CHESAPEAKE, VA (WTKR)- The recent Olympics opened some people's eyes to sports with which they may not have previously been familiar. Team USA posted a good showing in fencing, so News 3 took a visit to a local club to learn more.
"There's nothing like going out to stab people in the evening after you've been working all day," joked Tim Vincent, who is the president and a coach at Tidewater Fencing Club.
Vincent spends his days at a desk during his day job, but uses his evenings to pass down fencing skills. He became hooked on the sport during his college days, but, like many of his students, his interest was peaked as a kid.
"Early age, Star Wars," he laughed. "The light-sabre battles, that kind of thing, early interest in swords from that and other movies and things like that."
"I've actually always wanted to do it, ever since I was 13," added fencer Sarah Dickerson. "I first watched it at the Olympics one year at my grandmother's house and it was just so cool then. I mean, it was sword-fighting, right?"
"I was watching Princess Bride with my family and I was told it's the only movie, or one of the only movies, that has actual fencing in it," smiled 14-year old Gidget Schlossberg. "I was like 'wow that's really cool!'"
Schlossberg is a student at Tidewater Fencing Club. She, Dickerson and many others work hard to take their stabs at the mental and physical aspects of the sport, techniques that make the sport unique. It's an effort that can be quite rewarding for those learning the art of fencing.
"It gives you being able to handle the pressure of it all being on you, but also knowing that you're doing this for a team and that you're representing other people," the 14-year old up-and-coming fencer noted.
"It's basically work on every level," added Dickerson. "It is a physical workout, it's a flexibility workout, it's a stamina workout and, above all else, it's a mental workout, too."
"It's often referred to as physical chess,' Vincent pointed out. "It's you versus one other person and you have to see what they're doing and come up with a strategy and a solution like that."
Sabre, foil and epee are the three divisions of fencing. The difference between the three has to do with the types of weapons used and what kind of contact with opponents gets competitors points. All three, however, require strong footwork, focus and flexibility.
The attention to detail is key and there is a lot to remember, especially with a weapon coming at the participant, but at the end of the bout, win or lose, enjoyment is the key factor that keeps these fencers coming back.
"It's just a lot of fun to be able to come out and just do something that's completely unlike any other activity you could possibly find," Vincent said.
"I feel like people think it's way easier and they haven't tried it," added Schlossberg. "I feel like you can't judge something if you haven't tried it yet."
For more information on Tidewater Fencing Club, click here. The club welcomes fencers of all ages and abilities.
