Vice president Katie Koziatek and her peer coaches and members enhance their skills toward the competition through fast-paced practices and tournaments
The MU Fencing Club was founded in 1987 only to be later disbanded. However, the club was revived in 2004 to be geared more towards the competition. The current team consists of 64 co-ed members and is coached by Paul Vaughan, a former president of the club and MU alumnus. Joining Vaughan in coaching is Joshua Potter, an MU Fencing alumnus and Emma Buckingham, an assistant teaching professor at MU.
Fencing is a fast-paced sport consisting of three weapons: epee, foil and sabre swords, each with different scoring rules. In epee, a fencer scores by hitting first, but hits can be invalidated if there’s any type of physical contact or incorrect form. In foil and sabre, the fencer who attacks first has the right-of-way and the opponent must avoid the hit before trying to score. Fencers are awarded points on their technique and whoever is first to reach a set number of points is the winner of the match.
“A lot of times, it really depends on your power and how easily you’re able to get someone’s sword into a bind,” club vice president Katie Koziatek said. “But, really, you just have to learn to adapt with all types of people that you fence. It’s really hard.”
MU fencing is part of the Amateur Fencing Association, which includes various colleges, clubs and teams in Missouri. Schools such as the University of Central Missouri, Missouri S&T, Washington University in St. Louis and St. Louis University compete with one another. The association hosts tournaments during a designated month and promotes regular competition throughout the season.
“We’re able to do a community event every month and foster more relationships fencing-wise,” Koziatek said. “That’s really fun because everyone that is on the [executive] boards is super fun and inviting, so we do want to fence with [them].”
The Tigers kicked off their spring season by competing in the Mizzou AFA Tournament at home Jan. 25-26. They faced off against teams from schools across Missouri, yet despite the heavy competition, several players earned top-10 finishes in foil, saber and epee.
“It’s a little different from our normal tournament,” Buckingham said. “We tried to get people prepared by doing a simulated tournament, so I think they were as prepared as they could be.”
The club then competed in the WashU AFA Tournament in Clayton, Missouri Feb. 8-9. There, the Tigers participated as a team rather than individually and faced schools from across the state in a series of matches.
“We had quite a couple teams that advanced to the second and third brackets, so it went pretty well for us,” Koziatek said. “I don’t think any of our teams placed, but it was still a great experience. Usually, we don’t do team tournaments, and it’s a lot to teach people, but I thought it was really fun.”
The club practices every Tuesday from 7:30-9:30 p.m. and Thursday from 7-9 p.m. at the MizzouRec South Courts. Each practice teaches newcomers foundational skills through basic drills and warm-ups. Returning members partake in free fencing with foil, epee and occasional mock tournaments in preparation for competition.
“I like to think I’ve gotten better at fencing,” first-year club member Brett Keegan said. “I’ve learned a lot about, like, the right-of-way stuff. I didn’t know that was a thing in fencing, or I thought it was just stabbing.”
Fencers can stay focused by maintaining a positive mindset and concentrating on the next touch. Proper footwork and good form are also emphasized, particularly for beginners, as footwork and form lay the foundations for stability and control. These techniques are essential in reducing the risk of common fencing-related injuries, often involving the knees or ankles.
“A lot of people do spiral – they’ll start losing touches, and then it’ll get worse from there,” Vaughan said. “I always try to help myself to keep moving because sometimes you stop moving your feet, you get stuck and then you’re kind of in trouble.”
The club’s annual membership fees are $35. For those participating for only one semester or who are graduating early, the fee is $20.
The club raises awareness through annual bake sales and Chipotle and Shakespeare’s profit shares. Last semester it partnered with club baseball for a joint practice where members had the opportunity to learn the basics of fencing. The club also expands its social media outreach through MU Engage, using the platform to reach a wider audience by posting practice and tournament dates.
“We have a lot of people who take really great pictures because it’s such a graceful sport to take pictures of, and [we] just push our social media presence,” Koziatek said.
Club members participate in team bonding by having weekly “Heidelberg Thursdays” at The Heidelberg after practice. They also volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House and hold study sessions together on campus.
“A lot of the time, people will put something in the group chat saying, ‘Hey, I’m going to do this — who wants to come?’ and a bunch of people will show up,” club president Christina Bertenshaw said. “It’s kind of awesome how much time we get to spend as a team!”
The club will compete in its next tournament at the 6th Annual Don Bone Classic in Wentzville, Missouri, on April 12-13.
Edited by Killian Wright | kwright@themaneater.com
Copyedited by Alana Sheba and Emma Short | eshort@themaneater.com
Edited by Annie Goodykoontz | agoodykoontz@themaneater.com