thefencingcoach:

In the highest echelons of competitive fencing, the difference between the best and the very best is narrow. More often than not, matches from the top 16 onward are decided by 2 points or less, with the exception of the occasional wunderkind who bludgeons his/her opponents with ease from tournament start to finish. I have always subscribed to the belief that the coach’s fundamental role is to prepare his students for competition—and once the competition begins, the athlete must rely on their “home run” actions, mental game, and athleticism and hope for the best. Where the coach can play a make or break role for a fencer is in strip coaching.

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