YOUNG FENCERS SET FOR NATIONAL CONTEST
WHEN it comes to fencing, Johnny Depp has a lot to answer for.
The sport enjoyed a resurgence thanks to his Pirates of the Caribbean blockbusters, and five youngsters from the lower north shore are relishing every moment.
Brother and sister Alexandra Hely, 12, and Christian Hely, 10, Sean Andrews, 14, James Boyd-Hoare, 13, and Jack Snell, 13, are the stars of the Mosman Viking Blades fencing club and will pack their sabres to compete at the U-14s National Open Championships in Hong Kong in October.
The team’s fighting spirit and penchant for pirate moves has seen them nominated for the Junior Sports Star Award.
Coach Alex Andrew said she was constantly surprised by the physical fitness and dedication of her young team.
“With tennis, you can pick up a racquet and get instant gratification from hitting a ball straight away,” Andrew said.
“But it can take between six months to a year before you get an actual comprehension of what fencing is all about, and there is a lot of repetition of movement.
“For some kids, that can be incredibly boring, but these five are so dedicated and determined.”
Andrew said the main appeal of the sport was how unusual it was.
“And, of course, you do get to whack other people with something,” she laughed.
“But these kids are responsible enough to know that they can hurt each other, so are always very disciplined.”
The young athletes, who hail from Mosman and Cremorne, train between three and four times a week, and are all in the NSW Fencing Association Squad.
Andrew, who also trains the Australian fencing team, said each of them had what it took to make their mark on the sport.
“Some kids have a real natural talent for fencing and everyone in this team exemplifies that,” she said.
No comments:
Post a Comment