En Garde Club Works to Shape the Future of Fencing at Ohio State
1/25/2024 5:42:00 PM | Fencing
"If your dreams aren't scary, they're not bold enough."
That's the attitude Natasha Galavotti and the rest of the En Garde Club team embodies as they help to shape the future of fencing at Ohio State. The club serves as a fundraising arm for the fencing program for financial assistance with regards to facilities, equipment, and travel.
The club started through a Facebook donor group many parents of Ohio State fencers became active on, and they decided they wanted to help contribute to the viability of the program.
Galavotti, mother of junior foil fencer Claire Teresa, teamed up with Roy Rodney, father of senior epee fencer Max, and a few other parents as well as the coaching staff to put together what the organization might look like.
"The En Garde Club is a much more robust and sophisticated group which combines the parent group as well as our athletes, past and present, Ohio State alumni, and Ohio State fans around the world," Rodney said.
The club began to pick up steam in that Facebook group as many parents saw the changes to the current college athletics landscape as a threat to many Olympic sports. After the 100 Year Gala that celebrated the centennial year of Buckeye fencing last spring, a plan was put into motion to continue to support the program.
"Often times, good ideas bubble up in more than one place at the same time, so I can't say I'm a founder," Rodney said. "I can say that I'm one of many interested and motivated parents who came together in my son, Max's, freshman year. I would say the majority of the parents of those freshmen were involved, so I think they are all founders."
The main objective for the En Garde Club, as Galavotti put it, is to cultivate a culture of giving. To accomplish that goal, the En Garde Club is committed to bringing in alumni, parent, and fan support.
"We want to bring everybody in on this," Galavotti said. "There are two main things that I want people to know about the En Garde Club. It's cultivating a culture of giving, and diversity, and belonging."
Two people Rodney and Galavotti have brought along for this cause are fencing alumnae Steph Miller and Lauryn De Luca. Miller, who was described as a 'right-hand man' for the coaching staff during her time as a student, has been a great addition to the team, Galavotti said. De Luca is an accomplished fencer and Paralympian.
Miller, a 2022 graduate, is responsible for the social media and marketing aspect of the club. She is also looking to use her experience on the team to showcase the level of talent and diversity Ohio State fencing has to offer.
"We have people from every country you can imagine," Miller said. "We're just an entire melting pot community and I've learned so much from all my teammates over the past few years."
That diversity is showcased not only in the team, but also in head coach Donald Anthony's coaching staff. The staff includes associate head coach Katarzyna Dabrowa from Poland, assistant coaches Dmitri Lapkes and Elvis Gil from Belarus and Cuba, respectively, and director of operations Julieta Toledo from Mexico.
Not only has Miler been learning from her former teammates and coaches, but she has also taken a lot of inspiration from Galavotti and Rodney.
"They have so much wisdom," Miller said. "So, it's really cool to just be in meetings with them and I've learned a lot from them. They've just had such a strong belief in the entire En Garde Club that's really inspiring."
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The coaching staff, according to Rodney, has also played a critical part in achieving the mission of the En Garde Club.
"There would be no En Garde Club if the coaches hadn't also embraced the vision," Rodney said. "They have donated their time beyond their already incredible work hours to now engage in fundraising and support activities for the sport."
The conviction of the leadership team behind the En Garde Club has sparked a few ideas for the club. The club plans on using the NCAA Championships, which will be hosted in Columbus in March, as well as utilizing social media to amass a following of alumni and garner their support.
"We have a whole alumni audience out there that has probably not been as reached as they need to be to be part of this journey," Galavotti said.
Through the support and culture of giving between parents, coaches, alumni, and fans, the En Garde Club ultimately exists to preserve the history, provide for the present, and protect the future of the fencing program at Ohio State. It is not a small or easy undertaking, but Rodney believes they have a system in place to accomplish just that.
"The En Garde Club is capable of rising to the occasion to take on a bigger mission of preserving fencing at Ohio State University for the next 100 years," Rodney said.
It will take a lot of time, effort, and sheer willpower to get the En Garde Club where it wants to be, but for everyone involved, it's a dream worth dreaming.
If you would like to help contribute to the future of the fencing program at The Ohio State University, please visit https://www.giveto.osu.edu/makeagift/details/312889 or contact Katarzyna Dabrowa (dabrowa.1@osu.edu) for more information about the club and contributions to the program.
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That's the attitude Natasha Galavotti and the rest of the En Garde Club team embodies as they help to shape the future of fencing at Ohio State. The club serves as a fundraising arm for the fencing program for financial assistance with regards to facilities, equipment, and travel.
The club started through a Facebook donor group many parents of Ohio State fencers became active on, and they decided they wanted to help contribute to the viability of the program.
Galavotti, mother of junior foil fencer Claire Teresa, teamed up with Roy Rodney, father of senior epee fencer Max, and a few other parents as well as the coaching staff to put together what the organization might look like.
"The En Garde Club is a much more robust and sophisticated group which combines the parent group as well as our athletes, past and present, Ohio State alumni, and Ohio State fans around the world," Rodney said.
The club began to pick up steam in that Facebook group as many parents saw the changes to the current college athletics landscape as a threat to many Olympic sports. After the 100 Year Gala that celebrated the centennial year of Buckeye fencing last spring, a plan was put into motion to continue to support the program.
"Often times, good ideas bubble up in more than one place at the same time, so I can't say I'm a founder," Rodney said. "I can say that I'm one of many interested and motivated parents who came together in my son, Max's, freshman year. I would say the majority of the parents of those freshmen were involved, so I think they are all founders."
The main objective for the En Garde Club, as Galavotti put it, is to cultivate a culture of giving. To accomplish that goal, the En Garde Club is committed to bringing in alumni, parent, and fan support.
"We want to bring everybody in on this," Galavotti said. "There are two main things that I want people to know about the En Garde Club. It's cultivating a culture of giving, and diversity, and belonging."
Two people Rodney and Galavotti have brought along for this cause are fencing alumnae Steph Miller and Lauryn De Luca. Miller, who was described as a 'right-hand man' for the coaching staff during her time as a student, has been a great addition to the team, Galavotti said. De Luca is an accomplished fencer and Paralympian.
Miller, a 2022 graduate, is responsible for the social media and marketing aspect of the club. She is also looking to use her experience on the team to showcase the level of talent and diversity Ohio State fencing has to offer.
"We have people from every country you can imagine," Miller said. "We're just an entire melting pot community and I've learned so much from all my teammates over the past few years."
That diversity is showcased not only in the team, but also in head coach Donald Anthony's coaching staff. The staff includes associate head coach Katarzyna Dabrowa from Poland, assistant coaches Dmitri Lapkes and Elvis Gil from Belarus and Cuba, respectively, and director of operations Julieta Toledo from Mexico.
Not only has Miler been learning from her former teammates and coaches, but she has also taken a lot of inspiration from Galavotti and Rodney.
"They have so much wisdom," Miller said. "So, it's really cool to just be in meetings with them and I've learned a lot from them. They've just had such a strong belief in the entire En Garde Club that's really inspiring."
Â
The coaching staff, according to Rodney, has also played a critical part in achieving the mission of the En Garde Club.
"There would be no En Garde Club if the coaches hadn't also embraced the vision," Rodney said. "They have donated their time beyond their already incredible work hours to now engage in fundraising and support activities for the sport."
The conviction of the leadership team behind the En Garde Club has sparked a few ideas for the club. The club plans on using the NCAA Championships, which will be hosted in Columbus in March, as well as utilizing social media to amass a following of alumni and garner their support.
"We have a whole alumni audience out there that has probably not been as reached as they need to be to be part of this journey," Galavotti said.
Through the support and culture of giving between parents, coaches, alumni, and fans, the En Garde Club ultimately exists to preserve the history, provide for the present, and protect the future of the fencing program at Ohio State. It is not a small or easy undertaking, but Rodney believes they have a system in place to accomplish just that.
"The En Garde Club is capable of rising to the occasion to take on a bigger mission of preserving fencing at Ohio State University for the next 100 years," Rodney said.
It will take a lot of time, effort, and sheer willpower to get the En Garde Club where it wants to be, but for everyone involved, it's a dream worth dreaming.
If you would like to help contribute to the future of the fencing program at The Ohio State University, please visit https://www.giveto.osu.edu/makeagift/details/312889 or contact Katarzyna Dabrowa (dabrowa.1@osu.edu) for more information about the club and contributions to the program.
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Players Mentioned
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