By Susan Tart, UNC Journalist Student

Every family has its feuds, but not all families take it out on each other with swords.

For many of the athletes of the USA fencing team, the sport is a family affair.

“We’re just so ingrained in the sport, we love it to death,” said USA fencer, Keith Smart.

He and his sister Erinn are both competing in Beijing.

Kelley Hurley barely beat out her sister and training partner Courtney to compete at the Games.

“She was a little disappointed but she’s also happy to be here for me — hopefully,” Kelly Hurley said.

Kelley and Courtney’s parents are their coaches. Their mom says the competitive spirit can get intense at times.

“They don’t fence each other much because they can get kind of a sibling rivalry, so we try to let them fight other people as much as possible,” Tracy Hurley said.

When they do battle each other, they’re without their coaches.

“I don’t like to see them fight each other so we go away, come back and find out who won.”

Fencing might be an individual competition, but for these families, it seems more like a team sport.