Writing Process in Retrospect

I enjoy writing, really, I do. I took a creative writing class my senior year of high school, which I enjoyed immensely. And while I've never enjoyed writing essays (really, who does?), it's something I've always been pretty good at it, so it's never bothered me terribly. So when I learned that I'd be doing something called a fieldstudy, that would culminate in a sizable paper at the end of my first semester of college for my writing class, I thought, "How bad can it be?"

Turns out, not that bad. Not that great, either, though. 

But please, allow me to explain. 

When I write any kind of paper, no matter the subject, topic, or length, my usual modus operandi is to procrastinate for the weeks in advance that I know about the assignment and write it the night before. Now usually, this works out pretty well for me. I know teachers hate to hear this from students, but that's how I work. Something about the pressure to get it done, I suppose. In this case, however, I knew that I wouldn't be able to do that, considering the fieldstudy needs to be about 10-15 pages. Not only did I realize I wouldn't be able to write it the night before, I didn't have much choice. Week after week, I had to write about what I was doing, what I was thinking, how I was feeling. I had to write things that, ideally, would eventually end up in my fieldstudy in some form or another. 

And frankly, that was kind of nice.

Being required to write, brainstorm, and outline for my fieldstudy allowed me to really get my ideas down in front of me and sift through them, eliminating the mediocre ones and keeping others that had potential. So merely from a drafting and editing standpoint, the process of writing this fieldstudy has been unusual for me, personally, but I'm always open to new ways of doing things and it's made me aware of just another way to write research papers. 

I was a big fan of what I was allowed to actually physically put into the fieldstudy. Oftentimes, research papers come out feeling very dry and unappealing because of the formality and lack of individual voice with which they are written. The fact that I was not only able, but encouraged to inject my own feelings and subjectivities into this fieldstudy made writing it not only more enjoyable, but more personal. The opportunity to explore a place so dear to me and to try and understand that place's significance in other people's lives let me be incredibly invested in what I was doing. It's a great thing to be able to share a place that has made such an impact on your life with other people and explain to them why matters, not just to you, but why it should matter to them and to others. 

So all in all, the process of writing this fieldstudy was very different from how I normally write things, but I'm not one to turn my nose up at new, perhaps more effective ways of doing things. Writing this study has been a great opportunity, one that I would not hesitate to take advantage of again. 

Themes, and Hypotheses, and Questions, Oh My!

Below are some themes, hypotheses, and questions I was asked to come up with that may act as focuses of my fieldstudy. These are the topics I will be exploring further in the coming weeks as I prepare to write my fieldstudy.

Themes

-Perfection as goal/motivator in fencing.

-Fencing/Blackstone Valley Fencing Academy as community and safe haven.

-Fencing as character building/self improving activity. 

Hypotheses

-Fencing/BVFA is a subculture composed of outsiders to the mainstream because it is unique, and therefore attracts unique people.

Persistent Questions 

-Why does fencing matter in today's world?

-Do the majority of people who fence do so merely for recreational purposes or do they take it seriously and see it as a significant part of their lives?

The above themes all sprung from something that either Michael or Annika said in my interviews with them. I'm especially interested in the idea of perfection in fencing. Since fencing is so unlike any other sport, I think the idea of perfection as a part of it is much different than the idea of perfection in any other sport, so it will be a unique angle to explore. 

My hypothesis is something that I arrived at primarily through my own observations, and isn't anything that I recorded in my fieldnotes. Both Michael and Annika, however, gave the impression that they are, or have been, outsiders at one time or another in their lives. This, combined with conversations I've had with other people and conversations I've overheard others having, will be a good basis for exploration of my hypothesis. 

The first of my questions is the one I'm more interested in, and the one I think will be the real focus of my fieldstudy. I've been thinking of fencing as a romanticized/gentleman's sport, and how the respect and dignity that is such an integral part of it translates over to retaining manners and integrity in an increasingly rude and mannerless world. 

Actually writing out my ideas in an attempt to flesh them out has been rather helpful, and now I have some concrete leads as to where I'm going with my fieldstudy. 

Information in Poem Form

Below is an ethnopoem (a poem that is based off of, and meant to be an analysis of, a transcribed interview) that I wrote after singling out significant portions of my interview with Michael.


It's being perfect,
Being perfect,
Absolutely perfect, 
For a moment, 
Split second in time. 
It's scoring one touch
Tremendous feeling
Out of a thousand.
All I need to do is,
Do it for the rest of my life,
Pass on something I love.
I was born to be
A fencing coach
Is who I am.
Came into this world, 
Made a difference. 

Reflections on an Interview 11/6 Edition

I conducted my second interview this past Tuesday, November 6th with fellow saberist and coach/coach's assistant, Annika Becker. I didn't feel quite as confident going into this interview because I don't feel that I have as solid a relationship with Annika as I do with Michael, who was my first interviewee. I was, once again, though proven wrong.

We conducted the interview in the same place as the first one for the sake of piece and quiet. We commiserated about the cold in the room as we set up our folding chairs. She commented on the 'I Voted' sticker on my laptop as she looked over and signed the consent form I had for her. And just like that, I had begun my second interview.

Initially, I was a little nervous, because I felt like Annika was being a bit less open with me than Michael had been. I didn't know if I'd be able to get the honest answers and poignancy out of her that I'd gotten out of Michael. I asked her too what she was like as a child. Her answer, at first, seemed like it wouldn't be terribly useful. But as we got further into the interview, and I asked her why she started fencing, why she continues to fence, and what impact she thinks fencing has had on the rest of her life, things began to come together. She discussed fencing, and the Blackstone Valley Fencing Academy in particular, as a sort of community in which she's always felt safe and never out of place. She explained that she's always felt that she can be herself at BVFA and people will still accept and respect her for who she is.

Overall, I think this interview was great in that it acted in a very complementary manner to the first interview I conducted. Whereas Michael talked at length about why he fences and what makes fencing such an incredible and character building sport, Annika talked about the role of fencing and the Blackstone Valley Fencing Academy as a community and safe haven in her life. Between the two interviews I was able to draw two profound topics out of my informants- the idea of perfection as being a motivation and a goal in fencing, and the role of the sport as a home away from home, a place to fit in. I really, truly believe that both of these ideas, and some others that both Michael and Annika discussed, will be the cornerstones of my final product.

Reflections on an Interview

I conducted my first interview last Thursday, November 1st with my coach of six years, Michael Olson.  The fact that I've known Michael for the past six years meant that I was pretty comfortable going into the interview. I felt confident that he would be honest and forthcoming given our relationship. I was, however, a bit concerned about asking some of my more open questions, since Michael tends to be a pretty straight shooter and I didn't know how comfortable he would be with opening up to me.

Little did I know that he would tell me things in his answers that I think will be absolutely pivotal in writing my fieldstudy.

The interview took place in the cold, dimly lit side hall where the freight elevator for my fencing club's building is located. As I set up my laptop to record the interview, I asked Michael to look over and sign the informed consent form. In his usual fashion, he joked with me about the pseudonym option and asked first if he could use 'Chuck Norris' and then 'Attila the Hun'.

After a quick test of my laptop, the interview got under way. I started with some closed questions, but ones that had rather lengthy and not completely concrete answers. I asked Michael what he was like as a child, how he got into fencing, and how he came to become a coach and own the club. He was very detailed in all of these answers, especially the last, for which I was grateful. Not only will they be useful to my fieldstudy, but they satisfied some of my own freestanding curiosities.

After these closed questions, I asked Michael what the most rewarding thing to him as a fencer is, to which he replied, "...it's being perfect for a moment." He went on to discuss and expand upon the idea of being perfect for a moment and I think this answer was probably the most significant of the entire interview. It was exactly the kind of honesty and profundity I was looking for. I think it also served to highlight the fact that fencing is unique and completely different from any other sport out there.

So long story short, my first interview went extremely well. Michael was honest and vulnerable and forthcoming, all while still managing to inject humor into his answers. I was very happy with how it went and look forward to applying the information I obtained to writing my fieldstudy.

Secondary Source Memo (Times Five)

As far as secondary sources for my fieldstudy go, I have the unique advantage of having a quarterly magazine published by the United States Fencing Association at my disposal. Conveniently enough, my dad (who also fences) had exactly five past issues lying around the house. So these are what I used for the following source memos.

American Fencing, Winter 2010
"Understanding Your Fencer's Learning Styles" by Connie Louie, Ph.D., Prévôt de Sabre

First things first. I didn't know what a Prévôt de Sabre is, so after a bit of research, I found that a Prévôt is a level of fencing coach or instructor just below that of Master. Now that that's squared away, let's move on to the actual content of the article. As the name implies, this article is directed towards coaches and how they can strive to adjust their teaching style to an individual fencer. It discusses the three major learning styles, visual, auditory, and kinesthetic, or hands-on. Louie describes the characteristics of each of these three styles and goes on to make suggestions as to how coaches can explain or demonstrate fencing actions or footwork in such a way that will reach the fencer in accordance with their learning style. I thought this would be a valuable article to write about because it addresses the intellectual aspect of fencing and acts as a prime example of the fact that fencing is a mental sport as much as it is a physical one.


American Fencing, Spring 2010
"Wii Sports Resort 'Fencing it Isn't, Fun it Is'" by Kathryn Schifferle

While not quite as scholarly or seriously informative as the first article I discussed, I thought this article would still be a good one to discuss. The article is a very basic review of the Nintendo Wii's "Swordplay" game. In the brief article, Schifferle writes of her initial difficulties at succeeding in the game and her quick progress and eventual mastery of it. Although that's all the article consists of, I think that it accurately represents the misconceptions about fencing that non-fencers have. People are inclined to believe that anything involving "swords" is automatically fencing, but that's just not true.


American Fencing, Summer 2010
"The Spirit of Fair Play... A Double-Edged Sword?" by Jeff Bukantz

This article deals with a general issue that athletes in any sport will deal with at one time or another: ethicality and its effect on the game. Specifically, the article deals with a situation that is, of course, unique to fencing. The issue, or action, is known among fencers as "acknowledging". A fencer may "acknowledge" a touch when they know that they have been hit and that the other fencer deserves the point. This is usually done when the director (fencing's answer to the referee) is hesitant to award the other fencer the touch because they are unsure of exactly what happened. Bukantz discusses how while acknowledging may be an ethical and gentlemanly thing to do, it may not be worth it at times, becuase your opponent may not return that same kindness. I felt this article was interesting because it delves into the issue of ethics and sportsmanship and how they may adversely affect a fencer while they are involved in a bout.


American Fencing, Fall 2010
"Athlete Q&A With Olympian Ann Marsh"

As with the first article I discussed, I had to do some quick research, this time to find out who Ann Marsh is. She is apparently a three time Olympian, having competed in the 1992, 1996, and 2000 Summer Olympics. In this article, Marsh answers a question sent in by a reader concerning how to balance fencing, college, and just life in general. As a college student and a dedicated fencer, I can sympathize with this question, and I can imagine that many other fencers can too. Marsh states that school should always be the priority, but goes on to say that fencing can still fit into your schedule. She discusses the importance of setting goals for yourself, and studying while on the road for competitions and whatnot. This article seemed significant to me because it shows the dedication that fencers have to the sport and their desire to continue to participate in it despite other, admittedly more important obligations.


American Fencing, Spring 2011
"The Black Fencer in Western Swordplay" by Benerson Little

The last, and to me, the most interesting article that I decided to use for this source memo is about the role that people of African descent have had in the history of fencing. The article addresses the fact that many African peoples were already familiar with sword fighting through armed conflict in their native countries. The article then moves on to discuss the role that blacks played in the development and history of sword based combat in the New World, primarily under the Spanish. Skilled and respected black fencing masters are also discussed in the article. I found this article particularly interesting for several reasons. First, my love of history and social sciences such as anthropology and sociology made the history addressed in the article appealing to me. I also found it fascinating that people of African descent have been so involved in sword based combat for so long. Fencing is often thought of as a European or white dominated sport, but this article proves that this isn't exactly true. While the article discusses something more akin to historical fencing, rather than modern sport fencing, it still explores an angle that many people either aren't aware of or don't wish to discuss.

Fieldnotes/Fieldsite Visit Reflection Take Two

This past Tuesday, I took my second set of fieldnotes at my actual, primary fieldsite, the Blackstone Valley Fencing Academy. It was nice to be taking notes in an environment in which I'm very comfortable and among people who I know and get along with.

Sitting down this time around, I think I was much more aware of what I needed to do in order to take meaningful and valuable fieldnotes. I feel like I was able to push aside the information that I would normally take for granted in order to take fieldnotes that don't easily betray me as an insider to the culture. I focused a lot on the physical layout of the room, despite the fact that I've been there three nights a week, almost every week, for the past three or four years. I also took notes on simple, ordinary things (to me) that my coach said or did that would not be so ordinary or apparent to an outsider.

Looking back on my feelings at the time of taking my second set of fieldnotes, I realize that the atmosphere of my club feels very different than that of the Worcester Fencing Club, where I took my first set of fieldnotes. The Worcester Fencing Club is significantly larger and has a more... corporate feel to it. I think that the Blackstone Valley Fencing Academy, even upon entering it for the first time, has a more homey and communal feeling to it.

This is something I noticed at the competition I attended this past weekend too. I've been thinking of the correlation between larger, more economically advantaged fencing clubs in New England and their motivation for operating. On the opposite end of the spectrum, you have the smaller clubs, like my own, that aren't considered "wealthy" and their motivation for operating. It seems to me that larger clubs are geared more towards people who are considered "rich" or "naturally talented". As a result, these clubs seem to train their fencers to win and are only concerned with results based fencing. In contrast, my club is small and relatively affordable compared to other clubs in the area. It comes off as a very "middle class" club and our focus is different than larger, wealthier clubs. Like I said in my digital fieldsite analysis post, my coaches teach their fencers that winning is secondary and that personal growth and strengthening of mind and body are what really matter in fencing.

This ended up being a little rambly and more focused on an idea I had percolating since the weekend, but I think it may be an interesting angle to look at for my fieldstudy.

My Mind Map (Read at Your Own Risk)

A Centuries Old Sport... Now Online!

The first website I decided to visit in my journey around the internet was, naturally, the website for my own fencing club, the Blackstone Vally Fencing Academy. Immediately noticeable is the pop of the black and red (club colors) in contrast to the bland gray of most of the homepage. The name of the club is at the top of the page in black letters on a red background. The phone number and email address for the club are directly beneath it, these in white lettering on a black background. Visitors to the website are then welcomed to the Blackstone Valley Fencing Academy and its "dedicated facility" in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. Beneath this welcome are two pictures, one of the inside of the club and the second depicting the facade of the old mill building in which the club is located. Following these pictures are several announcements, including the offer of a photo op and information about an upcoming tournament. On the left hand side of the homepage is the navigation bar with such buttons as "Class Info," "Coaches," "About Us," and "Membership". Beneath the navigation bar is the club emblem: a black circle with the words "Blackstone Valley" curved along the top half in red letters, and "Fencing Academy" curved along the bottom, also in red letters. In the middle, one can see a fencing mask with a sabre and epee crossed in an 'x' behind it and a foil positioned vertically behind it. In other areas of the site, the pictures and descriptions are years old, but still relevant and accurate. The site certainly comes across as not being professionally made, but that adds to the impression and reality that although the club is small, it is a tight knit community. Perhaps the most telling sentence on the whole site is the following: "You will find a place to train where winning is secondary to helping participants hone their skills and  gain a deeper understanding of the sport of fencing." This is very clearly the mission that my coaches Anne and Michael Olson have when it comes to teaching their students. It is, I believe, what fencing is all about and what every club should strive for- a supportive community concerned with the strengthening of athletes as people, not just producing new world champions. 

http://www.bvfencing.com


The next site I looked at was the NEUSFA, or New England United States Fencing Association website. The logo, located at the top left hand corner, is a cartoonish epee dividing "neusfa" on top and the New England Division of the USFA on the bottom. The site's header identifies it as the "Website of the New England Divsion of the U.S. Fencing Association, established in Boston in 1892 as one of the original Divisions of the AFLA [Amateur Fencers League of America]". Ironically enough, the navigation bar and general setup of this site is more sparse than that of the BVFA website. The only four buttons you'll find are the "Home," "Tournament Info," "Contact Us," and "Where to Fence" buttons. Clicking on the "Tournament Info" button, however, will surprise the average person, as it contains a results archive dating back to 1997. The "Where to Fence" button also contains a surprise, with a list of almost sixty fencing clubs between recreational organizations, college clubs, and high school teams. While this site is clearly meant for those already involved in the fencing subculture, it reveals to the non-fencer that fencing has a much bigger presence, at least in New England, than anyone would think. 

http://www.neusfa.org/Home/tabid/65/Default.aspx


If you're still reading, props to you. The next (and final) site I visited was that of the United States Fencing Association, which is the official governing body of fencing in the country. This is the organization with which you must register in order to compete in and earn national ratings at competitions. The USFA website is the most professional and appealing by far. There are links to everything from vendors that sell fencing equipment, to the organization's Facebook page, to updates on how U.S. fencers are faring in national and international competitions. While this site, too is geared more towards those already involved in fencing, it is also newcomer friendly, with its "Fencing 101" button and ease of navigation. The pictures and graphics, as well as the bright colors on the homepage convey the grandiose and romanticized nature of fencing and is appealing to fencers and non fencers alike. While it does have the feel and look of a large organization's website, the USFA site still has a tangible sense of support and community through the information it supplies. It seeks to keep those fencers in the national and international spotlights connected with those of us fencing in local clubs across the country, because even though there are more of us than you'd think, we're still a minority in the sports world. It's nice to feel the same sense of community and dedication to the sport in all three of the above websites, because that's truly what fencing is about- community. 

http://www.teamusa.org/USA-Fencing.aspx

So I actually took my first set of fieldnotes at the Worcester Fencing Club two weekends ago, where my dad was competing. I've been to that particular club several times before, so I'm used to the atmosphere and the setup. The atmosphere of individual competitions, however, is always unique. This one in particular was pretty quiet, since only epee was being fenced that day and it seemed that many of the competitors did not have much, if any, moral support. Despite the fact that there weren't a lot of people there, there was still the air of excitement and nervousness that accompanies every fencing competition.

From the snippets of conversation that I heard, it seemed that there were at least four people there who were competing for the first time. They had their parents with them, but no coach, which I thought was really lousy on the coach's part. I could sympathize with those people, though, because I remember when I was brand new to competing, so that stirred up some memories and feelings for me. Almost every other fencer there seemed to be alone, which I thought was interesting. It's always nice to have people supporting you at a competition, so I thought it was kind of sad that so many fencers were there alone. Watching fencers interact at a competition is always fun to watch too. Most times, you're interacting with a fencer for the first time as you fence them for the first time, which is a unique situation since fencing is such an aggressive and naturally tension filled sport. Some people handle this by being arrogant loners and some people decide to take the high road and be personable and joke around with their opponents. I actually didn't see too many people being arrogant or unpleasant. For the most part, fencers seemed to be friendly and genuine, which makes the experience more enjoyable for everyone involved.

I mentioned this previously in class, but one thing I find difficult about taking dual entry fieldnotes is my hand's inability to keep up with my thoughts. I found myself hearing or being aware of things that I wanted to write down while I was in the middle of writing down something else. I also found it a bit difficult to concentrate while writing my fieldnotes because I'm such an insider to the fencing subculture that I always wanted to be looking around and seeing what people were doing how they were fencing, etc. Unfortunately, I don't think this will get any easier, especially once I start taking fieldnotes at my actual fieldsite.

Overall, I think my first experience taking fieldnotes was a good icebreaker for the process and I look forward to starting my fieldstudy at my own club.