Fencer Spotlight

Fencing is a sport that has been around for centuries, dating back to the 1700s, and has been part of the Olympics since 1896. Fencing is not just one sport, it is multiple different sports with a variety of swords and differing rules. Most of them have the same basic rules: You hit the opponent, you receive a point, and first to five wins. In epee, one of the three most popular fencing weapons, features duels where the competitors can hit, or touch, each other anywhere such as the chest, the mask or the foot. Other types of fencing include foil, where the weapons are lighter, and sabre, where you don’t have stab the opponent, but instead just hit them with the blade to earn a point. There are no other rules, just don’t kick or punch people. But just like every other sport, fencing has some ‘unwritten rules’ such as the proper way to execute actions, called ‘form’. This takes years of repetition and practice to get down. I have been fencing epee for four years now and used to do eleven hours a week, and the person who has probably helped me the most is Isaac.

FHS Sophomore Isaac Ive was born in Sweden and lived there for most of his life, until he moved to the US in seventh grade, three years ago. He has been fencing since second grade, for the last eight years. Right before he moved to America, he was number one in Sweden in the 12 year olds and younger division, and since has racked up 39 medals, ranging from eighth place (rarely) to first (also rarely). Recently, he was worried about the prospect of fencing up to 18 year olds, but he’s been calmer about it since winning a gold medal in the Junior division, with an age range from 13 to 18. “I was surprised when I got the gold,” Isaac mentioned,”Everyone was expecting top 8 at the most, most certainly not first.”

I asked what he did to keep in shape, and he mentioned weightlifting but he mainly just fences a lot. For eight hours a week, he’s at the club, working on his form. Classes are generally two hours long, with 10 minutes of running, 10 minutes of jump roping, and stretching. After this, for the next one and a half hours, it’s completely up to the coach. Sometimes all they do is fence each other until class is over, and other days they practice form until dismissal. “Fencing isn’t just about stabbing each other,” he details,”you need to have proper form, you can’t just lunge and throw your whole body weight at them, you’ll get hit. Everything between speed and distance to your opponent needs to be controlled, or you won’t hit your mark.”

Next time you walk by a fencing academy, look inside. Ask if there’s a tryout class. You might just have found your new favorite sport.