Looking for some great advice about navigating fencing competitions? There is so much to the process of competing as a fencer - from regulations and preparation to how to deal with unexpected challenges that happen during a fencing bout. Here are seventeen of AFM’s...
“Hey, can I borrow your extra fencing glove for practice today?” This was the question of another child to mine, overheard at the club recently. My son didn’t think twice about loaning his extra glove to his classmate. As a fencing mom, I know that the stickiest item...
Understanding fencing scoring is so essential to becoming successful as a competitor. Fencers are required to sign their scoresheets as soon as they have completed their bouts, but most often novice fencers just sign without thinking, assuming that the judges and...
What do you do when your child wants the really expensive fencing gear? Today I’ll start with the tale of my son. For more than two years he’s been asking for a Leon Paul mask; this shiny-all-american-flag-champion-like mask. He started asking me about it when he was...
Twenty-three tips for parents to get the most out of fencing and foster a positive relationship with fencing for their child: Give them unconditional love. Support their coaches. Don’t do everything for your child - allow them to stand on their own, successfully or...
So many times people think that fencing is just about hitting each other with swords - it’s really and truly not. In order to be of real help and use to children in terms of their long growth and development, it’s essential that you find a fencing club with...
Seeing while fencing is a pretty important thing - keep in mind that you are holding a sword! Not to mention thrusting it at another person. Not to mention having one thrust at you. Glasses are here to help us to see, but just having something on your face when you’re...
This post is the second in a three part series on goal setting for fencers. While there is great information here, we highly recommend that you check out the first post - Goal Setting, Fencing and Your Lifestyle in order to get the most out of it! Creating goals that...
Yellow card for loose long hair on competitions! During last year’s Summer Nationals in San Jose we had many kids who participated in a big competition for the very first time in their life. Competition - especially the very first one - always creates a huge pressure...
Life is truly about a series of goals that we set for ourselves and then go on to pursue. Most people do this: set goals and go after them, without really thinking about it and without taking the time to work through a codified vision of what they need to do - they...
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