By Audrey Williams
Staff Writer
En Garde!
Freshman Alex Park received a rare opporutnity to be on an episode of Modern Family due to her fencing abilities. She began fencing eight years ago when her mother suggested the sport to her. She started training at the Los Angeles International Fencing Center and still currently trains there.
“There aren’t many female fencers so people think it is strange when I first tell them what I do,” Park said. “When I first began fencing, I didn’t like it at all. But I have learned to enjoy it and now it is one of my favorite activities.”
Park now competes at various tournaments regularly across the country. She has received the Cadet Under 17 Women’s Foil Finalist award in the North American Cup, first place in the Youth 14 Women’s Foil award in the Noth American Cup and first place in Youth 14 Women’s Foil Super Youth Circuit.
“I enjoy the competing aspect of fencing because I feel like all my hard work leading up to the tournaments pays off,” Park said. “Even if I do not place well, I feel like it all leads up to something.”
Park landed a role with Modern Family when the show filmed at her fencing club. The casting directors approached her and asked if she wanted to be on the show because of her fencing skills and her connection to the fencing club.
“Even though my role was small, it was still fun to act and be around the cast,” Park said. “I only had a line, and it was ‘bring it on big boy!’ After a while it became boring when we would do the same scene over and over again.”
Park had a chance to meet the cast, spend a full day on set and run the scene for five hours. The director told her to fence poorly against character Manny Delgado’s stunt double.
“Being on the show was a good experience because I had never done something like this before,” Park said. “Fencing on the show made filming the show less nerve racking because I got to do something that I was familiar, fencing, with at the same time as trying something completely new, acting. It was a good combination.”
Park hopes to continue competing and win more awards throughout her high school career. Her goal is to attend New York University, join their fencing team and ultimately become an Olympic fencer.
“Although my acting career is probably over, it was a great experience to be on Modern Family,” Park said. “Without fencing, this opportunity would have never been available for me and I am grateful for what opportunities my fencing has given me. I plan to keep fencing for a long time and eventually make it to the Olympics.”
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