21. Respect your opponent's skills...even
if you don't particularly like him.
20. When arguing a call with the director,
be polite and respectful; don't be an ass about it.
19. If a particular trick doesn't work the
first couple of times, f'Pete's sake, try something different!
18. There's nothing wrong with beating your
opponent 5-0 in the pool round.
17. In epee, check your tip screws after
each bout.
16. In foil, ensure your tip is still there
after each halt of action.
15. Don't be nasty to the people in your
pool...you'll most likely have one of them in the DE round.
14. If things aren't going your way, don't
get so upset that you lose your self control.
13. Show support for your salle mates when
they're fencing and you're not. Just one "Go get 'im!"
can make all the difference in the world.
12. Just as there's no such thing as an
atheist in a foxhole, there are no friends on the piste.
11. Don't stop until the director calls
"halt!"
10. Don't cheat or accuse others of doing so just so you can get another point, particularly when you're far ahead or vastly superior in skill to your opponent. You demean yourself and the sport when you do so.
9. Retreat, don't just run away...there's
a difference.
8. Finish the attack!
7. You may be big, tall and strong, but
remember that power means nothing without control.
6. Be gracious when you lose...more importantly,
be gracious when you win.
5. Don't look at the %$#@& box!!
4. Don't let yourself get psyched out by
a higher rated opponent...you never know when you're going to
be hot.
3. Have fun...not many people can stab a
total stranger with a long knife and get rewarded for it!
2. Never give up - even if you're down 14-0.