Fencing

Yesterday was a delightful day.  My son Ian won his first gold medal, after competing in an open epee competition for unrated fencers.  He has only been fencing since September 2010, on the high school level, but we just recently started participating in USFA (US Fencing Association) tournaments in May of this year.  In fact this was only his 3rd tournament.

Sure, I'm a very proud father.  However, what I really feel good about was how gracious my son was in victory.  He remained modest, went out of his way to congratulate all the other fencers he faced, and while he was elated, Ian kept his celebration very low-key.  He was a gentleman and since I'm old-school, I felt proudest of his behavior.

There's a gigantic Georgia peach trophy sitting on our table-top display now.  It takes up a lot of room, but is a unique and eye-catching addition.  Ian can't wait to return to practice tonight.  He is dedicated to the sport, but it's so obvious that he enjoys every minute and while competitive, he had made a ton of friends from other schools, older and younger, and the coaches speak very highly of him.  I go to every practice, but remain quiet and just observe.  I fenced for a few years in high school, but never caught the fire that Ian has now.

Back to the actual tournament for a moment.  It was my first experience with not being able to sit still.  I paced during every bout, which is very unusual for me.  Still, it was so much fun watching all those young fencers.  It's an expensive sport, but I feel that every dollar invested has paid off incredible dividends.  Not only is it entertaining, but my son has grown into a man, the right kind of man.  I am thrilled and proud.  I love watching Ian learn from every bout and how well he listens to his coach's advice.

En Garde!