December 28, 2004

Pouj's Enduring Legacy

Yesterday, in the middle of this happy holiday season, I received news that I had been expecting to hear for awhile, but also, impossibly, hoping to never hear. My old maitré, Gerard Poujardieu, conceded his battle with cancer, just after midnight December 27th, 2004. Pouj was one of my first fencing coaches. When I was in college, I'd go home to San Antonio during the summers and holidays and fence at Salle Pouj. Maitré Pouj always was kind and gracious to me, and always willing to give me a lesson, or let me trade armoury work for strip time when funds were tight. He also helped me get started on the referee's path, helped me understand the hows and whys of calling actions properly, and most importantly, helped me devise a system for continuing to learn.

Over the years I would turn to him with a question about fencing or refereeing, or later on, coaching. His replies were occasionally caustic, often humorous, and always enlightening. I learned so much from him.

This past fall at the Longhorn Open at UT Austin, the fencers of the Southwest Section gathered to present Pouj with a lifetime achievement award. I was fortunate to see him again at that time. He was tired, and very sick, but still the energy and fight were there in his eyes. Pouj had heard (he always seemed to know everything that was going on, everywhere!) that I was opening my own fencing club. "Take care of your fencers!" he admonished me, in a voice barely above a whisper. "Remember, in the end its all about them. Teach them to fence, but also teach them to be good people. Do it by example, and the rewards will be enormous."

I will miss Pouj, and his impossibly Gaulic scowl that so often turned into a huge grin. I will miss his good works, his joy of fencing and his zest for life.

Good night Pouj. May I always strive to emulate your example.