Rex

A junior, Rex Ankiel joined the fencing team two years ago, and switched to epee last year. At 6’ 3” and 145 lbs., he is by far the tallest member of the team, and also the skinniest. His vision is very poor, and he is long overdue for new eyeglasses, which his family can’t afford.

He comes from a desperately poor family, which lives in a dilapidated trailer on the outskirts of Bark Bay. Graceful on the strip, he is otherwise frequently awkward, both physically and socially.

When I heard our school had a fencing team, it was like a dream come true. I’ve always been fascinated by the sport. Robin Hood was my earliest memory – the Errol Flynn movie, Robin and the Sheriff dueling in the castle, their elongated shadows dancing behind them – then there was Zorro, Three Musketeers, Cyrano – these were my superheroes, but unlike the comics,  these were legends that could be real. Fencing has helped me figure out who I am, who I want to be. The world of fencing is the way life should be.

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