1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,880 You know, it's funny how much people hate change. 2 00:00:02,880 --> 00:00:06,360 Like, mess with my coffee order, fine, whatever, 3 00:00:06,360 --> 00:00:08,480 but change the rules of my favorite sport. 4 00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:09,480 Hold on a minute. 5 00:00:09,480 --> 00:00:12,040 It's true, people get really passionate about tradition. 6 00:00:12,040 --> 00:00:12,880 Exactly. 7 00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:14,840 And that's what makes this whole USA Fencing thing 8 00:00:14,840 --> 00:00:16,360 so interesting. 9 00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:18,280 They tried to shake things up, 10 00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:21,440 and people were not shy about voicing their displeasure, 11 00:00:21,440 --> 00:00:22,280 to put it mildly. 12 00:00:22,280 --> 00:00:23,280 Not shy at all. 13 00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:25,480 It's been quite the saga to follow, actually. 14 00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:27,520 Which is why we're doing a deep dive into it. 15 00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:30,240 We've got some great stuff to dig into. 16 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:33,840 Particularly this, shall we say, spirited critique 17 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:37,160 from a fencing coach who's clearly quite invested 18 00:00:37,160 --> 00:00:38,000 in the sport. 19 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:38,880 Definitely invested. 20 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:40,640 I think passionate is an understatement. 21 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:41,400 Oh, yeah. 22 00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:43,040 This is a coach who bleeds fencing. 23 00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:43,480 For sure. 24 00:00:43,480 --> 00:00:46,440 So we're going to try to figure out what exactly USA Fencing 25 00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:49,920 was trying to do with these proposed Y8 rule changes, 26 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:52,400 why our coach friend, among many others, 27 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:54,120 was less than thrilled about them, 28 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:56,440 and what this whole back and forth tells us 29 00:00:56,440 --> 00:00:58,400 about where youth fencing is headed. 30 00:00:58,400 --> 00:00:59,200 What do you think? 31 00:00:59,200 --> 00:01:01,880 Well, the interesting thing is, USA Fencing doesn't usually 32 00:01:01,880 --> 00:01:03,280 rock the boat this hard. 33 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:05,400 They're usually pretty cautious, especially when 34 00:01:05,400 --> 00:01:07,960 it comes to changes impacting the younger fencers. 35 00:01:07,960 --> 00:01:10,360 Yeah, it's not like them to just throw caution to the wind. 36 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:11,040 Right. 37 00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:14,800 So for them to do a complete 180 like this after the backlash, 38 00:01:14,800 --> 00:01:16,000 it's pretty unprecedented. 39 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:16,360 It's true. 40 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:17,640 They really poked the beard, didn't they? 41 00:01:17,640 --> 00:01:18,760 Totally. 42 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:21,080 OK, so before we get into all the reactions, 43 00:01:21,080 --> 00:01:24,760 let's back up a bit and actually lay out what USA Fencing 44 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:25,920 was proposing. 45 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:28,200 What were these big changes they wanted to make? 46 00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:28,800 Right. 47 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:31,600 So basically, they threw three curveballs 48 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:32,680 at the Y8 category. 49 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:35,760 And for anyone listening who's not super familiar with fencing, 50 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:38,240 that's the eight years old and under group. 51 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:39,240 The youngest is the young. 52 00:01:39,240 --> 00:01:40,280 Exactly. 53 00:01:40,280 --> 00:01:43,720 So the first change was to reduce the maximum blade 54 00:01:43,720 --> 00:01:45,760 length allowed for these young fencers. 55 00:01:45,760 --> 00:01:46,760 OK. 56 00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:48,360 And the thinking there was? 57 00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:51,680 The idea, I think, was to give those really young kids 58 00:01:51,680 --> 00:01:54,360 equipment that's a little easier for them to handle. 59 00:01:54,360 --> 00:01:56,200 Developmentally, it makes sense to a point. 60 00:01:56,200 --> 00:01:56,480 Right. 61 00:01:56,480 --> 00:01:58,600 Like an eight year old trying to wield a full sized 62 00:01:58,600 --> 00:01:59,680 eB that's got to be tough. 63 00:01:59,680 --> 00:02:01,480 Yeah, it can be a lot for them. 64 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:03,560 And using a lighter, shorter blade 65 00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:07,080 could help them develop proper form and technique early on. 66 00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:07,920 Makes sense. 67 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:09,640 So that was curveball number one. 68 00:02:09,640 --> 00:02:11,120 What was next on their list? 69 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:14,440 OK, so curveball number two was shortening the actual fencing 70 00:02:14,440 --> 00:02:17,080 strip itself for those Y8 bouts. 71 00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:17,560 Interesting. 72 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:20,520 So instead of fencing on a full length strip, 73 00:02:20,520 --> 00:02:23,520 the kids would be duking it out on a shorter strip. 74 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:24,360 Pretty much. 75 00:02:24,360 --> 00:02:26,280 Again, I'm guessing the thinking was 76 00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:28,520 to make the playing field a little more manageable 77 00:02:28,520 --> 00:02:29,640 for smaller kids. 78 00:02:29,640 --> 00:02:31,160 Less ground to cover, literally. 79 00:02:31,160 --> 00:02:32,080 Exactly. 80 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:36,520 So OK, making things maybe a little less physically demanding 81 00:02:36,520 --> 00:02:39,840 for the littlest fencers seems reasonable on the surface, 82 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:40,320 but. 83 00:02:40,320 --> 00:02:41,800 You can tell there's a butt coming. 84 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:42,960 There's always a butt. 85 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:44,240 You know me too well. 86 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:46,280 It's just that I'm getting this feeling 87 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:47,880 that there's more to the story here. 88 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:48,440 Am I right? 89 00:02:48,440 --> 00:02:50,960 You're picking up what we're putting down for sure. 90 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:53,800 The real drama, the real controversy, 91 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:57,040 unfolded with USA fencing's third proposed change. 92 00:02:57,040 --> 00:02:57,760 Hit me with it. 93 00:02:57,760 --> 00:02:59,800 What was curveball number three? 94 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:02,400 OK, so this is where they really stirred the pot. 95 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:04,800 They wanted to get rid of direct elimination 96 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:08,200 rounds for the Y8 category and switch to a two pool 97 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:09,840 format for competitions. 98 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:10,760 Whoa. 99 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:12,480 OK, hold on a second. 100 00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:16,440 Now that is a pretty big change, even for kids that young. 101 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:19,480 I mean, usually you have pool play to see the fencers. 102 00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:20,040 Exactly. 103 00:03:20,040 --> 00:03:22,280 You figure out the rankings based on how everyone 104 00:03:22,280 --> 00:03:23,880 does in their initial pool bouts. 105 00:03:23,880 --> 00:03:25,920 And then it's on to the really exciting part, 106 00:03:25,920 --> 00:03:29,640 those nail biting direct elimination rounds 107 00:03:29,640 --> 00:03:30,960 where it's win or go home. 108 00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:31,720 Exactly. 109 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:34,080 But in this new format, everyone would just 110 00:03:34,080 --> 00:03:36,560 stay in their designated pool no matter what. 111 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:39,560 Wins, losses, it wouldn't matter for moving on 112 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:41,800 to a different stage of the competition. 113 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:42,760 Wow. 114 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:44,640 So that's a pretty radical departure 115 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:47,200 from how things are normally done, even at the youth level. 116 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:47,960 Right. 117 00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:50,840 And this is where our coach friend throws down the gauntlet. 118 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:52,240 I think you mean throws down the glove. 119 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:53,080 The glove, yes. 120 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:54,280 Of course, you know what I mean. 121 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:55,080 I do. 122 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:56,800 But yes, our fencing coach friend 123 00:03:56,800 --> 00:03:58,840 is definitely fired up about this. 124 00:03:58,840 --> 00:04:00,400 So what's their main point? 125 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:04,000 Well, they basically ask this really pointed question. 126 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:06,200 Why fix what isn't broken? 127 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:08,320 Which seems to be the question on everyone's minds 128 00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:09,760 right now, honestly. 129 00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:10,800 Totally. 130 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:14,080 But to really understand both sides of this whole debate, 131 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:17,240 I mean, why USA Sensing thought these changes were necessary 132 00:04:17,240 --> 00:04:20,960 in the first place, and why so many people are pushing back, 133 00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:23,520 we kind of have to take each of these proposed changes 134 00:04:23,520 --> 00:04:26,240 one at a time and really pick them apart. 135 00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:26,920 Let's do it. 136 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:28,920 Like what problem were they even trying to solve? 137 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:29,640 Exactly. 138 00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:31,280 So let's start with the shorter blades. 139 00:04:31,280 --> 00:04:32,200 OK, yeah. 140 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:33,640 What about those blades? 141 00:04:33,640 --> 00:04:34,920 Our coach actually seems to think 142 00:04:34,920 --> 00:04:37,040 that it makes sense to a point, right? 143 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:37,560 They do. 144 00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:38,880 Like they get it. 145 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:41,760 Kids that young in a full-size blade, that tracks. 146 00:04:41,760 --> 00:04:42,200 Right. 147 00:04:42,200 --> 00:04:44,400 It makes sense to valve mentally, like we said. 148 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:45,640 So what's the issue then? 149 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:48,600 It's more about the logistical headaches it creates. 150 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:50,920 Ah, so it's not about the concept itself, 151 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:52,440 but about the practical side of things. 152 00:04:52,440 --> 00:04:53,000 Exactly. 153 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:55,240 And the coach brings up a really good point about kids 154 00:04:55,240 --> 00:04:58,200 potentially needing different blades for practice 155 00:04:58,200 --> 00:04:58,920 and competition. 156 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:01,080 Oh, right, because they'd be practicing with a full-size 157 00:05:01,080 --> 00:05:02,520 blade to get used to it. 158 00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:04,880 But then they'd have to switch to a shorter, lighter one 159 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:05,760 for competition. 160 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:06,600 Exactly. 161 00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:08,520 The coach actually uses this example, 162 00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:12,800 and it's so vivid of a kid going from fencing 163 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:16,440 with a number five blade in practice to a tiny number two 164 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:18,280 blade during a competition. 165 00:05:18,280 --> 00:05:19,160 I mean, can you imagine? 166 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:20,600 Just a huge adjustment. 167 00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:22,640 It really makes you wonder about the impact 168 00:05:22,640 --> 00:05:25,320 on muscle memory, on hand-eye coordination. 169 00:05:25,320 --> 00:05:27,640 Like that's got to mess with your game, right? 170 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:28,520 It has to. 171 00:05:28,520 --> 00:05:29,320 I mean, think about it. 172 00:05:29,320 --> 00:05:31,440 You're used to the weight and balance of one blade, 173 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:33,800 and then suddenly you have to adapt to something 174 00:05:33,800 --> 00:05:34,960 completely different. 175 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:35,640 Right. 176 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:38,320 It's like practicing your tennis serve with a brick 177 00:05:38,320 --> 00:05:41,080 and then showing up to the match with a regular tennis ball. 178 00:05:41,080 --> 00:05:42,320 That's a great analogy. 179 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:45,680 It just highlights how sometimes, even when the intention is 180 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:47,800 good, the execution can miss the mark. 181 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:48,720 For sure. 182 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:50,400 And it seems like this is one of those cases 183 00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:52,840 where the heart might be in the right place, but. 184 00:05:52,840 --> 00:05:54,880 But they tripped over the practicality of it all. 185 00:05:54,880 --> 00:05:55,640 Exactly. 186 00:05:55,640 --> 00:05:59,560 And that brings us to arguably the most controversial change 187 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:02,360 they were proposing, this whole two-pool system. 188 00:06:02,360 --> 00:06:04,880 Right, which is interesting because on the surface, 189 00:06:04,880 --> 00:06:07,560 it seems like the least radical of the three. 190 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:08,240 I know. 191 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:09,840 When I first heard about it, I was like, OK, 192 00:06:09,840 --> 00:06:11,840 so they're just tweaking the competition format a bit, 193 00:06:11,840 --> 00:06:12,520 no big deal. 194 00:06:12,520 --> 00:06:13,160 Right. 195 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:15,600 And it seems almost gentler in a way, right? 196 00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:16,160 Yeah. 197 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:19,080 Like, everyone gets defense more abouts. 198 00:06:19,080 --> 00:06:21,200 No one feels bad about getting knocked out early. 199 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:21,720 Exactly. 200 00:06:21,720 --> 00:06:22,800 Everyone's a winner. 201 00:06:22,800 --> 00:06:23,400 Except. 202 00:06:23,400 --> 00:06:25,720 Except not really. 203 00:06:25,720 --> 00:06:28,600 Because as our coach friend so passionately points out, 204 00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:31,120 it kind of misses the point of competition, doesn't it? 205 00:06:31,120 --> 00:06:31,800 Yeah. 206 00:06:31,800 --> 00:06:32,840 Like, at its core. 207 00:06:32,840 --> 00:06:34,680 I mean, we're not talking about throwing these kids 208 00:06:34,680 --> 00:06:37,520 into some kind of cutthroat win-it-all-cost environment. 209 00:06:37,520 --> 00:06:38,200 They're eight. 210 00:06:38,200 --> 00:06:39,160 Of course not. 211 00:06:39,160 --> 00:06:41,440 But learning how to deal with a tough loss? 212 00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:41,880 Yeah. 213 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:44,000 How to come back from a setback? 214 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:45,080 That's kind of important, right? 215 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:45,800 Absolutely. 216 00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:46,640 It's part of life. 217 00:06:46,640 --> 00:06:47,560 Exactly. 218 00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:49,920 And the coach even says, parents and coaches, 219 00:06:49,920 --> 00:06:51,960 we're all here to support these kids 220 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:53,760 when they have those tough days. 221 00:06:53,760 --> 00:06:55,320 It's all part of the learning process. 222 00:06:55,320 --> 00:06:56,920 And I think that's a really important point. 223 00:06:56,920 --> 00:07:01,280 It's about building resilience, learning how to bounce back. 224 00:07:01,280 --> 00:07:04,320 Because let's be real life is not always going to hand you 225 00:07:04,320 --> 00:07:05,600 a participation trophy. 226 00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:06,680 Exactly. 227 00:07:06,680 --> 00:07:09,520 And as much as we want to protect kids from disappointment, 228 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:11,200 sometimes those disappointments are the things 229 00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:13,200 that teach us the most valuable lessons. 230 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:14,320 So true. 231 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:19,120 So by trying to make things, I don't know, nicer, 232 00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:22,160 with this two-pool system, are we actually 233 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:24,720 doing these kids a disservice in the long run? 234 00:07:24,720 --> 00:07:26,360 That's the big question, isn't it? 235 00:07:26,360 --> 00:07:29,200 Are we teaching them that it's OK to just coast along, 236 00:07:29,200 --> 00:07:31,480 that there are no real consequences for not 237 00:07:31,480 --> 00:07:32,760 performing your best? 238 00:07:32,760 --> 00:07:34,880 And it's not like you want to create a high pressure cooker 239 00:07:34,880 --> 00:07:37,120 for these eight-year-olds, but there's 240 00:07:37,120 --> 00:07:38,640 got to be some kind of balance. 241 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:39,140 It does. 242 00:07:39,140 --> 00:07:40,200 You need those stakes. 243 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:42,080 Because otherwise, what are they really learning? 244 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:42,680 Right. 245 00:07:42,680 --> 00:07:45,520 And I think for some people, their gut reaction 246 00:07:45,520 --> 00:07:47,240 to this whole debate is, oh, come on. 247 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:47,880 They're just kids. 248 00:07:47,880 --> 00:07:48,920 Let them have fun. 249 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:51,240 But the thing is, kids aren't stupid. 250 00:07:51,240 --> 00:07:52,880 They can tell when the stakes aren't real. 251 00:07:52,880 --> 00:07:53,640 Exactly. 252 00:07:53,640 --> 00:07:55,480 And they're less likely to push themselves 253 00:07:55,480 --> 00:07:56,920 to really rise to the occasion. 254 00:07:56,920 --> 00:07:58,920 And isn't that part of what we want for our kids? 255 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:00,040 To see what they're capable of. 256 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:01,200 Exactly. 257 00:08:01,200 --> 00:08:04,120 So are we saying that this whole two-pool system 258 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:08,160 is a terrible idea, that there's no merit to it whatsoever? 259 00:08:08,160 --> 00:08:10,360 Well, I think, like with most things, 260 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:12,360 there are two sides to the coin. 261 00:08:12,360 --> 00:08:14,160 Some people might argue that it actually 262 00:08:14,160 --> 00:08:16,000 makes the sport more inclusive. 263 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:17,360 Oh, interesting. 264 00:08:17,360 --> 00:08:18,120 How so? 265 00:08:18,120 --> 00:08:20,080 Well, some kids might be intimidated 266 00:08:20,080 --> 00:08:22,360 by that traditional elimination format. 267 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:23,440 That's a really good point. 268 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:26,160 Like the fear of losing right away 269 00:08:26,160 --> 00:08:28,720 might actually be a barrier to entry for some kids. 270 00:08:28,720 --> 00:08:29,800 Exactly. 271 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:32,120 And for those kids, this two-pool system 272 00:08:32,120 --> 00:08:35,760 might feel less high pressure, less intimidating. 273 00:08:35,760 --> 00:08:39,080 Which could lead to more kids trying fencing and sticking 274 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:39,440 with it. 275 00:08:39,440 --> 00:08:40,360 Precisely. 276 00:08:40,360 --> 00:08:42,680 So it's not as black and white as it might seem at first. 277 00:08:42,680 --> 00:08:43,480 Definitely not. 278 00:08:43,480 --> 00:08:44,880 It's more nuanced than that. 279 00:08:44,880 --> 00:08:47,680 There is a valid argument to be made on both sides. 280 00:08:47,680 --> 00:08:51,160 Which makes you wonder, why did USA Fencing present this 281 00:08:51,160 --> 00:08:52,680 so heavy-handedly? 282 00:08:52,680 --> 00:08:55,880 It's like they didn't even try to have a conversation about it. 283 00:08:55,880 --> 00:08:58,120 And that's where I think they really dropped the ball. 284 00:08:58,120 --> 00:09:01,280 They didn't do a good job explaining their reasoning, 285 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:02,440 their thought process. 286 00:09:02,440 --> 00:09:04,680 And if they had just said, hey, we're 287 00:09:04,680 --> 00:09:07,120 trying to make white fencing more accessible, 288 00:09:07,120 --> 00:09:10,600 and we think this two-pool system might be a way to do that, 289 00:09:10,600 --> 00:09:12,200 people might have been more receptive. 290 00:09:12,200 --> 00:09:13,000 Exactly. 291 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:15,520 But instead, it just felt like this top-down decree, 292 00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:18,400 like, we're USA Fencing, and we know best, 293 00:09:18,400 --> 00:09:20,400 so this is how it's going to be. 294 00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:21,960 Which never goes over well. 295 00:09:21,960 --> 00:09:22,520 Never. 296 00:09:22,520 --> 00:09:24,840 People want to feel like their voices are being heard, 297 00:09:24,840 --> 00:09:26,360 like they're part of the process. 298 00:09:26,360 --> 00:09:28,040 Especially when it's something they're passionate about. 299 00:09:28,040 --> 00:09:28,480 Right. 300 00:09:28,480 --> 00:09:30,840 And you can't get much more passionate than the fencing 301 00:09:30,840 --> 00:09:31,640 community. 302 00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:33,440 You're preaching to the choir here. 303 00:09:33,440 --> 00:09:34,840 So what happens next? 304 00:09:34,840 --> 00:09:36,400 Well, just when everyone's up in arms, 305 00:09:36,400 --> 00:09:39,280 ready to storm USA Fencing headquarters, 306 00:09:39,280 --> 00:09:41,600 they pull a complete 180. 307 00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:45,200 Yeah, the speed of that turnaround was pretty remarkable. 308 00:09:45,200 --> 00:09:46,320 Talk about a plot twist. 309 00:09:46,320 --> 00:09:47,680 It was like, hold on, everyone. 310 00:09:47,680 --> 00:09:50,960 We need to rethink this whole thing immediately. 311 00:09:50,960 --> 00:09:52,640 So what changed? 312 00:09:52,640 --> 00:09:53,640 What happened? 313 00:09:53,640 --> 00:09:57,800 I think they finally realized they had messed up big time. 314 00:09:57,800 --> 00:10:00,280 And to their credit, they basically admitted it, 315 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:01,880 maybe not directly. 316 00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:04,880 But they owned up to the fact that they had really 317 00:10:04,880 --> 00:10:06,400 mishandled the whole thing. 318 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:09,600 Which is a hard thing to do to admit you were wrong, 319 00:10:09,600 --> 00:10:11,720 especially for a large organization like that. 320 00:10:11,720 --> 00:10:12,120 Totally. 321 00:10:12,120 --> 00:10:14,200 So they deserve some credit for that, at least. 322 00:10:14,200 --> 00:10:15,840 They didn't just dig in their heels 323 00:10:15,840 --> 00:10:17,360 and pretend like nothing was wrong. 324 00:10:17,360 --> 00:10:18,160 Exactly. 325 00:10:18,160 --> 00:10:21,280 They hit the pause button, took a step back, and said, OK, 326 00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:23,440 let's figure out a better way to do this. 327 00:10:23,440 --> 00:10:26,560 And that better way involves more committees. 328 00:10:26,560 --> 00:10:27,040 Right. 329 00:10:27,040 --> 00:10:29,400 So they put everything on hold for now. 330 00:10:29,400 --> 00:10:31,480 And they're sending it all back to the tournament committee 331 00:10:31,480 --> 00:10:33,160 for further review. 332 00:10:33,160 --> 00:10:36,520 And they also decided to create a whole new committee, 333 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:38,960 specifically for coaches. 334 00:10:38,960 --> 00:10:39,960 Interesting. 335 00:10:39,960 --> 00:10:43,080 So they're trying to bring in more voices, more perspectives 336 00:10:43,080 --> 00:10:43,960 into the conversation. 337 00:10:43,960 --> 00:10:44,920 It seems that way. 338 00:10:44,920 --> 00:10:46,200 But is that enough? 339 00:10:46,200 --> 00:10:49,080 Like, have they actually learned their lesson? 340 00:10:49,080 --> 00:10:51,480 Or are they just kicking the can down the road? 341 00:10:51,480 --> 00:10:53,240 That's the million dollar question, isn't it? 342 00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:55,720 I mean, only time will tell if they'll actually 343 00:10:55,720 --> 00:10:57,920 listen to the fencing community this time, 344 00:10:57,920 --> 00:11:00,480 or if this is just a way to buy themselves some time. 345 00:11:00,480 --> 00:11:02,640 Placate the masses, sweep it all under the rug. 346 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:03,600 Exactly. 347 00:11:03,600 --> 00:11:05,160 But you know what I find really interesting 348 00:11:05,160 --> 00:11:06,360 about this whole thing? 349 00:11:06,360 --> 00:11:09,040 It's like we've stumbled into this much bigger conversation, 350 00:11:09,040 --> 00:11:12,680 this philosophical debate about what youth sports should even 351 00:11:12,680 --> 00:11:13,480 be about. 352 00:11:13,480 --> 00:11:14,040 Oh, totally. 353 00:11:14,040 --> 00:11:16,120 Like, are we raising athletes? 354 00:11:16,120 --> 00:11:16,600 Yeah. 355 00:11:16,600 --> 00:11:18,600 Or are we raising people? 356 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:19,160 Right. 357 00:11:19,160 --> 00:11:20,840 And how do you find that balance? 358 00:11:20,840 --> 00:11:24,080 Because competition, even at eight years old, 359 00:11:24,080 --> 00:11:27,200 it teaches you things you can't learn anywhere else, you know? 360 00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:29,040 Resilience, discipline. 361 00:11:29,040 --> 00:11:31,400 How to shake off a loss and come back stronger. 362 00:11:31,400 --> 00:11:31,960 Exactly. 363 00:11:31,960 --> 00:11:33,840 And I think what's frustrating for a lot of people 364 00:11:33,840 --> 00:11:35,200 and our coach friend touches on this 365 00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:37,120 is that it feels like USA Fencing was trying 366 00:11:37,120 --> 00:11:39,240 to sanitize the whole thing. 367 00:11:39,240 --> 00:11:41,320 Make it all rainbows and participation trophies. 368 00:11:41,320 --> 00:11:41,840 Right. 369 00:11:41,840 --> 00:11:45,760 Like, if we shield kids from ever experiencing disappointment, 370 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:47,480 how are they going to learn how to deal with it 371 00:11:47,480 --> 00:11:48,400 when they're older? 372 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:50,520 It's like we talked about before, those tough moments, 373 00:11:50,520 --> 00:11:53,000 those setbacks, those are the things that shape you. 374 00:11:53,000 --> 00:11:54,000 They really are. 375 00:11:54,000 --> 00:11:56,360 But on the flip side, you don't want 376 00:11:56,360 --> 00:11:58,400 to create this environment where these kids feel 377 00:11:58,400 --> 00:12:00,360 like they have to win at all costs. 378 00:12:00,360 --> 00:12:01,440 Oh, for sure not. 379 00:12:01,440 --> 00:12:02,640 That's the other extreme. 380 00:12:02,640 --> 00:12:04,520 And it can be just as damaging. 381 00:12:04,520 --> 00:12:05,920 It's such a fine line. 382 00:12:05,920 --> 00:12:07,000 It really is. 383 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:09,200 And unfortunately, I think this whole thing was handled 384 00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:12,840 so badly that USA Fencing ended up 385 00:12:12,840 --> 00:12:15,400 alienating the very people they were trying to protect. 386 00:12:15,400 --> 00:12:17,720 The kids, the parents, the coaches. 387 00:12:17,720 --> 00:12:18,920 Exactly. 388 00:12:18,920 --> 00:12:21,040 And instead of fostering a sense of community, 389 00:12:21,040 --> 00:12:22,960 a sense of shared purpose, it just 390 00:12:22,960 --> 00:12:25,400 created all this division and distrust. 391 00:12:25,400 --> 00:12:27,760 Which is a shame, because you know what? 392 00:12:27,760 --> 00:12:30,080 This could have been such a great opportunity 393 00:12:30,080 --> 00:12:30,680 to do what? 394 00:12:30,680 --> 00:12:34,200 To actually have a real conversation about all of this. 395 00:12:34,200 --> 00:12:37,400 About how we can make youth sports the best they can be. 396 00:12:37,400 --> 00:12:39,560 About how we can balance competition and character 397 00:12:39,560 --> 00:12:40,440 development. 398 00:12:40,440 --> 00:12:42,480 About how we can create an environment where everyone 399 00:12:42,480 --> 00:12:44,240 feels supported and challenged. 400 00:12:44,240 --> 00:12:45,760 I know, right? 401 00:12:45,760 --> 00:12:49,480 Imagine if USA Fencing had just come to the table and said, 402 00:12:49,480 --> 00:12:53,080 hey, we've been hearing some concerns about white fencing. 403 00:12:53,080 --> 00:12:55,360 We want to make sure it's accessible and developmentally 404 00:12:55,360 --> 00:12:57,080 appropriate, but we also want to preserve 405 00:12:57,080 --> 00:12:59,120 the integrity of the sport. 406 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:00,880 So let's talk. 407 00:13:00,880 --> 00:13:01,760 What are your thoughts? 408 00:13:01,760 --> 00:13:02,560 What are your ideas? 409 00:13:02,560 --> 00:13:03,160 I know. 410 00:13:03,160 --> 00:13:04,320 Wouldn't that have been amazing? 411 00:13:04,320 --> 00:13:04,820 Right. 412 00:13:04,820 --> 00:13:08,240 Instead of this whole debacle. 413 00:13:08,240 --> 00:13:09,360 So here we are. 414 00:13:09,360 --> 00:13:12,480 Rule changes on hold, committees being formed. 415 00:13:12,480 --> 00:13:13,080 Yeah. 416 00:13:13,080 --> 00:13:15,600 And a whole lot of uncertainty about what the future holds 417 00:13:15,600 --> 00:13:17,200 for these young fencers. 418 00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:18,200 It's true. 419 00:13:18,200 --> 00:13:19,640 But if there's one thing I'm certain of, 420 00:13:19,640 --> 00:13:22,080 it's that the fencing community is passionate. 421 00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:22,800 That's for sure. 422 00:13:22,800 --> 00:13:23,280 Yeah. 423 00:13:23,280 --> 00:13:24,800 They definitely let their voices be heard. 424 00:13:24,800 --> 00:13:26,280 And I think that's a good thing, 425 00:13:26,280 --> 00:13:28,200 because it shows that they care about the future of the sport. 426 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:29,120 They want to get it right. 427 00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:29,720 Exactly. 428 00:13:29,720 --> 00:13:30,160 Yeah. 429 00:13:30,160 --> 00:13:32,000 And hopefully this whole experience, 430 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:34,480 as messy as it's been, will ultimately 431 00:13:34,480 --> 00:13:36,120 lead to positive change. 432 00:13:36,120 --> 00:13:38,640 To a more inclusive, more supportive, 433 00:13:38,640 --> 00:13:41,800 and maybe even a more thoughtful approach to youth sports. 434 00:13:41,800 --> 00:13:43,480 That's the goal, isn't it? 435 00:13:43,480 --> 00:13:44,400 It is. 436 00:13:44,400 --> 00:13:48,040 So to our listeners, we want to hear from you. 437 00:13:48,040 --> 00:13:51,160 Have you encountered similar debates in your own lives, 438 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:53,560 whether it's about a rule change in your favorite sport 439 00:13:53,560 --> 00:13:55,520 or something going on at your kid's school, 440 00:13:55,520 --> 00:13:58,520 or even just a disagreement within your own family? 441 00:13:58,520 --> 00:14:01,560 How do you find that balance between honoring tradition 442 00:14:01,560 --> 00:14:03,160 and embracing change? 443 00:14:03,160 --> 00:14:05,920 It's a question we all grapple with in all aspects 444 00:14:05,920 --> 00:14:06,680 of our lives. 445 00:14:06,680 --> 00:14:08,840 So let's keep the conversation going. 446 00:14:08,840 --> 00:14:10,720 Head over to our website, find us on social media, 447 00:14:10,720 --> 00:14:12,040 and share your thoughts. 448 00:14:12,040 --> 00:14:26,400 And until next time, thanks for joining us for this deep dive.