Olympic style Fencing: National Championships started today (with 1 of my kids)

[Melensdad]

I don't coach Epee but I'm incredibly proud of Epeeist Dom Zubeck that I have to share. He calls me coach. We met while he was fencing in high school and I've offered encouragement and support since he started. Today, from the biggest tournament of the season, he was calling me and texting me between bouts. This is a great kid, he has such a bright future. Already a Div 1 NCAA starter at U.of Incarnate Word, he did great today. Top 64 finish, which doesn't sound great, but in sport fencing it is HUGE to achieve that level at a national level event.

He did well enough to get a BYE in his first Direct Elimination round. Before he was ultimately eliminated by an idol of his, who is a true contemporary legend in the sport, he defeated a member of the Chinese National Team who literally is a foot taller than he is and has a much longer reach!

Mostly I worked with Dom on his mental attitude during bouts, giving him confidence and helping him focus. His skills actually were taught to him by a friend of mine who is a former Olympian and World Team medalist.

 

[Melensdad]

Aubrey (left) and Maggie (right) are two more of my fencers competing in the USA Fencing National Championships. Both competed yesterday in the Div 2 event and both compete again tomorrow in the Division 3 event.

I started Maggie into fencing 4 years ago and coached her through most of high school, despite the fact that I actually switched schools to coach at a different school. I still continued to coach her at high school tournaments and also at my fencing club. The only times I wouldn't coach her was when she faced one of my new school's students but that is not a common occurrence at a tournament so I worked with her a lot. She is off to Lawrence University on a music scholarship this fall, but hopes to also be a 'walk on' for their fencing team as time permits. Music is her passion, so fencing takes 2nd place.

Aubrey only started fencing in January of this year and is an amazing athlete, a natural at fencing, which is very rare. For someone who has been fencing 5 months to actually qualify for any national event is astonishing but to qualify for the national championships is amazing. She just finished her sophomore year in high school. We are going to start shopping for college fencing programs for her later this summer.