As the 2026 Summer Nationals held by USA Fencing caps off the 2025-2026 fencing season, there is a lot to reflect and look back on. This season was a very memorable one for me as I have learned a lot and gained more experience, along with improving my skills and techniques as a fencer. This blog post is a glimpse of my overall season and what I’m looking forward to next season as well. Special thanks to my coaches, teammates and parents who supported me through every point scored, match won and medal earned. 

What is Fencing?

Fencing is an Olympic sport that has evolved from traditional sword fighting. Fencers use metals blades that are connected to a cord. This cord is attached to a reel which is connected to an electronic score board. This score board detects when a blade makes contact with the opponent’s target area. Fencers wear protective gear to ensure safety and blades are designed to not be sharp. The format for fencing competitions is simple, there is a group stage which determines seeding. The more wins and points you get in your matches, the higher your seed will be in the direct elimination round or D.E’s. The layout for D.E’s is a standard bracket. The higher your seed, the easier opponent. These matches are fifteen touches with a break at 8 unlike the 5 touch bouts you would do in the group stage. 

Introduction

This season had many bumps and turns, but this was definitely a season to put in the books. Going into the season, I had a goal in mind to gain national points which would make me nationally rated. There were many times throughout the season when I came very close to my goal, but not close enough. This definitely tested my patience and persistence, but I wasn’t willing to give up. Even though it seemed like I might not reach my goal, I started seeing progress, match after match, tournament after tournament.

The Problem

While I saw progress, there were times throughout the season when I would compare my results with other fencers in my age group. This destroyed my mentality a bit, making me divert my focus from my own results. Mid-season, I started to see a sports psychiatrist. We talked about how my fencing season has been going, what was not going well for me and the goals that I achieved. We eventually found a way to prevent myself from differentiating my results with others. I met up with them 1-2 times every month, and using the advice I received, I was able to strengthen my mentality.

Preparation for Summer Nationals

With the Summer Nationals coming around to cap off the season, I reminded myself of the goal I wanted to achieve and started working harder so that I could reach that goal, knowing that I worked hard for it. With the Summer nationals rolling around the corner I attended a six day fencing camp hosted by my club. There, I was able to learn new techniques, grow stronger and connect with other fencers. It was definitely a memorable experience both as a fencer and as a person.

The Big Day

This year, the Summer Nationals was held in Portland, Oregon and my event was on July 4th. I made sure that I was prepared days in advance, that included drinking more water, watching what I ate and not overexerting my body. As the days started ticking down to my event, I started getting more and more nervous, especially about the result I might end up with. My event was in the early morning, so I had to make sure that I slept early so that I could get a substantial amount of sleep. The next day I was feeling pumped and ready to compete. I felt excited rather than nervous and looking forward to using all the skills and techniques I learned throughout the season. My group stage went very well with four wins and one loss, giving me a bye to the next round. In my first Direct Elimination Match, I ended up winning by a hair, winning the match 15-14, making me advance to the round of 64. I dropped in the round of 64, however I ended up finishing 40th out of 163 people, which meant that I earned national points, making me nationally rated.

Conclusion

In the end, I was able to reach my goal after countless hours of training. This season was the most memorable one. Through all the falls I had to all the close matches lost, I was able to bounce back and achieve my goal. I am very excited for what the next season has in store for me. I think the most important thing I learned throughout this season is that you have to believe in yourself and be confident about your own fencing without worrying about other’s results. I want to thank all of the people who supported me throughout the season, my teammates, coaches and parents who cheered me on with every point scored, match won and medal earned.