Oct. 11, 2006

By Dave Dyer

In some ways, her cross country days at Haverhill High are becoming a fading memory, but the benefits remain for Ariadne Prior-Grosch.

A junior Environmental Science major at the University of North Carolina, Prior-Grosch is one of the captains for the Tar Heels in fencing,a sport she knew nothing about until she showed up at Chapel Hill three years ago. What's remarkable about that is not only that Prior-Grosch is a captain as a junior, in a sport she is still learning, but that she's not even a starter for the Tar Heels. She's an alternate in the epee class, which features the most aggressive weapon in the sport.

So how did she become a captain? "I go to practice and work hard all the time," said Prior-Grosch, explaining her ascension to captain. "I was so used to Mags (Haverhill cross country and track coach Mike Maguire) | you go to practice no matter what and you support your teammates."(Fencing)coach (Ron)Miller and coach Maguire are very similar in that they both expect dedication, hard work and encourage a positive a team atmosphere. Any successful team is dependent on good leadership from a coach who expects the best and pushes their team to their potential as both coach Miller and Maguire do."

Prior-Grosch certainly didn't have fencing on her mind when she began her collegiate career as a Tar Heel. She tried out for the crew team, but didn't make the cut. Next up, almost as a last resort, was fencing. "I just wanted to play a sport and I knew I wasn't fast enough for cross country," said Prior-Grosch. "I thought I'd have a chance in fencing. I had never seen it, and had no idea what to do, but the first week we had a lot of testing and I did all right."

Although she was a member of the team as a freshman, Prior-Grosch spent most of the first year just learning the sport. But she did see varsity action and won her match, in front of her family, in a meet at MIT. "It was really frustrating at times," she said. "It was like nothing I had ever done and I had a lot to learn. But I did get to travel with the team. "I really enjoy being part of it. It (fencing) is like an individual sport, which is something I was used to, but we have a great team atmosphere. And I like that 30 percent of the team has been fencing for 10 years and the rest of us just started | but it all works out."

In fact, Prior-Grosch is part of a member of the most dominant fencing program in the south under the highly acclaimed Miller. In 39 years as head coach, the 61-year-old Miller owns a stunning 1076-475 record. In a program like that, Prior-Grosch has needed to be patient while she works her way up the competitive ladder. "I'd love to be a starter by my senior year," she said. "It's not easy because we do get some recruits every year that have had a lot of experience."

Maguire, who remembers Prior-Grosch's years as a Hillie fondly, won't be surprised if she becomes a starter. "Ari was a special student-athlete and a real source of pride for me,"said Maguire. "I knew she was going to be a good runner during her freshman year. Whenever she came out of the woods she was always in a better position than when she went into the woods. It showed me how determined she was. "She has a knack for taking things on and mastering them. I'm not at all surprised that she has done well and is now captain of the team. I don't know anyone that's more well-rounded or talented."

A strong junior season as an alternate could boost Ariadne-Grosch into a starter's slot. Unfortunately, that will be difficult because she will miss the second semester, and all but three meets, because she recently got accepted to take part in a program in Panama studying development and conservation.

As cosmopolitan a student as you'll find, the semester in Panama will be just an addition to an impressive world resume for the 20-year-old Prior-Grosch. She spent 10 weeks over the summer as a WorldTeach volunteer in Africa, training students and teachers in Namibia to use computers and equip them with basic technology skills. She also taught math to seventh graders. An excellent student, she has also studied and lived in Spain and traveled throughout Europe. Thus, taking on something new, like fencing, was really not so daunting.

The Prior-Grosch file Name: Ariadne Prior-Grosch Age: 20 High School: Haverhill High College, year: University of North Carolina, junior Sport: Fencing Major: Environmental Science Miscellaneous: Volunteered for WorldTeach in Africa last summer, has lived and studied in Spain, traveled throughout Europe and will study next semester in Panama.

What is epee? There are three weapons, and different competitions, in modern competitive fencing | foil, epee and sabre. Epee, like the foil, is a flexible weapon with a thin blade, but it is the heaviest of the three weapons. Unlike the foil, which has restricted areas for scoring by getting a "touch," a hit in epee can be scored by landing a touch anywhere on an opponent's body. The sabre is more of a cutting weapon with a curved guard and triangular blade and has a target of the waist up only.