family business; Siblings Keeth and Erinn Smart give fencing an all-American flair.

Byline: David Colman

When Keeth and Erinn Smart joined the venerable Fencers Club, they had no idea what they were getting into. The closest they had ever gotten to a saber was Luke Skywalker's glowing one at the movies. After all, their dad had signed them up hoping simply to give them an edge for college scholarships. Little did he know his kids would become America's biggest hope for an Olympic medal-in a discipline that's a throwback to Victorian times.

But Keeth and Erinn, two shy 20-somethings from Brooklyn, may update that image. Admittedly, it will be a challenge. In the heat of August, all eyes turn to Olympians in splashier sports-the swimmers, the sprinters, those sprightly gymnasts. If you take the time to hang with Keeth and Erinn, though, you'll find that beneath the storm trooper-like suits are a pair of national champions who combine a beach volleyball player's laid-back cool with a boxer's killer instincts. "If you lose, it's your fault, not someone else's. You have to hold yourself accountable," says Keeth, who, remarkably, has a full-time job in finance. His greatest asset is ...