HOT Fencing is owned and coached by Rebekah
Vande Velde, who has been engaged in the sport for 4 years. She has been fencing
competitively since 2007, and was the only fencer to represent Waco in the 2009
Summer Nationals.
Before competitive fencing, she
fenced recreationally with the Heart of Texas Fencing Club, under Coach Gary
Murray Sr. At age 15 she had never been involved with sports, but after seeing a small ad in a local newspaper for
fencing classes, she decided it might be fun to try, and attended a class, planning only to watch.
Once there, however, she
found herself in a jacket with a foil in hand, completely smitten with the
sport. It wasn't long before days with fencing practice became (and still
remain) her favorite day of the week.
As part of her vision to share the sport with
her city, Coach Vande Velde opened HOT Fencing, a club dedicated to all the
wonderful aspects of the sport. She places great emphasis on keeping the
traditional spirit of fencing- integrity, respect, and good sportsmanship- at
the forefront of her students education.
Most recently, Coach Vande Velde has been chosen by the City of
Waco and the Texas Amateur Athletic Federation to host the fencing events of the
2010 Texas Summer Games. She is greatly looking forward to this project.
