Tim Morehouse, an Olympic Fencer, initially signed up for middle school fencing classes in order to be excused from gym class. Little did he know that fencing would turn into a lifelong career and philanthropic pursuit. Morehouse, who fenced for four years at Brandeis University, decided to take fencing to the next level after college, honing his skills all the way to a silver medal win at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
Tim Morehouse, however, is more than just an athlete. He is also an engaging person with a sense of commitment to the community. Hoping to spread recognition of fencing and – more importantly – to increase health among children, Morehouse founded a non-profit organization called Fencing in the Schools. Inspired by Morehouse’s athletic and philanthropic achievements, Yeshiva University fencer Deena Gilboa noted, “Fencing is fortunate to have great role models like Tim Morehouse. Through Fencing in the Schools, Morehouse does an excellent job conveying the importance of athletics for children’s physical and mental health.”
Fencing in the Schools is a six-week program, initiated by a fencing tutorial delivered by an Olympic fencer, that focuses on teaching students basic fencing training and Olympic ideals of “excellence, respect, and friendship.” Due to fencing equipment costs, each school is required to pay $130 for each child’s fencing kit. Yet, no school will be turned away because of financial difficulty. The organization helps fundraise to bring the program to underprivileged schools, most notably at its March 13th “Fencing in the Schools Launch” to which Morehouse gave five VIP tickets to Student Athletic Advisory Committee president, Yitzy Frankel. Yeshiva University Student-Athletes who attended the event were Yitzy Frankel, Oliver Sax, Channah Esan, Kayla Ross, and Deena Gilboa.
Yeshiva University Women’s Fencing captain, Kayla Ross, excitedly described her experience at the launch. “Last night, I had the pleasure of attending the Launch for Fencing in the Schools. I was able to meet men and women on the U.S. Olympic Fencing team and watch them compete.” After a pause, Ross adds the hope that Morehouse’s pursuits and dedication to the sport “will demonstrate the intricacies and athleticism involved in fencing and its potential to help children and adults of all ages become more active.”
Initially skeptical regarding the athletic nature of fencing, senior soccer player Channah Esan admits, “As many people know, I am bit of a cynic when it comes to athletic ability involved in sports other than soccer. After watching Olympians fence, however, I gained a new appreciation for the sport of fencing.”
Morehouse believes that many other Americans would also gain a new appreciation for fencing if only they could watch the sport. Despite being told that fencing would never be televised in the United States, Morehouse has successfully televised three fencing competitions on national television, including the match at the Launch.
The Fencing in the Schools Launch, which was organized as a way of spreading recognition of the sport and awareness of the non-profit organization, also raised money for bringing fencing to financially challenged schools. Morehouse hopes that Fencing in the Schools will reach 10,000 students by the 2013-2014 school year and 1,000,000 by 2023. In fact, Yitzy Frankel reveals, “We are working with Morehouse to bring fencing to New York area Jewish high schools in the hopes of starting a Yeshiva fencing league.”
Morehouse’s motivation to bring fencing to children stems from his sense of obligation to the community. Esan notes that she now recognizes what true athletes represent. “They are not merely athletic men and women who have mastered a sport, but rather, they are so much more. Being the ideal athlete is about achieving excellence, while recognizing your unique position to affect change in a community. Tim Morehouse and his fellow fencers exemplify the perfect athlete – one who excels in athletics but also gives back to the community at every opportunity.”
Announcements:
- A huge congratulations to Rebecca Yoshor on becoming the first YU female athlete (and second YU athlete ever) to be recognized as a Capitol One All-American.
- Congratulations to the 21 female Student-Athletes who were named to the Fall 2012 HVWAC All-Academic Team.
- The new women’s softball team will play their inaugural game against Sarah Lawrence on April 9th.