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a first competition
Of course, Vizzini said Plato was a moron, but Vizzini wasn’t any good at fencing, so what did he know?
My 10-year old has been begging me to do fencing for months now. We started with a little introductory class back in the fall, and ever since that was over, I have been nagged constantly. The great thing is, he completely appreciates it, and not only that, he has jumped in with both feet.
His coach keeps telling him how brave he is for participating, whether it is standing up against teenagers in class, or going to his first competition last Saturday.
To celebrate his big day, we made a ham and cheese épée—which means sword in French. Since almost all the terminology in fencing is french, I thought it also fitting that the bread was a baguette. Hey, the kids liked it.
The kids also thought Chessmen cookies would work well, since fencing is a game of strategy, and some consider it like a physical game of chess.
His coach said he should consider it a huge victory at his first tournament if he scored any points at all and didn’t cry for longer than an hour when it was all over. I think he did well. He scored a total of 5 points the whole day, and only cried for about 3 seconds.
Nothing makes me happier than to see him enjoying something that isn’t easy. And it makes me proud to see him marching in with no fear.
10 Responses to “a first competition”
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[...] this, but I thought it would be fun to include anyway, since I packed it for my 10-year-old’s first fencing competition. He kept trying to grab the bread and use it for foil [...]
How inspiring is this story! I didn’t even realize kids did this…I though only Ivey League hot shots fenced. Seeing your son, so young and courageous is just so uplifting. You are a wonderful mother for encouraging him to do something so different and supporting his dreams.
Thanks, April. He is a great kid.
Just so you know I DID NOT CRY!
Way to go Stewart!!! What a handsome young man.
Grant is extremely impressed with Stuart’s form in the pictures. I am extremely impressed with his handsomeness in the last picture, as well as the composition of the picture. (I know nothing about fencing, except how cool it is, or I would probably be impressed with his form, also.) Stuart- you need to work on your witty repartee in case you ever get in a match with a mysterious man in black.
How awesome! What a neat thing for a kid to do. That is great Jaime! Way to go Stuart! Keep up the good work!
What a brave and adorable little guy!
I also wanted to tell you that I love your photos. You know how to draw the eye in to appreciate detail. Beautiful.
Thank you, Jenika.
And that last photograph is my favorite one, too, Connie.
Hi Jaime,
I’ve been quietly reading your blog but I couldn’t help but to comment, albeit belated, on this post.
WOW. Great that your son loves fencing!! My kids have been fencing foil for over five years and my son just started college and will be fencing for the varsity team.
It’s a great sport and as long as he enjoys it, I hope he continues. It’s one of the best mind and body sports for kids of all ages….although I can never see through those little mesh holes.
My kids and I made a journal specifically for fencing if you want to check it out.
http://www.fencingjournal.com
Always En Grade,
Karen