My journey with fencing as well as the Society for Creative Ananchromism began in February 2018. As I approached the one year mark I was encouraged by my trainer Tim to become officially authorized to fence at events. For the majority of the year I had been running drills and fighting against fellow fencers at practice. Becoming authorized, knowing the rules of fencing and being proven to be a safe fighter, would allow me to fence at SCA events.
Late in 2018 I had volunteered at the Lady of the Lakes Renaissance Faire through the SCA. I had not been authorized to fight at the time so I was able to do everything except participate in fencing demonstrations.
Tim, in the spirit of fairness, doesn’t not authorize people that he trains. I would have to be authorized by someone else of high rank. One event at the end of January would be my opportunity: Trident.
Trident was an event held in Ocala that would feature heavy fighting, fencing, and arts. Ryan, a fellow fencer was kind enough to let me ride up with him. Ryan filled the drive up with an interesting array of music, from Italian love song to silly songs about fictional restaurants that only serve meat. Although I was in a good mood, I was hurting. I had gotten my period that morning. I was doing my best not to let it show, but I was already tired.
When we got the event I was grabbing my gear out of the back seat when a follow fencer Davius (Micheal) had ran up to me from behind to give me a playful scare. He was followed by Seth, a heavy fighter from our group who was retrieving something from his car. Seth was chewing gum which helps him remember to breathe during a fight. Once he got what he came for he bounded back to the fighting with childlike enthusiasm you could see despite his heavy armor.
After Giovanni (Ryan) and I checked in we changed into our garb. Everyone was dressed like they were from the Middle Ages or the Renaissance. We leave the mundane world behind and step back in time. Heavy fighters in full suits of armor were already pounding on to each other’s shields with loud cracks as eager competitors waited for their turn. Small children running in the field nearby and the smell of hearty soup was coming from the great hall. The fencers were beginning to gather at a picnic table towards the edge of the field.
Chlothar (Tim) was there and I got to meet several other fencers who had traveled in from out of town for the event. He suggested I have Matthias (Todd) authorize me. I had meet Matthias (Todd) only twice before. Once at the Mermaid’s Faire back in July (which was my first event with the SCA), and once when he came to our Wednesday night practice. He was no-nonsense, direct, and very professional. It got off to a rough start.
I stood in front of him not knowing what to expect. My hands behind my back, shoulders straight, chin up; ready to be tested.
“Did you read the rules?”
My heart dropped with my shoulders “...No”
“Ok” he said calmly. “This concludes the authorization for now. Come back when you have read the rules”
Luckily Giovanni (Ryan) always carries a printed copy of the rules in his gear bag. He handed me a stack of papers that took me a considerable amount of time to read. Thirty two pages of rules, conventions, weapons, parrying devices, and protective gear. I came back to Matthias determined but nervous. He asked questions and I fumbled through the answers. I was tired, overwhelmed, and nervous. Then he had me fight another fencer whom I’d never met before to see how I would react in a fight. Matthias (Todd) would set the perimeters for the rounds. At first the other fencer would attack and I would have to defend myself, other rounds I was told to attack while the other fencer assumed a defensive position. Matthias (Todd) could see that I was nervous. At one point between rounds he pulled me aside and told me that it was ok if I didn’t get authorized the first time around. I walked back to my position and put my fencing mask back on. I took a deep breath as I watched Matthias (Todd) formulate the next exercise with the other fencer across the field. “Oh God” I thought “I’m not going to get authorized and he’s just trying to let me down easy”. Tears began streaming down my cheek. I didn’t dare remove my mask to wipe them away. I tried to calm myself with deep breaths. The other fencer took his position. Matthias (Todd) approached me and said “For this exercise I want to see you use your left hand to block a shot”. I grounded my feet into my stance and pointed my sword at my opponent. We went a few more rounds and I took a few more hits. I know the object was to flight well, not to win, but I was struggling. Matthias (Todd) and the other fencer broke off to deliberate. After several agonizing moments I was waved over. I walked slowly towards Matthias (Todd) taking one more deep breath before removing my mask.
“Ok” he said with his calm, characteristic poker face. “I will authorize you”.
I was in grateful disbelief.
We set out signing the paperwork. One of the other fencers suggested that I enter into the fencing tournament that was going on that day. I was still trying to gather myself after the authorization process but I decided to jump in. We clustered around the picnic table and waited for the heavy fighters to finish their tournament. I was overjoyed at being authorized but didn’t now what I would be getting into. I had never even seen a fencing tournament.
Seraphina (Fionnula), a fellow fencer, was overseeing the matches. We would be fighting “round robin” style. One fencer would enter the ring and take turns fighting the other fencers. Then the next fencer would enter the ring and take turns fighting all the other fencers. Everyone would have fought everyone twice once everything was all said and done. The matches would go according to rank, and since I was the newest authorized fighter, I would be first in the ring.
I fought nine matches in a row. Most of the men I had never fought before. It was difficult because I had to jump in without knowing anything about their fighting styles until they were swinging at me. Some fought with secondary weapons I had never seen before. I lost match after match. I was tired, unsure of myself, and loosing confidence. My last match of the first round was with Tim. He entered the ring and I took another deep breath to gather myself. He was a formidable opponent dressed in black. Although he was a kind teacher I braced myself for another fight. It was tradition to salute your opponent at the beginning of each match. Before I could even salute Tim he was walking towards me. He wrapped his arms around me and gave me a big hug. When he told me I was doing fine it almost brought me to tears again.
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| My match with Chlothar (Tim). Photo by Nancy Nguyen. |
I fought Tim and lost. As my first round of matches came to an end I was emotionally and physically exhausted. I was only half way through. I worked hard at learning fencing for a year and I had just gotten authorized. I desperately wanted to make it to the end but I was struggling. I refused to sit because I didn’t want to get too comfortable. I wouldn’t remove my mask because of the tears. I took more deep breaths to center myself. As the other fighters got ready for their turn in the ring I knew that it was unlikely I would win any of the matches. But I was always taught that winning wasn’t everything. Learning how to control your movements, as well as your opponents, was key. If I couldn’t win, I could focus more on control. My goal became to stay in control longer. I entered the other rounds with a new sense of purpose.
One fight in particular stood out. Robert was a very experienced fencer who I had met a few times before. As our match began he opted only for his sword even though he knew I was fighting with sword and dagger. I knew he was confident with one weapon because I was a relatively new fighter. I wanted to make him second guess that decision. I fought more defensively in our first match but with my regained confidence I fought more aggressively. Twice the marshall had to call “hold” during our match because I backed him to the edge of the field. Ultimately, Robert won the match but that was my longest fight. It helped me feel like I had gotten closer to my goal of being in control.
At the end of it all I hadn’t won a single match. I was tired, sore, and feeling a little fragile, but I had made it to the end. Afterwards a lot of the other fighters made it a point to congratulate me. Seraphina (Fionnula) presented me with a small ribbion with colorful beads. She wanted to give me something to commemorate my first tournament. During the court meeting in the evening the Baron and Baroness were giving out awards and recognitions when a man knelt down beside my chair. He offered me two brass bracelets and went on to explain that it was Viking tradition to bestow rings to someone who acted bravely. He wanted me to have them and he encouraged me to keep fighting.
I thought it was because I was the only woman in the competition. In the year since I had had started fencing everyone had always been so supportive. I thanked the gentleman and took the bracelets as a souvenir of my first tourament.
It wasn’t until the following Wednesday until I realized what I had done. At practice Tim asked me how I thought I had done at Trident. I told him that I was glad that I had gotten authorized but I was so-so on my fighting in the tournament.
Tim looked at me with raised eyebrows “I don’t think you realized what you did”
I looked back at him, confused.
“You had just been authorized and that was your first tournament. Most tournaments have only about 4-5 people. This tournament had 9 people and of those 9, half were of high rank. You also had to fight everyone twice - that’s 18 fights! And you went the whole way though.”
Jake, who is the Baron and high ranking fencer himself, overheard the conversation. He came over to corroborate with Tim. “I’ve been fighting a long time” he said “and I don’t think I could have done what you did.”
I was floored. I knew I fought hard to make it to the end but I didn’t realize I had done so much. That was why everyone had been so encouraging towards me. I thought back to all the gear I had displayed on my table. Everything had been given to me by someone who wanted me to succeed. Even the blue tunic I had worn that day was borrowed from Tim. I took all the love and support I was given and jumped into the fight. I fought against my own body, my emotions, and people I had never met before. I was new and I battled until the end.
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