When you think of fencing, you likely think of sword play. Pirates of the Caribbean, or maybe Darth Vader versus Luke Skywalker.
"Luke, I am your father."
Well, actually none of that has anything to do with fencing.

They've heard it all before. Pirates of the Carribbean.
Star Wars. You name it, they've heard it.

"No, see, a lot of people think that," said Notre Dame freshman Juan Barzallo. "They’re like, ‘Star Wars’ or ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’, but once you start you’re like, that has nothing to do with fencing at all."

Fencing is as much art and dance as it is swordplay.
Check that. No swords. There's an epeee, a foil, and a saber used at the Peoria Fencing Academy.
Students work on footwork, technique and precision.
No points for glancing blows. The tip must hit its target in this real–life duel.

"It’s more mental than most sports that you would think," said Dunlap sophomore Alex Schneider. "Coach calls it a mental chess game. So, when you’re fencing, it’s a lot of mental and physical together."

The Peoria Academy's mentor, their Obi Wan Kenobi if you will, is Elsayed Emara. Emara been studying the art of fencing since he was a boy in Egypt. Emara's students don't dabble in the Force, but their lessons learned are similar to tthose taught in the martial arts.

"We teach them also the sportsmanship and the discipline," said Emara.
"From the sport of fencing, these kids get a lot of stuff. Self-confidence, self-esteem."

In addition to those important lessons, these students are learning to handle themselves in competition. With five junior Olympians, and one junior olympc gold medal winner, they are putting their opponents en garde.

"That’s the dream for all the kids, and all the fencers," said Emara. "They want to be in the Olympics. Each kid has a talent inside and you never know. You have to get those talents outside."