By Chloe Tolsma, Stanford University 2030
January Elite Athlete Profile, Introduced by Editor Elle Shi:
Chole is an active, competitive épée fencer, a multiple world and national champion, and a current member of Team USA. Writing from inside elite competition, she brings insight shaped by experience at the highest level of the sport.
Fencing has come to be an important and cherished part of my life over the last eight years. It has taught me many lessons and has allowed me to grow as a person. The sport requires mental strength in addition to physical strength; in fact, the mental aspect may even be more important than physical condition. Of course, endurance, strength, and speed are essential for fencing, but many fencers, especially at higher levels, are relatively evenly matched in these skills. I train every day to refine my techniques, and through many competitions, I have learned that I need to trust my physical abilities and focus on other parts of the bout. It is important to keep a clear head and not get frustrated when something does not work; when fencing, I have learned to make split-second decisions and to quickly adapt to different situations.
Additionally, another potentially challenging part of fencing (or any sport) is dealing with losses. Every fencer will experience loss, a bad practice, or a bad tournament. It can be difficult to accept, especially after hours of hard work and training, but I have learned that these mistakes and failures are inevitable. They help me continue to improve and motivate me to work harder. I reflect on what went wrong and focus on fixing my mistakes to perform better the next time. Progress can feel slow sometimes, but continuous repetition and practice incrementally improve my fencing; this carries over into my school and everyday life. I must be consistent and patient rather than expecting instant results.
Fencing has also allowed me to learn how to handle myself under pressure. There are almost always nerves during a competition and during a bout, but it is important to keep a level head and focus on taking the bout one touch at a time instead of thinking about everything at once. There have been quite a few times that I have cost myself a bout or even a tournament due to stress or poor handling of pressure. I have found that I perform the best when I fence freely and do not think about my results, ranking, or future tournaments. It can sometimes be difficult to focus on the present and not on future outcomes or “what ifs.” The expectations can add even more pressure, whether my own or those of my parents, coaches, and teammates. However, I remind myself of my countless hours of hard work and preparation leading up to a tournament. In addition, having fun is very important; when I release the thoughts of expectations and results, and just enjoy myself while I fence, I do not feel as pressured to do well. In fact, when I won my first World Cup, I had no expectations for myself; I simply focused on each bout and believed in my training and abilities.
Overall, fencing has not only improved my speed, endurance, reflexes, and coordination, but it has also taught me the importance of discipline, focus, consistency, and resilience. This applies not only to fencing, but to my daily life endeavors as well.
