Retired NCO's daughter to join UNC fencing team

All-American Fencing Academy

	Contributed photo Brianna Osinski, the daughter of a retired Army noncommissioned officer and a recent graduate of Terry Sanford High School, will join the UNC varsity fencing team this fall. She has trained at All-American Fencing Academy in downtown Fayetteville.

In 2009, Paul Hovey was the All-American Fencing Academy’s first athlete to fence for a Division I varsity fencing team at UNC-Chapel Hill. Now, one year later, Brianna Osinski becomes All-American’s second athlete to join the UNC team.

Osinski, a recent graduate of Terry Sanford High School and the daughter of a retired Fort Bragg noncommissioned officer, will join the women’s foil squad this fall and reunite with former All-American Fencing teammate, Hovey, who is currently with the men’s epee squad.

Osinski joined the All-American Fencing Academy about a year and a half ago.  The academy is located at 207-B Donaldson St.

Osinski was initially coached by Gerhard Guevarra during her first months with the academy, but soon joined Coach John Page to begin training as a competitive fencer.

“I got into fencing because I was reading “The Spiderwick Chronicles,” and a character in the book fenced ... and I thought that was amazing. When I saw a flyer for a fencing program in downtown Fayetteville, I knew couldn’t pass up that opportunity,” Osinski said.

About a year ago Osinski got her first test as a competitive fencer during the Atlanta North American Cup.  She did well, but was eliminated in the second round after the pools.
Over the next year, Osinski trained weekly with Page and competed at several local and state tournaments.

“Coach Page pushes his students pretty hard but we always learn and enjoy it.  I really feel that I’ve improved my point control and endurance, but I still have a long way to go,” Osinski said.

The training paid off. In 2009, Osinski took fourth in the North Carolina’s Junior Olympic Qualifiers.

“I think that has been my greatest accomplishment as a fencer.  Coach Page was there with me during the whole competition and I felt good about my bouts.”

Despite being an accomplished fencer, Osinski balanced a full schedule of fencing with school and extra-curricular activities such as band, drama, running and chorus.

“Although she was accepted at Catawba, UNC-Asheville, UNC-Charlotte, and N.C. State University, All-American Fencing is happy she chose UNC- Chapel Hill. Osinski will learn a lot from the UNC team,” Guevarra said.

She said she is excited about attending UNC.

“I chose UNC because every time I visited, it felt like a perfect fit. Rather than thinking ‘Well ... I could live here for four years, it was more ‘Wow! I get to live here for four years?!’ Having a fencing team that wanted me was icing on the cake.”

As Osinski embarks on a new adventure as a Tarheel, she said she will miss looking forward to her weekly training sessions at All-American Fencing. Her participation in the academy has also expanded to volunteering as a youth coach and armorer.

“Everyone at All-American Fencing is great, I’ve yet to meet a mean person there.  All the parents want to help their kids fence as well as possible and all the students are eager to learn,” said Osinski. “I’ll miss my family at All-American, but I’m looking forward to what my new coaches can teach me and being on a team of fencers all my age.”

The All-American Fencing Academy is hosting several summer camps for youth and teens, ages 7 to 18 who may be interested in learning to fence.  Programs are being offered in downtown Fayetteville as well as Fayetteville Academy.  Fort Bragg SKIESUnlimited is also accepting registrations for fencing summer camps.

For more information about the All-American Fencing Academy and summer camp, call 644-0137 or visit www.allamericanfencing.com.

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