Youth and Schools - A challenging sport for youth fencing - A challenging sport for youth - fencing

    Fencing is a sport that requires high skill and concentration. The easiest description: “it’s the sport of fighting with swords, especially foils, sabers and épées.” You must play by a set of rules while trying to score points against an opponent.

    My interest in the sport started when I watched the women’s foil games on TV in 2011—during the World Fencing Championships in Catania, Italy. I found it hard to watch both people fencing, so I watched one person at a time. At times, the “attacker” was the first to strike so she was the best to watch. Her sword would be parried and the defender would strike back immediately. I watched the indecision in each footstep, how they would keep their distance, whether to lunge with their purposeful attack or stay back for defense. I noticed the tiny, controlled movements of each fencer’s hands. It wasn’t merely the simple interest that attracted me, but the love in watching the critical movements and fluidity in each action.

    When I first started fencing I learned the techniques which would help me: the basic stance, the tilt of the blade and the structure of each sword. The different groups and advantages of each sword came next; the most commonly used being the épée and sabre. I was given private lessons from my family friend so I couldn’t start with other novice fencers. But it gave me the chance to work one-on-one with my best friend and mentor. I believe the foil was the easiest to use since it would later help in developing my skills and senses for the épée.

    The lessons gave me questions in which I could ask myself and try to answer. How would I develop the focus to watch my opponent? How would I develop the lightning speed responses in the moments they stuttered, those one­minute­gone­the­next openings? How could I help myself in controlling the adversary to hit targets, so small and narrow? How could I add in strategy after taking the physical approach?

    Within two years I began to train four times a week in the afternoons, improving on my distance, timing, point control, focus and strategy. Many times I was frustrated when my electric scoring gear would beep in defeat due to my mentor. But the sport helped me to transform myself. My self-confidence grew, my discipline became more pronounced, my coordination became more accurate. It gave me both mental and physical gains. Overall, I learned that perseverance and dedication for my sport gave me the best gifts in life.