Fencing club participates in traditional competitionBy César G. Rodriguez
The University Star
October 23, 2008
star.txstate.edu/content/fencing-club-participates-traditional-competitionThe Texas State fencing club is preparing to host over 250 fencers from around the state in the 33rd annual Bobcat Open. The tournament serves as a fundraiser for the club.
Lindsey Goldstein/Star photo“This benefits the students in the club. They’ll be able to get equipment, to go to tournaments. We use this as training events for the collegiate meets,” said John Moreau, club adviser and senior lecturer in the department of health, PE and recreation. “As part of the fencing community in South Texas, we have a very nice facility and events are held throughout the region. We attract people from North Texas, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Austin and the San Antonio area.”
The Bobcat Open is the second oldest fencing tournament after the University of Texas competition.
“People can count on the quality tournament, and the facilities are unmatched,” Moreau said.
Moreau said he wants club members — ranging from beginners to former Olympians — to enjoy the tournament and deliver peak performances.
The categories include individual mixed, men and women, epee, foil and saber. A category for young fencers is offered as well.
According to the U.S. Fencing Association Web site, epee, pronounced “EPP-pay,” is freestyle fencing. “Touches are scored only with the point of the blade. However, in epee the entire body, head-to-toe, is valid target, much like in an actual duel,” the Web site states.
Points in foil are scored with the tip of the blade and must land on valid target, such as the torso — from the shoulders to the groin in the front and to the waist in the back. According to the Web site, “The arms, neck, head and legs are considered off-target. Hits to the non-valid target temporarily halts the fencing action but does not result any points being awarded.”
Saber is the modern hack and slash.
“The saber is the modern version of the slashing cavalry sword,” the Web site states. “As such, the major difference between saber and the other two weapons is that saberists can score with the edge of their blade as well as their point. In saber, the target area is the entire body above the waist, excluding the hands.”
Dean Lantrip, club president, foresees a competitive tournament.
“In epee, I tossed about 10 people that could legitimately win this tournament on their best day,” Lantrip said. Lantrip said fencing is designed for the people with mental skill and not so much strength.
“I’ve seen super athletes get out there. Some of them are pretty good fencers. They’re in great shape. They don’t screw around, don’t do anything wrong, but they go out there, and they don’t perform well,” Lantrip said. “Sure they are doing everything perfect. They’re quick as lightning and they’re strong. And they’ll hit your blade and knock it out of their hand. But if they don’t know what they’re doing, they’re not paying attention to the situation, or they’re not reading the body language, they’re an easy target just like everyone else.”
Lantrip said opponents who differ in physical characteristics get people’s attention.
“What’s really neat about fencing is (it is) honestly the only sport that you’ll go to a tournament, like this weekend, and you’ll see a 14-year-old fencing a 64-year-old,” Lantrip said. “That’s just the nature of it, and you never know who is going to win the battle.”
Lantrip believes the club is one of the oldest and the steadiest in campus recreation because it is not expensive.
“We’ve never had the most members in the world, but we’ve always had members,” he said. “As far as writing out checks, we don’t charge our members a lot,” Lantrip said. “We like to provide a lot.”
Lantrip said alumni are connected with the club.
“A really nice thing about our club in general is we have an extremely strong alumni base. I definitely see it stronger than any other club,” Lantrip said. “I consider them more my friends than alumni.”
Oscar Barrera, club consultant, is a pioneer of the group. Barrera said he was not interested in fencing at first, but he took a fencing class in Texas State and has been involved with it since 1976, one year after the club was created. Barrera sees a different technical level from the 2000s compared to the ’70s.
“The technical level of the fencers has advanced a hundred times,” Barrera said. “The athletic capability is tremendously competitive of what it was then.”
