Fencing 101
Basic information about sabre fencing.
Did You Know?
• Fencing is one of nine original ports in the modern Olympics and one of only four sports to be included in every Olympics since 1896.
• Fencing uses 3 weapons: sabre, epee, and foil. Each has its own style and set of rules. In the 2000 Olympic Games, women competed in foil and epee only. Now there are women’s sabre world championships, and women's sabre in the 2004 Olympic Games.
• In 2004, there were 18 individual and 54 team medals available at the Olympics.
• At the 2004 Olympics, American women Mariel Zagunis won Gold, and Sada Jacobson won Bronze in the first Olympics to have Sabre as a women’s event.
• In Olympic sports, only a bullet moves faster than the tip of a fencing blade.
• 16 out of U.S. News & World Report's top 25 national universities have fencing programs, and many offer scholarships. About 98% of all collegiate fencers graduate from college.
What are the benefits of fencing?
Fencing develops balance, coordination, concentration, strategic reasoning, discipline, self-esteem, strength, and stamina. Fencing participation is possible at many levels: Olympic Games, NCAA, club/recreational, from age 5 to veteran (over 40). The sport can be a life-long pursuit and offers many educational and travel opportunities.
College Admissions: Fencing makes a difference!
The
December 1999 issue of Smart Money magazine lists
fencing as one of the premier extra-curricular
activities that will help get a student admitted
to a competitive university. A college counselor
is quoted as follows: "Do you know how many times
schools have said to me,'Don't you have any fencers
you can send our way?'?" A parent of fencers says,
"Part of the reason I got involved (in fencing)
was that it was a hook for college...it will help
to make my daughters a little more marketable.
There are so many kids that are so alike these
days; it's something that stands out."
"Fencing was clearly the key factor involved in
my being admitted to Columbia University, New
York University, and St. John's University." -Diane
Lackner, women's sabre fencer, Fencing Athletic
Club of K.C.
Of the U.S. News & World Reports top 25 national
universities, 16 have fencing programs and many
offer scholarships and about 98% of all collegiate
fencers graduate. There are over 70 colleges that
recruit competitive fencers including:
Harvard
Princeton
Yale
Columbia
NYU
Rutgers
St.
Johns
University
of Pennsylvania
Penn
State
Ohio
State
Notre
Dame
Air
Force Academy
University
of North Carolina
Duke
University
of Chicago
Northwestern
Stanford
FAC-KC
fencers have been accepted to the following universities
for NCAA fencing:
Boston
College
Brandeis
University
Columbia
University
Cornell
University
NYU
Rutgers
University
Tufts
University
We
know that each of our fencers has the potential
to go far. Fencing is becoming increasingly more
popular--come be a part of the future of FAC-KC
and the sport of sabre fencing!
