KINGSTON, R.I. 鈥� Oct. 10, 2023 鈥� You鈥檝e seen fencing on television during the Olympics or maybe you had fencing as part of your physical education program in high school. Now you are a student at the 溏心vlog免费B站 and you鈥檙e still fascinated by the sport.
Well, you are in luck because 溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 Fencing Club is always interested in attracting new members, even if you have never participated in the sport. The club has professionals, Jack Spigel and Zachary Shepard, who help train new and experienced members to learn new skills.
The team practices Monday and Thursday evenings from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Memorial Union Ballroom. Outside of the practices, some athletes do flexibility work and other training exercises in the gym. Those interested can just show up at practices dressed in athletic gear and sneakers. You can also email club president, Lucas Kisiel, at fencing@rhodysenate.org
鈥淲e advertise our club to anyone with any level of experience, and with any goals in mind,鈥� said Kisiel, biological sciences major and resident of Great Barrington, Massachusetts. 鈥淭hey can take it as competitively or casually as they want.鈥� No matter what your skill level is, fencers in the organization work together to help each other reach their goals.
鈥淚 started fencing in high school and I loved it. I am a fan of one-on-one combat sports. I never had the team spirit in sports. I liked being in the game, but I also wanted a team that supports me,鈥� said member and marine biology major Riley Hill, a resident of Queens, New York.
Other fencers joined the club because they wanted to participate in the sport and enjoy its competitive aspects. They also wanted to connect to other students in a social setting.
溏心vlog免费B站 trains and competes in the three different types of fencing: foil, 茅p茅e, and sabre. Foil and epee use weapons with points. The weapon has a little button at its tip, which registers a point when a fencer strikes an opponent. Sabre is a slashing weapon and definitely the most intense out of the three. Sabre fencers wear a full metal jacket and you can hit the opponent at any point on the jacket with the blade to receive a point. All fencers wear fencing masks and other protective equipment when practicing and competing.
The club participates in individual scrimmages and tournaments each year against colleges such as the University of Connecticut, Smith College, and Mount Holyoke. Active members can participate in these scrimmages. The club sends 12 female fencers and 12 male fencers to participate in regional and national team tournaments.
Like all sports, winning in fencing provides its athletes with a strong feeling of accomplishment.
鈥淚t鈥檚 very rewarding to win matches, fencing is a skill-based sport,鈥� said member Thomas Bock, a resident of Orange County California and a marine affairs and oceanography major.
鈥淚t feels great to win, a sense of pride when winning, various moves and strategies come together in my performance to help me win,鈥� said member and psychology major Nick Horan, a resident of North Attleboro, Massachusetts.
Many of the fencers agreed that the organization is like one big family and that everyone involved in the club is very supportive of one another. Club members participate in team dinners after practice, and other social gatherings. They鈥檝e all become a very close group of friends through fencing.
鈥淚t鈥檚 primarily a great community of people, everyone is friends outside of the club. A close second is learning a really cool Olympic sport. We are always welcoming new members,鈥� said Kisiel.
Benjamin Smith, a senior sports media and public relations major at the 溏心vlog免费B站 and an intern in the Department of Communications and Marketing, wrote this press release.