finger

Finding out that someone is a fencer is something that is hard for people to grapple with for some reason. More than likely because it’s a unique sport that
people only really ever see if they are watching something major like the Olympics.

The lack of exposure for this sport really sucks.

I feel like there is a legitimate interest out there in the sport, but it’s
not something at the forefront of people’s minds so there is really no demand
for it. It really pains my heart to see a sport where people are working
endlessly, is cool, and involves weapons float completely beneath the radar.  But it is so.  The problem is accessibility.  No matter which way you look at it, the cash flow that’s needed in order to afford equipment, lessons, group classes, club fees, membership dues, etc. is a pretty big deterrent.  And if I were a parent trying to put my kid into an affordable extracurricular activity, I’d definitely opt for one where all that is needed is a ball as opposed to a two hundred dollar metal stick that you jab at someone’s chest until it snaps in half.  But in my lifetime, I’ve seen sports like golf and tennis change from, sorta obscure elitist sports to pretty popular elitist sports.  So I know it’s possible. I’d like to think that someday – but probably well after I’m done doing this – to see people watching fencing matches the way they follow tennis matches.  I’d settle for hockey’s audience or something.
No offense if you’re into hockey.  I just think you should let your sport go extinct like it wants to and support mine.
But, whatever.  I digress.
What I’m really trying to get at here is that when someone asks me what “I do” and I tell them that I’m on the United States Fencing team, I don’t want the next thing that they do is make the weird squiggly arm move.
What’s the weird squiggly arm move?  Allow me to explain.
The squiggly arm move is when someone rests an arm on one hip, points a finger at me and proceeds to make squiggly motions forward and backward trying to emulate what they think is fencing.  The most brazen offenders sometimes start bouncing back and forth in this really crude imitation of fencing footwork.  Just so you know, its crazy embarrassing to be at a bar and when I first meet you, you start hopping around like some sort of stunted, one-armed boxer.