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AFM Newsletter #85 - October 2020

“We do not have to become heroes overnight. Just a step at a time, meeting each thing that comes up, seeing it is not as dreadful as it appeared, discovering we have the strength to stare it down.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

Once again, here we are at a month that is unlike any of these months that has come before. Whatever October has meant before, it is transformed into something that is similar but also new.

Normally at this time of year we are thick into training and competition season. It’s a time for goals and planning, for training and evaluating the opponents for the season to see what things are shaping up for Summer Nationals in the next summer. This year we of course didn’t even have Summer Nationals this past summer. We are all a bit adrift, which is something that we should perhaps embrace. There are still goals to be made and opportunities for us to take advantage of. Though we have settled into the hum of a new normal, we must not let go of our forward vision.

At this moment, I must again thank you for all of your support. Family means a great deal any time, but now it is even more of a touchstone. During this autumn season we are learning more about resilience than we thought we would ever know. The inspiration for us comes always from the young people, our children. We are watching them adapt and grow even in these cloudy times. The smiles and the bright spirits are not gone! It is wonderful to watch and it keeps us going.

We are committed to keeping going, in a way that is safe and structured for success. The future seems uncertain in many ways, but we can be assured that our values remain the same. This year has been one for the history books, not just for the wider culture but for each of us individually. As we go into the last quarter of 2020, we hope to look with hope and determination. Let’s keep fencing!

Sincerely yours,
Irina

Competitions in October

For the first time in a long time there are fencing competitions being held, not just locally but regionally.

This is a subject that every family must decide for themselves, but our firm position is that it is not yet wise to travel afield to competitions. The virus is not yet under control, as we’ve seen from many recent new stories. No one is immune. You can read more about why we take this stance in our recent blog post.

Should Fencers Go to Competitions Right Now?

If you decide to participate in travel competitions, the regulations for training in person at AFM are the same as if you travel for any other reason. That means you will be required to move to online training for two weeks as a precaution.

There will be a time when we can get back to normal and compete regionally and nationally again, it’s just not now!

Focus on fundamentals

Since we are encouraging our members not to compete at this time, what should they be doing instead?

This is a fantastic opportunity to focus on building and improving your fundamental skills that will go with you way beyond the competition season. Your coaches are constantly working on ways to help your fencing get better so that it will be on point for the when competitions do start again. Though we are firm believers in the importance of competing, it is not all that fencing is about!

We have done a great deal of writing about this on our blog, and we encourage you to check out that resource. If you are unsure of what fundamentals you should be focusing on, ask your coach! As always, we are here to help you develop your goals and move forward. Once it is safe to compete again, you’ll be ready!

Additional class - competitive Foil

We are excited to be offering a new competitive foil class! This class will be held at Campbell and is open to our competitive foil members

Mon - 7:30pm-9pm

Tue/Thu - 7pm-9pm

Fri - 7:30pm-9:30pm

Please contact us if you have any questions! Though we do not yet know when our fencers will be able to compete again in person, we are training as if it is just on the horizon. Build those skills!

New Introduction to Fencing Classes

Do you know someone who is interested in fencing? With our strict safety protocols, we are able to offer fencing to new fencers, and it’s a wonderful way to fill the time and learn a new skill during the pandemic.

Please encourage your friends to check out fencing! While we are all online so much right now, it’s a chance to get physical and to keep those spirits up. It’s always better with friends, and we of course want to keep our sport growing.

There are two new Introduction to Fencing Classes in October

Campbell - Sat - Oct/10 @12pm

Sunnyvale - Tue - Oct/13 @7pm

Consider flu shots

We are definitely not experts in health care, but experts do talk about winter coming and with it a flu season. We recommend seriously considering flu shots with the advice of your doctor.

Many of us fall out of the habit of getting our flu shot because we feel healthy and don’t think that we need it. Remember that, as with so many things, getting your flu shot is a way to help prevent others from getting sick, even if you are in good health. Once again it is a time when we all need to come together to support each other. This simple act can really help us to get through a winter where we don’t know what will happen.

It’s nice to be able to take some small action to help others right now!

Right of Way

Do you really understand right of way?

This time when we don’t have competition season and we aren’t pushing so hard for college admission means that we have the chance to delve into a learn more about aspects of fencing that we otherwise might not get a chance to dig into.

Many fencers don’t full understand the concept of right of way, and now is a great time to solidify that concept.

Foil fencers, we encourage you and your parents to invest some time into learning the rules of right of way. We recently put together a detailed guide to right of way which will allow you to make sense of it. It’s a great time to check it out!

Right of Way Post on the AFM Blog