NCAA Fencing 2004

Today and tomor­row many of my team­mates will be pass­ing through Cleve­land on a road­trip out to Bran­deis Uni­ver­si­ty for the NCAA Fenc­ing Cham­pi­onships which are this week­end. Twice this week I have been invit­ed to accom­pa­ny my team out there. ‘Adam, we can pick you up ear­ly Fri­day and drop you back off on Mon­day.’ or ‘Hey, man I’m com­ing through Cleve­land tomor­row and I’ve got an extra seat.’

It frus­trat­ed me ter­ri­bly to say no. I want to go root them on, I want to be there and help them fight. We did­n’t qual­i­fy the full 12 this year. Men’s epee only got one in. The mid­west­ern region is start­ing to get alot more com­pet­i­tive than in the past. I don’t know if we have a chance to win this year, it is always so very close. I wish I was going to be there with my video cam­era and I wish I was going to make the end of the year video for the team as I did in the past.

I miss being on a team. I miss fenc­ing with my friends. I miss team din­ners at Bruno’s and team par­ties and tail­gates. I miss the glo­ry. Now I’ve got a job in Cubi­cle­Land® and bills and ‘respon­si­bil­i­ty.’ I’ve also got to head to Indi­ana for my Grand­moth­er’s 80th birth­day this week­end. That should be a good time, see­ing the fam­i­ly and all. At the same time I wish I was going to be at Bran­deis.

Mary, Queen of Vic­to­ry, pray for us. Go Irish on three. 1…2…3.