Successful Fencer

[mtarascio]

Many fencers, coaches and parents feel to be successful in fencing is to win. I believe participation in sports has much more to offer. The majority of those who participate in fencing will never be an elite fencer or in fact win a competition. The majority are recreational or recreational/competitive fencers. So, how does one define the successful fencer?

[Strytllr]

Well,

Success means a variety of things to a variety of people. It's unique to each of us. If, to be successful, you feel you must win every bout and rise to the top of your sport, then that's what you require. Others simply wish to perform as well as they possibly can and make success a more personal achievement rather than a interpersonal achievement.

I happen to be one of the latter. I wish to become better than I previously have been. Success for me, then, is learning something new in fencing, or being able to perform better than before... even if, having done that, I still lose a bout. The second part of success for me is to be able to influence someone else in such a way that they also love the sport and attend it to the best of their ability.

So, no, I don't think you're going to get a single definition of a successful fencer. Best to look deep inside yourself to discover exactly what you want out of fencing and do everything to achieve it.

Strytllr

[whtouche]

For me to be successful I want to be better every day than I was the day before. I want to consistently beat the people that I think I am better than, and perform well against those better than me. I also want to put more people in the former category than the latter.

[The0ne]

someone who is a good fencer.

[MyraTrue]

You know, there's an argument going on between another fencer and I on this subject.

To me, success is when you go out and fence to the best of your capability, when you are an excellent sportsman, no matter if you win or loose. Success is knowing, success is doing. Success is learning something new, and even more so, finally being able to use it. Success is measured in looking back at where you were, and where you've gotten to. Success is, most of all, enjoying this sport, loving it, and giving it your all.

To me, success doesn't mean "I won," though most if not all of us WANT to win, if we can.

The other fencer... well, he says winning= success, and that enjoying himself is secondary. Couldn't do it that way. no THANK you.

[labouche]

Guys, you obviously have no idea what success is...I am success.
Elijah

[MyraTrue]

*covers eyes and starts to cry* Oh, God, not THAT!!! NO!!! I think I'd better quit now, before its *whispers* too late.

[labouche]

Ok, now for real...Success is going (at least close to) as far as you are able in something by working you butt off. Some people just don't have what it takes to be a great fencer but they can still be successful depending on how badly they want it.
-la bouche

[Aeric]

Success in fencing means always doing your best, but always knowing that you can do better tomorrow.

That's what I see. Eventually, you'll be unstoppable!

[J.Harris]

I'd say to be a successful fencer you have to win competitions. Not that I see anything wrong with fencing just to improve and have fun, thats what I do, but I don't consider myself a successfuly fencer...

That said I consider my hockey team successful as we've not lost a game all season, that said we're only in the B league so it's all relative...

[Peach]

I train hard and work on improving, but if I thought I were only successful when I won, I'd have had to quit fencing before I started, because I was already too old then to be outstanding . . . Thinking you're only successful if you win is why so many people become ex-athletes. I'd rather be successful at continuing to fence.

No--I'm lying. I fence to win. I just define "winning" as something besides winning every tournament I enter.

The object of fencing is to try to win bouts. The point of fencing is to fence.

[adidas33k]

"The object of fencing is to try to win bouts. The point of fencing is to fence."
Well said Peach

[klauver]

Success needs to change as you progress.
hen I first started, being good enough to attend my first competition was success.
When I made it out of my first seeding round was a success.
Winning my C in foil was a great success (we didn't have D's & E's "in the day")
Now at my age not needing an ambulance at the end of a competition is a success!

[pkt]

To sum up the points made thus far, there are basically two schools of definition of what SUCCESS is in fencing:
1. Win all the bouts.
2. Keep improving.

I have another one:
To be beaten fairly and squarely by someone whom you've been teaching or coaching.
THAT, folks, is very satisfying. It shows that
1. The student has improved beyond where he started as in point 2 above.
2. I'm a good teacher.
3. I'm passing on what i know to perpetuate the sport I love. [God! I sound like a parent!]

PK

[Talyn]

Simple, Ask yourself at the end of a day's fencing... are you happy with your accomplishments? honestly now.

There's no point living up to other people's expectations if you can't fulfil your own. Then again if you're the type who expects to win everything then you're never going to be satisfied with yourself and hence in your eyes : Unsuccessful

[CarlKnoch]

As posted before, success is relative.

Do you want to be successful at continuing fencing? Then continue it and voila! You're successful at continuing fencing.

Do you want to be labelled as successful by OTHER fencers? Then ask them what they define successful as.

If you think that winning is successful, then kudos to you, and I hope you're winning if success makes you happy. Again it's relative because if you're winning a bunch of D&Under tourneys, you're success is limited by the level of your competition.

In my case, success isn't even an issue I apply to fencing. I like fencing, I like winning, but I save the word successful for other parts of my life, like my marriage, and parenting. It's a more serious term for me.

[FoilyGeezer]

Success is achieving your goals. Plain and simple.

For different fencers this may mean vastly different things. Winning, pleasure, a feeling of accomplishment, beating fencer X, enjoying a sustainable activity without injuring oneself, going to the olympics, earning you A, all of these things are valid metrics of success.

Just don't try and use that metric universally, because we're not all in this sport for the same reason.

[swordsen]

When I was more seriously competeing I consideered myself a sucsessfull fencer not because I won every bout but because everyone I fenced had to FENCE me. If they slacked off and took it easy I could beat them.

Now that I spend more time coaching than fencing, I consider myself sucsessfull when my students suceed.

[big poppa]

success for me was once winning, it later became fencing my best. In time it became teaching my students well. Now all I want to do is fence. If I compete ok , if I do it just for fun , well that's ok too. This sport has so enriched my life , winning is the gravy.

[Morion]

I think success depends upon your goals. For me fencing is an exercise program that is interesting enough that I keep going back. My goal is to get a good workout and extend my existance a little bit longer. With that in mind I am successful every time I go to class.

Success is going to depend on each individuals personal view of what they want. There can't be a general all inclusive definition.