Fencing Gala Fun
The RGS Fencing Gala took place on Sunday 11 December with 95 fencers in 37 teams from 15 schools participating in over seven hours of fencing. The Fencing Gala was a fantastic event which gave the 95 young fencers the opportunity to develop their skills and competition techniques.
The Gala event is aimed at giving young fencers a chance to experience competitive Fencing in a friendly and supportive atmosphere. With the score sheets drawn up and ready, Fencing started in earnest shortly after 12.00pm. From then on Tom Savage Sports Hall was filled with the sounds of foils and epées clashing, the buzzing of boxes, and the calls of the referees. Fencers were winding down by 4.00pm with the last match finishing shortly after 5.00pm, with 3,281 hits scored throughout the day!
A massive thank you is owed to Nick Chapman and his army of volunteers – a number of coaches from the West Midlands region, and former and current fencers coached by Nick (including some RGS students and alumni). Fencing coaches brought additional kit, which was very much needed, and referees were adaptive and supportive of the largely young teams of fencers.
Many thanks to the parents, too: one very kind parent went out to get himself some coffee and came back with several coffees for us, another came to ask for a mop to deal with a water spill and then took it away to sort out the issue himself! By the end, as we were clearing away, everyone turned to lend a hand: parents, fencers who had finished, referees, all seen moving chairs and tables, picking up litter, packing away the cables and boxes.
The Gala was only made possible with the willing support of everyone. Many thanks to all involved, the camaraderie on show at the event was stupendous.
Dr Phil Ehlers – Senior Teacher, Head of Fencing