Finding the right scarf

We have a fighter up here who is looking to become a cadet. Aside from the opportunity this gives us old farts to rib them, it also leaves us with trying to advise them on who would be a good White Scarf to attach themselves to. I've been keeping my mouth shut so far because I don't see any White Scarf who would be a good teacher for our wannabe cadet. Not because I think so low of our Scarves, but rather because the nearest one is a good three hours away, making any real instruction impractical. Now, in a year or so, when they go off to college in Salt Lake, it'll be a different matter. But for right now, I don't see a good solution for them.

That being said, there are some questions you should when choosing which White Scarf to attach yourself as a cadet to.

The first question is do you respect them? If you don't, you won't take their advice seriously. And there's no point in mentoring yourself to someone you won't listen to.

Second is: are they a good teacher? Teaching - and the ability to teach well - is an entirely different skill set than doing. Just because someone is an excellent fencer does not mean that they can teach fencing. This is one of the areas where I know I fall short of the ideal of ever becoming a White Scarf. I'm really a lousy teacher. I'm grumpy, I'm impatient, and I'm waaaay too opinionated. On top of that, I just don't have the skill to take apart someone's form and critique it the way a true fencing teacher should.

Third is can they teach you what you need to know? Different people have different strengths and weaknesses, so finding someone whose strength is your weakness will offer you more chance for improvement than someone with your same strengths and weaknesses.

Fourth: is their code of honor compatible with yours? They don't have to be the same, but there shouldn't be any glaring differences, like, say they believe that there's nothing wrong with juggling kittens, but you are a firm believer that only hamsters should be juggled. Remember that as their cadet, not only does your honor reflect on them, but their honor reflects on you.

Fifth and sixth: do they have the time to teach you and do you have the time to be taught? Just like with someone you don't respect, it's pointless to attach yourself to a White Scarf you'll never get to spend time with. This is why I don't recommend choosing a White Scarf that lives more than a couple hours away: the travel time just makes the relationship too difficult to maintain.

And finally: are they who you want to be? Look at your prospective White Scarf. Are they someone you want to be like, both on and off the field? Of course, we want to be the best we can be on the field, but that's only part of being a White Scarf. You need to find someone who's not only good on the field, but who's also good off the field. Someone who lives up to your idea of the dream, no matter what your dream is. If you enjoy service, look for that White Scarf who's a shoe-in for Pelican. If the arts are more your style, find the one that made their own garb. Or if bardic's your thing, find the White Scarf who's always singing around the campfire.

Now if you're strictly a stick-jock like myself, forget it. Part of becoming a White Scarf is showing skill in the arts and sciences as well as a tendency towards service. So for those of us who's primary interest in the Society is fencing, we're SOL until and unless we find some other aspect of the SCA that draws our attention in addition to the sword.

The only of these questions that is really make-or-break is that of honor. You can get by if you answered no to one or two of the others, but the more questions you answered yes to, the better.