[Ansteorra-rapier] Cadets Corner

[Chiara]

I am really sorry that I left the event so soon. This would have been a
great thing to attend. As a person that helps newcomers into our Barony I am
asked to help steer them into all our activities in hopes that we will
interest them enough to keep them. Each year we concentrate on one specific
guild or activity. When we started it was the dying dance community, it is
now thriving. The next was the bardics, ditto. This year I will make Light
fighting a priority.

I know that many of us are quoting some nameless person as an example of
things we heard. But I would like actually tell you of what one specific
person says. Not many of you know him so it is safe to say that if there is
backlash for this it will be minimal. I am sitting here with my husband and
just asked him why he no longer goes out to fight. Now mind you it has been
3 years since he has come back out to fight SCA. He was a very active
collegiate fighter. Other than losing his authorization card, his own fault
and the washing machine helped, here is what he said.

Fighter practice was the most difficult part for him. We would get there, he
would set up and then he would end up either standing around waiting for
someone to fight or fighting the same person all night. This will now be a
thing of the past if all the previous postings will come to pass and I am
certain that it will.

When we went to events the set up time to do pick up fights took a long time
There was only one person that you could fight with, (set up time included
finding a marshal as well as an opponent).

He really enjoys fighting, it is a passion for him that he misses. He will
be coming out again soon. No one here knows him so he will be new to just
about everyone he meets.

Of the two Queen's Champions that he has fought in he remembers only four
people. They took the time to talk to him after the bout, Llywelyn, Brendan,
KayLeigh, and Antonia. He does not expect them to remember him but that they
actually took the time to come over to him to find out not only his name but
his background in fencing, who his teacher was, what lands he was from, how
long he was playing, where does he practice at, and if they could have a
pick up fight with him was impressive. He actually started to feel as part
of a group. But then we went to fighter practice and it all started again.
The waiting game.

I tried to get him to come back many times, I even got the help of some of
our rapier folks here in the Steppes but to no avail. He always managed to
be busy the night of fighter practice.

Now that you all have started this discussion he is interested again. He is
actually looking forward to checking out fighter practice again. Not this
week or weekend though, our daughter has some medical tests to take on
Saturday morning. But possibly next week.

Thank you everyone for making this possible. You have no idea what you have
done for me. I will always be grateful. :)

Sincerely,
Franchesca Havas
McKinney, Texas
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