Fencing Club

Salary: $35,000 Age: 47 Years on the job: Eight How he got started: While attending Vassar College in New York, Gordon joined the fencing club. By his senior year, fencing was a varsity sport, and he served as its captain. After college, he continued to fence and began coaching while working at various clerical and administrative jobs. He co-founded the Chesapeake Fencing Club in 1992. During this time, he worked for a nursing home, most recently as its transportation coordinator. In 2001, he found himself out of a job because of cuts at the facility.

Lisa Dobloug, 72, is proof that fencing competitors are not all youngsters. The Washington resident competed Sunday in the 24th annual Charm City Classic, a two-day event at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, for fencers 13 and over. "I am everybody's grandma here," said Dobloug, who took up fencing 25 years ago. She was among more than 340 competitors from a dozen states — as well as from Canada and the Dominican Republic — who took part in the event, which was held by the U.S. Fencing Association and fencing's Regional Open Circuit, or ROC. The event, held at UMBC's Retriever Activities Center, was staged with up to 16 simultaneous bouts.

A duel begins, swords clang and, although no blood will be drawn, some say it is still a fight for honor at the Slayton Fencing Club, which meets three nights a week at Slayton House in Columbia. "It's the romance of the sword," said Harper's Choice village resident Jeff Biggs, 40, who returned to fencing five years ago after a 15-year hiatus and helps teach beginning and intermediate classes. "Everyone who tries [fencing] on some level wishes he were Captain Hook or Peter Pan." The sport, a workout for the body and mind, is sometimes referred to as physical chess, said club co-director Kerry Swick, who has been fencing for 36 years and once represented the United States in a World Cup competition.

A Pasadena man was sentenced Wednesday to 60 days in jail for leaving the scene of the accident in which his snowplow blade fatally struck retired John Hopkins University fencing coach Richard Francis Oles while he was walking on Mountain Road, a spokeswoman for prosecutors said. Anne Arundel County Circuit Judge Paul A. Hackner placed a remorseful Maximilian Hopkins Bode, 21, on three years of supervised probation and ordered him to perform 20 hours of community service, according to Kristin Fleckenstein, spokeswoman for the county state's attorney's office.

It's odd how certain words bring back memories of childhood.Recently I spent some time talking with Dick Oles of Pasadena, maitre d'armes and coach of the Tri Weapon Club, a fencing club for boys.The club, known as TWC, has been around the Baltimore metro area for over 30 years and is the only club that gears its training to youths.TWC will be starting beginner instruction classes from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays in October at the Columbia Recreation Centerat the U.S. Coast Guard Yard in Curtis Bay.When you talk about fencing most people automatically think of the swashbuckling feats seen on the silver screen.

All-night fencing The lowdown -- Tomorrow night, the Chesapeake Fencing Club is holding its sixth All-Night-Long Fence-A-Thon. Watch demonstrations from members of the Mid-Atlantic Society for Historical Swordsmanship and the Society of Creative Anachronism. And the highlight of the night: Take part in as many foil face-offs as you can handle, with the chance to win trophies the following morning. No need to be a pro; fencers of all ages are invited. Proceeds benefit the Chesapeake Fencing Club and the House of Mercy, a charitable organization that provides after-school and out-of-school programming in the Poppleton/Hollins neighborhood.

"This past January, I was desperately seeking some physical activity," says Dr. Joanne Watson, a 37-year-old family medicine physician at Mercy Medical Center. Her husband, Bruce, also a doctor, had been dispatched to Kentucky with his Army Reserve unit. Suddenly, Watson was sole caregiver for their three young children and in need of an occasional sanity-saving energy burn. She'd also recently dropped 53 pounds dieting and wanted to keep the weight off. "I hate the treadmill," says Watson.

Susan Schneider and Bruce Heidebrecht grew up in households that couldn't have been more opposite. Susan, the middle child and only girl in Daniel and Marian Schneider's brood of five, learned early to hold her own against her brothers. The family's Rosedale rancher seemed always to rock with laughter. In their youth, the Schneider siblings forged a bond that remains strong today. All regularly return there for rollicking Sunday dinners. Bruce's childhood was more subdued, he says. His immediate family consists of himself, his brother Brian and their parents, James and Susan.

A Pasadena man was sentenced Wednesday to 60 days in jail for leaving the scene of the accident in which his snowplow blade fatally struck retired John Hopkins University fencing coach Richard Francis Oles while he was walking on Mountain Road, a spokeswoman for prosecutors said. Anne Arundel County Circuit Judge Paul A. Hackner placed a remorseful Maximilian Hopkins Bode, 21, on three years of supervised probation and ordered him to perform 20 hours of community service, according to Kristin Fleckenstein, spokeswoman for the county state's attorney's office.

It's the height of politeness: Salute before you skewer. That was a guiding philosophy for the 370 fencers from the Baltimore and Washington area who gathered at the University of Maryland, College Park this past weekend for the annual Cherry Blossom Open. The event is one of the largest on the East Coast for amateurs, who have the chance to duel with some of the top fencers in the sport and get a taste for what a national event feels like without paying hefty entrance fees. Competitive fencers use the annual gathering as a warm-up for a national competition each spring that will be held this year in Tucson, Ariz.

A snowplow driver admitted Thursday that he didn't stop after he'd struck a pedestrian during a snowstorm in January. The pedestrian, Richard Francis Oles, a retired Johns Hopkins University fencing coach, died of injuries he sustained after being clipped by the plow while walking on Mountain Road in Pasadena. Maximilian Hopkins Bode, 21, of Pasadena pleaded guilty Thursday to leaving the scene of a fatal accident. He could receive up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine when sentenced in November, when four other counts will be dropped.

Salary: $35,000 Age: 47 Years on the job: Eight How he got started: While attending Vassar College in New York, Gordon joined the fencing club. By his senior year, fencing was a varsity sport, and he served as its captain. After college, he continued to fence and began coaching while working at various clerical and administrative jobs. He co-founded the Chesapeake Fencing Club in 1992. During this time, he worked for a nursing home, most recently as its transportation coordinator. In 2001, he found himself out of a job because of cuts at the facility.

It's the height of politeness: Salute before you skewer. That was a guiding philosophy for the 370 fencers from the Baltimore and Washington area who gathered at the University of Maryland, College Park this past weekend for the annual Cherry Blossom Open. The event is one of the largest on the East Coast for amateurs, who have the chance to duel with some of the top fencers in the sport and get a taste for what a national event feels like without paying hefty entrance fees. Competitive fencers use the annual gathering as a warm-up for a national competition each spring that will be held this year in Tucson, Ariz.

"This past January, I was desperately seeking some physical activity," says Dr. Joanne Watson, a 37-year-old family medicine physician at Mercy Medical Center. Her husband, Bruce, also a doctor, had been dispatched to Kentucky with his Army Reserve unit. Suddenly, Watson was sole caregiver for their three young children and in need of an occasional sanity-saving energy burn. She'd also recently dropped 53 pounds dieting and wanted to keep the weight off. "I hate the treadmill," says Watson.

All-night fencing The lowdown -- Tomorrow night, the Chesapeake Fencing Club is holding its sixth All-Night-Long Fence-A-Thon. Watch demonstrations from members of the Mid-Atlantic Society for Historical Swordsmanship and the Society of Creative Anachronism. And the highlight of the night: Take part in as many foil face-offs as you can handle, with the chance to win trophies the following morning. No need to be a pro; fencers of all ages are invited. Proceeds benefit the Chesapeake Fencing Club and the House of Mercy, a charitable organization that provides after-school and out-of-school programming in the Poppleton/Hollins neighborhood.

A duel begins, swords clang and, although no blood will be drawn, some say it is still a fight for honor at the Slayton Fencing Club, which meets three nights a week at Slayton House in Columbia. "It's the romance of the sword," said Harper's Choice village resident Jeff Biggs, 40, who returned to fencing five years ago after a 15-year hiatus and helps teach beginning and intermediate classes. "Everyone who tries [fencing] on some level wishes he were Captain Hook or Peter Pan." The sport, a workout for the body and mind, is sometimes referred to as physical chess, said club co-director Kerry Swick, who has been fencing for 36 years and once represented the United States in a World Cup competition.

Lisa Dobloug, 72, is proof that fencing competitors are not all youngsters. The Washington resident competed Sunday in the 24th annual Charm City Classic, a two-day event at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, for fencers 13 and over. "I am everybody's grandma here," said Dobloug, who took up fencing 25 years ago. She was among more than 340 competitors from a dozen states — as well as from Canada and the Dominican Republic — who took part in the event, which was held by the U.S. Fencing Association and fencing's Regional Open Circuit, or ROC. The event, held at UMBC's Retriever Activities Center, was staged with up to 16 simultaneous bouts.

A snowplow driver admitted Thursday that he didn't stop after he'd struck a pedestrian during a snowstorm in January. The pedestrian, Richard Francis Oles, a retired Johns Hopkins University fencing coach, died of injuries he sustained after being clipped by the plow while walking on Mountain Road in Pasadena. Maximilian Hopkins Bode, 21, of Pasadena pleaded guilty Thursday to leaving the scene of a fatal accident. He could receive up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine when sentenced in November, when four other counts will be dropped.

Susan Schneider and Bruce Heidebrecht grew up in households that couldn't have been more opposite. Susan, the middle child and only girl in Daniel and Marian Schneider's brood of five, learned early to hold her own against her brothers. The family's Rosedale rancher seemed always to rock with laughter. In their youth, the Schneider siblings forged a bond that remains strong today. All regularly return there for rollicking Sunday dinners. Bruce's childhood was more subdued, he says. His immediate family consists of himself, his brother Brian and their parents, James and Susan.

It's odd how certain words bring back memories of childhood.Recently I spent some time talking with Dick Oles of Pasadena, maitre d'armes and coach of the Tri Weapon Club, a fencing club for boys.The club, known as TWC, has been around the Baltimore metro area for over 30 years and is the only club that gears its training to youths.TWC will be starting beginner instruction classes from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays in October at the Columbia Recreation Centerat the U.S. Coast Guard Yard in Curtis Bay.When you talk about fencing most people automatically think of the swashbuckling feats seen on the silver screen.