A reflection on sustainable fencing development in an age of instant promises In today's fencing landscape, families face an overwhelming array of choices and competing promises. Social media feeds overflow with dramatic transformation stories, bold claims about...
Fellow fencers, coaches, parents, and clubs - we need your voice and your immediate action. On June 29th, the USA Fencing Board will vote on bylaw changes that would fundamentally strip away our democratic voice in how our sport is governed. This isn't just about...
I appreciate when USA Fencing tries to improve things for fencers. It's important, and most of the time things are moving in the right direction. One such example is the significant improvement in event locations, which are definitely more balanced this time. For West...
Fencing Summer Nationals 2025 in Milwaukee is approaching fast, and if you're a parent preparing for your first national-level fencing competition, you're probably feeling a mix of excitement and anxiety. After helping hundreds of families navigate their first...
While we welcome the end of a fencing match, we also know that the ending is the hardest part of the whole process. The final minutes are always much more challenging than the opening minutes. Taking charge of those riveting and oftentimes overwhelming moments that...
There's an old saying that goes "Dig your well before you're thirsty." It's simple wisdom that applies to nearly every aspect of life, and it’s definitely relevant to competitive fencing. The moment you step onto a competition strip, your fate is essentially sealed --...
Three years ago one girl came to our fencing summer camp, clutching her mother's hand, eyes wide with uncertainty. She had never held a sword before. Never worn a mask. Never stood on a strip. Her mother whispered to me, "She's so shy, I'm not sure if this was the...
I recently stumbled upon a quote from Winston Churchill that stopped me in my tracks: "Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm." These words resonated deeply with me, not just as a life philosophy, but as the perfect encapsulation...
In the demanding world of elite sport, careers are typically measured in years, not decades. Yet at 44, Estonian epee fencer Irina Embrich continues to compete at the highest international level, defying conventional wisdom about athletic longevity. From her first...
I want to talk about hope. Not the vague "I hope I win this tournament" or "I hope my fencer gets better" kind of hope. No, I want to talk about real, substantial hope – the kind that sustains us through the darkest moments in fencing and beyond. You might be...
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