This year, Temple University’s fencing team shifted the annual Coach Nikki Franke Classic into a means of giving back. From October 25th to 26th, the team partnered with the Edward Gideon School in North Philadelphia to gather essentials for local students and families. The event was held in memory of Omari Everette-Mitchell, a student who tragically lost his life over the summer. The idea grew from a broader interest in strengthening ties with the very communities the team represents.
“The first thing that came was the idea of finding a way, and a traditional way—something we could do—to really reach out to the community in Philadelphia. It’s really important to our program,” said Head Coach Jennie Salmon. “We realized that the classic, which is a yearly competition we do at Temple, is a great forum for it because it really brings our fencing community together.”
The Coach Nikki Franke Classic, formerly known as the Temple Open, consists of dozens of squads from across the country. It is named after Dr. Nikki Franke, the legendary head coach and founder of Temple Fencing. As one of the concluding events of the preseason, it pays tribute to Franke’s legacy while helping teams set the tone for their season. Beyond competition, the tournament also highlights the program’s ties to its local community.
“We really do take pride…[in] our Philadelphia community, North Philadelphia is a big part [of] us,” said Salmon. “…It was also a great way for us to involve our alumni family.”
More than 60 people gathered to raise over $2,500 in items and cash donations. These resources were then delivered to the school by Temple Fencing.
“About $1,700 worth of products were purchased between sanitary and hygiene products, a little bit of toys, socks, cleaning things; just necessary things…that goes directly to them,” Salmon said. “Then we got another about $800 that was able to help purchase things for the dance team for Gideon.”
Samantha Nathanson, a member of the team, played a key role in the drive. As an education major and former daycare worker, her experience helped shape the event.
“I haven’t really had much experience [running supply drives], but..I know I’ve seen things happen, and I know what needs to be done,” said Nathanson. “I know how to take initiative.”
Beyond the drive itself, the experience also emphasized the impact student-athletes can have outside of their sport. In communities such as North Philadelphia, these moments can leave a lasting impact on the next generation of athletes.
“I think it’s important for student athletes to help in their community because it can…give these kids a little thing to look at and look forward to,” Nathanson said. “For some of these kids, their dream is to be able to play collegiate or professional sports. So, seeing…people that come from these types of communities [that are] like them, being able to see that it’s possible for them is so important and…vital.”
“These young women don’t realize the power that they have and how inspiring they are,” said Coach Salmon. “…I think that when you go out into the community and see [that] we have a very diverse team, [while there are] kids out in [North Philadelphia] who don’t know the opportunities that are necessarily there for them, and that we’re supporting for them…when they see people that look like them and have similar stories to them, they realize, ‘Wait, I can do that, too.’ It’s very inspiring.”
Yet, this inspiration didn’t start with today’s team. Instead, it began generations ago with Coach Nikki Franke, whose passion for guidance has bled into countless Temple athletes. Now, the team shares this gift with the city.
“Coach Frank, who founded this program…was my coach and a 50-year coach of [this] program,” Salmon said. “…This is also a way for us to honor her legacy and just keep paying it forward.”