The SabreCoachKate Blog has moved over to a new site, on https://www.cuttingedgefencing.com/sabrecoachkate-blog! To view this post about Coach Kate’s experience being in a slump, click here https://www.cuttingedgefencing.com/post/in-a-slump.
In a slump…
Published by sabrecoachkate
I am a native Iowan who longed for more than a simple Midwestern life. I went to school in France for two years and fell in love with the people, culture, and language. Since I am a crazy woman I moved to Texas–land of Spanish-speakers–after graduation to teach French in a high school. 13 years in public school taught me a lot and gave me many leadership opportunities. In 2012, my husband, David, and I decided to take a risk and both teach part-time so we could try and build up our fencing club. It was a long, challenging road, full of sacrifice and lots of beans and rice to save money. It paid off as the club grew from 1400 square feet, to 5600, to our third location with 10 metal strips, a workout area, a full armory, and a large parent area. One year in, when we were just starting to break even, Covid came. We offered classes every night on Zoom and worked so hard to keep our tight-knit community together but, as more people had to drop fencing for financial reasons, we had to close CEFC. When quarantine was over, we tried to have a physical location again in a room on the top floor of a hockey center in Euless but it just wasn’t the same. We sold all our equipment to a friend in St. Louis and reluctantly closed the door on that dream. David interviewed for other coaching positions and was hired as the sabre coach at Atlantic Fencing Academy in New Jersey. We packed up everything that would fit into our pickup and moved East. I found a job as an Instructional Designer at Seton Hall University and David also secured the Head Fencing Coach job at Wagner College. We never imagined he’d be a Division 1 NCAA coach, but here we are. I’m a Volunteer Coach there so we still get to travel together to tournaments and keep our joint involvement in the fencing world alive. I was never able to successfully coach and compete at the same time and had given up competition for about five years to focus on the club and our fencers. Now that I no longer have the stress of club ownership, I have once again turned my focus and determination to making the Veteran World Team. Although I still miss the camaraderie of CEFC and being able to train regularly with adult fencers, I find ways of keeping my fencing skills sharp. Although life definitely threw some curve balls, this move has been good for me. I enjoy exploring this new area and relish seeing the Raritan Bay every time I return to our apartment complex, the New York skyline as I venture farther north, and the Atlantic Ocean at Shore Points south. I now have strong opinions about pizza and know how to navigate jug handles. It doesn’t feel yet like “home” but I look forward to the kinds of adventure this new chapter will bring. View more posts
SabreCoachKate 
Hey Kate,
First – I’m sad to hear that you’re in such a slump…..it can be particularly difficult when you are a high energy person and you find yourself battling with focus, energy, drive, passion…… I have several thoughts………
First, are you physically healthy – meaning – make sure you don’t have an underlying diagnosis that could be causing you pain – thyroid issues, beginning of menopause, (don’t under estimate the power of your hormones – I started early, around 42, and every one scoffed at me, including my OBGYN, but now at 52 I am fully post-menopausal and thrilled to be done with it!!). Next, are you in good mental health – certainly there are always true issues of things like depression that can affect your function and shouldn’t be ignored. Now, assuming you are physically and mentally healthy, what else could be bothering you?
Personally, I know you as a highly competitive person who owns/runs a club, trains, competes – in essence you live, eat and breath fencing……..not to mention you are a wife, a teacher, etc. Being Wonder Woman is a hard pair of shoes to fill….. perhaps you are just tired….. and that’s okay. Give yourself permission to take a break, rest and maybe even engage in something different for a short term so that you can remember what it is that drives your passion for fencing.
I would like to share a personal story as well…… In 2002, my son started fencing. In 2004 I started fencing – in 2007 I won my first vet open NAC. In 2009, I missed 8 months of fencing due to the need to have elbow surgery. In 2011, I lost another year of fencing, I had low back surgery leaving me with a functional limp and numbness/atrophy of my left leg. I hated walking with a limp and not being able to fence became my obsession. Maybe it was because I couldn’t – maybe it was because it was taken away without my control…… but at that time I lost interest in most of the things that were important to me. I spent the summer of 2011 getting through each day with vicodan and vodka….. I realized I needed to find a focus, something I could put my energy, pain, frustration and anger into. My first year of training after that was horrible, I refused to compete, I was truly going to practice as a means to make myself leave my house and stay off the “pain meds”. I needed something to focus on – for me that is when fencing became not just a hobby or a passion but a life saver….. maybe you need to find the reason why fencing is/has been important to you……. maybe fencing isn’t the most important thing for you – it’s possible that you may have other dreams or aspirations that call to you……it’s okay to pursue them….. you said you were being kind to yourself – that is crucial – give yourself permission to step away….. Kate, you are a strong, dynamic, smart, & fabulous woman. I suspect you’ll be back, stronger than ever – in which ever passion calls to you.
I send you love, prayer, energy and whatever else is needed to help you find your focus…. and I know you will.
Love always,
D
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Thank you so much for sharing, Donna. The love and support and greatly appreciated. Can’t wait to see the Vet ladies in December and bask in their confidence and experience.
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Hello Kate,
I’m sorry to hear that you’ve lost your mojo, so to speak. I know that fencing is your passion, You know that I’m just down the road with the horses, so if you need a little equine therapy let me know, just being in a different environment and around these magnificent animals can really help some people refocus even if you’re not in the saddle.
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