Ethan Choi (OC Div., left) defends against an attack from Naael Corn (LAIFC) in the Y10 Men’s Foil event at the 7th Annual SoCal Little Musketeers RYC in Thousand Oaks, California.

The 7th Annual SoCal Little Musketeers RYC tournament was held at the Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks on Sept. 22 & 23, 2018. Over 400 fencers from all across Region 4 competed for medals in 17 events. Fencers from the Southern California Division acquitted themselves well, fighting their way to 46 medals, including 2 gold!

SoCal Medalist are listed below. Full results can be found, here.

SoCal Medalist - Boys

SoCal Medalist - Girls

Nathan Canlas (UFA, left) makes a move against Cristiano Coelho (NorCal Div.) in the finals of the Y10 Men’s Foil event.

Brielle Lee (BHFC, right) lands a touch on Maya Shum (OC Div.) in Y12 Women’s Foil.

Thien Scofield (Allez) scores a point against Sullivan Kim (BHFC) in Y12 Men’s Epee.

Jonathan Oh (Precision) finds an angle that works against Anup Banerjee (CenCal Div.) in the Y14 Men’s Foil quarterfinals.

USA Cadet Men’s Epee Team in Klagenfurt, Austria, October 2017.

Five years ago, my son competed in his first tournament. After eight months of fencing classes and constantly saying he was not interested in competing, my son unexpectedly announced at the end of a class that he thought he might like to try entering a tournament after all. It turned out there was a regional tournament the very next weekend. I had no idea what a regional tournament was. His coach said we should sign up on the US Fencing website, go to the tournament, and however he did, as long as he competed, he would qualify for Summer Nationals. Summer Nationals? I had no idea what that meant. But the coach seemed to think it was a good thing for him to do, so okay.

I signed him up for a competitive membership at US Fencing, and we went to the tournament that weekend. It was a disaster on so many levels. Though we did find a great parking spot, right in front. I found out later finding parking was almost as competitive as the fencing itself. Who knew?

The tournament at LAIFC (Los Angeles International Fencing Center) was an RYC (Regional Youth Circuit). There were a number of different events going on, so though there were only 14 fencers in my son’s Y10 (Youth ages 10 and under) event, the place was crowded with fencers, parents, coaches. It was overwhelming. And we had no idea what to do, where to go, etc. Luckily, a very nice mother at the desk, Ellen, who I still see all the time at tournaments, introduced herself and gave a quick rundown of what we needed to know. How the tournament worked, pools, DE’s (Direct Eliminations), and that we needed two body cords for example. The basics.

My son lost all but one pool bout, and that one he won by one touch (point). He lost his first DE. As fast as it had started, it was over. My son, still wearing his mask, shook hands with the opponent and with the referee. Then he picked up his bag and carried everything straight out to our car in that prime spot. He put his gear in the trunk, got in the back seat. We rode home in silence, with the exception of very quiet crying coming from the back seat, muffled slightly by the mask he was still wearing. “Oh, well,” I thought. “At least he tried.”

Two weeks later, much to my surprise, he wanted to try again. Luckily there was another tournament coming up that weekend. This time is was just a little local tournament. Much less intimidating. That afternoon, again, I drove back with a boy wearing a fencing mask crying in the back seat. But this time, about half way home, I heard this tearful little voice say, “So, when is the next tournament?” And we were in.

He came in last in the next tournament as well. But he took his mask off on the way home. We were making progress.

Summer Nationals took place in Anaheim that year. We went because we didn’t have to travel on a plane, so it would not be too expensive. Why not go? It would be a good experience. We drove down the day before his Y10 event. As we pulled in to the hotel, it was a sea of fencing bags. Every single person, young and old, was pulling a fencing bag behind them. My son sat in the back seat, looking out the window in horror. “I can’t do this.” I knew exactly how he was feeling. It was an intimidating sight. “Tell you what,” I said. “I’ve already paid for the room. Let’s just check in. The convention center is attached to the hotel. We can just walk over and find your coach, and look around and see what it is like. And if you don’t want to fence, that’s fine. You don’t have to. No pressure.” He ended up placing 41 out of 60. More important, though, he fenced. He was 9. And he has never looked back. That was in 2012.

What is amazing to me, and what I certainly didn’t know at the time, was that a lot of those fencers are still competing. These boys have grown up together. They see each other at tournaments across the country. They follow each other on snap chat and Instagram. They text each other. My son has friends from across the country, from New York and Texas.

He will go to his first international competition, a World Cup in Austria in four weeks. He, we, have come a long way. We have learned a lot.

I am starting this blog to help other parents, new to fencing, understand how wonderful this sport is, how it works, and how to support their child through success and failure. I will cover basics, from the first competition to how to cope with injuries. I would love feedback, welcome follow up questions, topic suggestions, and any stock tips you care to share!

Ava Tran (UFA) makes her move against Apoorva Talwalkar (CenCal Div.) at the 6th annual SoCal Musketeers RYC & Epee RJC in Northridge, California.

Six hundred fencers from all across Region 4 filled the Student Rec Center at Cal State Northridge over the September 23, 24 weekend to vie for medals and Regional Points in 20 separate events at the 6th annual SoCal Musketeers RYC & Epee RJC. The gold medalists are listed below. Full results can be found here.

SoCal Musketeers Gold Medalists - Girls

SoCal Musketeers Gold Medalists - Boys

Lost and Found

Several items were left behind in the Student Rec Center after the tournament, including: 7 weapons, 3 body cords, 2 gloves, a mask, a fencing jacket, a women’s black jacket, 2 hoodies, a T-shirt, 3 water bottles, 2 collapsable chairs, and a drawstring bag. If you believe that any of these items might belong to you, please contact Lost and Found. Whatever is not claimed in 30 days will be donated to needy fencers.

Y-14 WF: Jeanelle Myers (San Bernardino Div.) scores with a lunge against Audrey Young (UFA).

Y-14 WF: Dana Korol (CenCal Div.) puts all her effort into the fight against Kailey Suh (UFA).

JR WE: Jeanelle Myers (San Bern. Div.) vs. Irene Yeu (Swords).

Y-10 ME: Daniel Oganesian (Swords) takes the piste.

Y-14 MF: Jonathan Irvine clenches it against Case Avron with a behind-the-back touch (both LAIFC fencers).

JR WE: Helen Myers (San Bern. Div.) lands a touch on the arm of Emily Zhou (Swords).

Y-12 MS: Ethan Gianetto (D’Asaro) is parried by Nathan Leung (Z Fencing).

Y-12 MF: Ernest Yakushkin (LAIFC) on the move against Neel Dankar (Central CA Div.).

Y-14 WF: Ava Tran (left, UFA) in her first DE bout of the day against Apoorva Talwalkar (CenCal Div.).

Y-12 MS: Conner Lee (left) vs. Titus Nieto (both San Diego Div.).

Y-12 Men’s Foil: Benjamin Musher and Hudson Aibel (both of LAIFC) mix it up at the 10th Annual Meade H. Anderson Memorial RYC.

The 2017-18 fencing season got off to a great start in Southern California with LAIFC’s 10th Annual Meade H. Anderson Memorial RYC tournament held on September 9 & 10 (which just so happened to coincide with World Fencing Day and National Fencing Weekend). A total of 291 fencers from 9 divisions competed in 18 separate events for medals and Regional Points. Congratulations to all who participated.

2017 Meade H. Anderson RYC Gold Medalists

Complete results can be found here.

Y-12 Women’s Foil: Savannah Locke of UFA (right) plants one on the shoulder of Camille Oteyza (OC Div.).

Y-12 Men’s Foil: Jonathan Oh of Precision Athletics (right) finds an opening under the elbow of Renzo Fukuda (NorCal Div.).

Y-14 Men’s Epee: Edward Lee’s flèche is met with a counter-attack by Aaron Liang (both of Swords Fencing Studio).

Y-12 Men’s Foil: Benjamin Musher of LAIFC (left) on the attack against Aditya Jain (San Diego Div.).

Y-12 Women’s Saber: Angelina Yang (LAIFC) vs Charmaine Andres (D’Asaro).

SoCal fencers in the top 8 are listed below.

Y-14 Men’s Foil
Gold: Ilya Ayupov (UFA)
Bronze: Eric Yu (LAIFC)
Bronze: Justin Ho (UFA)
5th: Bryce Louie (LAIFC)

Y-12 Women’s Epee
Gold: Olivia Daniel (Fortune)
Silver: Nora Wang (Fortune)
Bronze: Lauren McLane (Swords)
5th: Jasmine Jin (Fortune)

Y-12 Men’s Epee
Gold: Ryan Lin (Fortune)
Bronze: Jackson Norbutas (Swords)
6th: Rowen Hicks (Swords)
7th: Nicholas Jin (Fortune)

Y-14 Women’s Foil
Gold: Rowan Park (LAIFC)
Silver: Kate Yamaguchi (UFA)
Bronze: Zoe Kalamaros (Precision)
5th: Ava Tran (UFA)

Y-14 Men’s Saber
Bronze: Matthew Limb (AGFC)
7th: Alexander Jeffords (LAIFC)

Y-10 Women’s Foil
Bronze: Ameliya Ayupova (UFA)
5th: Alexandra Tepman (UFA)

Y-10 Men’s Foil
Silver: Benjamin Musher (LAIFC)
6th: Lawrence Naygas (LAIFC)
7th: Zachary Godzhik (UFA)

Y-14 Women’s Saber
5th: Rachel Lee (AGFC)

Y-10 Women’s Saber
Bronze: Diana Gomes (GSA)
5th: Charmaine Andres (D’Asaro)
6th: Melody Huang (Z Fencing)

Y-10 Men’s Saber
Bronze: Brody Machado (AGFC)
5th: Jackson Tanner (LAIFC)
8th: Qingcheng Yang (Z Fencing)

Y-14 Women’s Epee
Gold: Irene Yeu (Swords)
Bronze: Jasmine Jin (Fortune)
Bronze: Josephine Lieber (LAIFC)
5th: Aretha Gao (LAIFC)
8th: Olivia Daniel (Fortune)

Y-14 Men’s Epee
5th: Stafford Moosekian (Swords)
8th: Wilson Zhu (Fortune)

Y-10 Women’s Epee
Gold: Ella LaBrache (LAIFC)
Bronze: Sasha Barnow (LAIFC)
Bronze: Sabrina Lo (Fortune)
5th: Jade Gauriat (BHFC)
7th: Zoe Kim (Swords)
8th: Nisa Qureshi (Fortune)

Junior Men’s Epee
Gold: Kevin Chao (LAIFC)
Silver: Emon Daroian (Swords)
5th: Aidan Kung (Swords)
6th: Zhao Chen (Swords)

Y-12 Women’s Foil
Gold: Ava Tran (UFA)
Silver: Kaila Yi (UFA)
5th: Ellen Yu (UFA)
8th: Kailey Suh (UFA)

Y-10 Men’s Epee
Gold: Nicholas Jin (Fortune)
Silver: Kyran Lin (Fortune)
Bronze: Kian Koohpareh (Swords)
5th: Sebastien Noel (BHFC)
7th: Christopher Dekermanji (Swords)

Y-12 Women’s Saber
Silver: Riya Patel (D’Asaro)
5th: Janna Freedman (D’Asaro)
8th: Kaley Plonka (D’Asaro)

Junior Women’s Epee
Gold: Rachel Bang (Swords)
Silver: Emily Beihold (Swords)
Bronze: Irene Yeu (Swords)
Bronze: Kristen Kim (Swords)
6th: Ashley Liang (Fortune)
7th: Lexiss Morgan (Swords)

Y-12 Men’s Saber
Bronze: Matthew Limb (AGFC)
Bronze: Alexander Jeffords (LAIFC)
7th: Oliver Berger (LAIFC)
8th: Aaron Licht (LAIFC)