Emily Howard has been fencing for the past 7 years. Over these 7 years, she says, “I have grown as both a person and a fencer. I absolutely love fencing and am so grateful for the friends I’ve made over the years. The guidance that I have received is invaluable and irreplaceable. I wouldn’t trade the memories I’ve made for anything.”
Mahala Lambert started fencing 10 years ago when she was only 8. Her big brother was having so much fun so she decided to try it and quickly grew to love it too. Mahala fenced foil and competed in local, regional, and national competitions.
Kate Andrews took a trial lesson at NWFC as soon as she was old enough. She started with foil in 2016 and later switched to epée.
Anna Quinn has been fencing since March 2018, when she took her first introductory lesson at the club. Anna lives for fencing. You might even think Anna lives at NWFC, but she does come home for meals on occasion.Anna Quinn has been fencing since March 2018, when she took her first introductory lesson at the club. Anna lives for fencing. You might even think Anna lives at NWFC, but she does come home for meals on occasion.
Jae Wu began fencing a year ago and absolutely loves it. She is an Aerial artist, after school care provider, and volunteers extensively.
Niko Lisondra was 5 years old when his parents told him they signed him up for fencing classes. His response was “You mean I’m going to jump fences?” Niko continued his journey of being a foilist while becoming a competitive foil fencer at the age of 9.
Anika Kale started at NWFC at about eleven when her world was consumed by soccer, music, and robotics. A kid’s mention of fencing at a theater camp captured Anika’s imagination so completely, she could think of little else. One trial lesson later, she was hooked. Not only did she discover her sport but she found her other home, her other family, and her tribe.
Wendy Du has been fencing for four years and trains competitively in epee. She really enjoys the mental and physical aspects of the sport and it has really allowed her to grow as a person. She hopes to continue fencing lifelong and support younger generations in the fencing community. Wendy also enjoys volunteering activities and has co-founded her own non-profit organization, Beats of Bethany, to empower youth to serve the community through varying art forms.
After trying soccer and basketball, Michael Stavreff finally found the sport that he is passionate about. He has been training at NWFC since 6th grade and embraced and enjoyed every moment on the strip. Michael plans to continue practicing the sport during his college years, applying all the knowledge, discipline, hard work, and dedication he learned at NWFC.
Amelia Nason found fencing in sixth grade after trying nearly every other sport and finding she didn’t care for catching, throwing, or running. Instead, the fencing center in Beaverton with a curiously named “Pit of Despair,” which demanded an entirely different skill set, captivated her for all of middle and high school.
While watching the 2012 Olympics, Callan McLoudrey first saw fencing and was instantly hooked and knew epee was his weapon! That fall, he started in a Park District class and, by December of that year, had joined a local club – Metro Chicago Fencing. In the Fall of 2013, he committed to commuting from the suburbs to downtown Chicago to be a member at Windy City Fencing.
Diego Brown grew up in Bend, Oregon where he joined the High Desert Fencing Club when he was 11 years old. In 2019 his family moved to Portland and Diego joined Northwest Fencing Center in 2021. He plans to continue fencing epee after he graduates from Westview High School.
Find more information about fencing and Northwest Fencing Center on our FAQ page. For more help, contact the Front Desk. Either call during open hours or email us directly and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.