Salle Ossian on guard for contest in Canberra Perth club to dominate at Down Under championships
An award-winning Perth fencing club has become the best in Scotland in just four years.
Salle Ossian Perth, which was setup with charitable status by former policeman Professor Phil Carson, will have its status confirmed when the national squads are announced for the Commonwealth Fencing Federation championships being held in Canberra in November.
It’s likely that Fair City fencers will dominate the Scotland squads heading Down Under.
“Our success has exceeded all expectations,” admitted head coach Phil (52). “We are providing the majority of the Scotland and Great Britain seniors team and also have kids going onto the teams at junior and U20 levels. It is just fantastic.
“There are five-strong male and female teams being announced for Canberra and we are hopeful we will enjoy a strong representation.”
That has presented Salle Ossian, based in the city’s Friarton Business Park, with a major fundraising task but it’s not one they are shirking.
Salle Ossian fencer Katie Daykin and coach Phil Carson
With support from parents and local businesses, Phil is confident of reaching the £20,000 target to fund the Australian trip.
Among their key supporters is The Loft and the South Street nightclub has laid on a fundraising night on Saturday, June 30, starting at 7.30pm. Tickets, priced £11.25, are available from the venue and from Skiddle.
The Scots will be up against 20 countries, including medal hopefuls Malaysia, Canada, South Africa, Singapore, England and the host nation.
“I worked setting up coaching and performance programmes with one of the biggest and most influential clubs on the planet, Sydney Sabre, and we have the opportunity to go there for a week’s training before heading on to Canberra,” said Phil.
“We are victims of our own success I suppose because we are anticipating having seven or eight Perth members in the Scotland squad.
“It has proved a great decision to locate in Perth. I wanted to create a facility here that would provide any kid from any background with access to the sport and take it to whatever level they wanted, whether that was training a couple of nights a week or taking it further. We have certainly raised the bar.
“We have around 500 kids a year coming through the schools programme across Perth and Kinross and have been running after-school classes for the keenest.
“We now have more than 60 active competitors across the age groups and were named British Fencing Club of the Year 2017.
“I did fencing at a perfectly ordinary comprehensive school because a teacher was keen on it but my parents couldn’t afford the bus fare to the nearest local fencing club.
“I wanted to take down barriers to allow kids to access the sport and we do our best to support them here.”
Perth member and Heriot-Watt graduate Katie Daykin (21), from Dalgety Bay, helped Scotland win in Glasgow 2014 and expects to be tagged among the favourites Down Under.
“Fencing is now branded a full contact Olympic sport and is very demanding both physically and mentally,” she said.
“We use a games format to teach the sport and make sure youngsters have fun.
“Girls coming into the club love it and make up 50 per cent of the members at Salle Ossian Perth. That’s fantastic.
“We have foam and plastic options for younger participants before they move onto the real thing. It’s always fun helping with the little ones.”