The sound of metal rings throughout the training arena as fencers practice for their next big game. The gym is quiet for a second before the match begins. The overhead lights and shuffling of shoes on the floor fill the gym. Then suddenly, the first hit of the swords clashes through the silence. On one end, Ivy Zhang (10) lunges forward, one arm extended, and her eyes lock on her opponent. Fencing, a sport that happens in the blink of an eye, may not seem hard. But there are years of discipline and sacrifice that many people will never understand.
“I have been doing fencing for eight years and I started because my parents wanted to introduce me to a new sport that isn’t well known among people and something that could open my future to new opportunities,” Zhang said.
Zhang is not a typical student athlete with the average sixth period as her sport. Zhang isn’t found on a field, or a court, playing with a soccer ball, or basketball, but rather suited up in a white jacket and mask, a sword in her hand and hours and hours of training. She has been fencing for a long time and it quickly became the defining part of her life.
“I fence every day and enjoy it a lot with the amount of traveling I get to do, but it can get tiring after a while especially with school and having to travel during school days and making up for all the missing work,” Zhang said.
Fencing is not just a sport that one can jump into and be good at right away. It requires speed, precision, and most importantly, strategy. The matches can get really intense and competitive very quickly. Since fencing is not a mainstream sport, it doesn’t always attract big crowds, but it still feels deeply rewarding to win a match. Friends of Zhang, Claire Cho (10) and Jovina Che (10), who have been watching her grow in fencing truly look up to her because of her dedication.
“It’s really easy to tell that she’s an extremely hard worker when it comes to fencing. She definitely sacrifices so much to do well in her sport. She’s always traveling to different states to compete in big fencing competitions and also has hours of practicing after school hours,” Cho said. “Regardless of her tight schedule she always manages to stay on top of her classes and get her school work done which is a part of her that I admire very much.”
Fencing gets physically challenging, but also mentally. Matches get really frustrating because you can win or lose in the blink of an eye. Athletes are always trying to improve for the better and continue pursuing fencing as they grow up.
“My future plans with fencing in mind is that I want to go to college for fencing, hopefully in [Division 1], and I want to be able to continue fencing and striving to do what I love and have a passion for,” Zhang said.
Looking ahead into her life, Zhang hopes to continue fencing and possibly compete at a higher level. No matter what she gets to do with fencing in the future, she hopes to always have it with her as she continues to become a better athlete.
“I could see Ivy one day becoming a well known fencer in the future where she continues to do fencing in college and doing something to continue growing her love for fencing,” Che said.
