Article: Real Life Observations from a Fencing Mom

[Craig]

This article highlights the experience and advice from the parent of a high-level youth fencer.

http://www.fencing101.com/content/view/114/2/

This is the featured article on Fencing.Net right now. Go ahead and read it as it gives good advice on how to approach getting your kids into fencing and what you're in for if they're really good.

Cheers,
Craig

[DanInMI]

Nice article Craig. I would love to read more like that.

[SJB]

Fencing meets can be a dangerous place, especially for a younger fencer who is fencing above their age level. There are kids and hormones flowing through events like the Junior World Cups. Kids have hotel rooms and keys. Poorly chaperoned kids can be a recipe for disaster. It only takes a moment for a lifetime mistake to happen.

Just get out and say it already:

Your son/daughter may have sex at a world cup.

[KShan5[PrFC]]

Wasn't there an article like that in American Fencing?

[Capt. Slo-mo]

Originally posted by SJB
Your son/daughter may have sex at a world cup.

I think the way I'd put it: Your son/daughter better NOT have sex with my daughter/son at a World Cup!

[Army Fencer]

Whoever wrote it should send it to American Fencing. I'm sure they'd print it.

[Craig]

This article is one example of what I'm hoping to do with Fencing.Net in 2004.

I have heard and read complaints about the lack of fencing news and good fencing coverage. Well, now is your chance to help out. There are a lot of stories out there that relate to the beginner, coach, parent, and competitive fencer. You have a lot of those stories.

American Fencing can only publish a few of these and only 4 times/year. Fencing.Net can put some more stories out there so that there is more news to go around.

Walter has done a great job writing articles and finding a couple of writers that he pulled into the whatisfencing.com site (and he's copied some of those to fencing.net as well.) We need to get some more articles coming in - local results, fund raising drives, human interest stories, etc.

This is an Olympic year and other publications are going to be looking for some stories to highlight the Olympic sports. Those doing research are going to go here and usfencing.org. I would like to make sure that there is a lot of good information that they can use.

PM me or email me at webmaster (at) fencing.net if you're interested in submitting a story.

Thanks!
Craig

[Capt. Slo-mo]

The article highlights something I didn't fully understand when our kids first started going to the Youth NAC compeitions.

The kids begin fencing in the Y10/Y12 range, and it's immediately obvious there are a few that stand out. We noticed several of the best fencers who, as soon as they got to the Y14 level, quit coming to the youth events at all.

This was a disappointment, because our kids measured themselves against these top fencers. We thought these top kids just considered themselves too good to fence with the little kids any more.

Now, we understand. It's about points and money. If you're trying to get on a national team in cadet and junior, a Y14 event gives you nothing. No points towards the team, and it's a drain on the resources needed to go to all the other events, including some international travel.

It's sad because those fencers who need to pass on fencing with their age group must in large part say goodbye to the kids they've known for years. This loses some of the camaraderie that made the sport so much fun.

Fencing parent nailed it. Eventually, the sport takes on a rollercoaster life of its own.

[JEC]

It was a very nice article! I completely agree with the Fencing Mom, and other observations written above. My son's first National competition was the '00 Austin competition.

[pkt]

Originally posted by Capt. Slo-mo
I think the way I'd put it: Your son/daughter better NOT have sex with my daughter/son at a World Cup!

LOL!!!
FOCL..
This is the funniest response to a post I've seen on this forum yet!

This is what we Chinese call "Sweep the snow in front of your door" syndrome.

The Cpt. IS funny.

PK

[duel mom]

I liked the article too very much. But I don't think American Fencing could or would publish an article written by Anonymous. This site is the perfect place for the article. I see now that fencing is a small world and for this reason some opinions are not voiced or remain anonymous.

[Peach]

As a mother of a fencer and a referee of young fencers myself, I liked the article a great deal. It was balanced and interesting, and acknowledged some of the realities of fencing while suggesting ways that it could be kept a positive experience for the athlete. I particularly like the way the author talked about being active in protecting and helping the fencer manage while not over-controlling the experience.

[40Saberthieves]

As a teenageer, I completely disagree with what she says about making sure they have no free time. We are susposed to be learning how to be adults, and that isnt accomplished by having everything planned for you.

Im going on a school trip in a few weeks, and we have lots of free time. We can choose where we eat and we are given responsiblity.

[Army Fencer]

Originally posted by RogueNine
As a teenageer, I completely disagree with what she says about making sure they have no free time. We are susposed to be learning how to be adults, and that isnt accomplished by having everything planned for you.

Im going on a school trip in a few weeks, and we have lots of free time. We can choose where we eat and we are given responsiblity.

How old are you? And you are going to a foreign country?

As the age increases, it's up to the individual parent and the club to decide what level of responsibility young fencers should take or are capable of taking. It's a case by case basis, and this fencing mother prefers to make more conservative choices with her son or daughter. As far as giving advice is concerned, the more conservative route is more applicable most of the time.

The dynamic changes drastically when you're in a foreign country. The author talked about this specifically, but I think it needs an extra emphasis. For my college team, we take a trip every year to France to fence at the Ecole Polytechnique over our Spring Leave. This year, Spring Break happened to land at the time that the French and us Americans didn't get along too well. In fact, the present war in Iraq began while we were there. Our chaperone had to keep close tabs on us while we were there (amoung other things, phone calls every night to check in--unheard of for college students!). She had to do it because we, as American citizens in a foreign country with a large Muslim population, were bright red targets for hostilities.

The situation is only more dramatic when you have a child. There's a lot of potential for life-altering damage out there. It's particularly hard if the child has a lot of potential. Husbanding your resources in that scenerio is very important.

[Inquartata]

Originally posted by Capt. Slo-mo

It's about points and money. If you're trying to get on a national team in cadet and junior, a Y14 event gives you nothing. No points towards the team, and it's a drain on the resources needed to go to all the other events, including some international travel.

It's sad because those fencers who need to pass on fencing with their age group must in large part say goodbye to the kids they've known for years. This loses some of the camaraderie that made the sport so much fun.

Not so different from the effect conferred by the diferent Divisions with their ratings exclusions for Seniors. Get on the points list and no one ever sees them anywhere but at Div I NACs any more, for the reasons you mention.

[Army Fencer]

Originally posted by Inquartata
Get on the points list and no one ever sees them anywhere but at Div I NACs any more, for the reasons you mention.

For some cases, yes, but that hasn't been my personal experience. Nearly everyone with senior points at my club still fences regularly at local and regional tournaments.

[Tireur]

For some cases, yes, but that hasn't been my personal experience. Nearly everyone with senior points at my club still fences regularly at local and regional tournaments.

Same here.........

[FencerMom]

Great article. As a fencing mom, I have seen most of what she says. Also, I have found it is important to have my child go to some fun tournaments where they can relax and have fun, both fencing and with the other fencers. It helps keep the love of fencing going, while they are dealing with the stresses, intensities and exhaustion that happen with fencing nationally and internationally.

[westcoastsabre]

those around me do the same (none at my club....yet)

[dekko]

As a club owner and coach of same a totally agree with what this mom has said. I would respectfully add 3 things to her list of what to look for in a club/school/academy. If the 'coach' stresses ratings above all else, that might be a red flag. I stress that the kid fence as well as they can and I am more interested in them being a good fencer rather than being an A or B rated fencer. Second, if the 'coach' spends any time at all bringing drama into the practices or bad mouths other clubs in the area, that might raise a red flag as well. Lastly, if the coach spends a bunch of time showing off their awards and telling you how great they are beating their own chest, that might be a red flag. I totally agree it's a kid/coach match that is most important.

Great article mom, you have nailed it.