Was I right?

In one of the posts over on Artemisia Militaris, someone asked the question of whether the new youth stickers affected how us old farts fought them. Basically, she wanted to know if we were taking it easy on the young fighters because they are young. Pretty unanimously the answer was no, but.... Later, I approached the fencer who'd posed the question and admitted that I had treated my fight with her in the Non-Don tourney differently, but it wasn't because she was young. It was because she was looking to become a cadet.

Okay, here's what happened. Yes, I gave her the best fight I could - she even commented on not being used to me being "all flowey and stuff" - but she's young, quick and not without skill whereas I'm old, slow and left relying on my skill and we ended in a double kill. Almost simultaneously, we head-shot each other. Her shot landed a fraction of a second before mine, but well after I'd started my shot. Now, if I'd been treating this as a serious tourney, I would have taken it as a double-kill and the call would have been beyond question. But I was in it for the fun (I'd make a lousy cadet, so there was no point in drawing attention to myself). She was, too, but I knew that the added visibility would do her quest good. So I gave her the bout, claiming (rightfully) that her touch landed first.

When I talked to her about it later, she said she didn't really need the extra exposure - and she's probably right: she's a good enough fencer that she'll go far without too much help - but she didn't mind what I'd done. After all, she'd had fun.

But looking back, I do have to ask if it was the right thing to do. At the time, I was sure of it. And, in this instance, no harm was done. But I've realized that if she wasn't such a confident young woman, it could have left her wondering if she'd have done so well if I hadn't "given" her the win.

Was this another one of those things I can add to my ever-growing list of ways not to become a Don?