Fencing News Spring l2015

Fencing News

SPRING / 2015

CAPTAINS CORNER ͵ HUGH O’CINNEIDE What does it mean to be captain of the Fencing team?

For me, being the captain of the team means that the members of Yale Fencing have trusted me with their practices and their season. We all dedicate huge amounts of time and energy into the team, especially when we are in season, and being captain means I manage that time and energy to be the most fulfilling as possible for my fencers. It is a tremendous honor, and with my efforts to make practice productive, keep everyone's head up during competition, and organize us when we are not in the fencing salon, I hope I did the position justice.

If you had to describe this year’s team in one word, what would it be?

Haibin. He was the man of the year as far as I am concerned. His presence fell into our lap at the beginning of the season, with his wife doing a year of post-doctorate study at Yale Medical School, and now I cannot imagine the season without him. Throughout the year, we were all motivated to work hard under the man who coached 2012's Olympic Gold Medalist. I worked harder this season than I have worked any

other season, and I did so with a smile on my face. I am sure many of my teammates would say the same thing.

What is the biggest thing you’ll take away from your experience as a student athlete at Yale?

After my time being a student athlete at Yale, I think my biggest takeaway is the value of honesty. I think of a team as a set of relationships working towards a common goal, and implicit in that is the level of honesty in those relationships. We can only reach our goals when everyone is on the same page, and everyone knows how everyone else is feeling. I learned how important it is to be truthful and open when talking to my teammates, because when we are trying to function as a unit there is no tolerance for beating around the bush, especially in a time-starved environment like Yale. In my season as captain, I aimed to create a team dynamic where no one felt uncomfortable with voicing concerns, and I hope the team continues making strides in this direction.

CAPTAINS CORNER ͵ LAUREN MILLER What does it mean to be captain of the Fencing team?

Being captain of the fencing team requires planning and running practices, leading the team to success at competitions, and ensuring that each member feels fulfilled and appreciated on an individual level.

This last part is perhaps the most important (and the most difficult) -fencing is an individual sport when it comes down to it, so the captain must negotiate empowering individual members with maximizing the success of the team.

If you had to describe this year’s team in one word, what would it be?

The best way to describe this year's team is "scrappy." We are often the underdogs going into competitions. However, perhaps because we have a chip on our shoulder as a team, we dig deep and make every touch count. I've witnessed countless upset wins this year by Yale fencers because we want it more.

What is the biggest thing you’ll take away from your experience as a student athlete at Yale?

By far the biggest thing I'll take away from my experience as a studentathlete at Yale is the bonds I've formed with my teammates. The girls have continued to impress and surprise me even after four years of knowing them as much with their fencing abilities as with their nonfencing passions. They juggle long hours of schoolwork and daily practices and weekly competitions alongside a capella shows, art exhibitions, improv performances, and more. They contribute to the Yale community in several different ways, making them true "student-athletes" in every sense of the word.

CARL W. KNOBLOCH, JR. CLASS OF 1951 DIRECTOR OF YALE FENCING Carl Knobloch ‘51, captain of the saber team during his time as an Eli swordsman, has long cited fencing as the most meaningful part of his Yale experience. He's been an incredibly generous benefactor to the University: endowing the deanship of the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, and contributing substantially to the construction of the FES building. His gift in support of the fencing program will endow the Carl W. Knobloch, Jr. Class of ’51 Director of Fencing,

supporting the program’s head coaching position in perpetuity. It will also enable Yale to add a full-time, permanent assistant coach for the first time in the program’s history.

If you would like to add a personal thank you to Mr. Knobloch to the heartfelt appreciation being offered on behalf of the alumni association, please contact Steve Blum at stephen.blum@yale.edu.

FENCING / SPRING, 2015

DRIVE FOR ELIS

Y

ale Athletics will be awarding $10,000 to the association who has the largest increase in individual donors and $10,000 to the association with the largest increase in participation percentage from last year.

Your gift could be the one that scores Yale Tennis an extra $10k!

Here’s the latest update:

The charts reflect new donors to the associations from July 1, 2014 through March 31, 2015. They do not reflect gifts made to any endowment or capital account. The new donors and participation percentage are updated monthly. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Tori Untiet at victoria.untiet@yale.edu. With five months left before the June 30 fiscal year-end, there is still a lot of time to make an impact on your sport association.

Make your gift today and look for updated numbers next month!

YALE ATHLETICS COMPLIANCE CORNER As a supporter of Yale athle cs, you may employ current Yale student-athletes provided: • The student-athlete is paid the going rate for similar experience; • The student-athlete is compensated for work actually performed; and • The student-athlete does not receive any preferen al treatment due to his/her status as a Yale student-athlete.

Please contact the Yale Compliance Office (203.436.8309) if you have any ques ons or concerns.

Can I pick up a student-athlete and bring him/her to work each day?

You may give a student-athlete a ride to or from work only if you provide the same ride to every employee in the same posi on. It is not permissible to provide special treatment to a student-athlete.

The student-athlete I employ played a great game this week, can I take him/ her out to lunch to celebrate?

No. You may not provide a complimentary meal to a student-athlete because of his/her status as a student-athlete. Unless the same benefit is extended to all employees under similar circumstances, you cannot take the student-athlete out for lunch.

The student-athlete’s team is doing really well this year and ge ng a lot of posi ve publicity. I have a big promo on coming up to sell one of my products. Can I create an adver sement, in print and/or on the radio, emphasizing that Yale student-athletes use and recommend my product? Can I use their names, pictures, or likenesses?

It is not permissible for student-athletes to par cipate in any promo onal ac vi es on behalf of a commercial en ty. You cannot use a student-athlete’s picture to promote a commercial product. Therefore, student-athletes may not be used to promote your product because of their status or success.

I am sponsoring a fundraiser at my restaurant for cancer research. When someone purchases a meal, all of the proceeds go toward cancer research.

On the day of the event, can the student-athlete that works for me wear his/ her Yale uniform and invite teammates to work as part of the fes vi es?

They are very recognizable and I want as many people to donate me and money to this cause as possible.

No. Student-Athletes may not par cipate in any promo onal ac vi es for a commercial enterprise, even if it is for charitable purposes. The employee’s status as an Yale student-athlete cannot be used to promote this event, even though it is for a charitable cause.