Samantha Beck/ Winonan

The members of Winona State University’s fencing club are ready to cross blades with skill and finesse.

Acting president Lance Urbick and secretary Kara Greenfield said they have worked hard to engage old and new members into the club while teaching the fundamentals of fencing.

Urbick said, “We did more advertising, trying to get new people interested in the club.”

Urbick, a sophomore photojournalism major at Winona State, said, “Last year, I just stumbled across the club and joined.”

Greenfield, a junior Biology major at Winona State, stopped by the Talbot gym her freshman year one day and joined.

“I always wanted to do it,” Greenfield said. “The gear is super expensive but the university provides it.”

The club is open to anyone—with or without prior experience. Ashley Walker and her friends were a few students who checked out the club without any prior experience one Tuesday evening.

As a senior, Walker said she wanted to try something new, so she gave fencing a try.

“The entire club welcomed us and helped us learn the fundamentals,” Walker said. “We had a blast, and I will definitely go back.”

At 7 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday night, the members gather in Talbot gym and take out the barrels of foils, épées and sabers and a rack of white protective gear.

The new and reoccurring members gather around in a circle and warm up by playing Proletariat Ball.

The game is simple, “almost like dodge ball but with ultimate Frisbee rules and with one tennis ball,” Urbick said.

After the game, the club works on footwork, practicing the lunges, forward and retreat crosses and the on-guard position. The members engage in blade drills and are able to challenge other members to duels while wearing protective gear.  During the last half hour or so, the club participates in group challenges and games to test and build their skills with the blades.

“For Halloween, we had a Star Wars night,” Urbick said. “We turned off the lights and taped glow sticks to our blades so they looked like lightsabers.”

The games help members grow accustomed to the blades with confidence and safety.

“Once we feel you have learned your blade, then you upgrade blades. Every new member starts with a foil,” Greenfield said.

Greenfield and Urbick brought out the different blades and demonstrated the uses and grips of each type.

There are multiple official matches and tournaments to show off one’s skill with the foils, sabers and épées within the club, as well as against the Saint Mary’s University fencing club a few times every semester.

The fencing club is welcome to all and any students willing to test their skills with a blade. Students are given the opportunity to learn skills that have been renowned for centuries and make friendships that will last throughout the years.