By Lori Blesoe
The Alpine Sun

 

     ALPINE — Gearing up for a new season, the Alpine Fencing Club convened, to officially become a team. From Aug. 11 to 22, the team filed into Fencing Camp, held this year at the Alpine Community Center. For two weeks, the team survived a regimented routine of conditioning, fencing exercises, as well as four special training sessions at The Peak.
     On the first day of Fencing Camp, 12 students showed up at the park looking forward to seeing their friends and not really knowing what to expect. During the first hour of drills, the students began to recognize their weaknesses and realize that a summer of relaxation plays havoc with athletic endeavors. After the next hour of calisthenics, the team headed out to the field to run a mile and then participated in fencing disciplines. By the end of the day, the team was tired but everyone agreed that it was a good tired.
     Everyone showed up to enthusiastically start the second day, warming up with frenzied jump roping, and more drills. During the last hour the team traveled up to The Peak to enjoy a distinct 60-minute training session lead by Marc McKellar. Every student made their way around a circuit designed to enhance strength, agility, and precision.
     At the end of this day, the team began to really feel the burn. By Friday of the first week, the students were looking forward to the weekend. The second week of training brought a little less enthusiasm. But they made it through and everyone gained extra insight, strength, and endurance. Many on the team found that by Friday, they could beat their original time for their mile run.
     Ms. Susan Tidwell, the Alpine Academy Fencing Coach, is very excited this year about the upcoming events that the team will participate in. Currently the team consists of 12 students that have evolved from a bunch of kids who wanted to slash some swords to actual fencers with true form. She is looking forward to the first match that will be held in November.