The Omnibus

Issue date: 9/14/07 Section: In the Spotlight

Two fencing club members take their stances to begin a bout. The group meets at 5 p.m. Monday and Thursday nights in Goodson Student Union. All students, faculty and staff are invited to attend. [Click to enlarge]

Last fall, Southwest Baptist gained a unique facet to its array of clubs and activities.
Twice a week, chairs are cleared from the lounge area of Goodson Student Union, and the clashing of sabers and foils can be heard over the usual din as students sharpen their fencing skills.
Danny Richard, the president of the Fencing Club, has been fencing for over twenty years.
Why did he start the organization as a student here?
"Well, the freshman fifteen, which were the freshman twenty-five to me, was a big incentive," said Richard. "Also, a lot of interest was shown last year,and after talking to some different people it seemed that there was a lot of desire to start a group."
None of the first members of the group last year had any prior experience in the fencing world, but after a year of practice, they are seasoned veterans.
Beginning fencing students practice basic stances and footwork, learning the proper spacing between themselves and their opponent, mimicking moves and learning basic body movements without weapons or equipment.
Richard says he recommends about eight class sessions of practicing footwork to aid with muscle memory then the trainee is ready to begin practicing with the foil, epee and saber, the three types of weapons used in the sport.
For protection, participants must don the standard uniform: the glove, jacket and face mask.
However, for fencing club purposes, students do not need to provide their own equipment, but need only a good pair of athletic shoes.
After about a year of training, if a participant is interested in pursuing fencing into the tournament arena, they will eventually require a set of equipment, which runs anywhere from $90 for a standard set to $290 for top of the line.
About fifteen new members have joined the group as beginners this year while the more experienced members serve as teachers and work on sharpening their own skills.

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