[FYIbiatches]

After conversing with some of our noobs last night, I absolutely could not agree more with nodachi. They all know that they'll be in armour in a few weeks (started in october) and have been watching us do kihon + jigeiko since the beginning. Retention this time has been significantly higher than last year but we still have the armour hurdle to get over.

[dodsCooggipsedebt]

I think everyone's suggestions have been great. Another big hurdle to overcome that hasn't really been mentioned is trying to remember that these students are also just students. They have to balance college classes with their extracurricular activities. I always find a drop in participation of beginners during mid-terms and usually after they stop coming for a while to study, they can't get back into the groove of coming back to practice. Many freshman students are still adjusting and learning how to balance school work, fun, and everything else. Sometimes things like that are hard to avoid. The best thing I've done to try and keep beginners coming in a situation like this is to tell them to try to come as often as possible and if they've missed a few classes, then we'll catch them up. I try to also emphasize the stress-relief that exercise and a good kendo practice can be. There are the very dedicated students who can balance both their schoolwork with kendo practices, but even they sometimes have to miss a few practices to study for mid-terms and finals. Afterall, an education is important.

[DraidodaRip]

KendokaJim,

Are you at the U of R?

You only mention it briefly but it seems to me it's possible that your lack of personal involvement may be tied to the leadership structure. It sounds like you (ikkyu) and the guy who helps you out (sandan) take a great deal of responsibility for the club. For others to become more involved they need to feel responsible for the club somehow.

8 or 9 people in armor is a solid start. I'm discouraged that you would describe three of them as hopeless. We are all different (physically and mentally) and we learn things in a different way at a different pace but we can all progress -- even if very slowly. To me that's what kendo is about.

I spent a few years as advisor to a University club. In my experience the least desirable student is the one with LOTS of raw talent that shows up once every couple of weeks. They use more than their share of the instructors time when they are there (to get them caught up) and then they destroy all those who have been working so hard by excelling with so little effort. Then they disappear again. I'd rather work with a handful of committed but uncoordinated students.

As far as retention goes, kendo people are...not normal. In all the clubs where I have practiced retention is VERY low. I once had a starting class of 25 beginners. Not one of them made it past the 10th week. I had another class of 8 beginners and 6 of them stuck around long enough to get into armor. Don't take it personally. Kendo isn't for everyone. I was helping out at a university with 30,000 students and the kendo club was at the levels you are talking about.

If you offer a consitant practice with good instruction your club will stabilize and grow over time. In my mind if you can get more than a half-dozen people in armor, and you have some good instruction you can make it fly.

What does a beginner experience in their progression toward armor?