This year marks a significant milestone for George School’s fencing team. What was once a small student-run club has now grown into an official varsity team with structured training, dedicated coaching, and competitive aspirations. Under the guidance of coach Eric Wolarsky, the team is laying the foundation for what they hope will become a long-term competitive program.
From Club to Competitive Team
The transformation of George School’s fencing club into a full-fledged team has been shaped by the dedication of many students over the years, and now it stands on the start of a competitive breakthrough. Coach Eric Wolarsky took over the program this year after Kai Farris, who initially led the club, left the school. “Kai started it. Our athletic director is supporting it. So those are the elements,” Eric explained. “We made it a full sports credit, and we opened it up to everyone and said you could sign up.” Indeed, the fencing team started as a strong team consisting of 29 members! We are hoping for further expansion and refinement to increase the team’s competitiveness so that we will compete in real meets next year!
The team has seen a huge increase in participation, especially among female students. Lisa Le’26 who shows a great appreciation for this phenomenon, commented: “Last year, the team was just a small club, especially for female fencers. There were only four girls. This year, we have a huge group of people and increased participation, with the number of females doubled. We also have many captains guiding us and helping us improve.”
The Challenges and Rewards of Leadership
In order to establish an organized and inclusive team culture, Eric appointed a strong leadership team to guide the squad. With experienced fencer Jackson Yang as the team captain, Whit Burg ’27 as the Saber captain, Alvin Zhong ’25 as the Epee captain, and Eddie Scheurer ’27 as the Foil captain. Additionally, Tammy Nguyen ’27 and Lucy Li ’27 were appointed as the female co-captains to lead the team together. Captains work together to organize daily warm-ups, lead footwork drills, and provide coaching. They also plan the daily drills for their own squad, ensuring that each member of the team can improve their fencing capabilities. Their collaborative approach helps create a structured and effective training environment.
Leading a newly established team has been a unique experience for Captain Jackson Yang ’25. “I didn’t expect leading a team to be so different from what I thought it would be like. Now I understand a few choices last year’s captain, Luke, had made,” he said. “Throughout the season, I did countless demonstrations, corrected forms, and gave advice on how they could improve on their own. I started off assuming everyone can learn the moves in an instant, while quickly found out sports is not like academics, that a concept just needs to be memorized — it needs application.”
Co-Captain Tammy Nguyen echoed similar sentiments about leadership. “Being captain is honestly intimidating since it’s a first-time thing for me, and I worry about whether I’m guiding them effectively,” she admitted. “However, I know that leadership isn’t about being the perfect example, so I hope to continuously strive to improve with my teammates.”
Despite the pressures, Tammy has embraced the role and prioritizes team well-being. “During practice or bouts, I make sure to cheer them on, celebrate their progress, and offer feedback if needed. I also make sure that no one is pushing themselves too hard and remind them to listen to their bodies.”
Eric also emphasized the importance of team culture: “To me it is really valuable because I want the members of the team to be a big family. I said this to the team, but I want it to be that when you pass by a fencer on the team just walking around campus, you say hi to that person because you have a connection with them.”
Training and Development
With many team members being new to the sport, training has focused on building strong fundamentals. Eric emphasized patience and technique. “Footwork and fundamentals are the two most important things,” he explained. “When I started coaching high school, all the beginners looked really bad to me, and I couldn’t see their potential. But after years of coaching, I’ve learned to see where they have potential.”
Beginners in the team learned foil, but the team needs more epee and sabre fencers. So some returning fencers took the responsibility to change their weapon. Lisa Le, who recently switched from foil to epee, spoke about this change: “It takes more effort to adjust to different styles and techniques, but it’s rewarding.”
The Team’s First Scrimmage and Future Goals
The team’s first scrimmage against The Hill School was a major step forward. “I was really anxious about everyone just making the meeting happen,” Eric admitted. “But I’m so happy. We fenced at a real meet. Yes, it was a scrimmage, but everyone fenced with electric gear. They didn’t embarrass themselves. We’re building for the future.”
Looking ahead, Eric hopes to establish a more competitive schedule. “With the appropriate gear getting purchased, we could add five meets that are not scrimmages next year,” he said. “And then a year after that, we could start participating in some of the big high school tournaments in New Jersey.”
Jackson is optimistic about the team’s future. “Our team is filled with freshmen, meaning some of them can have four years of experience by the time they are seniors. The potential I see excites me for how we will do next year.”
Eric echoed this ideology and emphasized the importance of team culture: “To me it is really valuable because I want the members of the team to be a big family. I said this to the team, but I want it to be that when you pass by a fencer on the team just walking around campus, you say hi to that person because you have a connection with them.”
For students considering fencing, Eric encourages them to give it a try. “Fencing is a sport where about three-quarters of the athletes learn in high school. If you’re afraid of being the only beginner, that shouldn’t worry you. You’ll be part of a lot of other beginners.”
With strong leadership, a growing roster, and clear goals for the future, George School’s fencing team is well on its way to establishing itself as a competitive force.
