• A few people have been scammed on the site, Only use paypal to pay for items for sale by other members. If they will not use paypal, its likely a scam NEVER SEND E-TRANSFERS OF ANY KIND.

My student just beat a US Olympian in competition today!

melensdad

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2018
Messages
2,107
Reaction score
2,523
Points
113
Location
usa
Visit site
I'm a volunteer Saber Fencing coach at a couple high schools and a local fencing club.

Last year I started working with a 17 year old girl, who came to America for school, from Russia. She was already an amazing young fencer. In fact better than I can train. But she trusted me. I got her a better coach to work with her, but she picked me to be her sideline coach at tournaments. We travelled to both coasts and places in between. She is now living 1000 miles away from me, but we communicate a few times each week. We also still travel to most national events together. Today she is in North Carolina without me so I'm watching the results on-line.

The largest event of the season, and a qualifying event for world games and the next Olympic games is taking place today. My girl just defeated, 5-4, one of the top US fencers in the country today, a current member of both the US Olympic and the US National team.
IMG_3334.JPG
Can't explain how proud I am of this young lady.

WOW, just wow.
 
Wow indeed. What happens now ?
Not much.

She goes back to high school classes today.

I’ve taken her to Stanford, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Northwestern to meet with the coaches. We have traveled the country for fencing events, school visits, recruitment meetings. But now she just finishes high school like any other kid. She’s also a brilliant mathematician, schools want her for her brains and her athletics. 96078AB2-7866-4CFB-8D5E-92BE1D189EA3.jpeg

Female fencers seem to hit their prime in their late 20’s thru mid 30’s. Dasha just turned 18. She will likely burn down the world in 10 years.

Not sure why, but in the middle of events, even if I am not with her, she turns to me for advice. I’m really not a high level coach. But she trusts my ability to see mistakes. She called me from the competition floor to discuss an issue. I guess our chat worked, she moved up after the chat.

I’m hoping she picks Notre Dame. They are offering a hearty scholarship. They just hired the best saber coach in the world. Some of our Olympians train there. It’s also an easy drive for us to get there for visits so that would be a nice bonus.
 
Last edited:
Congrats , it is always great to see Dad's invest in their children. all 4 of mine became Black belts with one son taking 2nd in full contact world competition.
The confidence you invested in your daughter will pay off for her entire life .
Dad's being Dad's !
 
Congrats , it is always great to see Dad's invest in their children. all 4 of mine became Black belts with one son taking 2nd in full contact world competition.
The confidence you invested in your daughter will pay off for her entire life .
Dad's being Dad's !
Thanks!

Dasha is not my real daughter. We often introduce her has ours, sometimes as our adopted daughter, but she’s actually not ours in any legal way. She is a foreign exchange student who I met as a fencing student and who we developed a surrogate parenting relationship with. We’ve invested our time and love in her and consider her ours.
 
Back
Top