Fencing

My son, Steve, began fencing epee while we were living in Grenoble, France, in 1994. Since most sports, music and art activities in France are organized as community clubs, each year an activity fair is held in the Hoche park in downtown Grenoble. There my son was enthralled by the demonstration put on by Maitre Pascal Ferrand, and joined the class held twice a week at the Hoche gymnasium, about a block from our apartment. Pascal spoke no English and Steve was only beginning to learn French, but Pascal was enthusiastic and found many ways of communicating and demonstrating fencing techniques. In fact we have since decided that Steve probably learned proper technique better than the French students since he had to rely so heavily on observing Pascal. Upon our return to Binghamton, Steve continued fencing somewhat sporadically with the Binghamton University Fencing Club. During the summer of 1995, the club did not have access to gym space, so Steve, Ryan Luft (the club president at the time) and Tom Langhorne (club faculty advisor) would bout on the sidewalks behind the gym.

In the summer of 1997, Tim Cosgrave and Jim Levandowski opened a fencing school in Johnson City. At their initial open house, Steve fenced with Jim (whom he had met at the University fencing club) and Alan Blakeborough. My daughter, Carolyn, watched as Carolyn Washburn and her Canadian team coach, Alex Jeffreys demonstrated sabre techniques. I asked Alex whether the typical sequence of learning fencing was foil first, followed by epee, and finally sabre. He replied that Carolyn Washburn had never fenced any weapon other than sabre, and look at how well she has done. My Carolyn and two other women sitting nearby were immediately convinced. They began learning sabre with Tim Cosgrave, while Steve continued Epee with Jim Levandowski.

In the Fall of 1998, Carolyn competed in her first North American Cup (NAC), the national-level competitions run by the U.S. Fencing Association. She placed third in the under-14 age group at Rochester. Since then she has competed in the Division II/III NAC in New Haven, CT, the Summernationals in Charlotte, NC, in 1999, the Junior Olympics in Sacramento, CA, in 2000 and SummerNationals, again in Sacramento in 2001. Steve competed in the 1999 NACs at Pittsburgh and New Haven. Steve gave up fencing when he became a student at the University of Illinois. Carolyn graduated from New College of Florida, where she started a fencing club.

After watching Steve fence for four years and Carolyn for one, I decided I would give it a try. After a one month dabbling in epee I took to sabre and have really enjoyed learning from Tim Cosgrave. My learning curve is much slower than either of my kids', however. Probably this is just because I am older, stiffer, and more set in my ways. However, the kids' eye-hand coordination was probably helped by growing up playing video games. Also, their ability to carry on several on-line conversations at once certainly helps with the quick processing of multiple stimuli needed to do well in fencing. When Tim's club closed in 2004, most of his students continued with Neal Lazar. I began working out with the Binghamton University Club, until 2008 when I gave it up, hopefully not for the last time.

Jeff's results:

• Oct. 1999 Binghamton University tournament - 8th (dead last)
• Feb. 2000 BU tournament - 8th out of 10. (Tim 1st, Carolyn 3rd)
• May 2000 Beaches tournament - close to last of 12 (Carolyn 8th)
• June 2000 Empire State Games qualifier - 6th or 7th out of 11
• Nov. 2000 BU tournament - 6th out of 21 (Tim 1st)
• Dec. 2000 Crimson Knights "Grinch" tournament - 3rd
• Jan. 2001 Beaches tournament - 17th out of 21
• Feb. 2001 BU tournament - 2nd out of 9
• Mar. 2001 BU tournament - 4th out of 9
• April 2001 Beaches tournament - 3rd out of 14
• April 2001 BU tournament - 4th (last) out of 4
• July 2001 SummerNationals - 31st out of 45 in Veterans Combined Men's Sabre and 93rd out of 102 in Division III Men's Sabre. (Carolyn placed 39th out of 41 in Cadet Women's Sabre and 46th out of 93 on Division III Women's Sabre.)
• Aug. 2001 Beaches tournament - 10th out of 10, but an exceptionally strong field; I'm satisfied.
• Sep. 2001 Duel in the Mall, WNY Division tournament, Syracuse - 6th out of 8.
• Oct. 2001 Hamilton College tournament - 6th out of 14
• Dec. 2001 Crimson Knights "grinch" tournament - 1st out of 7.
• Mar. 2002 BU tournament - 4th out of 12.
• Apr. 2002 RPI Open - 21nd out of 30 (an excellent competition!).
• Feb. 2003 Ol' Geezers' Melee - 5th out of 9
• Mar. 2003 BU tournament - 9th out of 15
• Apr. 2003 RPI Open - 12th out of 27. A very good showing; beat 2 C-rated fencers in pools.
• Apr. 2003 BU tournament - 6th out of 13
• Jun. 2003 Pomme de Terre - 29th out of 43 in Open Mens Sabre, 3rd out of 31 in Unclassified Mens Sabre (earned my "E"!).
• Aug. 2003 NY State Championships - 10th out of 18. Run en lieu of the Empire State Games.
• Oct. 2003 BU tournament - 11th out of 17.
• Apr. 2004 Empire State Games Qualifier - 12th of 12.
• Fall 2004 BU tournament - last.
• May 2005 Empire State Games Qualifier - last of 5.
• Mar. 2006 Woodstock tournament - 9th out of 11.
• Apr. 2006 RPI Open - 31st out of 55.
• Apr. 2006 BU tournament - 4th out of 11.
• May 2006 Empire State Games Qualifier - 4th (conceded) out of 8.
• Jul. 2006 Empire State Games Masters sabre - 3rd (bronze medal) out of 9.

Last modified August 11, 2020 (jsb)