As fencing athletes around the world compete in the summer Olympics, one historical sword fighting group in Erie, Steelhead Western Martial Arts, is watching with an understanding of the sport.  

"It's super enlightening kind of experience having done styles of combat before, and knowing the effort that is put into there. I have such an appreciation for the tier of athletes that are going to be competing for the U.S.” Secretary for Steelhead Western Martial Arts David Deane Twitchell said. 

Twitchell commented saying that getting to the Olympic level takes big sacrifices.

“It takes an immense amount of training and just dedication to your craft, and to become a master swordsman, and it’s just something I’ve learned to really appreciate over the last couple of years,” Twitchell said.

Community Outreach Coordinator Clare Mohr said that being involved in sword fighting has changed the way she watches the matches.

“I can never watch it the same way -- just like movies. You do HEMA (Historical European Martial Arts) or any other kind of sword fighting and you can never watch it the same way again. It’s a really fun perspective to kind of have because I’m no Olympic fencer. I’m never going to claim to be one, but I can understand a little bit more of their strategy, their moves, their actions and a little bit more of where they’re coming from with my related experience,” Mohr said.

Steelhead Martial Arts focuses on highlighting the history of sword fighting and modifying it as a sport. 

“We are a historical society first. We like to keep ourselves true to forms we find in historical text, manuscripts, and any kind of reading according to sword fighting as well, and we kind of translate that into a modern movement complex,” Twitchell said.