It was our regular training session in Reading on Monday night with a good turnout of students.
Stewart and Dan took the beginners through the second week of their foundation course whilst Jay took the Bolognese and Pim took the single rapier stream.
Students from both our Godalming and Reading salles gathered on Sunday for a special training seminar with School of the Sword senior instructor and former Swordfish champion, Phil Marshall. Phil looked at single rapier and covered a number of fundamentals and micro improvements that benefited both students new to the weapon and those more experienced. Everyone agreed it was a hugely beneficial day that will improve their use of the weapon.
Students turned up on Wednesday night for our regular weekly training session in Godalming.
Fran worked with the beginners progressing towards their safety test. Meanwhile Pim started an introduction to single rapier in the rapier stream, whilst Adrian worked with the Bolognese group on improving their use of the buckler.
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.
Josh Davis was awarded the 2017 Scholarship Award at the School of the Sword Xmas Meal.
The award, which sees the school send the recipient to an international tournament, is awarded to a student who has shown great technical ability. Despite only having been studying historical fencing for a few years, Josh has already competed in a number of international competitions, placing fourth in rapier & dagger at the International Rapier Seminar.
Josh will represent the school at a tournament in 2017. Congratulations Josh.
Jay Maxwell is the recipient of the 2016 Scholarship Award.
The award is given to a student who has shown great technical ability and awards them with the school sending them to an international competition to represent The School of the Sword. Jay was sent to the Helsinki Bolognese Open back in November where he progressed to the Quarter Finals.
Ian Morley is the 2016 winner of the Dagger of Honour award.
Given annually to an outstanding student, Ian has proved himself to be more than a worthy recipient. He has acted as the school’s quartermaster arranging T-shirt orders for those on our 6 week beginner’s course. He’s also organised orders for wicking shirts as well as those for various events we’ve either attended or helped organise. He also took on managing the dues, taking a register of students at both Reading and Godalming events, invoicing students for training attended, and then subsequently chasing up payment.
As part of his award, Ian gets to look after the dagger for the next year.
Congratulations, Ian.
