Club sports, including Ohio's fencing team, provide a variety of skills to newcomers to the sport.
When the club fencing team comes into practice day one, it only anticipates about five percent of its players to actually know how to fence.
Ohio University’s Club Sports program allows teaching and competitive opportunities for individuals wanting to continue their passions — or pick up a new one. The program offers up to 30 different organizations for students and faculty alike to choose from. The sports range from archery to mixed martial arts to paintball — and pretty much everything in between.
Club sports serve as a reliable option for those who want a competitive atmosphere, but also don't have a skill that falls into the Ohio Athletic's lore. Additionally, club teams are less exclusive and provide a more flexible option for their athletes in terms of the time commitment.
The fencing team at OU is an example of the competitive and educational balance the program strives for.
“We don’t audition or try-out to be a part of our club. It’s more of a show up and we’ll teach you, then you can come fence with us if you’d like,” Anna Kukelhan, a senior on the fencing team, said. “We allow community members in as well, so it’s just a little bit more of an open experience.”
Club sports offer a change of pace from the intramural sports program at Ohio. For those looking to pick up a new sport, or who simply want more training in a sport they have little experience with, a club team might be a good option.
“I think we’re probably cheaper (than intramurals)," Kukelhan said. "We have a year-round program and we also teach. So, for instance, if you want to be involved in soccer in the intramural way, you already have to know how to play, and you kind of have to have your own gear. We provide gear, lessons, rides to tournaments — all that kind of stuff.”
The fencing team has grown accustomed to taking athletes new to the sport under its wings and teaching them.
Kukelhan said most of the people show up “because they want to play with swords, and it’s an easy thing to market to people.”
Ohio’s fencing team uses Olympic-style fencing where three different types of swords can be used, including epee, which is the heavier blade, sabre, which is more slashing and cutting, and foil, which is light, quick movements. The target areas on the body differ depending on the weapon, but a point is recorded when one makes contact in the target area on his or her opponent.
“There’s a strip. It’s a certain area to stay on and it’s two lines that indicate where you have to stay inside of or you forfeit the point,” Hassan Nash, a junior on the team, said. “You’re attached to these reels and it attaches to these cords, which run through our jackets and into the weapon to register the touches.”
Fencing, like all other club sports at OU, is required to do fundraising and community service throughout the year. The more involved a club is, the more money it receives from the university and the better room picks it’s given for residential living on campus. The fencing club is consistently involved in Relay For Life each year.
In 2014, fencing was named club of the month twice by the club sports organization.
“Club sports allows us to try things out and provides us with some financial backing, some stability of practice dates and things like that,” Mark Lucas, a fencing advisor and 2014 advisor of the year recipient, said. “It’s a really good thing for all the sports.”
@Matt_Fout
mf056713@ohio.edu
