Recently, the fencing team completed the greatest accomplishment in its history. By completing a five-mile chain link fence around Choate and the immediate neighborhood, the team has made a name for itself as one of the best fencing programs in New England.
In previous years, Choate’s fencing team has received little recognition on campus for its accomplishments. Despite having been comprised of skilled athletes who practice rigorously, the fencing team rarely has spectators at its competitions. Last year’s fencing captains recalled that winter erging, the TAC program, and even Ms. Amy Salot’s fitness class had more observers. Despite this lack of support, the team this year triumphantly reached its goal for the season in a mere 25 weeks.
The team’s coach, Mr. Kyle DiTieri, recalled that the team’s season was successful from the start, “At our first competition, the other team showed up wearing space suits and holding medieval swords. They saw us constructing our chain link fence, and they just left, confused. After that, none of the other teams even bothered to show up. Undefeated season.” When asked about the difference between the past and present fencing teams, DiTieri noted that the team had become more motivated since gaining a few key members. Donovan Lynch ’18, one of the students who joined this year, shared his experience as a new fencer enthusiastically, saying, “A lot of people ask me whether fencing is anything like sword fighting. I don’t really see what they’re talking about. It’s more like riding a bike, if anything. Once you start, you just can’t really stop.” Lynch added that he, along with the rest of his team, had been chosen to “fence in New England” during the spring term as a result of the team’s recent accomplishment.
When asked about her plans for New England, team captain Camila Borjesson ’17 told reporters, “If we can fence in the entire New England region by the end of the spring term, we will receive international respect.” With regard to Choate’s newly finished fence, Borjesson thinks the accomplishment could bring more fencing recruits to campus next year, though she recognized, “It could keep them out, too.”
At press time, the team was swept up in a media firestorm over allegations of “whitewashing.” Members have thus far refused to comment.