What happened today?

Dear Fencers and Parents,
As sit here exhausted from a very long day in the gym, cool new socks off, cold pizza by side, and a tall glass of milk, I am trying to wrap my mind around what you all did today??!!
We are stunned. We watched fencers out there today. Even those of you who are telling yourself (YES YOU!) that you did not do well by the score, fenced. None of you sat there and let the opponent do whatever they wanted. You fenced and you fought. Excellent job!
Usually there are a predictable few who we expect to do well. But today there were many, many first year fencers, fencers who have struggled for a couple years, fencers we have watched for many years suddenly fence beyond what they (or we) imagined possible!
I do not tell you this just to make you blush! We know why it happened. It was not the socks (no matter how cool they are!). Practice this week was different than before break. This past week there was a definite change. Many of you stopped playing around and stopped going through the motions. The intensity increased, the speed, the focus, the energy were all there. Even before the meet, we (your coaches) had noticed the change this week.
I hope you have seen that how you practice is how you fence. You need to always practice with intensity, focus, and purpose. Look what you did with 2 days. What could you do with another week (the Blake meet)? or 2 weeks (to Midwest)? How about 6 weeks (to States)? If today were states at least Men's Sabre wins the team event (they are the only one I checked).
Parents!- Thank you so much for all the work you do to support your fencers and our team. While your children make each other feel welcome on the fencing team, you are making each other welcome on the Parent Team! The food you provide, the time you spend, the conversations we have make this truly a team activity. Without you this team would be much less than it is.
So we sit here exhausted. Totally, mentally, and emotionally drained. And we are thrilled! See you Tuesday!

Bob, Jenni, Bob