Fencing comes to West Park School
Posted By Lori Penner
Posted 2 months ago
The experience was both a physical and mental challenge.
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Nothing is as easy as it looks in the movies, including the sport of fencing. This is what the students of West Park School learned on Nov. 12 when they had a professional fencing coach give them a few pointers.
Ayach Bounachad of the Manitoba Fencing Association (MFA) put each of the 215 Grades 4-6 students through their paces, teaching them about proper stance, how to hold the saber as well as fencing etiquette and safety.
Each student was treated to a 30 minute session and West Park phys-ed teacher Carol Peters says the kids were surprised at what a workout it was.
"They couldn't believe how much they were sweating after half an hour," Peters says.
The MFA has been offering programs to schools for a number of years and focuses on six key areas of development: fun, physical fitness, coordination, mobility, problem solving and order of game. Fencing is a sport where the students are given the opportunity to practice a variety of skills in a fast-paced, think-on-your-feet environment.
Bounachad's visit was funded by the student council and Peters says it was worth every penny. "It was a great day and the kids had lots of fun,' she says, adding that every precaution for safety was in place.
"They were using real metal sabers, which made the experience really cool for the kids. But I found it very safe. They wore face masks and padding and it was just as safe as any other sport. Not a single kid got hurt all day."
Peters says there is real fitness value to the sport of fencing. "This is a recognized sport that develops strength, coordination and skill in many areas. It really is a full body workout. There's a lot of agility and discipline involved."
Peters is a strong advocate of finding creative ways to promote fitness and fun. She says she would like to see a fencing club develop in Altona, possibly through the recreation department. "This is a wonderful option maybe for a student who doesn't necessarily enjoy team sports."
She says they had a good number of students express a desire to be part of a club should one be formed. "We hope to find somebody in town who would like to instruct it. For the instructor, it's just a one-week course that provides you with all the guidelines and techniques you need."
If anyone is interested in becoming a fencing coach in Altona, you can contact Carol Peters at the school at 324-5319 for more information. "The kids just had so much fun with this and I think we could easily get a group of about 25 of them who would like to continue on with it."
