There are high expectations for the 2014 Ward Melville Fencing Teams. Since its creation as a club in 1995 and later as a varsity sport in 1998, Ward Melville fencing has thrived. Both the boys and girls fencing teams have been undefeated for over a decade and hope to maintain their record. In addition to the team success, many individual fencers have excelled and competed at All-County, All-Long Island, state and national fencing tournaments.

The success of the Ward Melville Fencing teams can be attributed to extensive preparation and intense dedication. Ward Melville fencing is associated with Mission Fencing, an outside of school fencing facility. Many fencers including Varsity coach Jeff Salmon belong to both Mission Fencing and Ward Melville Fencing. While school practices occur every day after school from 3-5:30, students are able to fence all year long through their involvement with Mission Fencing.

At practices, athletes strive to improve their footwork, reflexes and agility amongst other techniques. Junior Kristina Chu emphasized the importance of strong fundamentals and exact techniques. She remarked, “Even though there are three types of weapons, it’s still important to master footwork and weapon control. In matches, every second counts. It’s important to be prepared for anything.”

Members of the team look forward to an enjoyable season but acknowledge the pressure from maintaining such a prestigious record. Junior Adina Nawaz, a member of the team for three years, expressed her motivation for extending the winning streak for the female fencing team to fifteen years. She stated, “We have a record and we’ll try our hardest to keep it going. But the strong feeling of camaraderie amongst my teammates eases the tension.” Teammate Carly Weber-Levine expressed similar opinions about the developing season. She stated, “The stress of remaining undefeated continues to motivate us. But, we have all been working very hard to continue our legacy.”

Both the girls and boys Ward Melville Fencing Teams look forward to the exciting season ahead and hope to preserve their records. With the seeds to success already planted, only time will reveal the success of the teams.