Source: sportsYou
Have you watched the fencing matches during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games? The bouts occurred in the “Le Grand Palais”, a historical site and museum with huge pillars, arches, and domes. It was almost as if ancient sword fighting was recreated there as a modern sport. Fencing is a thrilling, fast-paced combat sport that races the hearts of players and audiences alike. Lee Kiefer, representing Team USA, won gold this summer in women’s individual foil fencing.
Meanwhile, students in the Millennium John Jay Girls Varsity Fencing Team have also worked hard. As excitement builds for the boys’ fencing season, let’s recap the triumphs the girls’ team achieved during the spring of 2024.
Who were the superstars of the 2024 girls’ fencing season?
The 2024 girls’ regular fencing season began in late February and ended in late May with five spectacular wins and only three losses. Additionally, Nia Lawrence, Isabel Tse, and Sydney Williams came out on top during NYC city-wide individual and novice tournaments. Our victorious season ended with John Jay Campus winning the Foil Championships at playoffs, for the first time in many years of our sports team history
Basics of fencing
There are three types of fencing: Foil, Epee, and Saber. John Jay’s fencing team is under The Public Schools Athletic League PSAL) and offers Foil and Epee. The Foil target area is only the torso, unlike Epee in which hitting any body part can get one point. When the sensor on the tip of the blade touches the opponent, a light goes off on the scoring machine. In Epee, if the lights of both opponents go off simultaneously on the machine, then they both receive one point. However, foil consists of a concept called “right of way”. If both lights light up at the same time, then the person who has “right of way” gets the point. To earn “right of way”, one must first threaten the opponent’s target area or perform a parry action (deflecting an incoming attack). These rules set apart the fencing style of the two disciplines- Epee fencers tend to be slower and more careful, while Foil fencing is more fast-paced. However, both types can be extremely tiring and require great skills to master.
What do the fencers think?
“I liked making more friends, learning new skills, and thought that the tournaments were a very good experience to have for the future,” says Chloe Yang. The current sophomore at Millennium High School joined the team during her freshman year. Chloe said she started fencing because the sport “required more tactics than brute strength.” The combination of complex footwork incorporated with fast blade movements only made the sport more exciting for her and many others. When the season first started, Chloe found everything to be very difficult, especially learning the concept of “right of way” for foil fencers. However, during this season, many returning members along with Coach Tan guided new players in which they were able to improve rapidly and play like a pro over three months. Additionally, many fencers with little to no experience had many opportunities to participate in competitions against other schools and individual tournaments.
For Nicole Malanska, it was all about the thrill of fencing. As a Millennium High School sophomore, Nicole’s fencing experiences as a freshman during the 2024 season were as exciting as Chloe’s. Nicole had prior fencing experience from when she was younger. The opportunity provided by the John Jay Fencing team made her get back into the sport. She stated that the tight-knit community along with the “adrenaline that comes with the sport” made this season especially enjoyable. She said that it was difficult to “incorporate everything I’ve learned when I’m actually fencing”. Learning new skills can be exciting, however learning how to apply it during fast-paced matches takes a lot of practice. The Novice Tournament was one of Nicole’s favorite moments of the season. The Novice Tournament is coordinated by the PSAL and hosted at Long Island City High School. The competition was beginner-friendly, making it great practice for those who are just starting their fencing journey.
Lastly, one aspiring female athlete in my grade has wanted to fence since 6th grade. Ju Won’s sister recommended the sport years ago which made her intrigued. However, her dream of trying out the sport was never fulfilled due to COVID-19 and the fencing team disbanding at her middle school. She immediately joined when she found out that the John Jay Girls Fencing team offered her an opportunity. “My favorite moment was practicing my first bout. I think that this was my favorite moment because, at that time, I realized that, after all those years of waiting, I finally had a chance to try fencing.” The rising athlete enjoys fencing because of “the discipline and focus that it requires.” Since the sport is fast-paced, fencers have to be quick on their feet and thinking. The 2024 Girls Fencing Season was a wonderful experience for many people.
Want to join the team?
To join the victorious John Jay Girls Fencing Team, you need dedication, strength, and endurance to compete. The team provides a great opportunity for new players who are interested in the sport at a low cost and require little to no fencing experience. Along with the guidance from Coach Tan and other experienced fencers, many novices have shown exponential improvements in just three months. Joining the team also opens the door to making new friends from Millennium High School and Millennium Brooklyn High School.
Final thoughts
Fencing can help improve one’s physical and mental skills, but most importantly, it’s a fun sport! This sport can be extremely expensive outside of school, so many are extremely grateful, including myself, for the opportunity that the John Jay Fencing Team offers. It has positively impacted students as many have found a new hobby. During high school, joining a sports team can not only increase bonds between each other but also play a role in relieving academic stress. Overall, the 2024 Girls Fencing Season was successful, and I believe that future seasons will also give new fencers who are passionate about the sport, a chance to experience the magnificence of fencing.
