There is an effort to open up the door for more fencers of color to enter the sport. Simsbury High School is one of the local clubs working to diversify their club.
The Trojans are focusing on recruiting the best talent and some of their new players have become a force to reckon with in a short span of time.
Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, you can expect to find the high school's fencing club practicing in the cafeteria after school.
Fencing has become a newfound hobby and activity for some of the young men and women.
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Eldridge Adomako has only been fencing for three months and he's already won a bronze in a tournament.
"I started trying it and it was fun and I started doing it and I started to get a little better," said Adomako.
Muna Nwafor is also on the team and is a JV gold champion and for the last three years; he's come to love fencing.
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"It's really just that sport that really clicks with me," said Nwafor.
Access to the combat sport is sometimes difficult, which is why the team wanted to branch out and find those students who were interested but may not have a program near them.
The club is also working to diversify the sport.
"I think it's important for people to see themselves represented because I think there's a lot of kids out there that wouldn't even consider it," said Elaine Saunders, who is Simsbury High School's fencing coach.
Saunders said giving students the opportunity to learn about the activity could open up the door for them to succeed and even one day compete in the Olympics.
"I want as many people as possible to learn about fencing and to grow to love the sport the way I do," said Saunders. "They might see my guys and they might say 'that's really cool, I want to try that.'"
When 17-year-old Elijah Lee initially got asked to participate in fencing, he wasn't entirely on board but since then, he's had a change of heart.
"It's just a learning experience, really," said Lee. "The different techniques, you know, fencing against different people and not only in your school but in other schools in tournaments.”
The club has a few more matches and a tournament before the season comes to a close in March.
