A snippet from a local newspaper, with text and images of fencers in their kit.
Fencing coach Tom Sorbie realised to his surprise that this year marks an impressive 50 years as a coach.
Seventy-eight-year-old Tom started fencing in 1973. He stumbled upon the sport when he went to join a badminton club and was told that there was a fencing club on instead. Tom decided to give it a go, and he has never looked back.
Tom recalls that in the 1970s there were few fencing coaches and it was not easy to get coaching in the sport. He decided to attend a residential coaching course at the National Sports Training Centre.
In 1975 Tom became a coach at Bellahouston Fencing Club in Glasgow. By 2004, he had also joined the coaching team at newly started club Blades of Fire in Newton Mearns.
Tom was a successful fencing competitor, winning the West of Scotland Men’s Foil Novice competition in his first year, and also several silver medals in the West of Scotland Foil and Epee Championships, and bronze twice in Scottish Junior Sabre. He fenced for the West of Scotland in the Intersection Competitions, and he was part of the Scottish Sabre Training Squad.
Unfortunately, an injury put an end to Tom’s competitive fencing. He continued to fence at club level, however, and he can still give young competitive fencers a challenging time.
Over the years Tom has helped to develop a number of fencers who went on to reach international standard. He has also run many taster sessions and after-school clubs. In 1988 Tom was presented with the Roger Crosnier Memorial Award for coaching achievement.
Asked to comment on his 50 years of dedication to coaching the sport of fencing, Tom said: “Time passes quickly when you are enjoying yourself”.
