Back to the En Guard Line

This past year of fencing has come full circle for me. National qualifiers are this weekend and I couldn't be more excited! Or nervous...

When I started fencing I never actually thought I would be here. On my second day of my freshman year of high school I was handed a foil, given a couple of pointers and was told to go hit people. So I did! Fencing has been my sport ever since. I continued for the next three years with a still forming team but we became more competitive as time went on. My high school fencing career culminated in an 11th place finish at states.

I started fencing with the Bryn Mawr fencing club immediately once I got here. I had a lot of bad habits to break and new technique to learn. We had a wonderful coach who got me to recognize the true fundamentals of foil fencing and actually USE them - all while writing her dissertation. (You are awesome [Dr.] Coach [Dr.] Kate!)

Sophomore year we found ourselves with a new coach, who is just as awesome and gave the team a different perspective of how fencing can be taught. That year I actually got out there and competed much more than I did freshman year, and I began practicing about once a week at the Fencing Academy of Philadelphia (which essentially became my home away from my home away from home).

Coach Ahren also gave me the opportunity to try out the other two weapons. I recognized that yes, I really did hate epee, but I fell in love with sabre and picked it up as a second weapon.

I began to feel like I was learning something and improving in my own time. I may not have started when I was 8, like many in this division do, so while I was not exactly at the level of other people my age yet, I was definitely moving forward.

I also became an assistant coach for the Bryn Mawr team, since our coach can only be there for half of our practices. I am learning coaching technique with a Fencing Academy of Philadelphia satellite school by being an apprentice coach for a youth class.

Last spring I tried out for the Summer National Championship. I missed the sabre cut by one bout (2 touches), but I made it for foil! Never in a million years did I expect to make it this far. Last June was a large regional competition (kind of like a warm up for me). I took 6th in unranked women's sabre there. Then nationals were in July. I went to Dallas, Texas for a few days for some really great fencing! (Apparently my weapons liked Texas so much, they didn't want to leave! It took me a couple days on the phone with the airlines to track them down and get them sent back home :P)

This year has been all about building up the Bryn Mawr team. We are part of a collegiate conference now and have had a really successful first season! This Sunday marks both the foil and sabre qualifying events. There is a much tougher field this year, but I'm going to fence my heart out! Next big event: Summer championships in Atlanta, Georgia (if I make it) or continue training for a bit longer and go to the North American Cup in the fall.