Junior Nikolette Sciancalepore
finished second in saber, and Alyssa
Toy came in third in foil.
Sustaining this sort of success
looked to be a significant challenge
before the season began. With the
program looking at an equipment
shortage, McGrath and her staff
considered making roster cuts for the
first time since she took over. Yet,
the group decided against the idea.
“You can’t cut somebody that you
don’t know in four years what that
girl is going to be,” McGrath, a
Wayne Valley graduate, explains.
“You can’t tell as a freshman who
is going to be a county champion”
Thanks to plenty of help, Wayne
Valley was able to accept every girl
who came out for the team. Many
parents bought equipment for their
kids, the school was able to get just a
little more equipment, and a janitor
with a daughter involved in fencing
even donated materials.
“We did everything we could,”
McGrath says. “It just worked out,
and that the most [relieving] part
of what we went through.”
McGrath, who is in her fourth
season with the program, says about
90 percent of the girls have never
picked up a weapon or even seen a
match when they join. With most
players starting with no experience, it
takes plenty of slow development and
basic teaching to create a program
that consistently competes for county
championships.
Yet, McGrath insists that the
strong presence of caring teammates
plays a significant role in helping
FENCING SUCCESS The Wayne Valley girls fencing program continues to thrive, focusing on a
team-first attitude. Students’ parents stepped up when the program was looking at an
equipment storage.
supplement the work of the
coaching staff.
“That philosophy of helping each
other helps them really hone their
skills that by the time they enter their
junior and senior years, they tend to
be better,” McGrath says.
Most girls train for two years
before reaching the varsity level at
Wayne Valley. McGrath says that the
girls then begin to practice at gyms or
other outside venues after reaching
this point in their development.
Wayne Valley added 17 girls this
past season, bringing the team total
to 43. With an excellent group
already in the program, highlighted
by its sophomore and junior classes,
McGrath expects a bright future for
the Indians.
“I really feel good about the next
two years, and I am hoping for a
fourth [county title],” McGrath says.
“I’m real proud of the girls. They’ve
really worked hard for this.” ■
– BRIAN MARRON
WAYNE MAGAZINE MAY 2017
49