers and I have a big surprise for everyone next year, but you'll need to come to club to find out ;)

Beginner and Intermediate Epee Fencing courses start in February 2012.

Ages 7-10

Ages 11-15

Ages 16+

Ages 11+ (Great for parent-child pairs etc)

Classes will fill quickly so contact the club now for more information and to book your space:  van.diemen.fencing.club@gmail.com / 0428 057 473

___________________________

The Coach:

Avril Holderness-Roddam

• Started Fencing in 2000
• Competes Nationally and keeps up to date with FIE rules, global fencing news and coaching techniques
• Has trained and won medals Nationally and over-seas
• Has a Senior First Aid Certificate with Red Cross
• Has a National Police Check for working with children
• Believes fencing should primarily be about having fun. That said, it is also a great sport for improving balance, co ordination, agility, self-confidence and fitness and suits all ages.

The Venue:

Van Diemen Fencing Club

• Targets for point control practice
• Jackets are washed after every use, masks are cleaned after every use
• Viewing area overlooking club floor for family and friends
• Showers and toilets 
• Scoring box
• Videos of high-level fencing tournaments running for students to watch
• Videos of recent State tournaments for members to watch to analyze and improve their fencing
• Fencing publications from other countries for members to read

Events:

• Tournaments for members and tournaments open to all fencers
• Workshops including equipment maintenance, tournament preparation etc
• Training sessions - general and high performance
• Social events; movie nights, BBQs etc
• End of year Awards Night for members and their families

___________________________

In 2012...

• A well known fencing author and experienced fencer and coach may (we're planning dates with him) be coming to VDFC ro run a training session with members. This is a once-in-a-blue-moon experience so be excited :)
• Early in the year a group of members will be flying to Melbourne to compete in a Victorian tournament.
• In December members will have the opportunity to compete in the Open Nationals in Canberra.
• VDFC will be reviving the Tassie Teaspoon Cup - a fun event where engraved teaspoons hung on ribbons are awarded in place of medals. The event will be open to fencers from all clubs.
• Lots more but you'll have to wait and see ;)

Cheers,

Club Coach,

Avril Holderness-Roddam

CLUB WEBSITE!

Finally we've had a lovely man by the name of Peter Wallhead design a website for us.

It's very basic until we can afford to add more pages, but it covers the basics.

 

Here it is:                                     http://www.hobartfencingclub.com.au/

Van Diemen Fencing Club - a fencing club in Hobart, Tasmania.

“At Van Diemen Fencing Club, the fencers are taught that fencing is about FASS: Finesse, Accuracy, Style and Speed, and they fence by the saying, “TO the target, not THROUGH the target.”  A sign of a good fencer is when they do not hit so hard that they leave a bruise."VAN DIEMEN FENCING CLUB, A FENCING CLUB IN HOBART, TASMANIA.

Tasmanian Fencer and Coach Avril Holderness-Roddam is leading the way in a resurgence of Fencing in Tasmania.

Late last year Avril put a halt to the six year decline of fencing in Tasmania by promoting the sport through flyers, advertisements and leaflet dropping.  Avril also contacted fencers around Tasmania, encouraging the small fencing community to work together to launch a new state fencing association (Fencing Tasmania Incorporated), the first in over a decade, to build a strong foundation for the soon-to-expand community.  She put many hours into researching, planning and promoting and in early 2011, Avril opened her fencing club in Southern Tasmania, Van Diemen Fencing Club.

The club is modelled on top European fencing clubs and is the only club in Tasmania with a coach registered with the Australian Fencing Federation.

Avril’s club currently has four members training to represent Tasmania at National tournaments later this year and in 2012, including one cadet (U17s) fencer.

Van Diemen Fencing Club provides classes for ages 5 and over and has club members from 6 to 60 years of age.

Van Diemen Fencing Club has a mix of recreational and competitive fencers with experience ranging from beginner to National representatives.   Fencing is a great sport for people who are not so keen on team sports, but there are also opportunities to fence in teams representing clubs, Tasmania and Australia.

Fencing as a sport has a long history and was one of the first three sports in the first Modern Olympic Games.

Van Diemen Fencing Club fencers in Tasmania:

At the recent VDFC Open Epee Fencing Tournament #1, one of Van Diemen Fencing Club’s beginner Epeeists beat Tasmania’s #1 Male Open Epeeist, Mark Scully.  One of VDFC’s junior fencers scored 3 points in a 5 point bout against Tasmanian University Fencing Club’s President, Isaac Laredo, who split the junior’s glove in a particularly rough hit.

At Van Diemen Fencing Club, the fencers are taught that fencing is about FASS: Finesse, Accuracy, Style and Speed, and they fence by the saying, “TO the target, not THROUGH the target.”  A sign of a good fencer is when they do not hit so hard that they leave a bruise.

Van Diemen Fencing Club holds Beginner Fencing Courses regularly. These courses run for eight weeks and cover all the basics of fencing with the Epee sword, the sword now commonly used to introduce beginners to the sport.

Beginner Courses Start Soon, First VDFC Tournament in July, AND good news!

Hello!
This update is overdue, but it's worth it!

1) The next Beginner courses will commence in July: 8 week courses: Saturdays from July 9th, Mondays from July 11th.
Ages 5-10 ($90), 11-15s ($90) and ages 16 and over ($100).
E-mail: van.diemen.fencing.club@gmail.com for a registration form.

The junior course (5-10s) is the Junior Swordplay Certificate. The course concentrates on games designed to improve balance, agility, coordination and games to get students used to fencing moves. Students are gradually introduced to fencing bladework, using special flexible plastic training swords from Europe.

The 11-15s and the 16s+ courses introduce students to the offensive and defensive moves in Epee fencing, as well as covering some tactics, rules and safety. On completion of the course, students will be fencers, ready to fence at clubs and tournaments.

________________________________

2)

****FIRST VAN DIEMEN FENCING CLUB TOURNAMENT - EPEE****

On Saturday July 2nd, Van Diemen Fencing Club will host its first Epee tournament for 2011. This tournament is open to fencers from all clubs. $10 VDFC members, $15 non-members.
Safety gear required: full length trackpants or fencing breeches, 350N jackets, masks, gloves, chest guards.
Medals for 1st, 2nd, 3rd.
ROLECALL @ 10am, FENCING STARTS AS SOON AS SCORE SHEETS ARE FILLED-OUT.
Basic rules will be followed and safety gear must be worn at all times when fencing.

This will be a round robbin tournament - all fencers will fence each other and the final rankings will be taken from these bouts, there will be no DEs.

This tournament is to provide a friendly introduction to competitive fencing for the Van Diemen Fencing Club newest members.

Please feel free to come along and watch - fencing should definitely have started by 10.45am.
Fencers are invited to bring family and friends along to watch :)

Equipment is available for hire, $2 per jacket, $2 per mask, 50c per glove, 50c per chest-guard.

3)
I spoke with Elizabeth College's Tim Medwin today and, if I can confirm eighteen committed students studying between year 9 and year 12, we will be running Fencing as a sport option for EC's Athlete Development Program!
I'll explain:
Imagine 3 hours of training, one evening a week. $180 per student for the year. This program means fencing specific tutes, training classes, and also generic sports training in the newly decked out EC gym! $180! You pay more than $180 to join fencing clubs for the year in a lot of places!  I am so excited about this - this is such a wonderful opportunity for any enthusiastic fencers in yr 9, 10, 11 and 12!
BUT, we need 18 to enrol or it's a no go, so, I'm going to contact some local schools and start advertising extra hard to make sure we can get the 18. Did I mention at the end of the program, there is the opportunity to fly to Victoria as a team and have a tournament/train with the Victorians? :)

Ok, now that's out of my system.

Don't forget:

BEGINNER EPEE COURSES START IN EARLY JULY!

TO REGISTER, E-MAIL:

van.diemen.fencing.club@gmail.com

Fencing Tasters

May 6 2011 saw nineteen Home Educaters rock up to Van Diemen Fencing Club and have a stab at fencing!

Participants were ages 5 -18, plus a mum and a grandmother joined-in too!

There were exactly enough jackets, masks, gloves and swords to go around and the feedback was positive!

Here are some photos of the taster followed by info on how YOU can book a fencing taster:



To organise a fencing taster:

      Van Diemen Fencing Club can come to your group, or you can use our venue. To use our venue, an additional fee of $25 per hour will be charged to cover hire expenses.

      Maximum people per taster is 12, for practicality and equipment.

      Depending on numbers present, travel distance and so on, tasters will generally cost each participant $8.50 per hr and they will receive a participation certificate.

To receive a precise idea of costs, e-mail the club and tell them:

• How many people will be participating?
• Would you like the taster held at our venue or your own (we are at the YMCA in Glenorchy)?
• Where is your venue, if you wish to have the taster there?
• How long do you wish the taster to run for? (Minimum 1 Hr; 90 minutes is usually a good ammount of time for the basics)
• What ages will be attending the taster?

Van.diemen.fencing.club@gmail.com

Regards

Avril Roddam

Head Coach

Van Diemen Fencing Club

Beginner Classes, May 3rd.

The beginner courses in Epee fencing will all start on Tuesday, May 3rd 2011

All equipment will be provided.

5-10 year olds, Tuesdays from 4.30pm - $90 for the 8 week course.

11-15 year olds, Tuesdays from 5.30pm - $90 for the 8 week course.

16s and older, Tuesdays from 6.30pm - $100 for the 8 week course.



Beginner Classes Start Tuesday, May 3rd.

The beginner courses in Epee fencing will all start on Tuesday, May 3rd 2011.
We have made Facebook pages for the courses, with information. If you can't access them just e-mail: van.diemen.fencing.club@gmail.com

Adult Course (16+): http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=211167248909016#!/event.php?eid=211167248909016

Big Kids' (11-15s) Course: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=200436779978889

Kid's (5-10s) Course: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=156741441052011


The basics:
Kids - 5-10s: 4.30pm-5.30pm
Big Kids - 11-15s: 5.30pm-6.30pm
Adults - 16+: 6.30pm-8pm

$100 per student - includes equipment.

Courses will be held at the YMCA dance room in Glenorchy: http://maps.google.com.au/maps?hl=en&q=ymca+glenorchy&rlz=1R2ACAW_enID362&wrapid=tlif130189095120210&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl

It takes 13 minutes from Hobart to Glenorchy via the Brooker Highway.

If tuesdays don't suit you, or you wish to do a course with your child/children, please let us know in an e-mail; we can organise different days/times/class formats if we get the feedback.

Regards

Avril Holderness-Roddam
Coach - Van Diemen Fencing Club

Venue Found!

I visited the perfect venue today! Mirrors both ends of the hall, a rail down the length, perfect size for tournaments and club nights!
The best part is that the venue owner is happy to let me hire it on the days and times I requested!

I'm just waiting to hear back on hire price and insurance info.
I'll announce the venue ASAP :)


P.S. The plan is for beginner courses to start on April 12th, but we'll have to wait and see.

Beginner Courses

Hello!

Beginner courses will commence in April.

The course will cover ages:
5-10
11-15
16+

Adult courses will run for 90 mins a night and run for eight weeks. Seven weeks will be classes and the final night will be a tournament to practice your new skills.
Childrens courses will run for fifty minutes to an hour a night and will run over ten weeks.

The venue will be announced as soon as possible. The manager of the venue we're hoping for quit and didn't tell me so I was awaiting his e-mail. I'm meeting with the new manager next week.

Dates and prices soon to come.

To be added to the list of interested persons, please e-mail us:  van.diemen.fencing.club@gmail.com

We look forward to meeting you!

*Photo is not property of Van Diemen Fencing Club



Van Diemen Fencing Club at the Celebrate Clarence Expo

Saturday February 27th, Van Diemen Fencing Club held a display a the Celebrate Clarence Expo.

We provided foam sabres and masks for people to have a go.

We had kids, parents and grand parents having a stab (excuse the pun) at fencing and we had more than enough positive feedback to decide to hold beginner courses on the Eastern Shore in the near future.

 

We had a display about our club, and about fencing in general. We had posters from Commonwealth Fencing Championships, posters from fencing suppliers, photos of all ages fencing and photos of a recent fencing taster for 5-8 year olds.

 

We had thongs hanging at different heights for target practice.

 

 

 

We also ran a free raffle with six prizes of one introductory fencing lesson. The man in charge of the Archery stall next door drew the six winners from a sabre fencing mask. Georgie very kindly held the mask :) The winners will be contacted on Monday.

We all had a great day and enjoyed meeting some of our future members!

Cheers

Avril
Club President