Fencing Gets To The Point – An Art With Weapons
When we first looked at the possibility of Fencing being a part of the Liberty Games, I must admit that I was hesitant at first thought. Then I was told that there is a Sabre used, and immediately I thought, “Light Sabre”? My second thought was how to get Darth Vader, Han Solo, Princess Leah, Luke Skywalker, and Yoda together to make the official announcement, and oversee the event. As long as we could pull that off, then Fencing was definitely a “GO”! Okay, I was a little misled by the Light Sabre hanging on the wall alongside the Darth Vader like outfit. It wasn’t quite as cumbersome as the mask Vader wore, but it was every bit intriguing, which made me think, “Who’s behind that mask?”
Then I met Mark Dolata, who may have played Darth Vader in the Star Wars films. Thankfully, he was a very kind gentleman, and as long as we didn’t fail him, he would keep us alive. So, per his request, we are on a mission to preach the Sport of Fencing to all who have ears, lest ours are cut off and we become Van Gogh look-a-likes. We have decided to share with you some of the basics of the Sport of Fencing here, and we hope you find it as exciting and intriguing as we did:
Fencing is not a widely publicized sport in mainstream media. You’ll never hear ESPN touting the Super Bowl of fencing tournaments. So why do I bring attention to this obscure sport that requires much of the same skill, both mental and physical, as other major sports?
“The history of Fencing parallels the evolution of civilization, back from the days of ancient Egypt and Rome, to the barbaric Dark Ages, to the fast and elegant Renaissance, up to the modern, increasingly popular Fencing of today”.
Fencing has always been regarded as more than a sport; it is an art form, an ancient symbol of power and glory, and a deeply personal, individual form of expression. Fencing is and always has been an intrinsic part of life, from the dueling and battle of yore to the widely captivating movies and facets of popular culture such as Zorro and The Princess Bride.
The earliest evidence of Fencing as a sport comes from a carving in Egypt, dating back to about 1200 B.C., which shows a sport fencing bout with masks, protective weapon tips, and judges. Today, there are three main styles of Fencing: Epee, Foil and Sabre. All three are used in the Olympics and the main difference is the weight of the weapon and scoring. The player who scores more “hits” wins. In Foil, only hits to the torso are scored. The entire body is in play for Epee, and Sabre scores points for hits that are above the waistline.
The Empire State Sports Council is pleased to announce Fencing as an Official Sport of the 2012 Liberty Games! If you are interested, and wish to compete for the State Title, you may now Register online.
Because the Liberty Games are built around the concept of T-E-A-M (Together Everyone Achieves More), we would like to make a spot in each of the articles written, that will announce the arrival of each Sport, to impress upon you the importance of each of the individual Sport’s Chairs, as they are critical in the effort to Bring Back the Games! The Fencing Sport’s Chair is Mark Dolata, and he is joined by Co Sport’s Chairs Duncan and Christine Rounds, and their cooperation is very bit a TEAM effort. When asked about the Liberty Games becoming the New State Games Christine Rounds said, “We are excited that the State Games are back, and being held in the Capital Region this year. In addition, the Liberty Games is a great event title…and we Love the logo too!”
The Empire State Sports Council is very excited to have Mark, Duncan, and Christine on our TEAM, and we hope you will enjoy taking part in the competition, which will begin on Saturday, July 21st. Moreover, we are so excited that we are offering the following promotion. Be one of the first to purchase the Official Liberty Games Sportswear, as the Empire State Sports Council will hold a drawing of the first 100 Athletes, in each sport, that purchase Liberty Games Sportswear, and the selected Athlete will receive a Gift Card to a local restaurant for $10! Moreover, the winners from each sport will be placed into a larger drawing, which will be made at the Opening Ceremonies of the Liberty Games, and the winner will receive a Free Apple iPod. The runner-up will receive a $50 Gift Certificate from Dick’s Sporting Goods. Don’t wait, be one of the first 100 athletes in your sport to purchase Official Liberty Games Sportswear, and you can be a winner today!
In the meantime, be sure to Like Us on Facebook, as we look forward to making so many new friends. If you are in a position to do so, we would certainly appreciate your support of the 2012 Liberty Games. Please take just a minute right now to click the Donate Now button and make a contribution of any amount. The Empire State Sports Council greatly appreciates it!
