ARMA YOUTH In practice and in existence ?

[Rod-Thornton]

I was wondering as I peruse the support materials online -To what degree is the ARMA youth program being participated in? Also, for anyone who has kids learning to fence historically, what are folks doing? My reason: One of our kids, my 12yr old daughter has been really pressing me to join and begin some training...even to the point of walking around our home with a yardstick constantly changing from Vom Tag to Pflug to Ochs, etc. With a desire to eventually get into the USCG Academy, and some desire to pursue a form of martial arts training.... and her interests seem to have peaked just as I began training with the VAB group. She's been reading all she can online (and when our books arrive she'll consume those too) and constantly slipping the permission slip under our noses...but we've been hesitant since I do know what others are doing.

Any experiences would be greatly appreciated.

[Jaron Bernstein]

You live on the outer banks? You lucky dog you. I was there for vacation recently and was sorely tempted to stay there. <img src="/forum/images/icons/smirk.gif" alt="" />

[Joey Marmorato]

Well, I am 17 and avidly participate in the small Atlanta group. Though I am not a child and I practice normally with all the adults, I am still currently a youth member. A good friend of mine has also just submitted his application, so there are at least two of us here.

[John_Clements]

ARMA Youth is essentially for those below age 18, as we do not offer material online to teach kids. That is left to local Study Groups and individuals. Anyone below that age can join, but official curricula instruction is provided only to full members. Otherwise, the Youth program is perfectly fine and we of course do not make Youth member names public.

JC

[Randall Pleasant]

Rod

My 12 year old daughter is an ARMA Youth member. I work with her at home and she sometimes attends practice (except during the hotter months of the summer <img src="/forum/images/icons/smirk.gif" alt="" />). I usually ask one of the other members to spend a little time work with her too. Her training has cooled some in the last six months as the pre-teen stuff has surfaced, dad just isn't as cool as he use to be. <img src="/forum/images/icons/tongue.gif" alt="" />

[Rod-Thornton]

John and Randall...thanks for the info.
Randall, I'd be interested then, in a little offline exchange of the sorts of drills and exercises you have done with her to progress her in sync with the reading materials. I.e., at her age, what are you allowing her do and not do (sparring, test-cutting, guards &amp; cutting exercises with waster, etc. etc), as it relates to the normal curricula to progress adults to competency. This weekend she's successfully pressured me to head up to home depot for some 3/4" oak to pattern a smaller waster for her from the one I'm using now. <img src="/forum/images/icons/smirk.gif" alt="" />