Though something like Disney Juniormight be the top choice for any other seven-year-old, for Steven Miall (II), fencing at that age is what led him to become the Junior National Fencing Champion.
Having an older sister helped, as she introduced and immersed him in the sport. It was his passion for competition and camaraderie with other teammates, however, that led him to excel. Miall recently traveled to Charlotte, North Carolina to compete in the Cadet Men’s Foil at the 2024 Junior Olympics. After beating out 312 competitors and a suspenseful final match, Miall came home with Gold and the title of National Fencing Champion.
There are several unique elements to Miall’s journey in fencing. In addition to inspiring him, Miall’s older sister, Annie Miall (‘19) was the fencing captain for the Boston Latin School women’s team. He states, “Without my sister, I would have never been able to find this sport.” Both are part of a long tradition of fencing at BLS, with the women’s and men’s teams having taken home multiple championships over the past decade.
Although fencing may seem like an individual sport, Miall relies on his teammates to push and motivate him. He says, “I never get sick of it because I get to fence with all my clubmates every day.”
He also has an individual routine to help prepare for his matches. Plenty of sleep the night before and a nutritious but light breakfast before warming up are just some of the keys to his success. Miall practices for several hours at a time, four days of the week. This intense individual routine is balanced by working with teammates and younger players to help them achieve their potential as fencers.
One of the team captains, Lucy Zhang (III), comments on Miall: “He’s a great teammate and wonderful foil fencer. I’m looking forward to leading the team to another victory together as returning [co-]captains!”
Miall’s experience with the U.S. National Fencing Team has given him new insight into the sport, motivated him to be better and showcased his fencing talents on a world stage. While he has been fencing for over ten years, he is just getting started. In the future, he hopes to continue his fencing journey in college at a Division I program and potentially after he graduates. While he may have missed the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on Disney Junior, his future is bright as he is pursuing an exciting path in the world of fencing.
