In an age where pat sayings such as "Winning is everything" and "Second place is the first loser" seem to dominate the world of sports, it is refreshing to find an individual who appreciates sports for what they are: games. Throughout the last three y ears, fencer Ivan Kerbel, BK '96, has not just preoccupied himself with the the elusive pursuit of victory, but in pursuit of his personal goal: to fence with dignity and grace.
Instead of concentrating on destroying his opponent, Kerbel looks inward to the competition against himself for motivation. He judges each contest on how he performs and behaves in the arena. He explains that this method of self-evaluation makes mor e sense because one cannot control the performance of the opponent. "At times you fence really well and lose, at other times you fence terribly and you win," Kerbel said.
Furthermore, in the athletic experience, the records are not what matter, but the lessons learned and the experiences shared with teammates. He explained, "I'm not going to remember my records. I won't remember all the wins and losses. To me, fencing at Yale has been more about my teammates and working on fencing itself."
Despite this casual attitude towards the pursuit of athletic glory, in his four years at Yale Kerbel has obtained more than his fair share of laurels. Last year, he was named second team All-Ivy, first team All-International Federation Association, an d he finished 17th at the NCAA Championships.
This year has been no different for the senior foiler. As the captain of the foil squad, he has helped lead the team throughout its championship season. And Sat., Feb. 24, Kerbel was instrumental in helping clinch the Ivy Championship. In the match ag ainst Harvard, Kerbel emerged triumphant in all of his bouts.
To Kerbel, his many experiences as a Yale fencer are especially important because they are a fulfillment of a life-long dream. As a child growing up in Milford, Conn., he would often make the trip to New Haven to watch the powerful Yale teams of the l ate '80s and early '90s. "I'd watch them and when they were on, it was awesome to watch. They were pumped and giving each other high fives," Kerbel said.
Now, as a senior it can be said that Kerbel is a credit to the program he used to watch in awe. His efforts in and out of competition have proved that he is eveything one could ask for from an athlete. Put simply, he is a fencer and a gentleman.
-Charles Riely
Copyright 1996, The Yale Herald, Inc. All rights reserved.
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