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Academy of Fencing Masters Blog

Art of Fencing, Art of Life

The Countdown Begins: Join us for the Electrifying AFM Super Regional Tournament!

The Countdown Begins: Join us for the Electrifying AFM Super Regional Tournament!

We’re excited to announce that we’re hosting the coming AFM Super Regional Tournament! This will be the second year that AFM has been the organizer for this major fencing competition. After the great success of last year’s tournament, we can’t wait to see how this year’s will come along.  The Mega Tournament Last year, we aptly called this competition a “Mega Tournament,” and that’s exactly what it felt like when it actually happened. It’s a colossal regional competition that brings...

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Out of Control – How to Teach Young Fencers to Control Their Emotions in Loss

Out of Control – How to Teach Young Fencers to Control Their Emotions in Loss

Fencing, like any competitive sport, is a rollercoaster of emotions. Victories can elate fencers, filling them with a sense of accomplishment and pride. However, on the flip side, defeat can be a bitter pill to swallow, especially for young athletes who may struggle to control the intense emotions that come with losing.  We’ve seen this recently in large competitions, and it’s always troubling when it happens. It can have serious consequences for everyone involved, and things can reach well...

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Signing Kids Up for Fencing this School Year: Everything a Beginner Needs to Know

Signing Kids Up for Fencing this School Year: Everything a Beginner Needs to Know

A new school year is a busy time of year for families that’s full of excitement and new beginnings. Kids are starting new grades in school with new teachers and new classmates, and everyone is full of energy after the summer.  This time of year is also when extracurricular activities get going, and choosing which one is right for children is both exciting and daunting. Fitting it all in and knowing how to effectively plan out time and commitments can be difficult. We don’t want to overload our...

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The 2023 Fencing World Championships are Happening! What You Should Know and Why You Should Care Right Now!

The 2023 Fencing World Championships are Happening! What You Should Know and Why You Should Care Right Now!

The Fencing World Championships just started on July 22nd and will run through Sunday the 30th in Milan, Italy. This is a major international fencing event that happens every year as the culmination of the season, except during the Olympics, where the Games serve the same purpose.  All three weapons and both women and men participate in the competition, in team and individual events. It’s a smorgasbord of world-class fencing, the closest thing to the Olympics outside of the Games themselves,...

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Toasting to Success: Celebrating the Outstanding AFM Competitors at Summer Nationals & the July Challenge!

Toasting to Success: Celebrating the Outstanding AFM Competitors at Summer Nationals & the July Challenge!

First off, let us send out a huge thank you to the American fencing community for their continued striving and the inspiration that it brings to all of us! Every year we have the privilege of coming together to push ourselves to get better, and it’s a true honor to be able to bring our fencers to this competition every year.  To the national champions and all participants, we extend our heartfelt congratulations. Your achievements inspire a new generation of fencers and serve as a reminder of...

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Elitism in an Elite Sport: Strategies to Avoid Creating Entitled Fencers

There’s a high level of skill, dedication, and commitment that goes along with fencing. We are part of an Olympic sport that has a strong, proud history. While it’s great for us to pursue excellence, and we definitely encourage everyone to try to be the best they possibly can be, there is a danger that an environment of elitism can develop in such a way that it is detrimental to our own goals. If we put up roadblocks to participation or even progress because we are so focused on this concept...

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How Fencers can Maintain Momentum Through the Summer Break

How Fencers can Maintain Momentum Through the Summer Break

Keeping momentum in the summer for youth fencers can be crucial for their development and performance. If you don’t keep working on it, then those skills you’ve invested all of that energy into developing will dull with time. Coming back into the full swing of things in the fall when school and other activities are all going  will be that much harder, making the road forward more challenging than it needs to be.  For fencers who are qualified for Fencing Summer Nationals, maintaining...

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Book Recommendation: The Devil’s Sword, A Fencing Thriller for Your Child’s Summer

Book Recommendation: The Devil’s Sword, A Fencing Thriller for Your Child’s Summer

You never know where fencing connections will come from, and I just had one come out of nowhere. It’s one of those things about fencing that makes it extraordinary. Recently I had a discussion with NYT Bestselling Author Douglas E. Richards about my newly published book, Breaking News of Tomorrow. I love Richards's sci-fi and technothrillers, in particular, I recommend his book Wired, a great summer read for anyone looking for an engaging summer read. If you read my book, which is a...

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Leaving Russia – What it Means and Why We Must Support this Kind of Bravery

Leaving Russia – What it Means and Why We Must Support this Kind of Bravery

Standing up for what’s right sometimes means sacrificing everything. It’s hard to comprehend the ramifications of decisions that people make, especially when those people are coming from a place that is far removed from where we are. Such is the case with the oppression of the Russian regime, both in its war of aggression against Ukraine and its hard line against its own people.  What happens when speaking out is dangerous? The people of Russia who are against the war cannot speak up for...

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Welcome Sergey Bida to the United States and to AFM!

Welcome Sergey Bida to the United States and to AFM!

Join us in welcoming a tremendous fencing talent to the United States and to AFM! It is with great pleasure and pride we share that Sergey Bida is joining the AFM Coaching Team! This week, Coach Bida stepped into his role as the newest member of our already talented coaching staff. His work in epee is extraordinary, and his coming to California is a wonderful addition to the training opportunities for fencers here in America. Violetta Bida, Sergey’s wife, is also a hugely accomplished fencer...

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Strategies to Help Youth Fencers Learn to Trust Their Skills

Strategies to Help Youth Fencers Learn to Trust Their Skills

Building trust in your skills is a crucial skill for young fencers to learn to perform their best. Often, we see kids who come to class, work hard, enjoy the sport, but then they struggle to believe that they can do it in competition. This can be truly challenging when kids make that cross into tournament fencing. The intimidation of putting themselves out there against unknown opponents is not easy, and it requires a level of confidence or a leap of faith.  Part of the problem is that kids...

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Congratulations to the New At-large Directors of USA Fencing – Ivan Lee, Damien Lehfeldt and Abdel Salem

Congratulations to the New At-large Directors of USA Fencing – Ivan Lee, Damien Lehfeldt and Abdel Salem

Sending out a huge congratulations to the newest USA Board of Fencing members - Ivan Lee, Damien Lehfeldt, and Abdel Salem!  The expectations for this particular board are high. We are at an inflection point in fencing, and where things go from here has everything to do with what steps the leadership takes. I take heart in knowing that the three individuals elected are from the field, and I am confident from my interactions with Abdel, Ivan, and Damien that they will listen to the people who...

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Manifesto of a Fencing Parent

Manifesto of a Fencing Parent

As a fencing parent, you play a vital role in supporting and guiding your child's journey in this remarkable sport. Fencing is not just about wins and medals; it's a personal and transformative journey for your young athlete. The following ten essential principles will help you create a positive and nurturing environment for your child and enable them to thrive in their fencing pursuits. 1. Embrace the Journey of Your Child Recognize that fencing is a unique journey filled with ups and downs....

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Breaking News of Tomorrow – my debut thriller launched today

Breaking News of Tomorrow – my debut thriller launched today

If you read this blog consistently, you should know that I have at least three main passions that come across on these pages: fencing, education, and writing. For the last 9 years, this blog has provided me with a great platform to merge these passions into a single mission: educate as many people as I can about the great benefits of the sport of fencing via my writing. During the pandemic, I had a daring desire to expand my writing beyond fencing and to write a novel. I had an idea, an...

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The Power of Three – Taking Control of Our Future in the USA Fencing Board Election

The Power of Three – Taking Control of Our Future in the USA Fencing Board Election

By: Andrey Geva, Ann Marsh-Senic, and Igor Chirashnya Who we are as a community must be reflected in the leadership that guides our sport. At the top of USA Fencing, the organization that governs the direction of both today and tomorrow, there has to be a grounded understanding of what it takes to raise a fencer. It’s what we’re about. With three at-large seats open, we need a holistic move towards better leadership, and we have the opportunity to get there if we elect three candidates for...

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