Henry Jung is passionate about the sport of fencing. The coach of Alpharetta High School’s (AHS) fencing team, Jung, a South Korean native, was a professional athlete - a nationally ranked swimmer - but became a convert to fencing through his wife and father-in-law, both accomplished fencers. “It’s really fun!” he says. “Fencing is a mental sport. You use your brain. It’s like chess.” Though matches last only three minutes, they’re a tricky mind game of out-strategizing the opponent, as well as using precision physical skill. Jung also owns the 200-member Olympic Fencers Club.
He began coaching the AHS team in 2013 which, at the time, was a smaller group. Since then, he has grown the team to nearly 35 athletes, and his teams have earned awards including gold medals, state and regional championships and have competed on the national level. Two graduates were recruited to NCAA fencing teams, and numerous students have participated in the Junior Olympics. Current team captain, senior Joshua Hutto, won last season’s state championship.
People often perceive fencing as a medieval, aristocratic European fighting activity, but Jung says fencing is increasing in popularity and diversity in the U.S. Beyond being a competitive team and individual sport, it has also become a popular form of fitness. Like martial arts, it produces similar benefits including discipline, development and emotional regulation.
Jung says that students who join his fencing team as freshmen consistently tend to stay through senior year, which contributes to the group’s cohesion and builds formidable team spirit. Practices include jogging, stretching, footwork, blade work and electric games in which fencers are tethered by a body cord to a scoring system.
Though fencing can appear dangerous, swordplay is done with safe disciplines called epees, foils and sabers, which are engineered to not cause injury to the body. AHS uses only the epee, a modern version of the dueling sword, and the heaviest of the three.
Jung acknowledges the support of the AHS administration, Principal Mike Scheifflee, and team sponsor, Donna Byrd. When not working, Jung enjoys spending time with his wife and two sons, as well as driving up to the mountains in sports cars.
Students who join his fencing team as freshmen consistently tend to stay through senior year.