Upon the ending of a memorable chapter, we wanted to take some time to reflect on what an amazing season Ward Melville Fencing has had. They have achieved impressive results, including winning leagues and counties and reaching the Long Island championship finals.
Fighting with some sort of sword or arm has been consistent throughout humanity’s history, and fencing can be traced back to the 12th century. While modern fencing originated in the 18th century, the sport itself is a mix of French and Italian styles that became popular over the centuries.
Fencing at Ward Melville High School became popular during the 2010s, mainly due to globally renowned Coach Jeff Salmon, who has had success in the sport of fencing and coaching alike. Currently, the school’s fencing team is being coached by Ginny and Jo Siskidis, both of Coach Salmon’s students. Their celebrated coaching styles have led the team to pronounced success over the years.
These results under the Siskidis sisters include multiple league wins, county victories, various long champions and many stellar individual results, such as our most recent Suffolk County foilist of the year winner, Kiki Liu. Liu said the team and coaches have helped her realize how much fun being on a team can be and has motivated her to become a better person and fencer throughout the years. The girls’ fencing team has made it to the Long Island Championship Finals for the second year in a row.
This season marked the end to an important chapter for many Ward Melville fencing athletes and will be remembered as one of the most successful seasons ever. Allie Harrison, one of the starter fencers for the saber squad, and #4 in the county, said, “Our coaches are spectacular, and we would never have made it to Long Island Championships without them. I will miss all of the seniors — there were a lot of them this year. Next year, our team won’t be the same, and there might be far fewer people. Still, if we work harder than ever, I know we can make next season just as awesome.” The team has 17 seniors graduating, creating a number of opportunities in the starting lineup for excited and motivated underclassmen.
