o the casual observer, garnering a silver medal in the Olympics - something Brandeis alum Tim Morehouse and his saber mates did in Beijing last summer - would be enough.
Instead, Morehouse used his silver medal as a springboard for promoting fencing to schools, corporations and anyone else interested in listening to the top-ranked fencer in the United States.
Morehouse, who is also ranked 13th in the world, is in many ways akin to a star baseball player a half a century ago. He is a master of his craft, but the sport does not offer the financial rewards not to take up another job. Unlike countless European fencers who dedicate their entire life to training for professional fencing, Morehouse must balance a stringent training regimen with work.
Between the 2008 Olympics and the 2012 Games in London, Morehouse is ``going all out trying to train as much as the Europeans who train professionally.'' Helping him train is US National coach Yury Gelman. A typical day at the gym consists of five to six hours of rigorous training. And by the sounds of it, all the workouts are paying off.
At age 30, Morehouse feels he is in the best shape of his life. During the Pan-Am Games earlier this week in El Salvador, Morehouse picked up a bronze medal, while his team took home the gold. In the immediate future, Morehouse is hoping to win a medal at the World Championships in October.
``If I train right and work hard, I can have a long career,'' said Morehouse, who works for Teach For America when he is not fencing.
Morehouse hopes to fence another four to eight years, noting that there are many strong fencers well into their 30s. However, fencing is not immune from Father Time, as most fencers call it quits by age 40.
In the past year, upon his return from the Beijing Games, Morehouse spoke to more than 6,000 children about his journey from being a relatively obscure international fencer in 2000 to being an alternate at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. Morehouse is also a vibrant representative for Kid Fitness - an organization that helps youngsters live healthy lifestyles.
Since graduating Brandeis in 2000, Morehouse has visited over 40 countries in his fencing travels, including stops in Iran, China and Africa. In addition to competing in tournaments, Morehouse has been an active promoter of fencing.
``Biggest lesson - people are people. There's a lot more things people have in common (than differences),'' said Morehouse of what he learned from his travels.
Morehouse, who was never much of a traveler, made it a goal back in 2000 to be a participant in the Olympics. Now, he has a chance to make it to his third Olympics in London.
Fencing does not get the prime-time television coverage that basketball, swimming and gymnastics receive. However, if the word spreads about fencing, maybe Morehouse can grab a well-deserved spotlight.
Morehouse has two major long-term goals: win gold in London and ``promote the sport to new heights.''
Morehouse founded, and acts as a spokesperson for, Ten Thousand Fencers, an online community and network with the lofty goal of encouraging 10,000 people to give fencing a shot.
After graduating from Brandeis, Morehouse made the gutsy decision to travel around the world to promote himself as an international fencer and gain financial backing.
Morehouse has a chance to give thanks to the fencing program that put him in a position for international prominence when he is inducted into the Brandeis Hall of Fame this October.
``I'm excited to be back on campus,'' said Morehouse, who was tabbed an All-America three times as a Judge. ``Brandeis was a big part of my life. I'm honored in that way.''
Little did the world know, the Brandeis achievements were only the beginning.
For more information regarding Morehouse and his accomplishments, go to his Web site www.TimMorehouse.com.
