Overview of the Rose-Hulman Fencing Club
The Rose-Hulman Fencing club was founded in the early 1980’s to instruct students in the art of fencing. The club had a coach and participated actively in the Indiana fencing community. Rose-Hulman was known to host tournaments each year which were attended by fencers from schools such as Purdue University.
Brian Dougherty, an alumni of Rose-Hulman and former president of Rose-Hulman Fencing who currently works with Rose-Hulman Ventures, mentions a few things about the club a decade ago. Between 1989 and 1993, the club had between 8 and 10 active members, and perhaps another 4 to 6 less active members. The club’s coach was a local rabbi who had obtained an “A” rating in saber fencing(the most prestigious rating given in the United States Fencing Association(USFA)) many years ago and who enjoyed volunteering his time to the club. In 1990, 4 of the members of Rose-Hulman Fencing participated at a national level tournament. It was common for members to have obtained at least at “E” level rating in their preferred weapon before graduating, indicating a 1st place win in a small tournament or a high ranking in a large tournament.
The club hosted 3 “Rose-Hulman Open” tournaments between 1990 and 1993, as well as 2 USFA divisional tournaments. The club also hosted its own private tournament each spring. In 1994, the volunteer coach left town, and the club’s skill level and organization began to diminish.
Past club presidents include Elihu Feustal(1990-1992), Brian Dougherty(1992-1993), Kelly Lewis(1994), Matt Miller(1997-1998), Tom Mackel(1999-2001), and Derek Luebke(2001-2002). Elihu Feustal recently participated in the Turkey Shoot Open at Notre Dame in November, 2001. He won 2nd place in epee style fencing at this extremely competitive tournament.
Tom Mackel, a senior computer engineering student and former president of Rose-Hulman Fencing, mentions the club history and activities since he began his involvement with the club in 1998. When he joined the club in 1998, the membership was fairly small. The club attendance numbers were not large at the start of the year, and began to drop as the school year went on. By the time December rolled around, meeting attendance had dropped to virtually nil, and the administration lost communication with the Student Government Association(SGA). The SGA assumed the club to be inactive, and withdrew funding for the following school year. In and prior to 1998, the club had an experienced alumni from Purdue, Dave Daniels, volunteering his time to teach and instruct fencers. Due to pressing work concerns, Mr. Daniels was unable to continue volunteering his time beyond that year.
Tom became the club president in the spring of 1999 after the club had apparently gone inactive. The club consisted exclusively of the 5 officers. Several of these officers were not active club members. The majority of the club meetings consisted of 2-4 members. The SGA approved a $500 budget for the diminished fencing club to attempt to get back on its feet. The 1999-2000 school year showed minor increases in club attendance at the beginning, which quickly dwindled back to the 2-4 members seen in the previous year. The $500 dollar budget was quickly eaten up purchasing equipment which would someday permit the club to attend a tournament. Tom and one of the officers attended a small tournament at Purdue University, using club funds to rent equipment needed to participate.
The 2000-2001 school year showed much more success for the club. The first club meeting consisted of over 40 persons interested in fencing. Member retention proved difficult, since the club did not possess the equipment necessary to compete, and the club could not practice under competitive conditions. The average club attendance dropped and leveled at 4-6 persons per meeting. SGA had approved $1000 for the club, and was quickly eaten up purchasing equipment which would someday permit the club to attend a tournament. Three tournaments were attended at Purdue University and Ball State University using club funds to rent equipment where necessary. There were 4 participants for each tournament. In the springtime of 2001, the club obtained a special funding grant from SGA for $6000, and the club was able to purchase a minimal amount of tournament equipment and scoring devices which were received over the summer.
In 2001-2002, the first club meeting attracted nearly 30 persons. Member retention with the new scoring equipment has been close to 50%. The average club attendance prior to Jan. 1st was 10-14 persons. The club attended 5 tournaments prior to Jan. 1st and has plans to attend a minimum of 3 more. Rose-Hulman Fencing is planning to host a tournament in the early part of March. The club still does not have a coach. A former Soviet “Master” level fencer, Valery Kizik, contacted the club in November asking for information about fencing. Mr. Kizik attended and won 1st place in Fall 2001 at the Purdue Open. In November 2001 at Notre Dame, the club members met up with former Rose-Hulman Fencing president Elihu Feustal, who mentioned the possibility of coming to Rose-Hulman and working with the club in the future.
Between 2000 and 2002, Rose-Hulman Fencing member Steffen Giermann has won 1st place in foil fencing at several Indiana tournaments. He has also won 1st place in epee fencing more than once. Steffen is a graduate student from Germany who has been fencing for about 15 years. There are many fencers at Rose-Hulman with the skills and experience of Steffen Giermann who have chosen in the past not to join the club because the club did not appear to be competitive. Some of these fencers have begun to attend club meetings now that the club has become competitive.
Of our fencers who have not fenced prior to coming to Rose, many of them have won 1st or 2nd in novice tournaments.
Rose-Hulman Fencing’s primary growth restraints are funding and coaching, both of which could be resolved by becoming an NCAA organization. The club has been interested in NCAA membership and is now looking into the possibility of making Rose-Hulman into an NCAA Division III fencing member. The club has the ability to be competitive, and NCAA membership would attract the attention of many experienced fencers who are prospective students of Rose-Hulman. The formation of an NCAA Fencing Team is a rare opportunity that not many colleges get, and as a result, the possession of an NCAA Fencing Team would bring prestige to the school.