“En garde. Ready. Fence!”
These three statements kick off every bout in fencing. You get into position, ready yourself for combat, and then you’re off. Joining the club fencing team here at Swarthmore has allowed me to experience this amazing sport and be a part of an incredible team. Fencing is one of my favorite parts of every week, and I always look forward to learning new techniques, refining my skills, and just having fun with the team at every practice.
I first joined the fencing team from the suggestion and encouragement of one of my friends. She had joined the team in the fall, and always talked about how much she enjoyed being on the team as well as the fun shenanigans the fencers were up to. She suggested that we all give it a try, so at the start of the spring semester, I took her up on it. I showed up to the first practice of the new semester and I was greeted by an incredibly welcoming team of amazing people. Everyone welcomed me and the other newbies (our affectionate term for new fencers) onto the team and got us caught up on all of the fundamentals of fencing. Within what felt like no time at all, we were ready to face each other in combat!
Though my first few bouts were far from perfect (and I do mean far from it), my skills have gradually improved the longer I’ve been on the team. I’ve gone from scoring no touches at all in bouts to being able to win against my opponent about half of the time. I’ve also gained many great new friends from the fencing team as well. Us fencers always say hello to each other when we cross paths on campus, and we also get together for events such as Second Dinner, which occurs after every practice, and involves fencers going to the Science Center Cafe to get a late night snack together. We also schedule team movie nights, karaoke nights, and have fun when traveling to compete in regional club competitions.
Fencing and other club sports here at Swarthmore are also great ways to stay active without having to commit to something as intensive as a varsity sport. Fencing, for example, only has 3 practices scheduled a week, and our coach recommends showing up to at least 2 of them. This allows me and other fencers to balance this activity with jobs, academics, and other pursuits here. Club sports also provide some PE credit, allowing you to knock out part of your PE requirements with a fun team sport! You also can get all of the gear you need for fencing from the club, so you won’t have to worry about buying a whole set of fencing equipment.
Fencing is an incredible sport full of fun and excitement, and getting to do it here at Swarthmore on such an amazing team makes it even better. The Swarthmore fencing team is one of my favorite things here on campus, and fencing is always something that I look forward to every week.
