“We encourage the girls to celebrate each other’s achievements.”
KRISTIN JARGER
GOLDEN GIRLS Lauren Valledor tasting sweet victory at the Passiac County championships.
WAYNE VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL
COACHES ANN MARIE McGRATH AND KRISTIN JARGER
40 WAYNE MAGAZINE
MAY 2016
ANN MARIE McGRATH AND KRISTIN JARGER
KOMAL NERUKAR
TOP LEFT: COURTESY OF ANN MARIE MCGRATH:
OTHER PHOTOGRAPHS: ANNE-MARIE CARUSO
For two years in a row, Ann Marie McGrath, head coach for girls’ fencing
at Wayne Valley High School and a freelance photographer, has been
named Passaic County’s Girls’ Fencing Coach of the Year. An alumna captain
of the school’s team, McGrath competed in Junior Olympics, won an
NIWFA National Championship and was inducted into William Paterson
University’s Hall of Fame. Kristin Jarger, a special education teacher at WVHS
and assistant coach for this 34-member girls’ fencing team (varsity and JV
combined), is also an alumna of the school’s fencing team.
McGrath says, “Coach Jarger and I believe in a coaching philosophy that
interlaces power and grace. When an athlete embraces this concept, she
supports her teammates through encouragement, offers forgiveness when
necessary and helps teammates to achieve individual greatness, ultimately
resulting in our team success.”
WVHS fencing is a no tryouts, no-cut team. The coaches feel fencing is a
unique sport that many students are not exposed to prior to high school,
so it’s difficult to know the potential of an athlete who picks up a weapon
for the first time. “We spend as much time helping our newer fencers grow
and learn skills as we do honing skills of our standout athletes,” explains
Jarger. “As proud as I am of their fencing accomplishments, I’m even more
proud of the type of people they are. We encourage the girls to celebrate
each other’s achievements,” she says.
WVHS expected this to be a rebuilding year, but all fencers rose to the
occasion in a winning season as Passaic County Champions for the second
year in a row with individual County medalists and additional noteworthy
accomplishments for the team, foil and epee fencers in Districts and State
Championships. ■