It was Reading’s first training session of the year and a new intake of beginners. They worked with Stewart and Dan on the first week of their six week course on the fundamentals of Bolognese swordplay.
Meanwhile Matt took the Bolognese stream whilst Pim started a stream on introduction to single rapier.
Students from both our Reading and Godalming salles convened in Hawley on Sunday as we welcomed the return of Sunday Sparring. These sessions provide an excellent opportunity for our students to out into practise what they have learned at training as well as getting some much-needed sparring experience. As always with The School of the Sword our students gave each other generous constructive feedback. We were also joined by famed sword maker, Marco Danelli.
After a good session, we retired to the pub to put on all the calories we’d lost during sparring.
We had a very special and fun night of gradings on Wednesday with with over thirty people attending to see and participate in three senior students testing their skill.
An array of weapons such as rapier, dagger, cloak, sidesword and buckler were used; as well as a variety of situations. The final bout was carried out in darkness and with the addition of lanterns.
Congratulations Adrian and Simon on passing their Laureando assessments, and particularly to Matt, who has achieved the ultimate rank of Spadaccino. Well deserved all.
Senior Instructor, Fran Terminiello, has written a few words about The School of the sword in 2016
Despite what’s gone on in the outside world 2016 has been a fantastic year for The School.
Whether we hosted or helped with events – such as the International Rapier Seminar, Astolat, the Illka seminar, our popular introduction courses and the Broadwater Bucklerthon – or attended, fought and taught at them, from local tournaments to world class international championships, we have received compliments from all over, been respected and admired for our teaching, our conduct, performance, research and style.
These are things the School has built upon over the 14 years since its founding. Our students consistently epitomise professionalism while remaining a friendly and approachable group of people. And it is this team spirit and openness that is key to our success; our achievements inspire one another and others, rather than intimidate. They show what is possible.
If the last three years since the School shifted geographically and culturally have been about recruitment and growth of the school as a whole, the next three will focus on the development and individual growth of our members.
We will concentrate on the people that we have, those who have shown us that hard work, loyalty and sweat can bear more than just medals.
We are going to level up our training, deepen our understanding of the texts and broaden our knowledge of historical swordsmanship. We are going to do this together, and I look forward to seeing where 2017 will take us.
