Current head coach of the Oxford Fencers Club John “Doc” Matthews has been a pillar of the local fencing community since the late 1980s. However, Matthews first started fencing in junior college in his hometown of Jackson, Mich.
“My friends wanted to go to Detroit once a month for fencing lessons with the master that was there,” Matthews said. “When I transferred to Central Michigan University, I started a fencing club. I was the coach with about four lessons behind me.”
Matthews hung up his foil — the blunt, lightweight sword used in fencing — for a number of years to focus on his Ph.D. in biochemistry at the University of Georgia. In 1987, he moved to Oxford, where he taught biochemistry at the University of Mississippi’s School of Pharmacy for 36 years until retiring in 2013.
John “Doc” Matthews preparing for a training session in the Oxford Fencing Club on Sept. 22. Photo by Jack Kirkland.
At UM, Matthews has also taught two sections of EL 218: Advanced Fencing.
“I started teaching that course in the late ‘90s, … and I taught the course fall and spring semester every year until 2025,” Matthews said. “I taught it in 2024, and (the university) canceled the class.”
According to Matthews, the University of Mississippi Department of Campus Recreation implemented a strict no-weapons policy that put his course and the Ole Miss fencing club under scrutiny. Matthews argued that a fencing sword was less likely to cause injury than a sharpened pencil.
The university did not respond to requests for comment by the time of publication.
“I described the tip of the sword as like the head of a nail,” Matthews said. “The lawyer I was talking to obviously has never built anything, because they thought I was talking about the point again. I said, ‘The blades are flexible, and there’s no sharp points, no sharp edges.’”
Despite the suspension of the university club and course, Matthews maintains that there is still a strong demand for fencing at the university, pointing to his course’s consistent popularity and consistently full waitlist as evidence. According to Matthews, the advanced fencing class proved an excellent feeder into both the university’s fencing club and the Oxford Fencers Club.
On top of the no-weapons policy, Matthews experienced another obstacle due to state law.
“The university is not allowed to do business with any organization that is controlled by a faculty member, and as a retiree, I’m still technically considered … faculty,” Matthews said. “It was against the state law for the university to be giving money to the (Oxford Fencers Club). I told them it was not a problem, that we could just give it to the Ole Miss Fencing Club instead, but nothing was done about that.”
Matthews describes the Oxford Fencers Club facility as his home away from home. He takes immense pride in his facility, calling it “probably one of the best fencing facilities in this part of the country.”
president of the university club, on Sept. 22 at the Oxford Fencing Club. Photo by Jack Kirkland.
Matthews purchased the facility in 2005, and the Oxford Fencers Club has used it to host the State Games of Mississippi Fencing on multiple occasions. However, due to his reduced level of contact with the university, the Oxford Fencers Club has seen a decrease in fresh faces over the past year, which has curbed the club’s potential for regional competition.
John “Doc” Matthews displays his collection of tournament stamps during a training session in the Oxford Fencing Club on Sept. 22. Photo by Jack Kirkland.
“If we had guys that were ready to go compete, we could find a place to go within 200 miles every weekend,” Matthews said. “Nashville, Little Rock, (Ark.,) Birmingham, (Ala.,) Memphis, Jackson, (Miss.). There used to be a club in Biloxi, (Miss.,) but Hurricane Katrina blew it away.”
While Matthews hopes that the university will rescind its ban on fencing, the Oxford Fencers Club’s doors remain open. Matthews gladly welcomes all new attendees, be they seasoned veterans or novices.
“It’s just enormous fun,” Matthews said. “If you see inside my mask when I’m fencing, I’m always smiling. People who don’t know much about it might think that it would be dangerous, but it’s actually a very safe sport.”
The Oxford Fencers Club is located at 606 McLarty Rd., and Matthews can be contacted at pljcm@olemiss.edu. The Oxford Fencers Club is open from 6-9 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays for lessons and open fencing.
