Adventure Man: I challenge you to a duel -- by Jadrian Klinger, Photos by Tim McKenna

Posted @ Oct. 03 2011 10:12AM by Timmy - in-print

What do gladiators, ninjas, samurais, swashbucklers, cavaliers, knights and pirates all have in common with a group of more than 25 kids and adults who meet on Tuesdays and Fridays at the YMCA of York?

No, it’s not that they have all been the focus of countless classic films and historic narratives. Nor is it that, although certainly true, their uniforms are so incredibly and (as the kids say nowadays) epically wonderful that they inspire the majority subject of the best Halloween costumes available.

Essentially, it all boils down to just one thing: a long, sharpened, death-dealing blade carried and wielded for millennia by duelers, warriors and royalty alike, known to laymen as a sword. And the one thing they all – from swashbucklers and samurais to seemingly ordinary members of the YMCA of York – have in common is knowing exactly what it is like to square off against an opponent armed only with a sword.

Twice a week, a sword-swinging collective of more than 25 assemble to learn and practice the ancient art of fencing as part of the York Fencing Club (YFC) at the YMCA of York. Led by head coach Kim Bleecker and assistant coach April Kauffman, members of the YFC don thick, high-collared white jackets, weapon-hand gloves and cage-like masks as they rehearse parries, attacks, counter-attacks, ripostes, feints, retreats, advances and lunges in preparation for live one-on-one duels, or bouts. And with visions of Inigo Montoya and the Dread Pirate Roberts from The Princess Bride expertly clashing swords while exchanging witty banter dancing through my head, I eagerly attended a recent Tuesday evening session with the YFC to see and experience what actual fencing is really like.

The first thing readers should know about fencing is that just about everything you’ve seen in films containing sword fighting is wrong; real fencing is much faster, more athletic, highly cerebral, absent of dramatic sweeping sword slashes, devoid of any kind of obstacle to jump over or staircase to ascend backwards while defending against an advancing opponent and only slightly disappointingly free from any repeated oaths of revenge. Even less advanced students of fencing would have no trouble picking apart cinematic ninjas and pirates in a sword fight. I, on the other hand, got a glimpse into the world of fencing as a complete novice, but Bleecker, Kauffman and every club member in attendance that evening were gracious enough to indulge me as I picked up a sword and tried not to hurt myself or anyone else standing nearby.

It started with a brief walkthrough of some basic footwork, sword positioning and beginner movements – all of which I managed with the awkward lack of ability I reserve for most activities that require skill. And after a quick overview of the rules, courtesy of Assistant Coach Kauffman, I found myself suited up in the appropriate gear and ready to try my hand at fencing for real. It was me versus Kauffman, a fencing veteran of more than 10 years. Her graceful victory was swift. But blind luck shone upon me for a brief moment as I scored a single point on her by breaking the rule of moving before I was supposed to.

The short time I spent learning to fence and then experiencing a bout for myself was more than enough to convince me of the undeniable artistry and athleticism it takes to excel at the sport of fencing. Plus, it was a blast. Few other sports encourage you to hit and poke others with a sword. To be an accomplished fencer, one needs the strategic flair of a chess master, the agility of a dancer, the discipline of a martial artist and the reflexes of a fighter pilot. All skills which I do not possess, but trying fencing for myself provided a genuine appreciation for the far more advanced fencers I witnessed face off later that evening. Truly, they all were an impressive sight to see as they brandished their foils, épées and sabres (the three kinds of swords used in fencing) with well-honed ability. It was easy to understand why fencing was not only one of the first Olympic events, but also why the YFC had been around since the late 1920s.

Walter “Jack” Hespenheide originally founded the club at the YMCA of York around 1929. He loved the sport so much that he fenced until he was 98 years old. Once Hespenheide was no longer able to lead the YFC, a student of his (now Head Coach Kim Bleecker) took over in 2005. Bleecker, a fencing veteran of 26 years, learned the skills he now imparts to the entire club from Hespenheide back in 1985.

“I had a friend of mine who fenced in college,” remembers the 55-year-old Dover resident. “He showed me the sport, and I felt that competing against somebody with this steel weapon and having it be legal was a very cool thing. I already knew Jack [Hespenheide] because he was a small-airplane flight instructor pilot, and he taught my brothers how to fly. So I came in to the YMCA and learned to fence from Jack. And I loved it. I’ve been doing it ever since.”

Bleecker works in the York City School District as a special education teacher, which naturally compelled him to help Hespenheide instruct the beginners in the YFC. “I just started helping out,” notes Bleecker. “I came in, I learned as a brand-new beginner, and I just started helping to teach other kids. Jack was still the head of this area, which was really kind of neat. He fenced until he was 98. So when Jack couldn’t do it anymore, I just took over.”

As the head coach for YFC, Bleecker is now so busy teaching others how to fence that he does not often get a chance to do it himself, but his love for the sport is as strong as ever. “In fencing, I love trying to figure out what that guy was doing and beat him at it in five touches,” he explains. “It’s the mental game – figuring it all out. That’s the part I like. And it’s neat because you can do it forever. When I started fencing, Jack was 85 years old. I had to go high energy, I had to do all that to stay with him at 85. You can do it forever.”

Assistant Coach April Kauffman shares similar sentiments about the sport of swords. “It’s one of those sports that you can do well into your older years,” says the 46-year-old Windsor Township resident. “You might not be as fast, but you hone your strategy and your timing. You can be older, not as athletic, but be more wise and still do well. I like that it’s cerebral and athletic. You can have fun slashing, but there comes a time when you just want to buckle down, settle down and really learn it – become a scholar of it. And I like that you never can perfect it. It also has mystique about it. It has an ancient tradition – Egyptians were actually doing fencing with protective gear. It can be quite simple or it can be quite complicated; it just depends on your level. You can do it as a child and through your whole life. Fencing is a really cool sport. Where else can you wear an awesome outfit like this? Where else can you hit somebody [with a sword] and not get into trouble and not get scolded by your parents?”

Kauffman also serves as the vice-chair of The Harrisburg Division of the United States Fencing Association, which governs the YFC as well as Millersville University Fencing, L’Equipe Fencing Club in Leola, Carlisle Fencing Club and Lebanon YMCA Fencing Club.

To learn more about fencing or to experience the sport for yourself, visit harrisburgusfa.org or stop by to see a class in person at the YMCA of York (90 North Newberry Street, York, PA 17401).

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