The Hunter Envoy

Issue date: 5/1/09 Section: Sports

Yes, Hunter has a fencing team. And if 20 year-old sophomore Jose Samora has anything to do with it, that is a fact that you won't soon forget. With the season ending recently in March, the Hawks' fencing team has just begun their offseason. But for Samora, there is no offseason. His fencing goals stem far beyond Hunter and New York City, where he grew up and began his career.

"Right now I compete on a national scale," said Samora. "But I'm trying to compete on an international scale."

Samora started fencing in high school at Frederick Douglas Academy. He was an avid skateboarder until his board broke and he decided to try something new.

"I didn't want to be one of those kids that just goes to school and goes home," explained Samora. "I wanted to do something extra."

And that is exactly what he did. Samora joined the fencing team his sophomore year in high school and today ranks as Hunter's strongest asset. As the anchor on his team, entire matches are often decided by Samora and his opponent in the final bout. Even if the Hawks don't always win their matches as a whole, Samora exists as a leader on a team trying to make a name for itself in the fencing world.

His weapon of choice is foil, an event that suits his fighting technique perfectly, as he prides himself on his ability to move quickly around the strip, baffling his opponents. Other weapons include epee and saber, but Samora won't be switching any time soon.

"As a fencer, I feel that my personality on the strip is more of a mobile kind of guy," he said. "I believe that the more mobile you are, the harder it is for them to hit you."

Outside of Hunter, Samora competes and trains with a number of clubs, hoping to take his fencing skills to the next level. And his hard work is already beginning to pay off. Samora was recently asked to represent the Dominican Republic on their national team.

"Both of my parents are Dominican, so I'm trying to figure out if I need a citizenship," explained Samora. "But I'd be really excited if I get to compete for them. It's not everyday that some random fencer could get lucky because of their nationality."

Despite the amount of time and energy he spends in the gym working on his conditioning and skills, Samora still finds the time to attend classes and work towards a degree. As a sophomore, he hasn't applied for a major just yet, but he wishes to study Japanese.

"It's not actually offered as a major," he explained. "But there is one other person in the school doing it, so I'm trying to work that out. I took Japanese in high school and went to Japan for 12 days. I had the time of my life. The whole aspect of learning a language that isn't so common in New York is great."

It's clear that Samora is a man on a mission. With two years left at Hunter College, and a lifetime of fencing ahead of him, he plans on making the most of every opportunity life gives him.

"My expectation of myself is to be better than as many people as I can," he said. "I want people to know who I am and I want Hunter to have a name in the fencing world. I want us to be a team that people will be afraid of."

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