The Fencing Club at UH has been competing since 1939 without any lapse in participation.
FCUH, which is a member of the Southwest Intercollegiate Fencing Association and competes against other in-state schools, like UT, Texas A&M and Baylor, hosted the Cougar Call to Arms this weekend at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center. FCUH has hosted the Cougar Call to Arms for 10 years and it has started to gain national recognition.
“People come from across the country to participate. One of our coaches — Davis Jno-finn, who is a UH alumnus — has done a lot to connect fencing clubs across the nation. A lot of clubs look to us and the Cougar Call to Arms as a model,” said FCUH vice president and senior anthropology major Roberta Warmuth.
The Cougar Call to Arms has steadily grown during the past decade.
“Since my freshman year, I’ve seen (the Cougar Call to Arms) grow not only in funds, but in the equipment use too. We provide our equipment for the club so you don’t have to buy anything; there is just a membership fee. The more people that sign up and the more tournaments that we host (results in) more funding,” said FCUH member supply chain management senior Derek Schilling.
“Every year, if we host a tournament like this and make a great profit, we can continue to expand the Fencing Club.”
The club, which has both male and female members, plays most of its tournaments in Texas, but some members venture to the national stage. In December 2012, two club members participated in the North American Cup.
FCUH president mechanical engineering senior Lauren Ford said the group has grown to become close.
“Our club in general is more social and friendly amongst each other. A lot of teams don’t hang out with each other on a regular basis, so we believe we have more fun,” Ford said.
