On Guard! Fencing finds niche in clubs and schools

It is a sport associated with 18th century knights and soldiers on horses who fought using swords.

Steve Okalo Kuya learnt about fencing a while ago as he has always been fascinated by martial arts. He trained for taekwondo where he became a world champion but later took up fencing as a sport.

When a German scholar who fences saw his interest in the sport, he invited him to some of the games and gave him a sponsorship deal to learn fencing in Germany.

“I was there for three weeks and learnt the basics as well as the different disciplines in fencing,” says Steve.

After his return in 2008, he opened a fencing club in Uthiru where he taught children in the neighbourhood who were interested, but most dropped out since there were no major competitions as well as for lack of equipment.

Steve later got more training in Hungary where he specialised in one discipline. He now coaches his students on the epee discipline although he also teaches some basics in sabre and foil techniques.

Epee, foil and sabre are the three disciplines in fencing which use different sword categories. The swords for the three disciplines are shaped differently.

A sabre sword has a curved handle guard and is used for cutting – meaning one imitates the cutting stance thus making diagonal moves as if slashing the opponent.

Epee is the most common discipline in fencing and involves one targeting the opponents whole body while the foil targets the opponent’s upper body to score.

In the movies

The epee sword has a bigger handle guard than the foil sword.

Fencing is a pool game with a three-minute bout where one needs to garner five points while the five-minute bout has 15 points and a point is given when your sword touches the opponent.

The sport is suitable for children above eight years who have special swords made of plastic. Adults use steel swords.

For the four students we meet practicing at the Visa Oshwal Primary School grounds where training for the sport is available, they said their love for the sport is what makes them come to the venue every Saturday morning.

“It is an exhilarating sport given that it looks dangerous as seen in the movies,” said Evans Kuria and Moses Muthomi while Thuo Chege said it defines him as a person.

Ismail Issa, who has been playing with his friends for three years, said it is a unique sport that needs to be integrated into learning institutions.

His friend Moses agreed, saying that schools and clubs should avail the resources and opportunities other players in developed countries have to play the game.

Although the sport is widely known and played in clubs in various countries, it is not well-known in most local schools and learning institutions partly due to the expensive gear and equipment needed and also due to lack of awareness about the sport.

However, some international schools such as Pembroke in Gilgil, Hillcrest and Cavina in Nairobi have already integrated fencing into their extra-curricular activities.

The Kenya Fencing Association is trying to promote this sport with their latest being the introduction of fencing for the disabled. They also hope to expand it by marketing it to learning institutions around the country.

Fencing Gear

Special outfits made specifically for the sport include the jacket which is lined with extra material for protection – plastron – which is a vest with a right-hand sleeve; breeches which are the knee-length shorts worn by the fencer and socks. All these must be white.

Some of the other gear includes the sword itself, a face mask and a glove worn on the hand holding the sword.

However, the gear is not available locally which is why clubs are finding it hard to equip the members.

“We source for the uniform from the United Kingdom which makes it expensive so most our members buy the gear in bits,” said Steve.

“I am waiting for the national athletics committee to affiliate me so as to get sponsorship for the fencing kits from the International Fencing Association.”

The club recently got a sponsorship deal with a local company for kits for children between eight-14 years. Steve will host an epee championship for the children in August this year after which the event will be held on an annual basis.

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