In the back corner of the Simon Recreation Center, two people engage in a bout. Blades drawn, they thrust and parry until metal meets a body. This is not a 17th century honor duel—this is SLU Fencing.
Fencing has been alive at Saint Louis University (SLU) as far back as the late 1800s, and the club’s current co-presidents seniors Jesse Driese and Zach Buchholz are at the forefront of its latest growth spurt.
Following this semester’s club fair, the club has doubled in size to 30 members, and Buchholz expects that number to stay stable.
“Usually, when people join, we get a big influx after the general body meeting and the club fair, and then it halves after that, halves after that, halves after that. It hasn’t really done that,” Buchholz said.
Buchholz and Driese have been a part of SLU Fencing’s roster since their freshman year and have begun to reflect on this being their last year with the team.
“We’ve spent all of our years at SLU doing it, and we’re headed out the doors as seniors. It’s really exciting to see that when we’re gone it’s still going to be an active club,” Driese said.
SLU is a member of the Amateur Fencing Association (AFA), a league of six schools in Missouri and Illinois who host tournaments, inviting other member teams to compete. SLU Fencing Vice President, senior Ireland Morgan, is looking forward to hosting a tournament at SLU this February.
“It’s a big thing to put on but it’s great to see everyone turn out,” Morgan said.
Morgan expects SLU’s tournament to be the first tournament for most of the club’s newcomers.
New members just received their masks and gear from the club and are expected to start their first bouts at this week’s practices.
“It’s really making me really excited that we have all of these people and they’re going to be able to come to normal practices soon,” Buchholz said after the gear-up day.
SLU Fencing will be partaking in their first AFA tournament of the season at the University of Central Missouri this weekend, starting on Sept. 20 and finishing Sept. 21.