If you’re going to a fencing club meeting in the coming weeks, don’t expect to pick up an épée, foil, or sabre anytime soon. The club recently announced that it will begin using actual swords in preparation for the war. The announcement came after SGA approved the club’s funding request in an effort to prime Trinity students for war.
Zabriel Zarga, first-year finance major and club president, represented the fencing club at the SGA meeting. During the proposal, he said students would learn essential skills and emulate real-life scenarios with real swords.
“It will be an amazing opportunity for students to get a feel for slicing and dicing, even if it isn’t in a war,” Zarga told the Trinibonian. “I lost a thumb the other day during a scrimmage with swords we found stowed away, but that just made me all the more excited. I hope I get drafted.”
Rayton Clessing, sophomore sociology major, recently joined the club, wanting to sharpen his fencing skills. When the club informed him they were shifting to real swords, he said that he was apprehensive.
“I have never used a real sword before,” Clessing said. “I used a kitchen knife one time to cut an onion, and that didn’t end too well. But hey, I guess that’s what to expect as part of the experience, right? It should be interesting to see how many times I’ll get stabbed.”
What is going to happen to the standard fencing swords? The club plans to store away most of them. Although they still intend to utilize traditional fencing weapons, the club will limit their use for first-day training before switching newcomers to the real deal.
“Of course, we’re still going to use our standard fencing swords,” Zarga said. “But they’re only reserved for pansy-asses who aren’t brave enough to be on the frontlines. Our role in the Tiger community is to ensure they’re ready for war outside of the Trinity bubble.”
The fencing club currently has 500 samurai swords on order from overseas and will be available to potential draftees. The club will soon host open practices in the William H. Bell Athletic Center so that Tigers can get hands-on experience and be ready for when their number is called on draft day.
