Kristin is a sophomore at University of Oregon and is a member of the UO Fencing Club. She has been passionate about fencing since high school and one day strives to explore the fencing community at large and compete at a higher level.

Ellis Mendon: How did you get involved with the UO Fencing Club?

Kristin: I first started with a little bit of fencing back when I was a senior in high school and I was really into it; except my school was so small that we weren’t able to have a fencing team. So when I came to University of Oregon I immediately checked out the club sports scene and was looking to sign up.

E: What’s your favorite part about fencing?

K: I’m going to have to say working with our coach Adam. He’s a great guy and really considerate. He’ll teach you anything you want to know as long as you go up and ask.

E: What are your goals with fencing: to keep with it as a hobby or competing at a higher level?

K: Oh I would love to compete at a higher level. What we are doing right now, just practicing against each other, is fun and all but I think going and seeing how other peoples forms of fencing come into play and meeting other interesting people and maybe practicing with some of the best people in our state or in our country would be quite a fascinating experience.

E: What first drove you in the direction of fencing?

K: This is actually a really tragic story. I had a friend who had a form of prostate cancer and he went to Western Oregon University and since I did speech and debate all through high school I met him at a tournament one day and we became good friends. I would visit every time we had a speech and debate tournament. One time he asked what’s your dream, what do you want to do? I said, oh I really want to fence but I can’t fence because I don’t have any of the equipment or the resources cause my school doesn’t do it, so I’m just not going to do it. He told me, well you know I think you should shoot for it, I think you would be good, and I think it would be something you love. Then we kind of blew it off, you know like it was a joke or whatever. Then one day he said that if he were to pass that I would have to fence, like there was no question about it and he passed away last year. So I have to keep my promise and I have to fence.