One month ago, Eleanor began competing in youth tournaments against other twelve-year-old girls. I waited until now to enter her in competitions because after a summer of swim team workouts, she is capable of handling the demanding fencing circuit. My kid and I are both exhausted. The two of us are constantly analyzing her fencing alongside the tactics and techniques of all her competitors. I am incredibly grateful to possess decades of expertise in fencing, but I have never coached little kids before.
This is Eleanor’s last year of eligibility in Y12 Women’s Foil. Fencers have been flying into the NYC area to attend tournaments to earn points that can qualify them for national events. These are all little kids, so it has been very helpful to watch them push themselves to the limit on the piste. I now know what is and is not possible for Eleanor to achieve until she reaches adulthood, so I am starting to get a sense of potential strategic styles.
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Works Cited
Fencing 101: The Thrill of Earning National Points in Fencing. 2 Jan. 2024, http://www.usafencing.org/…/fencing-101-the-thrill-of….
Point Standings. www.usafencing.org/point-standings.
