In competitions, the students earn a rating, ranging from A to E, with A being highest. Those who have not earned a rating are designated with a U for unrated. "Tournaments help them move up in the ratings," explained Garry Bryant, who got involved in fencing a few years ago because he saw it as a way to do something with his sons. (When health problems prevented Bryant from actively fencing, he became the armorer for the league, which, he says, is the fancy name for a repairman. "It's my job to fix anything that's broken.")

Among the group were three students who are ranked as national champions of their divisions: Andy Paulsen, who also serves as captain of the Davis High fencing team; David Berryrieser from Park City; and Chris Mansfield, from Orem.

Berryrieser, who has been fencing for five years, likes the abundance of strategy and technique the sport offers. You have to be good athletically, he says, but that alone doesn't mean you fence well. "There's also the intelligence aspect. You have to know what needs to be done."

"It's a fun mind game," agrees Mansfield, who has been at it for about eight years. "I got into it through my dad. Baseball wasn't working out for me, so my dad found this to try." Mansfield quickly fell in love with it. "It provides a challenge, but it's not only a sport. It gets you thinking."

He hopes it might do even more for him. "A lot of us are aiming for scholarships. A lot of schools still have fencing programs. It's very popular with the Ivy League schools and others. So, I'm hoping it might help with my education."

One of their club members got a scholarship to Duke last year and has been on the fencing team there.

Other students enjoy th e fun and camaraderie that fencing brings. "I was getting bored over the summer, and my friends told me to come try fencing," says Yasmeen Hussain, who has been at it for nine months. "It's a lot of fun. You meet great people — and you get to stab them," she jokes. "There is a very social atmosphere. We learn off each other. We help each other."

"It's a sport with a point," deadpans Walker Stern. "Instead of running into each other or running around in circles, you're learning skills that, well, could be applicable in later life."

Two things make good fencers, says Andrews — good coaches and good fencers to compete against. "It's difficult to learn. It's not something you can pick up from reading a book; you need to have someone who knows what they are doing.

"But competing against good players helps you, too. It's not surprising that members of the Olympic team often come out of the same club because they press each other and draw the best out of each other."

She also likes the fact that at this level, men and women can compete against each other fairly evenly, which is nice, she says, because they generally attract a few more boys than girls. "I also teach at UVSC, and sometimes I'll have a class with 10 guys and one girl. Great odds for the girls!"