are YOU an athlete?

[Bugaboo]

Are you an athlete - YES or NO?

(repackaging original athlete thread to get more board involvement)

And why or why not?

[fencingguy]

yes, I am an athlete because I train hard a a sport in order to reach the highest possible levels, my goals are competition oriented and I want to be the best I possibly can. I am also physically in shape and mentally tough. Fencing is not just a hobby for me it is a sport.

[attila]

Not me man.I am so overwight and outta shape. I'm 5'8" 285#. I take parrying and counter-attacking to a cool level. Even re-arned my B in foil.Of course I know I will never get that coveted "A" unless I loose some weight and get back to my "fighting weight" of 230#. Still, I love the game. Nothing better................

[Lumberg]

Yes.

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Lumberg.
"...ahhh, we have sort of a problem here... yeah, you apparently didn't put one of the new cover sheets on your TPS report"

[Bugaboo]

My own response: Possibly.

I haven't justified it to myself yet by scoring high enough at competition. And if you can't declare yourself an athlete, how can anyone else?

But I'm on my way.

[*~susan~*]

personally, no i dont think i am an athlete.
i think an athlete doesnt just play the sport but encompasses all that IS the sport which they play. People may train hard and people may place well, but when are you an athlete. i think youre an athlete when you can honetly say that you are model example of the sport-- not only in ability, but in dedication, sportsmanship and even mentality.
The reason why i dont consider myself an athlete? i feel that unlike athletes, i find myself giving up many times.. NOT an example to follow!
my two cents for what its worth...

[damianip]

attila writes:

I'm 5'8" 285#. I take parrying and counter-attacking to a cool level. Even re-arned my B in foil

Sounds like FBE to me. Am I right?

Paolo

[This message has been edited by damianip (edited 02-17-2001).]

[Foil Girl]

I don't think an athlete should be classified by the level at which they compete, or the fact of whether they encompass the sport. I think an athlete is a person in sports who enjoys what they're doing, and actually try to be a formidable opponent. And even if they aren't the greatet at their sport, they keep at it. Even if they give up on one battle, they don't give up the whole war. And that's my speech for the day. *grin*

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-Foil Girl
"If you don't have fun, you've already lost"

[attila]

Hi Paolo

Attila is busted! Yeah, it me. I got the new handle after a really rousing flame war with the dorks over at fencingsucks.com. They started to call me Jabba the hut ,then I called myself pizza the hutt and settled on Attila the hut. I rather like my new name. Plus now I get to annoy a whole bunch of new people. What fun!!!

[Foil Dude]

I've been passively reading some of the discussion on this forum for a couple of weeks or so, but it's this question that has pulled me in. YES, without a doubt, I consider myself an athlete. As I workout 3-6 times a week, receiving fencing instruction, doing aerobic exercise, pumping iron, monitoring my diet, and even juggling tennis balls, I see myself as someone who takes fencing seriously as a sport. As any other athlete, I work many hours a week, trying to physically and mentally hone my skills.

[damianip]

No, I'm not an athlete.

I'm an FFA (Fat Former Athlete). After spending my thirties in a completely sedentary lifestyle, I've been trying to regain some athleticism as an integral part of my mid-life crisis.

Fencing two to three times a week just isn't cutting it. I have to develop an adjunct conditioning program if I want to compete seriously (which I currently don't).

Paolo

[Oor Wullie]

I think the most interesting aspect of this discussion is the way people are bending the definition of the word 'athlete' to suit their own purposes.

I know that I am very fond of taking a word and giving it my very own special meaning that doesn't bear any relation to how it is meant to be used, so it's nice to see other people doing the same thing.

Oor Wullie.

[Moonitic]

Hmm...am I an athlete? If you consider chasing after a 3 year old all day "athletic"...sure! Not to mention fencing twice a week (just getting back after that darn stress fracture...before that it was more like 4 times a week!), & a wallyball game thrown in for some fun.

The New American Webster's Handy College Dictionary (exactly what it's called) defines "athlete" as this: One who engages in sports or other exercises esp. those requiring physical agility & strength.

I don't believe anyone has "bent" that meaning. Fencing requires physical agility. It is a sport. Strength? Look at the muscles in your legs & weapon arm for a moment...they didn't come by magic. And yes, we exercise. So, according to the definition in the dictionary...we are athletes. :0)

[Oor Wullie]

Hmmm,

In several of the replies (in this section and the previous thread) people begin by saying things like: 'I think an athlete is...' then give their own definition. Sounds like bending it to me (which I'm not against).

It also depends which dictionary you read. The Cambridge dictionary defines an athelete as: 'Someone who is very good at sports...'
By this definition you could work your *** off, running, doing weights, taking lessons, but still not be an athlete at the end of it all if you aren't much kop as a fencer.

Oor Wullie

[Peach]

Yeah, but of course words are defined by how they're used, which is why they keep revising the dictionaries.

I always thought of athletes as young people. I thought of myself as athletic, not an athlete. But I guess despite my asthma and tendency to fall over in the on-guard position if I'm not perfectly balanced and my sciatica I could qualify as an athlete--after all, there are a lot of young athletes I can beat <grin>.

[Bugaboo]

The perspectives are enlightening. I'm not sure yet HOW I've been enlightened, but I keep saying, "Hmmmmm..."

I know guys who break every day for lunch and head to the basketball court. A couple of them actually lift weights and run a few miles twice a week, too. I wouldn't doubt that they're as fit or generally more fit than fencers I've seen at local competitions. But I know in my heart that those basketball associates aren't atheletes.

I hit the gym twice a week for weights, running and footwork practice (in the aerobics room). I bout at the club twice a week, join the "team" lesson once a week and take personal lessons once a week. I compete once or twice a month. I think about fencing every day; I read fencing books; I keep a progress journal; I'm very conscious of my diet and sleeping habits; I struggle to understand armory repairs; and I try to recruit other people to visit the club and consider fencing.

And for all that, I still don't feel like I can call myself an athlete.

I wonder if it makes a difference that I only got started after I turned 30? If you're not raised with a particular self-perception (or ANY belief system) through childhood, it can take a lot of work to change yourself as an adult. I never participated in any sports as a kid. And I'll always be very self-conscious about trying a lay-up shot in basketball...

[attila]

Well then lets try to define athlete ( without the bother of actually cracking a dictionary)Here is mine.

Athlete- Individual driven by an inate drive to compete at the highest level, with clearly defined parameters for success.Usually exercized in a physically demanding field where physical agility,endurance,and a high degree of coordination is required to employ strategic and tactical devices to procure victory.

[piscesdragon]

...in other words, someone who tries really hard to win. Although that is not an accurate definition. Victory is not necessarily the goal of all athletes. The philosophies behind eastern martial-arts teach that the highest endeavor is improvement of the self. Even the best athletes don't win all of the time, if at all.

I do agree with the first part of Attila's definition. The dividing line is the "innate drive". An athlete is someone who views every victory and defeat as a learning experience, always striving to improve their skills. Not because they expect to win all of the time, but for the pure love of the game.

I have been fencing off and on for six years, but have only recently begun to take my fencing training seriously. So, to answer the question that started this thread, I do consider myself an athlete.

[This message has been edited by piscesdragon (edited 02-19-2001).]

[This message has been edited by piscesdragon (edited 02-19-2001).]

[This message has been edited by piscesdragon (edited 02-19-2001).]