A prestigious school such as Boston Latin School offers a plethora of rigorous sport programs. The BLS girls’ fencing team is an excellent example: they have won state championships two years in a row – the first in 2024 and now in 2025.

Fencing is a combat sport involving sword fighting. There are three different types of fencing — foil, épée and saber — and each has its own rules and type of blade. Each match consists of two fencers whose objective is to hit their opponent with their blade. The first to 5 touches wins the match, or “bout.”

To win the state championships, the girls’ fencing team needed to secure 14 total wins against each school. BLS took the win against Bishop Feehan High School in the quarterfinals, Cambridge Rindge and Latin School in the semifinals and Lexington High School in the finals.

This was a very proud moment for the girls’ fencing team. Celena Nguyen (II) shares, “It felt pretty good; I was really happy to see the hard work we’ve all been putting into practice pay off, and [I’m] proud of us as a team for carrying on the legacy [that] the previous years had left.”

The process of winning gold required not only dedication but also perseverance. For one, the team had to consistently attend their practices to work on improving their skills. Additionally, the players had to stay mentally stable during multiple challenging bouts.

Emily Jing (I) specifically recalls their final competitor, Lexington High School, to be a tough opponent: “They are a very strong team, [and] we were nervous to go up against them.” A strong opponent can be intimidating, but the BLS girls’ fencing team was able to persevere and amass many contributing wins.

With previous championship wins came additional challenges like the amount of pressure the team felt, since after winning last year they felt more pressure to defend the title.

Besides staying confident, maintaining physical strength is also important. Staying energized, however, can be difficult during such a rigorous, lengthy and hectic tournament. Nguyen explains, “A big challenge was just staying energized throughout the day. The venue was packed with over 20 different teams, and it got pretty overwhelming with all the noise and fencing going on around you.”

During these challenging moments, a supportive team proved to be crucial. A major aspect to the team’s ability to excel was the team effort — a strong team and supportive teammates can either make or break their success.

Fei Li (II) highlights the power they have when together and shares how her team is her motivation: “We cheered each other on through every single bout and coached each other when one of us was down a touch or two.” The championship is due to a collective of 14 wins. Without the contribution of all the players, it would not have been possible.

In addition to an upholding team, the players stay motivated by remembering their love for the sport. When asked how they stay calm before a bout, Nguyen responds, “Before competitions, I usually just remind myself that I fence because I love it.”  While fencers face challenges at times, the players’ genuine interest in fencing keeps them eager to work harder and improve.

Many of the girls’ fencing team members have future plans for fencing, whether it be continuing in college or keeping it as a hobby. Jing will be continuing to represent the United States at the national and international levels in fencing, and she will compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association over the next four years for Harvard University.

Wherever the members of the team end up, they can remember that they have had another great season to be proud of.