Sisters youth crosses swords in ancient art

Chivalry isn't dead when 13-year-old Cooper Gould and his fencing opponents meet each other in competition.

In fact, if one forgets to salute or offer a handshake, he is marked down and can even be expelled from the bout. Remembering his manners was the least of Gould's worries, however, when he ventured to his first fencing tournament a few weeks ago.

"Everything is slowed way down in practice," Gould said. But during tournament competition the pace can be up to four times faster, says Bill Kullman, Gould's coach. As a result, the Sisters Middle School eighth-grader lost all his bouts in that first tournament. But he's glad to have had the experience and knows what to expect next time.

"It was nice to get everything figured out." Gould said.

He has practiced most with a left-handed opponent but was pooled with right-handed rivals during the event at the Northwest Fencing Center, in Beaverton. He was also the only first-timer in the Y14 group. Gould said kids from throughout the Pacific Northwest competed.

"He fenced beautifully," Kullman said, adding that a first tournament can be overwhelming. He stressed that an overwhelmed feeling comes over most young people; he remembered feeling that way when he first started fencing in the 1960s.

"Cooper is quite enthusiastic," Kullman said. "He's putting in the time and the effort, and I expect him to do well by the end of the season."

Gould joined Kullman's Oregon Fencibles club in January because he had seen people fence in movies and television and said it looked fun.

"It's fun because there is a huge part that is physical, but also a large part that's mental," Gould said. "The biggest challenge is knowing what to do when someone attacks you; how to react to what they do."

Kullman says that testing one's technique against an opponent is what the tournaments are all about and between events the kids get a chance to improve and apply what they learned from the last competition. Gould expects he'll attend three or four more tournaments in the next year.

"It's really hard," he said. "My plan is to do better next time."

In addition to fencing, Gould runs on the middle school cross country team, takes his dog, Ribbon, to agility classes and plays the bassoon and saxophone. He'll keep practicing once a week with the Fencibles club, which meets in Bend. Kullman, who is from Culver, says he welcomes new students. He adds that fencing is a great lifelong sport that keeps people in good physical shape. Those wanting more information about the club can call Kullman at 546-2020.

"It has to be fun to keep doing it, and it is," said Gould.