Did you know that fencing is one of the fastest-growing sports in the country? It is more popular than ever because it has a lot of advantages over other sports, including safety! Yes, although they are poking each other with metal sticks, fencing is one of the safest sports in the world. The protective gear works very well. It is fast, exciting, and a lot of fun. It is also great for developing balance, coordination, and confidence. Recently Danny New from My Mass Appeal came to Pioneer Valley Fencing Academy in downtown Easthampton to learn a little about fencing, and you can watch the segment from his show here.
Founded in 2003, PVFA has taught hundreds of children and adults how to fence the three types of modern Olympic and NCAA sports of fencing, which are the foil, epee, and saber. They've developed great athletes who have won medals at the US National Championships and have earned college fencing scholarships. They have also taught students who just wanted to fence recreationally, and even those who have used it as therapy.
Every Saturday afternoon at 2 pm PVFA opens up for its Youth class for 7 to 10-year-olds. They play games like tag, do balance and coordination exercises, and then have a group fencing class. Sometimes a child who puts in extra effort or displays great sportsmanship will be rewarded with a gift card for a free ice cream cone at Mt. Toms Ice Cream.
The Youth class requires several helpers to assist the coach in charge of the class, so each year a few teenagers make the commitment to help each Saturday. They learn coaching skills, how to promote safety, and gradually are given more responsibilities. This can count as community service which is sometimes necessary for graduating high school. Eventually, they take written, oral, and practical exams to become certified coaches which looks great on college applications.
It isn't as expensive as one might think. PVFA supplies the equipment for beginners, so you don't need to invest in any expensive gear to start. For $150, children ages 7-10 can attend the Saturday class for three months. Ages 11 through adult pays $140 a month for a membership that includes a lesson a week plus the option to attend practices up to six days a week. There's even the option for fifth through ninth graders attending WBMS, EHS, and Hampshire Regional who have received High Honors/First Honors in school to receive their first month of fencing at PVFA for free!
Fencing at PVFA is very social, and there is a real sense that everyone there is one big family. The younger kids look up to the older kids. The older kids look after the younger kids. Many of the children who do fence are shy, introverted, geeky, or just don't fit in with traditional team sports like baseball or soccer. Yet when they get together they find that they can relax and be themselves. They have fun, make friends, and stab each other.
