Want to create an interactive transcript for this episode?
Podcast: First to 15: The USA Fencing Podcast
Episode: Amy Wilson on Strategies That Work for Your Neurodivergent Fencers
Description: Season 2, Episode 14Guest: Amy Wilson — Nurse & Higher-Ed Simulation Specialist; youth fencing parent; advocate for neurodivergent athletesWhat we coverWhy “calm down” isn’t a strategy: replacing emotions (anger → engagement, under-arousal → activation)Fencing’s unique demands: fast decisions, constant stimuli, and doing it alone on the stripThe concept: regulate first, then choose to go explosive (“pull the pin on purpose”)Early warning signs of dysregulation: posture shifts, breath changes, jittering, gear fidgetingPrevention beats cleanup: proactive routines that keep athletes near the “middle” zoneWhy fencing can be g...