Fencing in the News

[LongBlade]

Fencing Body Grilled on Harsh Punishment
By Kim Hyun-cheol
Staff Reporter
The Korea Times
South Korea
1/9/06

times.hankooki.com/lpage/sports/200601/kt2006010917400311640.htm

Since opening in March 2004, there has been only a tad over 100 messages left on the free Web board of the Korean Fencing Federation (KFF) site.


In this Aug. 26, 2003 file photo, Nam Hyun-hee of South Korea reacts after winning a gold medal in the women¡¯s individual foil event of the Daegu Universiade, after beating Olga Lobyntseva of Russia 15-7 in the final. /Yonhap

However, about 30 more were added on Jan. 4, when the sports-governing body announced punitive steps against Nam Hyun-hee, a 25-year-old national team female foil fencer, for having had cosmetic surgery without permission. Nam was a pivotal member in the South Korean team as it clinched the first gold medal in a team event at last year's World Championship in Germany.

The number of new postings surged drastically to near 600 after Jan. 6. On that day, the KFF decided to ban her from any kind of competition for two years, practically forcing her to quit her career. The vast majority of the messages criticize the harshness of the punishment, saying the action is simply too much for the misconduct Nam conducted.

While staying at Taenung Training Center, a sports training complex for the national team athletes, in December, Nam had eyelid surgery due to a problem with her eyelashes on a weekend. However, without reporting further, she had an additional fat-injection treatment on her cheeks, and failed to attend her daily training program for a few days because of her swollen face.

As soon as it found out about the case, the KFF expelled Nam from the center on Dec. 26, before imposing the unexpected and shocking punishment on her for an unprecedented case in Korean fencing history.

"It's a hurtful decision, especially for Nam, but also an inevitable one for the sport prior to some major events like the Asian Games and the 2008 Olympics," said Oh Won-suk, the KFF vice president.

He acknowledged the intensive conclusion in regard to setting an example for such cases, hinting it could commute the punitive decision later on.

It is, however, also possible that the KFF might go even further, as the organization is planning to stretch the disciplinary process to Nam's coaches _ in both the national team and her Seoul City club.

National team coach Lee Sung-woo, in spite of the achievement with the team last year, might not keep his job if the KFF board, slated for next week, determines to break its contract with him.

[LongBlade]

Fencing classes offered over eight Thursdays
The Jackson Citizen-Patriot
Jackson, MI, USA
1/9/06

www.mlive.com/sports/jacitpat/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/113682450589880.xml&coll=3

The Jackson High School Fencing Club is offering classes to people of all ages and skill levels. Lessons begin Thursday at the Paragon Academy gym, 3750 McCain Road.

Classes will run for eight weeks from 7 to 9 p.m. each Thursday. For more information, call Jeff Peterson at [phone].

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Aiuto, Annunziato and Shon Qualify for Junior Olympics
Annunziato qualifies for the second-straight year[/b][/color]
NUSports.com
Evanston, IL, USA
Jan. 9, 2006

nusports.collegesports.com/sports/w-fenc/recaps/010906aaa.html

EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern's women's fencing team hosted the Illinois Junior Qualifier this weekend at Patten Gym in Evanston, Ill. Sophomores Gabrielle Aiuto (Great Neck, N.Y./Grat Neck North) and Gina Annunziato (Bernardsville, N.J./Bernards) both successfully qualified. Freshman Adrienne Shon (San Diego, Calif./The Bishop's School) also qualified. Annunziato and Shon qualified in sabre and Aiuto in the epée division.


Gabrielle Aiuto qualified for the Junior Olympics.

Aiuto finished fourth, Annunziato second and Shon fourth in their respective weapons.

The women's fencing team is next in action when they travel to Houston, Texas for the USFA North America Cup (Div. I/Jr.). The first day of competition is Jan. 13.

[LongBlade]

Women's Fencing Headed To Netherlands
Johns Hopkins fencers will spend ten days training and touring in the Netherlands
Johns Hopkins Blue Jays Athletics
Baltimore, MD, USA
Jan. 10, 2006

hopkinssports.collegesports.com/sports/w-fenc/spec-rel/011006aaa.html

BALTIMORE, MD - The Johns Hopkins women's fencing team will train and compete in the Netherlands for ten days from January 12 through January 22, 2006, at the national training center in Arnhem.


Dutch fencers, says Hopkins
coach Jim Murray, are among
the top-trained in the world.

"The Dutch have excellent coaches and fencing facilities," Johns Hopkins head coach Jim Murray said. "Most people think of France or Italy when it comes to international fencing but, while this is accurate, one should not overlook the Netherlands in terms of experienced and well-trained fencers."

A typical day will find Hopkins working out in the mornings at the national training center, spending the afternoons touring and site seeing, and finally competing at the local clubs in the evenings.

"It will be a great mix of high-level fencing and cultural elements," Murray said. "Our location in Arnhem, which is the site of a World War II parachute landing, has us in the center of the country's fencing scene in addition to many art museums and other places of interest."

The Johns Hopkins team returns for an additional week of intersession training before meeting Vassar, Cornell, and Army at host Drew University on January 29.

[LongBlade]

NU’s fab five: Cats add two more to Junior Olympic field (Fencing)
by Annie Martin
Wildcat Sports Journal
The Daily Northwerstern
Evanston, IL, USA
January 10, 2006

www.dailynorthwestern.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2006/01/09/43c1f6524b861

Although sophomore Gina Annunziato couldn’t reclaim her status as a first place finisher after losing an intense bout in the Illinois Junior Olympic Qualifier on Saturday at Patten Gym, she’s still looking forward to her last opportunity to compete in the Junior Olympics (JO), which she missed last year due to illness.

“I’m glad I qualified, but I wish I could have beat (my opponent),” Annunziato said.

Annunziato placed second in the Women’s U-20 sabre competition — one of three weapons divisions — which she won last year. Sabre fencers usually strive to swipe or slash rather than poke their opponents.

“(My goals are) placing in the top 32 and having fun because it’s my last one, and just doing the best that I can,” Annunziato said.


Jarrett Rodrigues, 16, goes up against Sam Sellinger, 17, at the Illinois Junior Olympic Qualifier on Saturday at Patten Gym. Two Northwestern fencers qualified for the Junior Olympics at the event. Photo: Andrea Bachus

Sophomore Gabby Aiuto took fourth in the Women’s U-20 epée competition and also qualified for JO, which will be held Feb. 17-20 in Hartford, Conn. Aiuto qualified for JO during her senior year of high school but didn’t make it last year.

Aiuto fences with an epée, which differs from the other two weapons because the athletes can score points by touching any part of their opponent’s body with the tip of the blade. This event doesn’t have right-of-way rules, which require fencers to block an attack against them before launching their own.

“For the most part our results were good,” assistant coach Ed Kaihatsu said. “It shows us some things to work on in a competition setting.”

This is the last year Aiuto and Anunziato are eligible for JO because of age limitations.

Freshman Adrienne Shon placed fourth in the Women’s U-20 sabre competition but didn’t qualify for JO. Kaihatsu attributes Shon’s failure to qualify partly to bad luck — Shon ended up with a tough matchup in the championship bracket. Shon will have one last chance to qualify if she places in the top 32 this weekend at the USFA North America Cup in Houston.

“Her chances of qualifying are still good, even though it’s a more difficult way to go,” Kaihatsu said.

Many of the state’s top fencers were absent from the competition because they had already qualified for JO and didn’t need to compete. Northwestern freshmen Kellie Fry, Sam Nemecek and Megan Ross didn’t compete on Saturday because they had already qualified for JO.

“It’s pretty good showing,” Kaihatsu said. “We’ll have a good presence at JO.”

[LongBlade]

Amir's aiming to prove his point
Sudbury Times
London, England, UK
11 January, 2006

www.sudburytimes.co.uk/content/brent/sudburychronicle/sport/story.aspx?brand=WKCOnline&category=sportgeneric&tBrand=northlondon24&tCategory=sporthsc&itemid=WeED11%20Jan%202006%2012%3A13%3A23%3A917

HE'S a British teenager, his name's Amir and his aim is to promote his sport to other youngsters around the country.


Amir Choaie (left) with
coach Aladdin Sadiq.

But whereas Bolton boxing star Amir Khan has already enjoyed his time in the Olympic spotlight, that scenario remains a long-term dream for his near namesake, Amir Choaie.

Like many other youngsters in London, Choaie's aspiration is to make a name for himself - and for British fencing - when the Olympic Games come to London in six years' time.

And the 14-year-old, who lives in Neasden, will undergo a good test of his progress so far when he competes at the national men's foil finals in Stoke-on-Trent later this month.

Choaie, who goes to John Kelly Boys' School, Neasden, secured his place at Stoke by winning the foil bronze medal at the qualifiers.

He said: "I've been going to adult competitions and the aim is to be ready for the 2012 Olympics, when I'll be 21.

"I was excited about the news that the Olympics would be coming here because I think people just need to know what the sport is all about.

"Most of them haven't heard of fencing and probably if someone can do well at the Olympics, that would change.

"We've had a few fencers that have come close, but never an Olympic or world champion. It's not going to be easy, but my family are very supportive and it really comes down to training hard."

Choaie currently puts in around 12 hours' training each week under the guidance of his cousin Aladdin Sadiq, who is also chief coach at the Kilburn-based Fencing Academy.

He has been going to the Academy since the age of seven and, along with team-mates Andrea Varotsis, Rachel Kwok and Erin Tabak, helped Brent win the gold medal at the London Youth Games in 2003.

As with many other sports, the cost and availability of equipment can be an obstacle for budding fencers - but mental agility, according to Choaie, is the most important factor.

"You can catch on to fencing quite easily just by watching it, but you also have to learn the moves," he admitted. "Fencing is not a physical strength sport, it's all about using the mind to figure out how you're going to hit the other person and trying to defend and attack at the same time.

"You have to be strong in your legs and arms and make sure you have a good diet and good health generally. I play football every day with my friends at school, which helps keep me fit.

"The kit is quite expensive and it's very hard to get because there are no shops that sell it around here, so you have to order it.

"A foil for beginners is about £80 and the ones for professional players are above £100, so it is a lot."

Four other Fencing Academy youngsters have also qualified for the finals - Vorotsis, Emma Kelly, Oliver Smithard and Raelle Francis.

And a strong showing from the Kilburn contingent will boost the club as they finalise a programme to help develop British medal prospects for 2012.

Coaching is available for youngsters aged six upwards and the club plan to stage 'taster' sessions around Brent schools in the near future.

For more information, call Aladdin Sadiq on 020 7328 7575 or visit www.fencingacademy.org.

[LongBlade]

Girls' fencing sets state mark; claims Santelli tourney crown
By Mike Lewis, Correspondent
News-Record of Maplewood and South Orange
NJ, USA
1/11/06

www.localsource.com/articles/2006/01/11/news_-_record/sports/sports_columns/doc43c57bd321e72043778628.txt

MAPLEWOOD, NJ - The Columbia High School girls’ fencing team set a state record for consecutive victories in its sport with its 37th straight dual-meet triumph at Montclair Kimberley Academy on Jan. 2.

The girls’ team then captured the Santelli Tournament against all the other girls’ teams in the state last Saturday, winning in all three weapons to take the overall championship for the second straight year and the sixth time in eight years.

Against MKA, the 21-6 win for girls, ranked first in the state by The Star-Ledger, extended their record to 4-0 after beating Morris Hills and Millburn before the holidays.

“This is an accomplishment you should all be proud of,” volunteer coach Art Paulina, who has helped guide the girls’ and boys’ teams throughout the streak, told the fencers after the meet.

The boys’ team, ranked third in The Star-Ledger rankings, also won at MKA, raising its record to 3-1 after defeating Morris Hills and losing at Millburn.

In the MKA meet, the girls were led by the foil squad, which went 9-0, with junior Erin Hynes, who took three bouts, and seniors Kirsten Lynch and Deanna Rakowsky, who each won twice.

Juniors Sarina Appeigren and Claire Teitleman also won in foil. In saber, senior Sara Linarducci and sophomore Kathryn Steck won twice. Seniors A’Sha Brumant and Nancy Huemer also won.

In epee, senior Molli Andrews won twice, and seniors Alex Polson and Rebecca Hausner, junior Magda Usarek-Witek and sophomore Tiffany Austin-Ginlock added victories.

The boys were also paced by a 9-0 foil squad. Junior Shaun Geiger won three bouts, and senior Eric Jaffe and juniors Ethan Kresoksky and Sean Sackett each won twice. In saber, senior Sam Prentice and junior Sam Varon each won twice, and junior Steven Katz won a bout. In epee, senior James Lambert and sophomore Russell Valle each won twice. Senior Drew Lewis and junior Ian Gammon each added a victory.

The girls’ 23-4 victory over Morris Hills was led by 2-0 performances by saber fencers Brumant and Huemer, foil fencers Lynch and Rakowsky, and epee fencer Austin-Ginlock.

Linarducci; juniors Elizabeth Couper, Rachel Kenselaar and Elizabeth Moluthrop and Steck contributed wins for the saber squad, which was 9-0.

In foil, sophomores Michelle Micallef, Karin Oxford and Stephanie Schneider also won bouts. In epee, Polson and Andrews; juniors Tatiana Ovaine and Usarek-Witek and sophomore Margaret Brier won.

The boys’ 20-7 win over Morris Hills was paced by 2-0 records by senior saber fencers Prentice and Ben Silverman, Varon, Jaffe, and senior epee fencers Alex Delaney and Lambert.

Victories were added by senior saber fencer Shawn Louie, sophomore saber fencer Darnell Ross, foil fencers Kresofsky and Gammon, sophomore foil fencers Matt Noll and James Thomas and epee fencers Lewis and Valle.

The girls’ 17-10 win at Millburn was led by 2-0 records by Brumant in saber, Rakowsky in foil, Austin-Ginlock in epee and junior foil fencer Abby Caparros-Janto.

Victories were added by Huemer and Linarducci in saber. Lynch, Hynes and sophomore Jelissa Grant also won in foil. In epee, Andrews, Polson and another senior, Melissa Quick won, as did Usarek-Witek.

In the boys’ 17-10 loss at Millburn, Valle won both of his bouts in epee and Varon won two of three in saber. Victories were added in saber by Prentice and junior Harrison Friedland.

In foil, Jaffe and Kresofky won. In epee, Delaney and Lewis also won.

At the Santelli Tournament, the saber squad of Brumant, Linarducci and Huemer beat Ramapo, 15-5, in the final for its second straight championship; the foil squad of Abby Caparros-Janto, Hynes, Lynch and Rakowsky whipped North Hunterdon, 15-8, in the championship round for their second straight crown; and the epee squad of Polson, Usarek-Witek, Andrews and Austin-Ginlock topped Bernards, 15-11, in the final to sweep all the first-place trophies.

The girls easily handled a change in the format of the tournament, with more responsibility falling on the top fencers in each weapon.

The CHS boys’ team on Sunday finished eighth in the Cetrulo Tournament among all the boys’ teams in the state, held at the same site as the Santelli competition, Voorhees High School in Glen Gardner.

The boys were led by the saber squad, which finished sixth, losing a tough 15-14 quarterfinal match with Bernards after leading 10-6.

The foil squad lost to the eventual champion in that weapon, Moorestown Friends, despite a terrific performance by Ethan Kresofsky.

Entering his bout with Columbia trailing, 10-2, Kresofsky outscored his opponent, John Guerrieri, one of the top foil fencers in his age group in the country, 6-5, but Moorestown Friends hung on to win, 15-8.

The epee squad, which went undefeated through the preliminary rounds to receive a good seeding, was upset by Morris Knolls, 15-14, in the second round of the direct eliminations.

The boys team lost a hard-fought 15-12 decision to St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark on Jan. 4, seeing their season’s record fall to 3-2.

The boys, whose bus arrived just before the start of the meet, lost five of the first six bouts before staging a comeback against St. Benedict’s, ranked first among the state’s prep schools by the Star-Ledger.

Varon in saber, Geiger in foil and Gammon in epee and Valle in epee each won two bouts.

Prentice in saber, Jaffee in foil and Lambert in epee and Kresofsky, a junior in foil, each added a victory.

[LongBlade]

Fencing Looks to Continue Success in the Ivy League and Nationally
The 2006 Columbia Fencing Outlook
Columbia University Athletics
New York, NY, USA
Jan. 12, 2006

gocolumbialions.collegesports.com/sports/c-fenc/spec-rel/011206aaa.html

Columbia's opponents should exercise caution this season, and not get in over their heads. It's deep, you see -- no, we're not referring to water, but to the depth of Columbia's lineup in all six weapons, a depth of talent that may elevate the Lions to their sixth straight Ivy League men's championship, to their first Ivy women's crown in three years, and to one of the top four places in the NCAA Championships.


Co-captain Emma Baratta
looks to cap a stellar career
in her senior season.

WOMEN'S SABRE is a good example of that depth. Four letterwinners return to the lineup, boasting a combined 95 victories in 2004-05 alone. They are led by two members of the U.S. National Women's Sabre Team, Emma Baratta and Emily Jacobson. Baratta, a senior, is a three-time All-American who will be one of the Lions' four captains this season. She went 30-6 last season and made second team All-American. Jacobson, a member of the United States Senior and Junior World Teams, went 27-3 in her first collegiate season, and capped it when she won the NCAA Women's Sabre Championships, Columbia's first NCAA women's champion since Tzu Moy in 1990. She was first team All-American. Jacobson is ranked fifth in the USFA national women's sabre rolling rankings, and Baratta is ranked sixth. Vying for the third spot in the weapon are senior Christian Robinson and sophomore Danielle Gordet. Now in her third year as co-captain, Robinson went 19-8 last season before an injury sidelined her for the second half of the season. Gordet, ranked 21st in Juniors, filled in for her, as well as both Baratta and Jacobson when they were competing in national and world events, and finished 19-11. Sophomore Remi Sowemimo-Coker also stepped in for missing fencers, going 5-10. First-year Daria Schneider provides even more depth for Columbia. Ranked fifth in Juniors and 12th in Seniors, the Boston-area standout also holds a World Junior ranking.

WOMEN'S FOIL also boasts a good mix of veterans and newcomers. Juniors Cassidy Luitjen and Kathleen Reckling won a combined 58 bouts, while newcomer Magda Losonczy captured 32 more victories. Luitjen rebounded from an early-season injury to make honorable mention All-American (for the second straight year) and second team All-Ivy, while Reckling just missed selection to the NCAA Championships, despite her 30 regular-season victories. Losonczy was 32-19 in her first collegiate season. Coaches George Kolombatovich and Aladar Kogler can tap any one of seven other returning foil fencers, or two excellent first-years, Kelsey Finkel and Samantha Giordano. Finkel, highly-ranked among both Junior and Senior women's foilists, was a member of the U.S. Cadet World Team.

The Lion lineup in WOMEN'S EPEE sustained a major loss when All-American Alexie Rubin, who was 40-11 last season, elected to spend her junior year studying in Paris. However, thanks to that trademark depth, the coaches can choose from three quality veterans and two talented newcomers. Morgan Midgley returns for her sophomore season after enjoying an outstanding freshman year. The New Jerseyan won 40 of 50 regular-season bouts, going 9-5 in the Ivy League to earn second team All-Ivy honors. She continued her hot hand at the NCAA's, where she finished third, to make first team All-American. Another New Jersey resident, junior Rachel Rowe, went 33-18 as a sophomore after winning 24 bouts in her first year. Fellow junior Maxine Stachel won her only bout of the 2004-05 season, but could make the travel squad this winter. Joining them are two of the nation's top young epeeists, first-years Oriana Isaacson and Rachel Kantor. Isaacson is ranked 12th among U.S. Junior Women's Epeeists, and Kantor is ranked 21st. Among Seniors, Kantor is 40th and Isaacson is 41st. Another first-year, Katie McCully, will also vie for the travel squad.

Graduation cost Columbia men's fencing four starters, including two All-Americans, Paul Reyfman in sabre and Jeremy Sinkin in foil. Thanks to that depth, there are many to step in for them this season. MEN'S FOIL boasts a second team All-American, junior Scott Sugimoto. Introduced to the sport just five years ago by his high school coach, the Californian went 26-9 during the regular season, 8-1 in the Ivy League to make first team All-Ivy. He is ranked 15th among Senior men's foilists. He'll be joined this season by senior Luka Lazic, who broke into the starting lineup as a junior and went 22-13, earning second team All-Ivy honors. The third spot could go to juniors Calvin Chen or Meade Anderson, or first-year Sherif Ferrag. Chen was 16-5 as a first-year, just missing All-American honors when he took 13th in the NCAA Championships. An early-season injury cost him most of his sophomore season. Anderson has won four bouts in each of his first two seasons, but may be ready to move into a starting spot this year. They'll face strong competition from junior Jarrod Perry, sophomore Hal Scardino, and Ferrag, the nation's 31st-ranked junior and a bronze medalist in the U.S. National Cadet Championships.

Senior captain Bill Verigan takes his position at the head of Columbia's MEN'S EPEE squad. The veteran should be poised for his best campaign; he was 28-8 as a first-year, and second team All-American as a sophomore. Last year, Verigan was 20-19. Sophomore Gershom Gannon-O'Gara posted 11 of his 15 victories in the second half of the season, and just missed qualifying for the NCAA Championships. He'll be joined by two other veterans, Ben Jacobs and Jerone Hsu. Neither saw much action last season, but Hsu won 21 bouts in 2003-04, and Jacobs went 12-3. The recruiting class gives a tremendous boost to men's epee, with three promising new fencers. Dwight Smith, a Long Islander who is a member of the U.S. National Cadet Team, will probably step into a starting role in men's epee; he is ranked ninth nationally among Juniors, 29th among Seniors. Max Czapanskiy, 13th-ranked Junior, and Lorenzo Casertano, 39th among Juniors, will contend for starting spots.

In juniors Alex Krul and James Williams, Columbia boasts two of the best MEN'S SABRE fencers in the nation. The Californians combined for 50 regular-season victories last season. Krul was 27-3 after going 28-5 as a first-year. He was first team All-Ivy that season, and finished sixth in the NCAA Championships, making second team All-American; last year he again was second team All-American, placing sixth in the NCAAs, and was undefeated in the Ivy League, but didn't fence enough Ivy bouts to qualify for All-Ivy honors. Williams, a co-captain this season, was 23-11 last year, but couldn't go to the NCAA tournament due to the two-per-weapon limit. He is ranked 11th among Senior men's sabre fencers, and Krul is 12th. Although Paul Reyfman's 29 victories will be hard to replace, the coaches can turn to either Jeff Baum or Alex Diacou to fill the third spot. Both were impressive in limited action last year. Baum is a former Cadet silver medalist in the Pan American Games.

[LongBlade]

Fencing: Haverstock clean up
Hampstead and Highgate Express
London, England, UK
13 January, 2006

www.hamhigh.co.uk/content/camden/hamhigh/sport/story.aspx?brand=NorthLondon24&category=SportGeneric&tBrand=northlondon24&tCategory=sport&itemid=WeED12%20Jan%202006%2016%3A26%3A30%3A790

Haverstock swept the boards at the Cambridge Winter Tournament at the weekend, claiming the top three spots in the men's competition, along with second and third in the women's event.

Five Haverstock fencers made their way into the last eight of the men's epee, with Mark Dembitz narrowly defeating team-mate Jerry Raj 15-14 in the final. Haverstock's Alex Upcraft and Mike O'Brien shared third place.

In the women's epee, all four Haverstock fencers made it to the final 12 of the competition where came Lea-Anne Lee was second and Bronagh Keppler third.

[LongBlade]

Fencing: Bernards' Duffy thankful for Voorhees coaching legend Lawless
By MINDY DREXEL, Staff Writer
Bridgewater Courier News
NJ, USA
January 13, 2006

www.c-n.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060113/SPORTS03/601130358

LEBANON TOWNSHIP -- Fencing is not the first thing that comes to mind when someone mentions high school sports.

In fact, most freshmen who decide to join their high school fencing teams are rookies to the sport. So what prompted Deborah Duffy to sign up for the Voorhees team when she was a freshman in 1976?

"Actually, my girlfriend said she was going to go for fencing," Duffy said. Duffy was convinced to come along, but what happened? "I showed up, and she didn't," she said with a laugh. But Duffy stuck with it for four years, making the all-state team, then fenced for Rutgers, where she earned her Bachelor's degree and won the school's Scholar-Athlete Award in 1984.

Things have come full circle for Duffy, now an assistant coach for foil at Bernards. On Thursday, she coached against Voorhees' Jim Lawless, who coached Duffy when she attended the Hunterdon County high school.

"She was a mean foil fencer," Lawless said of Duffy. "Mean. Loved to hit people. She was an intense competitor and hated to lose. And I emphasize, HATED TO LOSE."

Duffy is just one of thousands of fencers Lawless has coached in 41 years.

After coaching for 11 years at North Hunterdon, Lawless went to the then-brand new Voorhees High School and started the fencing program there.

Since then, Voorhees has won three state titles, including one in 2005. But the ripple effect on people's lives has been huge.

"Jim Lawless has had a tremendous impact on many kids because he supported them in a sport that has helped them grow in some aspect," Duffy said. "If it wasn't for him I wouldn't be doing this right now.

"He brought fencing to Voorhees. He assisted with getting Bernards' program up. He's been very instrumental in starting high school fencing up in the state of New Jersey." Duffy raved about the positive impact fencing has had on her life. That she credits fencing for not only having fun, but also learning life skills is music to the ears of any athletic director who ever has defended the place of sports in the academic world.

"It defined my high school experience, which was very positive," Duffy said. "There's a lot to fencing because it's a sport where a lot of things are going on at once. They also call it physical chess -- you have to have tremendous concentration, balance, control, the ability to make quick decisions and size up your opponent.

"There's all that stuff going on at the same time, so when you look at fencing you get an awful lot from it. There's just so much you get from fencing that you don't get from other sports."

Duffy also stressed that participating in fencing really challenged her to improve her time-management skills. Ironically, she finds herself in almost the same position 30 years later.

As a vice president at Wealth Planning Advisory Group in Bridgewater and a fencing coach at Bernards, Duffy is balancing her career with fencing, a task that can be exhausting at times.

But knowing what Lawless gave to her 30 years ago makes coaching enjoyable.

"Jim Lawless was big influence in my life," Duffy said. "He was always there; he helped a lot of people. It affects all of your life, athletics, to be a well-balanced person. Think of all the kids over 40 years. He's helped thousands of people."

Lawless was thrilled to see Duffy at Thursday's meet. He had no idea that Duffy, in her first year at Bernards, would be there. The two hugged and exchanged some words in between bouts.

"I'm so happy to see her back in fencing," Lawless said. "I really am. She was a tough competitor, and probably still is."

The only person happier than Lawless is Duffy.

"I'm having a lot of fun," she said. "I'm just really having a good time. Fencing's in my blood."

[LongBlade]

Art and fencing keep Sam sharp
By Catherine Murrell
Louisville Courier-Journal
Louisville, KY, USA
January 13, 2006

www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060113/FEATURES/601130314/1010/FEATURES

"I honestly don't remember not being involved in art," said Sam (short for Samantha) Gauss, 16. "It's been a necessity. It's my way of expressing myself. It's something I love to do."

"I came to St. Francis (High School) for the art program," said Sam, a junior at the school.

She works mostly in pastels, a medium that she finds comfortable and expressive. "I use pastels for realistic work. I once tried painting, and it didn't work quite as well as I'd hoped it would."

She recently finished a series of realistic drawings based on observation of moths and butterflies. Sam distinguishes such reality-based work from the illustration she'd like to do professionally.

"When I'm doing more of an illustration kind of thing, I'll sketch the scene, ink it and color it on my computer. I've tried to color by hand, and it just doesn't work. I'll want to change something and I can't. (Using the computer) allows for flexibility."

Her goal is to follow in the footsteps of Frank Frazetta. "He's a really famous fantasy illustrator," explained Sam.

Sam's next big art project is to create her own online comic. She already has a cast of characters. "One of the reasons I want to make the comic is that I've got characters that I've developed for several years."

Being a professional illustrator would allow her a lot of independence. That's something she values in all areas of her life.

That, in part, is why she took up fencing six months ago. "When you go into a match, you're on your own. It's either completely your fault or completely your victory."

Mostly, though, she was attracted because fencing gave her something she couldn't find elsewhere. "I've tried so many different sports -- basketball, softball, field hockey, soccer, riding equestrian."

Fencing is "aggressive and warlike -- and there's a lot of finesse to it." Although she's getting a "late start," Sam feels she's been able to compensate by practicing hard and often.

Her instructor, Leszck Stawicki, former head coach of the Polish national fencing team, has offered her an inspiring example. "He's awesome," said Sam.

She plans to maintain a rigorous practice schedule through her college years.

The Savannah College of Art and Design currently tops her college list. She attended a weeklong session at the college's Savannah, Ga., campus this summer and was impressed by the classes she took in oil painting and still life.

She's interested in the school's Atlanta campus, though, because it offers something that Savannah doesn't. "Atlanta has a really good independent fencing facility," she said. "It's hard to find a school that has a really good art program and a really good fencing program."

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Cheeky S. Korean fencer foiled in bid for national team
By Lee Jin-joo
Oddly Enough News
Reuters.uk - UK
13 January, 2006

today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=oddlyEnoughNews&storyID=2006-01-13T062301Z_01_KNE323014_RTRIDST_0_OUKOE-UK-KOREA-FENCING.XML

SEOUL (Reuters) - One of South Korea's top women fencers was dropped from the country's national team because she underwent plastic surgery that included receiving cheek implants, local media has reported.

Nam Hyun-hee, a top foil fencer, had cosmetic surgery in December on her eyes to fix a problem that meant her eyelashes were bothering her vision, reports said.

Along with the eye surgery, she also decided to have a little work done on her cheeks to increase their amplitude, South Korean media reported. The cosmetic surgery was not approved by her coaches or the country's fencing federation, reports said.

The cheek surgery caused her to miss several days of practice because of a swollen face. This angered her coaches and South Korean fencing officials who said she should not have put improving her personal appearance ahead of her commitment to the team.

"We have to be more strict in the management of our athletes. For instance, what are other athletes thinking when a fellow athlete is lounging around because of plastic surgery?," Oh Wan-gun, the director of the Korean Fencing Federation said by telephone on Friday.

Nam could not immediately be reached for comment.

The fencing federation has kicked Nam off the national squad for two years, officials said, adding they are still looking into the matter.

Nam has asked to be reinstated more quickly so that she can be on the team for this year's Asian Games and be in good shape for the 2008 Olympics, reports said.

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Locals have hand in St. Augustine's fencing team
By ANTHONY BELLANO
Staff Writer
Bridgeton News
NJ, United States
January 14, 2006

www.nj.com/sports/bridgeton/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/113723525378000.xml&coll=10

For Bridgeton resident Steve Smith, it was his fascination with 18th century sword fighting.

Two men face to face with swords in hand, battling, any part of the body is a target.

When Smith found the epee style of fencing, he decided it was something he wanted to try. He was given that chance when the St. Augustine Prep school started a fencing club, then made it a varsity sport last year.

"I was interested in sword fighting, it's a different kind of discipline," Smith said. "I had some friends that joined the club, so I came out for fencing.

"I like the epee style because it's a more natural style. It's derived from duels in the 18th century. Each style has its ups and downs. Epee is more realistic, but you can't compare them side-by-side."

The other two styles are foil and sabre. The foil style utilizes a lighter weapon and limits the area of the body one can strike to the torso. The sabre style features an edged weapon, whereas epee and foil don't.

Smith is the captain of the epee squad, which has seen the most success for the Hermits so far this season. He is joined by Jerry Heddy and Ed Fichtyger on the three-man squad won in the Centrullo tournament in North Jersey last weekend. Their victories came against powers like the Hun School, West Windsor and West Essex, as well as Millburn.

"That's the best squad on the whole team," St. Augustine coach Bill Olivero said. "They won the first tournament of the year (the Christmas Invitational). The team beat West Windsor at the Prep, 17-10, and it was the first win for the program."

The Hermits went without a win in their initial season of play. The victory brought with it a feeling of accomplishment for the juniors and seniors that suffered through last year's winless campaign.

"My squad was happy and we were happy as a whole," Smith said. "We knew we deserved it."

Each meet matches the three squads from both schools against each other, and a squad wins its part of the match when it scores 15 points. Each match between squad members goes to five points As the captain of his squad, it's Smith's job to make up for lost ground and secure the win. He goes into each battle with his mind set on defense. It's not the way most fencers enter a match, but it works for Smith.

"I come out and just play defense, don't let the other kid score," Smith said. "I've tried different styles and most people advocate offense. Some people will get to the fourth point and go for the double point (take a hit just to score a point). I'd rather get the clean hit."

While the epee squad is the strongest on the team, the foil squad has seen success this year, too. Millville's Zack Fanelle is a member of this squad.

He's been interested in the sport for four years and first tried it at Cumberland County College. When St. Augustine started a club, he signed up immediately.

"I saw it in a newspaper article," Fanelle said. "I didn't understand what it was at first, but I went and tried it at Cumberland County College and I really liked it. I saw it as sword fighting and it sounded like fun so I tried it."

Over the summer, Fanelle competed in a fencing camp where he won a gold medal in the tournament. The camp was made up mostly of people that attend St. Augustine.

"I'm doing better in terms of my performance," Fanelle said. "The whole team's improved. We're actually beating some teams this year.

"My goal is to do better as the competition improves. I want to acheive a higher spot (on the squad)."

He is currently second on his squad behind Steve Kendrex and ahead of Nathan Lepore.

At times this season, both the epee and foil squads have done well. The inexperienced sabre squad has been the weak spot on the team, but Olivero feels that if he can get all the squads playing well at the same time, he'll have something special.

"The team has over 30 fencers," Olivero said. "It's a big job. It's going to take time, but we have nice facilities and nice equipment. Other schools have been doing this for years and they're established.

"Some are members of the United States Fencing Association and that's where they get that extra experience. We don't have much experience yet, but in a few more years, we can develop that experience we need to go against these other schools.

"The rest of our schedule is extremely tough and I'm not optimistic, but if I can get all the squads winning at the same time, I can have a winning team."

[LongBlade]

Fencing pretty
Monsters and Critics.com
Glasgow,UK
Jan 15, 2006

sport.monstersandcritics.com/othersport/article_1076343.php/Fencing_pretty

A top fencer has been dropped from the South Korean national team because she took time off to get cheek implants.

In December top athlete Nam Hyun-hee had surgery on her eyes to fix a problem with her eyelashes that was affecting her vision, Reuters reports.

But in addition to the eye surgery, Nam decided to take the opportunity to kill two birds with one stone – and had cosmetic surgery to plump up her cheeks.

The problem was that her surgery was not approved by her coaches or the country's fencing federation, and Nam’s swollen face meant she missed days of practice.

Oh Wan-gun, the director of the Korean Fencing Federation said: 'We have to be more strict in the management of our athletes.

'For instance, what are other athletes thinking when a fellow athlete is lounging around because of plastic surgery?'

Poor Nam has now been thrown off the squad for two years – but she has asked to be back before that so that she can fence in this year's Asian Games.

Shame-faced in more ways than one, it seems.

[LongBlade]

48 medals at stake in Commonwealth fencing
NewKerala.com
Ernakulam, Kerala, India
16 Jan, 2006

www.newkerala.com/news.php?action=fullnews&id=87355

Chennai: Fencers from eight countries will be vying for 48 medals at stake in the Commonwealth junior fencing championship to be held here from January 24 to 29.

Apart from India which will be fielding two teams, India A and India B, England, Australia, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Singapore and Malaysia will be participating in the tournament.

India is playing host to a major international competition in fencing for the first time.

The India A team will comprise medal winners in the national championships while India B team will have the fifth and sixth place winners in the nationals and the winners and runners up in the Tamil Nadu state championships.

''India is being permitted to field two teams with the objective of popularising the sport of fencing here'', the organisers said here in a press conference.