Marigot Fackenthal is a new sophomore at SCDS. Her favorite subject in school is science, and she is a nationally ranked fencer.
Q: What school did you attend last year?
A: Mira Loma High School.
Q: Are you liking SCDS so far?
A: Yes. I like how the teachers’ class style is laid back. They’re efficient in teaching lots of material.
Q: How is it different from your old school?
A: It’s significantly smaller. I had 400 kids in my freshman year; now I have 30.
Q: What are your favorite classes?
A: Physics, Latin and English.
Q: Do you have any siblings?
A: (Freshman) Amalie Fackenthal.
Q: If you had a million dollars what would you buy with it?
A: Ummm… A personal satellite.
Q: What are your hobbies?
A: Fencing. I’m going to Poland in two weeks to represent the United States for the world.
Q: How long have you been fencing?
A: Competitively for two to two-and-a-half years.
Q: I’ve read that fencers use one of three weapons: epee, sabre, or foil. Which one do you use?
A: Sabre. Sabre is the slashing weapon which looks like the classic sword-fighting weapon from movies. The others are like poking weapons. They originated from medieval times. Foil and epee were used for dueling purposes. Sabre originated from the Cavaliers, who were basically the people who killed on horseback.
Q: How are you ranked?
A: There’s different divisions in fencing. I’m in under-16, and I’m currently ranked 23rd in the US. I can play in under-18. There are some levels that are based off your rating, but I’m highest ranked right now in under-16.
Q: How much do you travel for fencing?
A: I have five national tournaments where I have to travel and one or two international tournaments. There’s also tournaments in California more often, but they’re not a big deal.
Q: When you travel, do you travel with your family?
A: No, just my mom comes.
Q: How long will you be in Poland?
A: Five days, maybe four; it’s a long flight.
Q: What is the tournament called?
A: The national cups in the U.S. are called North American Cups (NAC). International cups are usually in Europe, but there’s one in Costa Rica this year. This one is the Poland International Cup.
Q: How many NAC tournaments do you compete in per year?
A: I’d say five maybe.
Q: How much do you practice?
A: It depends on what day it is. Usually two hours, four days a week; lessons are on other days.
Q: Why did you choose fencing?
A: I heard about it from a friend; at the time I was swimming competitively and fencing recreationally. I started liking fencing more than swimming.
Q: How is recreational fencing different from what you’re doing now?
A: You don’t travel around the country, and you don’t go to tournaments.
