Fencer
Who Is A Fencer?
Fencers are sportsperson who participate in fencing competition, which is based on the classic skill of swordsmanship. As a Fencer, you will be participating in the modern fencing disciplines of foil, épée and sabre, the difference in the three being the body parts targeted for earning points. Your aim would be to earn more points than your opponent by striking your sword into his/her body, which will be protected through the use of various protective clothing and equipment.
Roles & Responsibilities
Training regularly. As a fencer, you will have to train regularly and push yourself to your maximum capacity. For example, you will be regularly going to the fencing arena to train with your fellow fencers and coach.
Familiarising with the latest rules and regulations. In any sport, the governing body lays down various rules and regulations which they update from time to time. As a player, you will have to be updated with the same. For example, if you participate in foil, you should know about the “right of way” rules.
Ensuring safety during combat. As a fencer, it is your duty to protect yourself from injuries. Fencing has defined specific protective dress and equipment for player’s safety. For example, you should ensure that you are wearing the jacket, plastron, gloves, breeches, socks, shoes, masks, chest protector, sleeve etc.
Maintaining membership with the governing body. As a professional fencer, you will have to be affiliated to your nation’s governing body and eventually the FIE (International Fencing Federation). For example, you will have to obtain and maintain the FIE license through your national governing body to continue being a professional fencer.
Obtaining sponsorships and endorsements. As an individual sportsperson, you will have to make sure that you arrange the funds to pursue your profession. Fencing is an expensive sport, therefore getting a sponsor eases the financial burden on you. Besides arranging good endorsement deals also mean that you become a commercially successful fencer as well.
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What Skills Will I Need To Have To Do This Job Wel
As exciting as this sounds, there are some things you’ll need to learn to do the job right:
FENCING SKILLS
Fencing requires a lot of skills and tricks as well as smart play. You should know when to defend and when to attack. You should be able to read your opponent’s game and react accordingly, whether to overwhelm the opponent with bursts of attack or tire him/her by evading. You should be able to use your training and practice to hone your fencing skills to perfection.
PHYSICAL FITNESS AND STAMINA
Fencing requires extreme agility, speed and energy. You will be using short bursts of explosive accelerations to overwhelm your opponent and score valuable points. You will be swiftly moving around the arena and be on your toes all throughout the combat, thus a high level of fitness and stamina is a must to be a successful fencer.
MENTAL STRENGTH
Your success or failure also depends on your physical as well as mental strength. Your opponent will also read your game and play as per your weakness and strength. No wonder fencing is often called “physical chess”, there is always a mental battle going on between two fencers.
ALERTNESS AND OBSERVANT
You have to be alert and observe the moves of your opponent. Alertness will save you from surprise attacks while observation skills will help you identify opponent’s body language as well as strengths and weaknesses. Being a good fencer means being exceptionally watchful and adept in recognising patterns in your opponent’s manoeuvres.
PLEASING PERSONALITY
A technically good fencer is only half the battle won, particularly in India which doesn’t have a mass appeal for the sports. In today’s world, a lot depends on the public appeal and visibility of the sportsperson as well. Your popularity will depend on your mass appeal and achievements on the arena, perhaps an Olympic medal! If you are able to draw public attention, you stand a better chance to strike endorsement deals and lucrative sponsors.
What Will My Workplace Look Like?
A fencer’s work would comprise tiring sessions of training and exercises punctuated by crunch competitive matches. You may choose to be a freelancer and work as per your schedule as far as participation in events is concerned. You will have to travel across the world as a fencing event may take place anywhere, although participation is mostly at your discretion. There is a threat of injuries and accidents, although safety standards in fencing are very high and largely injury-free, particularly after the Vladimir Smirnov tragedy. Nerve-wracking moments before the match and the pain of defeat are not uncommon in fencing, so you have to take care of the mental stress.
What Is My Scope For Career Growth As A Fencer?
Fencing is not a demand-driven profession, in the sense that no one is looking to employ you anywhere. Your career growth will entirely depend on your performance in the world of fencing and before that, getting a good instructor. Once you enter the competitive circuit, the road towards the top is through performance and success at every level. The world champion fencers like Paolo Pizzo or Inna Deriglazova, are well respected in their countries and everywhere in the fencing fraternity. As they say, nothing succeeds like success, and this is particularly true in case of fencing or most other sports.
Thinking of a career as an Athlete SportsPerson Fencer? Take the Mentoria assessment test & talk to our career counsellors to get personalized step-by-step guidance for your future career path.
How Much Will I Get Paid?
The exact number will depend on your skills and on the success you had as a Fencer. But we can give you a general idea.
Fencing is still coming up in India and the prize money for the same may not be significantly high. Public visibility of national champion fencers is also beginning to be noticeable with fencers like Bhavani Devi tasting international success. However, in India, you are only one decent Olympic away from superstardom. At present World Championship prize money for fencing is a handsome GBP 18,800.
Okay, I'm sold. This is amazing
STEP 1: 10+2/Junior College Degree/Graduation
There is no specific junior level requirement to be a fencer. You should ideally try to pursue a course whose curriculum doesn’t get in the way of your training and sporting preparation. You might choose to avoid additional practical classes, internships, training etc. and go for simpler study curriculum to accommodate your presumably hectic training regime.
With sufficient training and competitive experience, you can compete at higher levels.
Congratulations, you are now officially a Fencer!
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