Kathy Durrell

BOARDMAN — For those who want to find a new hobby that will help keep them physically and mentally fit, Kathy Durrell recommends one thing: fencing.

She said it has been called “physical chess,” because it helps to be smart and stay a few moves ahead of one’s opponent, while also strengthening muscles that are not used often and helping with balance.

Durrell, 51, did not begin fencing until the summer after her first year of undergraduate school. Originally from Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, she went to college at the University of New Brunswick. She got a job in a physics lab during the summer, and one of her colleagues was giving fencing lessons during lunch.

“She asked if I wanted to come, I said ‘yes,’ and I was hooked,” Durrell said.

She continued fencing for the final three years of undergrad, then was on the varsity team at the University of Toronto while studying to earn her master’s degree.

She was also on the varsity team at McMaster University while getting a doctorate. That gave her the opportunity to also coach in a way, because she was the captain of the team. Durrell said the team was so large that sometimes the coach would work with her, then she was expected to work with and coach her teammates. Now, she puts that first coaching experience to good use.

Durrell moved to Pennsylvania with her husband in 2000, then eventually to Youngstown. In 2005, she began teaching at Youngstown State University. She wanted to start a fencing club, which caused her to find herself in the role of teaching fencing at the school, along with physics and astronomy. She still teaches part time, but has not been able to teach fencing since the pandemic.

Nonetheless, she has still stayed involved with the sport through teaching fencing once a week at the Austintown Senior Center. None of the seniors she has taught had tried fencing before, which Durrell said is not uncommon for this area.

“The people in the senior center are so adventurous,” Durrell said. “I hope I’m that adventurous when I’m their age.”

She welcomes all to her class. Durrell said she has worked limitations from bad knees to wheelchairs. Fencing is a great hobby for seniors, because it works muscles that are good for balance and keeps the mind young.

It also is a good hobby for all ages, because it is a high-intensity workout and repeatedly gets the heart beating faster for a short time. According to Healthline, this type of workout can burn a lot of calories in a short time, is good for metabolism, and improves anaerobic and aerobic capabilities.

“Plus, it’s just a lot of fun,” Durrell said. “You meet a lot of people who may not lean towards the traditional American sports.”

Durrell has competed and refereed at the national level and was a member of the Two Ravens Fencing in Cleveland. She said as with many things, COVID-19 put a stop to her ability to compete. But she is working to build up her strength to be able to compete at that level again. She said in her 20s when she was seriously competing, she would attend about 20 tournaments a year between local and national levels.

At this point, she is done with being an official, because she said it is too much of a strain to try to go to a competition and compete, but also referee on her off days. Now, it is better for her to rest in between matches at a tournament.

There are three types of fencing: foil, epee and sabre. Foil is where most people learn, and is what Durrell teaches. In this version of the sport, the opponent who begins attacking has the right of way, and therefore would get the point if he or she hit the opponent. Who has right of way is ultimately up to the referee. Durrell said she prefers epee because there is less interpretation from the official and the entire body is a target, unlike foil, where only the torso can be hit. This makes the game slower and more tactical.

“Different personalities tend to go to different weapons,” Durrell said. “I was drawn to epee.”

Other than fencing and teaching at YSU, she also writes questions and is on the content development team for the advanced placement Physics II exam through the Educational Testing Service, and is an online tutor for physics, astronomy and math at Kent State University at Trumbull.

Durrell and her husband, Patrick Durrell, also have two miniature schnauzers and seven chinchillas in their Boardman home. They originally had two boy chinchillas and one died, so they got another. As it turned out, the new one was a girl, not a boy as they had been told. So, now they have five 3-year-old chinchillas. She said there will be no more babies.

Those interested in fencing and are 50 or older can join the Austintown Senior Center and her class. The center is free to join for Austintown residents, but those outside of the township are also able to join for a fee.

YSU students can join the fencing club that she oversees on campus. For everyone else, Durrell recommends checking out USAfencing.org for a list of nearby clubs. She said she doesn’t think it is as popular in the United States as in Europe because not as many people know about it, but she encourages everyone to give it a try.

escott@tribtoday.com