|
Post by fox on Jul 19, 2006 11:51:47 GMT -6
I watched some wheelchair fencing when the NAC was in Houston. I also noticed the results from this last Nationals. I thought (given the number of fencers in the US and the number of people with disabilities in the US) that the numbers were smaller than I would suppose.
I admit I had given wheelchair fencing only passing thought, but I really was surprised the numbers were not larger.
It is the expense of the rigs or a lack of qualified coaches in that specialized area?
Just curious...
|
|
|
Post by kd5mdk on Jul 20, 2006 7:55:04 GMT -6
I would guess a combination of the lack of coaching and more directly a lack of awareness. How much do you see it advertised? People take up fencing because they see an ad, or a club, or a demonstration, or maybe they like swordfighting in movies or books. But it's pretty well known that as a sport it exists. I don't think wheelchair fencing has anything near that awareness.
The other problem is that there are few places where it's strong enough that you fence other chair fencers in practice, I'd guess, and so competing often requires you to drive or fly to NACs, which is an expensive way to get started.
|
|
|
Post by schlager7 on Jul 20, 2006 20:22:06 GMT -6
The other problem is that there are few places where it's strong enough that you fence other chair fencers in practice, I'd guess, and so competing often requires you to drive or fly to NACs, which is an expensive way to get started. Yes. I have mentioned this before to Gary van der Wege. I wish I possessed the right contacts. I live just outside Houston, with one of the largest medical centers in this part of the US. Many facilities are given over to physical rehabilitative therapies. I would think wheelchair fencing would be an ideal option.. The initial rig is pricey, I hear, but look how long the gear can last. You could probably put together a fair sized class so that you have several folks starting at the same level (zero), and developing forward together. That could be the core of an ongoing program. There must be someone in the Houston Medical Center who would be the perfect contact... just darned if I know who or how to find them.
|
|