En garde! Fencing arrives at Penrhos
By Brad Ramsay, Director of Operations and Co-curricular
A new kind of challenge has arrived at Penrhos, with students taking to the piste with fencing now part of the College’s growing co-curricular program.
Fast-paced, strategic and steeped in tradition, fencing offers students an opportunity to try something a little different – a sport where success relies not on size or strength, but on quick thinking, timing, discipline and the confidence to make decisions under pressure.
Often described as “physical chess”, fencing combines physical skill with mental strategy, making it a particularly empowering sport for girls.
“Success isn't about size or strength but timing, focus and quick thinking,” said JSA Fencing Academy coach and national fencing champion, Marek Jamrozy. “It teaches them to trust their instincts and make bold decisions under pressure.”
For Year 8 student Eloise, who has been fencing at JSA Academy for almost a year, seeing the sport introduced at Penrhos is an exciting opportunity for more students to discover an activity she has quickly grown to love.
Eloise first became curious about fencing after spotting people training at JSA while travelling along Canning Highway. Already busy with competitive dance and hockey, it wasn't until later that she decided to give it a go.
“I did a fencing camp, loved it, and continued,” Eloise said.
What began as curiosity quickly developed into a new passion. Eloise now trains alongside more experienced fencers, working on footwork and technique before putting those skills into practice in bouts.
“The bouts are really fun because you're trying to beat your friends and not let them get any points,” she said.
Eloise has also had an early taste of competition, placing third out of 15 competitors in her first in-club event.
For Marek, it is what happens beyond the result of an individual bout that makes fencing particularly valuable for young people.
“On the piste, students build skills in quick decision-making, sharp reflexes and coordination. Off the piste, the bigger shift happens: fencing teaches accountability and resilience”
Marek explained further: “You're the one making the calls out there, and when a touch doesn't go your way, you have seconds to adjust and try again. Over time, that builds real self-reliance, quiet confidence and respect for opponents.”
It is this combination of physical and personal development that makes fencing a natural addition to the Penrhos co-curricular offering. As well as giving students the chance to discover a less traditional sport, fencing creates another environment in which girls can challenge themselves, step beyond their comfort zones and discover what they are capable of.
“Penrhos already has a culture of building confident, independent girls – fencing fits that perfectly,” Marek said.
“It gives students a high-performance individual sport that challenges them in a different way than team sports do, and it's something they can keep excelling at well beyond school, into university and adulthood.”
Perhaps most importantly, fencing teaches students that getting it wrong is simply part of getting better.
“A setback is just information, not a failure – it's data you use to win the next point,” Marek explained.
“Whether on the piste or in life, real confidence comes from knowing you can assess a challenge, adjust your approach and keep moving forward.”
For students watching from the sidelines and wondering whether fencing might be for them, Eloise has simple advice: “Fencing is a sport that most people don't know much about, but if you seem interested, just give it a try.”
And as more Penrhos students pick up a blade for the first time, fencing represents exactly what the College’s co-curricular program aims to make possible: the chance to explore something new, discover an unexpected passion and build confidence along the way.
Want to give fencing a go?
Our fencing co-curricular program is facilitated by Marek at JSA Fencing Academy at Penrhos on Wednesdays from 3.30-4.30pm for students in Years 3 to 9.
Sign-up is available via Compass.
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