Odin’s Playground this year was fun, for the short time I could be there. I had planned to fence on the saturday, but then had to go to a baby shower in the evening, so it was just the fencing, then I’d come back on sunday and do more of the games. As it turned out it was great weather on Saturday, but poured all night and all day sunday. So Sunday was canceled, which meant only one Rapier Tourney and no games for me.
The tourney had a large number of entries. It was a lot of fun. There were a number of fencers from the okanagan who I don’t get to fight a lot. It was also my first tourney since Eddies. I did well. I had 9 wins which put me about a third of the way up the ranking, at the bottom of the mid level fighters. The field of 13 fighters was good with a general mix of people from the two dons all the way down to someone at their first tourney. Only one person truly dominated me, and that was Godfrey.
It was a fun tourney, as it was only worth a few points in the grand scheme of the event, and so most people weren’t quite on their game, which helped for a first tourney back since spring for me. It meant that I got to focus on putting into practice what I’ve been working on: aggression, dagger work, adjusting stances to fit the situation, etc.
There was a big problem for me though. I wasn’t on my game at all. I’ve been improving my game at practices, but then when I came into tournament I just didn’t have my head in it. I couldn’t analize like I have been. I was tentative in my engagements. I was double thinking everything and slowing myself down, I wasn’t committing. It was so odd to do that after working so much on committing in practice. I wonder if it has anything to do with it being a tournament instead of a practice. Maybe I need to work on my tourney mindset.
The Sunday I did come back even though it was canceled. I brought fresh baked bread around to trade with people. Everyone was very happy to have fresh hot bread on such a miserable day. I can’t wait to have a portable bread oven so I can do that at all events.
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