Fencing probably isn’t the first thing that pops into a person’s mind when they think of high school sports. While football, basketball, or track usually receive the most attention, fencing receives little. But for one Paly student, fencing is a crucial part of his life. Meet Liam Li, a junior who has been competing in fencing since he was six years old. His journey into the world of fencing began differently than most. Growing up in a family that strongly emphasized the importance of physical activity and sports, Li was nudged to try out different sports at a very young age. While most of the people around him started playing soccer and other common sports, Li was drawn into the gracefulness of fencing. “I remember watching a fencing match on TV,” Li said. “The way they moved was so precise and intense, but also elegant. It just grabbed me.”
Li first encountered fencing when he was visiting a local community center that happened to have a foil. In fencing, a foil is a light, flexible sword used for scoring points with controlled touches to the opponent’s torso area. Immediately, he seemed to connect with the foil.
“From the moment I started, I was hooked,” Li said.
For Li, there was something unique about the blend of physical and mental abilities needed for this sport that seemed to capture his intrigue.
Since Paly does not offer fencing as part of its athletic program, Liam had to seek training and mentorship outside of the traditional school environment. This is when he joined the local fencing club, where he trained several times a week with experienced coaches.
“They pushed me hard, and practice was tough,” Li said. “But it was fun having practice Monday through Saturday, with four private lessons dotted throughout the week.”
With practice taking up a lot of time during the school week as well as the weekends, Li’s commitment to fencing is very demanding. Though many student-athletes find the commitment of a sport plus school to be very hard and restricting, Li has thrived in this type of atmosphere.”My parents always remind me that school comes first, but they know how important fencing is to me,” Li said. “It’s all about finding a rhythm. Some weeks are tougher than others, but I’ve learned to manage my time.”
Aside from fencing, Li also plays for Paly’s football team. The commitment to both these sports and academics speaks to his impressive time management skills. Playing such a physical sport like football can create many injury risks and concerns, but can also create many opportunities. These two sports complement each other in unexpected ways.
“Football may come with injury risks, but it pushes me to be faster, stronger, and more agile,” Li said.
Li also recognizes that fencing has helped him in his academic life.
“Fencing and academics, unlike other sports, actually go hand in hand quite well,” Li said.
In fencing, there are different letter ratings based on your abilities. They range from A to E and also U. Li received an E rating when he was only ten years old. He recalls competing in the North America Cup (NAC) where he had his most memorable match, for good and bad reasons. He had gone into the eliminations round ranked 103 out of 247 people, just above half, which is not the ideal start. The rounds before eliminations are known as pools, where competition rankings are given to head into eliminations. Li didn’t know at the time, but he had torn his meniscus in his left knee during pools. With the pain he was experiencing, Li did not have high hopes of doing well, but with the support of some teammates, he prepared to rise above the challenge.
“The first couple of rounds went by fast,” Li said. He was ranked 13th in the nation when he reached the top 16 in the tournament. Li then realized that he had a fighting chance to take home the trophy.
“It was when I got into the top 16 that I realized that I got a shot,” Li said.
As he approached his upcoming opponent, Li realized that the opponent was left-handed. This was a big deal, as it was fairly uncommon to face a left-hander, and he had minimal practice going up against them. Although he was at a disadvantage with this surprise and his torn knee, Li kept the score always within one or two points. Matches are won when a player reaches 15 points, and with their match tied 14 to 14, Li knew he had to take a fierce approach.
“I had to be extremely aggressive towards him,” Li said. “I hit his blade out and hit him right on the stomach. It felt great.”
With this, Li had won the match and was headed into the top eight of the NAC. It was then that he and his coach, Vitaliy, decided to forfeit the next match due to the pain he was experiencing in his knee. Though he had to drop out of the match before the next level, Li and his coach were still proud to be leaving with a medal.
“Vitaliy didn’t really care about results, he just wanted us to improve every day. This mentality really made me enjoy fencing,” Li said.
It teaches you that in order to be good at something, you really just got to keep doing it over and over again.
What sets Li apart from others is not just his technical abilities, but his strategic thinking. He understands that there will always be someone with some sort of physical advantage, but that isn’t everything.
“You don’t have to be the fastest or the strongest, or even the tallest,” Li said. “You can win by just out-thinking your opponent. All I had was a little bit of speed and just a lot of quick thinking.”
Fencing is a great sport for developing many other life skills. Liam has advanced many skills that others around him may lack.
“It teaches you that in order to be good at something, you really just got to keep doing it over and over again,” Li said. “Fencing helps you develop really fast thinking, not only reaction.”
Li’s journey in fencing has not been without its challenges. Just like most athletes, he has had his stepbacks that have varied in difficulty. However, these stepbacks set a fire in Li, and he takes each fall as an opportunity to grow and adapt. Looking ahead to the future, Li wants to continue his fencing journey and dreams of possibly competing at a collegiate level one day. “I’m excited to keep pursuing fencing and reach new heights,” Li said. “My goal is to keep striving for excellence, and seeing just how far my dedication can take me.”
Li also hopes to bring popularity to the game he loves. This may start with the opportunity to fence at high schools, including Paly. He believes that the addition of fencing to the already academically strong Paly would enhance the school even further.
“I’d love to see Paly offer fencing one day, it’s an incredible sport that builds focus, agility, and resilience,” Li said. “It will open up new exciting opportunities for students to challenge themselves and grow physically and mentally.”
Li’s journey in fencing emphasizes passion and dedication, which can sometimes be overlooked in common high school sports. His commitment to balancing rigorous training with academic responsibilities doesn’t just highlight his incredible time-management skills, but also lessons from the sport that have helped him in life, including resilience and strategic thinking. Continuing with his pursuit of his goals, Liam stands as an example to prove that perseverance pays off.
