Achievement through fencing.
Fencing is the number one scholarship sport for Women in the NCAA,
and given the competitive nature of elite schools, being recruited to the
school of your choice not only takes a lot of stress off the admissions process
but it has tremendous additional benefits of going into College with an entire
department setup with systems in place to make sure their athletes achieve in
the classroom as well!
Studies have shown that women who actively participate in sports
achieve higher grades, experience lower levels of sadness and depression, and have higher opinions of their abilities and competencies. Female athletes tend to trust and
develop solid friendships through the sport, and they learn healthier ways to handle stressful
situations than those who don’t play sports. Studies also show that women who
played a sport become more successful in life and are healthier later in life
showing reduced rates of osteoporosis and some forms of cancer.
Local support for the sport, full support for the athlete
The Phoenix Center, a facility dedicated to the sport of
Olympic Fencing, works with athletes and their families to achieve
Regional, National, and International success - all leading to college
recruitment. They have even been recognized by the National Governing Body and USA
Fencing as a Club of Excellence in Diversity and Women’s Programming.
“There
are four Club of Excellence awards given out annually, one winner in each
category.” Explained Dennis Kolakowski, Coach and Co-Owner of The PhoenixCenter. “To be recognized as a community for how we work with
our athletes to put them in the best situations to succeed, not only in the
sport, but setting them up for academic success and success in life is beyond
rewarding.” Eric Soyka (Coach, Founder, and Owner) added, “We’ve worked hard to
build a culture where our athletes feel supported, not just by us, but their
teammates and all the families at The Phoenix Center.”
A sport and a lifetime skill
Fencing is also a lifetime sport. It's an activity that women can do into their 70's and beyond. They even hold world championships in the 50+, 60+, and 70+ age categories. “It’s a great thing to be able to go anywhere in the world, and go into a fencing club and immediately have a connection to a community.” Said Coach Soyka. “We’ve had athletes travel the world for school or work, and be able to make great friends and ties to their new communities all through the sport.” He added.
For information on The Phoenix Center please visit their website: SwordsAreFun.com
They are located right in the heart of the Hudson Valley at 250 Hooker Ave., Poughkeepsie, NY 12603.