Mario Rodriguez, former Air Force Sgt, advises fellow paraplegics
Mario Rodriguez, a member of the U.S. Paralympic fencing team and former Air Force staff sergeant, is one such athlete competing at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London.
Former Air Force Staff Sgt. Mario Rodriguez, right, a member of the 2012 U.S. Paralympic fencing team, squares off with France’s Ludov LeMoine at London’s ExCel Centre during the Paralympic Games, Sept. 4, 2012. (DOD photo/Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.)
“I was a Russian translator for just under four years with the Air Force,” Rodriguez said. “I really loved the job. I liked serving my country, being at the forefront of things. And the other part of that was just basically being part of something bigger than myself. I think that’s kind of how I ended up in sports, because [I enjoy] being part of a team, [building teams], and doing thing together to make things happen.”
Rodriguez said he served his lone Air Force tour stationed on the Greek island of Crete. He elected to have his leg removed in 1992 after an untreatable tumor was discovered. It was then that he discovered wheelchair fencing and began his career.
Rodriguez said he stepped away from the fencing in 2004, but later the appeal of coaching young, talented fencers brought him back.
“Between 2008 and now, I kind of got coached back into the [fencing] circuit,” Rodriguez said. “Basically, what happened was we have a couple of younger athletes that really piqued my interest, and I wanted to see them do well.”
Rodriguez noted that as he went to some of the same tournaments and had some success, such as taking the gold medal in Brazil’s zonal championships, he built a rapport with the younger athletes.
Rodriguez also talked about his preparation for Paralympic competition and the advice he gives to younger competitors.
“I think before, the key to my success was overtraining,” he said. “I’ve got to a point in my career where overtraining is definitely detrimental to my being able to stay on the mark. What I [would] tell anyone these days is the most important thing is being able to find a good, healthy sports regimen and not overdoing it.”
The Paralympic fencer also said “it’s a very, very fine edge to ride on when you’re training for something like the Paralympics or any elite sport.
“You have to take care of yourself,” he continued. “If you overdo it, then you can’t do your personal best. You’ve got to stay in good physical shape, good mental shape, and just be consistent.”
At the end of the day, the Air Force veteran said, he’s just happy to represent his country in the Paralympic Games.
“I feel like I’ve gotten a lot of support,” Rodriguez said. “I looked out in the stands and saw several members of our team — not just people in the fencing community, but from other sports as well. So that really pushed me to do the best I could.”
Former Air Force Staff Sgt. Mario Rodriguez, left, a member of the 2012 U.S. Paralympic fencing team, selects his weapon before the start of a bout at London’s ExCel Centre during the Paralympic Games, Sept. 4, 2012. (DOD photo/Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.)
Former Air Force Staff Sgt. Mario Rodriguez, right, a member of the 2012 U.S. Paralympic fencing team, prepares to enter a bout with Wing Kin Chan of Hong Kong as officials measure the distance between the two athletes at London’s ExCel Centre during the Paralympic Games, Sept. 4, 2012. (DOD photo/Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.)
