Saturday, March 11th, marked our annual Parents’ Fencing Day. Scheduling prevented us from holding this last year, and we are so glad it’s back! Fourteen families joined us at Middle Creek Community Center for a 2 hour introduction to fencing. The catch? The kids turned the tables and taught their parents what they know.
After welcoming the parents and getting the gear sorted out, Coach Kriszti and Coach Igor led everyone through some basic warm up drills: simple relays, side shuffles, karaoke, etc. Then the fun began. Side shuffles while passing a rubber ball behind the back and high-knees while simultaneously passing the ball between the legs resulted in howls of laughter all around. Needless to say, everyone was ready to catch their breath while stretching.
Next up was was en garde, advance, retreat and lunge with the parents opposite their kids followed by a “keeping distance” exercise. Don’t worry, Coach Igor warned the parents several times not to over-do it. A pulled muscle would not make anybody’s day.
Once you can move (or think you can), then it’s time to put on the mask, pick up the blade, and stab each other. OK, there is a method to the madness. After a brief demonstration, the kids worked with their parents thrusting, lunging, parrying, and disengaging — all while keeping the legs bent. Fencing’s not static, so you have to advance and retreat too! So much to do and think about!
With the basics out of the way, it was time for the main event. Parents and kids took to the strip to try their new skills. Step to the line, salute, mask down, en garde, ready, fence. We had two rooms full of families fencing together. It didn’t take long for the competitive nature of the kids (and parents) to surface. Some may have kept score, but most were happy to move along the strip, swing the blade, and try for a touch. When the masks came up and hands shaken, you could see the sweat dripping — and the smiles too.
The quote of the day came from a parent that said half jokingly, “If I came out of my first class as sore as I feel now — and as sore as I expect to feel tomorrow — I’m not sure I would come back.” It’s a testament to the kids that they do come back, they put in the work, they test themselves against each other, they learn, and some get to test themselves against the best in the country. That’s what fencing is about.
Fencing teaches many skills critical in life. You’re a teammate, yet an individual. The sport requires thought, skill and athleticism – and each fencers decides how to mix those three. Nobody can make that decision for you. Fencing is dynamic – you drive the action, but so does your opponent. What worked on the last opponent or even on the last touch may not work this time. Winning and losing, and how you react to both, defines you. While everyone gets the chance to compete, at the end of the competition there’s only 1 gold medal.
We hope everyone enjoyed the day. I know we did. Thanks for coming and thanks for allowing us to share our passion with you. We hope to see you on the strip one day.