Alexandra Kiefer: En Garde
By Alex Kiefer, as told to Keri Collins Lewis
Alexandra Kiefer, 17, and her sister, Lee, 15, are among the top ranking fencers in the world. Weapon of choice: foil. They’re under the tutelage of Maestro Amgad Khazbak. Both have competed in the Junior Olympics, Cadet World Cups, Junior World Cups, and Lee recently represented the United States in Ireland at the Junior and Cadet World Championships.
Traveling all the way to Germany to lose to my sister seems so pointless. We practice against each other all the time—at least four days a week, for two to three hours at a time. And sure, I don’t always lose to her, but why go through the hassle of missing school, packing my clothes, dealing with airport security and jet lag . . . to face Lee?
 Because that’s what we do. We fence. Competitively. At the national and international level. And you don’t get to pick your opponent; you just hope you’re fencing your best. So, it’s pretty intense. It’s pretty strange, too, because Lee knows everything that I’m going to do and I know everything she’s going to do, but someone’s got to win, and someone’s got to lose. And even though she usually wins, I’d rather lose to her than anyone else. If I’m going to be beaten by one of the best fencers in the world, at least I can take comfort in the fact that I’m prettier, smarter, and funnier (just kidding.)
Sometimes it’s frustrating that people think fencing is a joke—like they can just pick up a stick, poke me with it, and call it fencing. Lee and I started lessons when I was about 8 years old, after seeing our dad compete at a local tournament. It took a couple of years before we were good enough to win small tournaments at our club, and at least two more years before we started winning national medals. Fencing isn’t like other sports that have daily practice and multiple games during the week. Sure, we have to train, be disciplined, and stay focused like any athlete, but we have one or two tournaments a month. Plus, fencing is such a small sport that we have more opportunities to fence at the national and international levels. I know all of the top fencers in the U.S., and I fence with them all of the time.
Another crazy idea people have about fencing is that it hurts, or even that people get killed. Honestly, why would I participate in fencing if that were the case? Our fencing equipment is built for protection: an underarm protector, a chest protector, a jacket, knickers, knee-length socks, a mask, a glove, and a weapon. (Quick quiz: What are the three weapons in fencing? Foil, saber, and épée!) No matter what kind of an argument Lee and I may be having at home, the goal in fencing is to score points, not to injure your opponent. Trust me, when you’re constantly facing your friends and family members, you all do your best to minimize the jabbing.
Outside of fencing, I think Lee and I are pretty normal. We’re both straight-A students in spite of being really bad procrastinators, and we love to hang out with our friends. The things that make us good students—like hard work and competitiveness—also help in fencing. And while I don’t necessarily avoid unhealthy foods (candy is my weakness), I do avoid overeating and excessive snacking. Another component of staying healthy is avoiding drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. I am simply not curious about anything that has the potential to endanger my health and my competitive fencing career. I am content with the feeling that winning gives me, and to use drugs or drink alcohol would be to ruin this feeling. Fencing is a huge component of my life, and succeeding after putting so much heart into it is the only “high” that I need to be satisfied.
What does the future hold? College . . . and NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) fencing. Maybe the Olympics. Medical school. Hopefully less losing to Lee, but if not, I’m already over it. Besides, if I’m ever in the mood to beat up on someone, there’s always my little brother, Axel. We may not be able to compete against each other because men and women always fence separately, but there’s nothing wrong with a little friendly family competition!
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