Junior year

[foildad]

Freshman year is a warmup; sophomore year you hit a stride; senior year you apply to colleges and rachet back a bit.

But junior year...

AP classes, labs, maybe a Saturday class, hours of homework every night, community service, PSAT, SAT, SAT IIs, etc., etc.

And then there's fencing. Club practice, private lessons, local tournaments, NACs, Cadet Designated B's, maybe a couple of junior world cups...

There aren't enough hours in the day or enough days in the year.

How have others handled the conflicts?

[bb43]

Time management and prioritizing mostly.

My Jr year was very stressful. My class schedule was maxed out, 9 classes including: 1 ap course, 1 accel course. no lunch. And I was loaded down with extracurriculars including: fencing, track, building/tech/running crew, and scholastic bowl.

Unfortunately you cant do everything you want, but you can make some things work. I would go to school, then whatever extracurricular, come home and sleep/do homework. Tell my parents that i finished my homework (which i rarely did) so I could fence at a club. By the time I got home/showered/finished the homework, and went to sleep it was about 1AM. The thing that really saved me was actually my history class. I slept through about 50% of it, and often caught up on homework i didn't finish.

You will find some actives are more flexible than others. I never went to a scholastic bowl practice that year, but because I had been on the team for three years i was still able to go to meets. Other things, like plays, may have to take a backseat for a while.

And as far as standardized testing, I didn't bother prepping for the ACT. it wasn't worth my time to worry about it. And I'm happy with my score.

Basically, you'll find out how much you're kid can handle. I probably stretched myself too thin, and ended up doing mediocre in many things rather than great in a few things. But I'm making up for that this year.

[dcmdale]

For a lot of fencers, the junior year is brutal. There is a previous thread in the Parent's Corner ("Sixteen") that relates.

For my child, who went through this last year, she chose to prioritize academics over fencing. It was tough to watch her fall from top-8 to off the national rankings, but (as you say) you can't do it all.

Some parents homeschool through this period which gives a lot more flexibility.

There are some who choose to take a lighter load to allow for fencing trusting that the fencing will help them get into a college that their academics wouldn't otherwise get them into or just planning to go to junior college.

[mlr2fence]

I hate to see the kids give up on getting involved with HS things just to totally focus on one thing, be it fencing, dance, music, etc. I think that they can still put alot of focus on their primary activity, like fencing, and still get involved with at least one HS club/activity. The kids are just that one injury away from having to take an extended rehab time and if they haven't developed any other interests/friends they can find themselves lost, at an especially vulnerable time--the teen years. I hate to see so many kids become one dimensional. Makes me wonder how much is truly the kids wanting it or the parents pushing it under the guise of 'thats what my kid wants and we're just supporting them in it'.
That all said, academics unquestionable come first. Not too many people can lifelong put bread on the table from their 'focused activity'.

[4qtrs]

It can be a brutal year. Expect to add into the mix the occasional hormone blast.

Fencing did take a backseat for both of my guys during that year. However, senior year (other than applying for colleges) is much better. I agree that it is tough to watch them take a dip, but I can say that my eldest came out of it an even stronger fencer. Will see about the youngest this year.

[Mo]

Last year my daughter was so stressed due to all the traveling and school work she took with her.
This year she is a senior and it is not going to be any easier. She has six classes she is taking plus all the travel to make the stupid O team if that works out.
It seems like the easiest time for her will be college. She will be in one place, have real daily teachers she sees in person, won't be going to 8-10 meets in inhospitible places, won't have jet lag all the time, we both can't wait for this to be done.
I don't think it is ever easy no matter what choices a kid and their family make.
Two summers ago I bought my daughter a skate board with a helmet of course and told her to go out and have fun on it. I was disgustingly hoping that she would have some minor injury that would make her sit back and take a few months off from fencing. It didn't happen though.
Fencing can be getting on a treadmill that keeps getting faster and faster making it impossible to get off.
SOOOO much pressure.
The Momster

[sleepyweasle]

"that which doesn't kill you makes you stronger."

This was our mantra last year. Probably NOT the best idea to take 5 APs (+ several other classes - no lunch!), continue being an All-State musician as well as member of the HS symphony orchestra and chamber music honor society while fencing at 6 International competitions and 6 National competitions at a school which was VERY unfriendly to non-traditional sports - as in NO slack for turning in papers late or making up exams - (not to mention trying to compete for the HS team whicle not away at international & national meets). [She missed so much school she couldn't actually afford to be sick and had to attend school with the flu.] Especially when training at her club meant leaving at 3 and returning home 9 - 10 PM to START her homework (which meant pretty much NO sleep as 5 AP classes tend to give a ton of homework). In retrospect - should have lessened her load to preserve her sanity. But she survived intact thanks to her sheer will.

She lived through it. Several near break downs were involved. She certainly did not do as well academically as she would have if she hadn't missed so much school and/or taken fewer APs/went to fewer lessons at her club.

But as I remind her... everything is DOWNHILL from here! Once she gets into college her life should be a breeze (comparatively). No University lets you take more than 3 - 4 classes/semester and she won't have to comute to fencing practice! Piece of cake!!!

[Fencing Mom]

. This year she is a senior and it is not going to be any easier. She has six classes she is taking plus all the travel to make the stupid O team if that works out.

Dear Mo,

Please don't call the Olympic team stupid. I know making the team is not stupid for you or your daughter. And I know it would not be stupid for me, my kid, and - I'm guessing - anyone else on this board.

The jump from doing well on the national scene to international competition is huge. Most of us will not have to deal with that. So we will use this board to vent our frustrations concerning driving to practice, relating to our kids and their coaches, and travel within the states. That doesn't mean we aren't interested in your stories of family life chaos from the elite level. While our kids' short term goals may be earning a rating, qualifying, or finishing in the finals, we still want to know what it is like to qualify for the Olympic team.

The Olympics are one of the organizing principles of this sport. The calendar, the age categories, the rules, the point systems - all stem from the Olympics. Perhaps more importantly, once your kid has a fencer friend or a coach born in another country, you start to understand the Olympic movement and its value. Stupid? Here's what's stupid - giving a pass to the thugs of the multi-million dollar American sports industry - the dog fighting organizers, the corrupt referees, the steroid-bloated record holders. It is not stupid to support young, hard working, not-compensated, talented fencers and their families who will represent the US in the Olympics.

So I appreciate you, your spouse, your daughter and her siblings for the sacrifices you are all making to get to the Olympics. As an onlooker, I am cheering for your daughter to not only make the team but to also win the gold – she is the odds-on favorite. Good luck to all of you, the WS team, and the American Olympic hopefuls.

Keep sharing your stories with us, but please don’t call the Olympic team stupid.

[4qtrs]

Keep sharing your stories with us, but please don’t call the Olympic team stupid.

I believe (my opinion) that the term is used more as a coping mechanism than a sentiment.

[occasionalfencer]

Dear Mo,

Please don't call the Olympic team stupid. I know making the team is not stupid for you or your daughter. And I know it would not be stupid for me, my kid, and - I'm guessing - anyone else on this board.

The jump from doing well on the national scene to international competition is huge. Most of us will not have to deal with that. So we will use this board to vent our frustrations concerning driving to practice, relating to our kids and their coaches, and travel within the states. That doesn't mean we aren't interested in your stories of family life chaos from the elite level. While our kids' short term goals may be earning a rating, qualifying, or finishing in the finals, we still want to know what it is like to qualify for the Olympic team.

The Olympics are one of the organizing principles of this sport. The calendar, the age categories, the rules, the point systems - all stem from the Olympics.

So I appreciate you, your spouse, your daughter and her siblings for the sacrifices you are all making to get to the Olympics. As an onlooker, I am cheering for your daughter to not only make the team but to also win the gold – she is the odds-on favorite. Good luck to all of you, the WS team, and the American Olympic hopefuls.

Keep sharing your stories with us,....

Seconded

[Mo]

I believe (my opinion) that the term is used more as a coping mechanism than a sentiment.

It truly is.
However, the polictics involved in having to travel and be on the road with the people in charge makes life very difficult. It should be that the journey to get on the team is wonderful or even just nice. Admittedly having Andrea Lagan and her side kicks at world championships and important competitions has made things ever so much better. She is great at what she does.

The victories should be savored and the experience shared. Instead,they aren't. There are some really great people in the group and wonderful fencers. The ones that aren't make it hard for the rest.

The fencers are strongly discouraged from taking ANY kind of time, even a day to have fun and see the sights. After traveling with the team for years, the last time in London was the absolute first time we ever did any kind of tour or sightseeing.

We have been given a bunch of hassel for wanting to drive down from a near by airport to a meet in Europe even though the entire thing was in the same time frame. We did it anyway but it wasn't without cost.

There is no communication in the team. No one has ever said, "what would you like to do??" instead we are herded around like a bunch of sheep and ordered from one place to another.

The girls are not supposed to be in school and for all of them but my kid it is no problem. She has six classes to deal with and has to get the work done.

Everything is focused on the olympics. There is so much pressure. There is a lot of cheating between countries and sports. You can see it happening. I watched a referee freak out at the world championships because the wrong team was winning. He was assured by two other refs that it would be fine and it was.

The entire cost of it all between wear and tear on the body, going to dangerous countries, having a child who is tired and stressed and then dealing with certain people can make life miserable.

I am in the thick of it. What can I say?

The Momster

[Phincer]

I am in the thick of it. What can I say?

The Momster

Hang in there!!! We're with you-breathe deep, count to ten, etc.



In the meantime, have a marg on me!

[Phincer]

Freshman year is a warmup; sophomore year you hit a stride; senior year you apply to colleges and rachet back a bit.

But junior year...

AP classes, labs, maybe a Saturday class, hours of homework every night, community service, PSAT, SAT, SAT IIs, etc., etc.

And then there's fencing. Club practice, private lessons, local tournaments, NACs, Cadet Designated B's, maybe a couple of junior world cups...

There aren't enough hours in the day or enough days in the year.

How have others handled the conflicts?

Denial. Complete and total denial. Oh wait, that's this year, the senior year. And you don't get to "rachet back" at all! It's still full steam ahead, b/c the colleges ask for mid-and end-of-year reports!

The junior year is just hard-hard-hard. These days kids have to do so much just to get into college. I especially feel for kids that want to continue fencing in college-even with club teams, the choices are limited, and those colleges are more selective than colleges on the whole. Then the NCAA colleges are fewer, and men's NCAA colleges are fewer still.

How we handled it: "The right school will love you and you will love it". Academics come first, fencing second, but a really close second. Everything else is just fluff. Afternoons off playing Halo are okay. Naps are good.

Count to ten-alot, remember it's the fencer that is going through all of this, we just have to do the driving. Kiss and hug them even when they don't think they want it. Ignore the looks that can melt steel.

I think we just took it one day/week/month at a time. Tried not to worry about the future and didn't hash over the past. You just have to slog through it. If you don't have a sense of humor, better get one now!

And we parents have friends that we vent to-aLOT!!!

[4qtrs]

How we handled it: "The right school will love you and you will love it". Academics come first, fencing second, but a really close second. Everything else is just fluff. Afternoons off playing Halo are okay. Naps are good.

Well said Phincer!

You will find that even some of the parents are more rabid about college choices than the kids. Try not to get caught up in it. Besides the reality of the price tag for college has a sobering affect.

[dcmdale]

Please don't call the Olympic team stupid. I know making the team is not stupid for you or your daughter...

I am sure that Mo will will be as proud (and relieved) as any other parent if the Olympics "works out."

Let's be honest, Mo and her daughter are living out what many parents/kids dream about. But dreams and nightmares are closely related. I hope Mo can feel free to express her frustration here.

[Phincer]

I am sure that Mo will will be as proud (and relieved) as any other parent if the Olympics "works out."

Let's be honest, Mo and her daughter are living out what many parents/kids dream about. But dreams and nightmares are closely related. I hope Mo can feel free to express her frustration here.

It's so true-as parents we need to vent to each other and know in our heart of hearts that we are just venting. And Mo certainly has the vent rights.

There are a group of us moms who have a tag line (started by one mom in particular). When its 14-14, or we've just spent a huge amount of money on yet another weapon/uniform, or are frustrated with______ (fill in the blank)-we just look at each other and say "I hate fencing. I'm done with it. This is his/her last meet." Then we hug the hurting party, knowing full well we'll see them at practice the next week.

[H Man]

My Jr has Calc, Physics, and Chem - all three AP with Honors Eng(could not fit AP in Sched.) Is JR class Pres. runs track, water polo and lifts.

He hopes to glide as a SR. We are on him like you know what on you know what. He always says he has done HW and assignments. He fell asleep at 8:05 tonight on the pool deck and has not moved. Don't tell his buds.

[Mo]

There are a group of us moms who have a tag line (started by one mom in particular). When its 14-14, or we've just spent a huge amount of money on yet another weapon/uniform, or are frustrated with______ (fill in the blank)-we just look at each other and say "I hate fencing. I'm done with it. This is his/her last meet." Then we hug the hurting party, knowing full well we'll see them at practice the next week.

So very very sorry we did not meet up in Miami.

Thanks for the support you guys!! It is really early especially for me in the morning, being a west coaster on the east coast. The kid is over warming up. We are in Mount Treblanc Canada! This is truly a nice place.
Gerek Meinhardt won the mens senior foil yesterday. He is such an amazing fencer and a great young person too. He makes foil compelling to watch.
There are less than 20 fencers in this event and it is worth double FIE points. All I can say is "I hate fencing, I am done with it, this is truly her last meet." I LIKE THAT."
See you on Monday.
The Momster

[Phincer]

So very very sorry we did not meet up in Miami.

The Momster

LOL- Journal Mom and I did get to meet-but we never got to go for margs.

But since we all hate fencing....we'll make it another time!

Hmmm. I feel a reception room at SN 08 coming on....

[4qtrs]

Hmmm. I feel a reception room at SN 08 coming on....

That is a Great idea!