News Detail (Connections)

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On Guard

1/9/2020

Laura Hamlin Weiler ’00, Head of Community Engagement

Justin Dabney ’21 applies lessons learned in fencing to school and life

Justin Dabney ’21 says that Trinity teachers are always encouraging students to try something new and push themselves. He took this to heart in in November 2018 when he received a Groupon voucher to try the sport of fencing. He went to his initial visit to the Richmond Fencing Club with an open mind and a willingness to learn. Now, barely one year into the sport, Dabney has already competed in a Junior Olympics qualifier and earned two ratings, which signify a high level of performance. Dabney hopes to earn another rating this year.

Dabney has been active his entire life, and he likes to venture down the road less taken. Being left-handed with long limbs and quick reflexes makes Dabney well-suited for fencing, and his commitment to four practices per week has made him a quick study. While competing in tournaments most weekends, Dabney has made many friends, though most live outside of the Richmond area. Says Dabney, “Fencing has given me more connections with different types of people than I would normally encounter and makes me a more versatile person.”

Fencing matches involve three three-minute bouts that require strategy, endurance, and footwork with the ultimate goal of being the first fencer to touch your opponent 15 times or to post the most touches within the bout. Dabney has especially enjoyed the strategy element of the sport, “[When the match does not go well], you know what you are doing isn't working yet you don't know why. In fencing I have to figure out the problem and adjust.” This has applied to other areas of his life as well, such as academics. “It translates in my classes because instead of making excuses, I figure out how to compensate for the mistake and do better.”

Dabney has become a student of the game and enjoys watching others compete at tournaments and online.“My favorite part is winning, and I also love learning new techniques.” In terms of winning, Dabney has placed highly in several tournaments and earned his first tournament win in November.

Equally as important as results, though, are the lessons Dabney is learning about himself. “It has made me more accountable. Fencing teaches you to adjust, to change your mindset and to have success because you can't rely on a team. This has translated to all areas of my life because I can't rely on someone else to do it.”

Dabney plans to see how far he can go. College programs do exist, however his ultimate goal is becoming a surgeon. His early work with a fencing foil has shown precision, focus, and fortitude, all attributes that bode well for his future, whatever road less traveled that he takes.

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About “Connections”

Connections is a regular online column, written from the first-person perspective of Laura Hamlin Weiler ’00, Head of Community Engagement:

In this space, I have the privilege of sharing stories of Trinity students, alumni, and faculty and staff who are carrying our mission beyond the boundaries of campus. Many of these stories might not make the headlines, but they will illustrate how every member of the Trinity community has a unique path to discover, and the ability to make an impact on both the Trinity community and the world beyond.

I am fortunate to have been a part of this community since my own adolescence. I have been a student, a teacher, a coach, and an administrator, and in these roles I have witnessed the school’s growth and evolution through the years. We have grown in size as well as spirit.

Stories here will capture how seeds planted at Trinity have taken root and flourished into full-grown passions. You’ll also read stories of those in our community who bring their gifts from outside to help us learn. At Trinity, we seek to develop lifelong learners, and stories here will illustrate real-life examples of that beautiful symbiosis.