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02/16/2022 11:00 PMJoline Nguyen was introduced to fencing in her freshman year at North Haven High School and, while she didn’t know much about the sport, she decided to give it a try. During the past three seasons, Joline has transformed herself into a focal point of the North Haven fencing program, becoming a vital member of the girls’ foil team and also a captain as a junior this year.
When she was a freshman, Joline was encouraged to join North Haven fencing by her friend Laekram Singh, who was a member of the program before graduating in 2020. Joline wasn’t sure what fencing consisted of, but once she stepped on the strip, her whole outlook on the sport changed.
“My friend recommended the sport to me. I had no idea what it was at first,” says Joline. “It was a sport that really clicked with me. The whole environment of the team was really welcoming. The coaches were great.”
Joline competed for North Haven’s freshman team in her first season. Initially, it was a nerve-wracking situation for Joline since she had no experience. However, Joline’s fellow fencers were more than encouraging and helped her feel right at home in the program.
In her sophomore season, after just one year in the sport, Joline was promoted to North Haven’s varsity squad. It was another big transition, but Joline was ready for the challenge. Joline feels that her extra work outside of the high school team and overall passion for the sport are what carried her to the varsity level as a sophomore.
“I was super excited. It took lots of practice,” Joline says. “I’ve done some clubs outside of school to improve myself. It’s just something I love to do. Even though I’ve only done the sport for three years, I love it so much. It motivates me to do better.”
Now a junior, Joline is once again fencing varsity and has a record of 20 wins and 7 losses for the girls’ foil team this season. Joline says that she’s become more a aggressive fencer throughout her career. When she’s on the foil strip, Joline’s objective is to try to hit a small target in her opponent’s midsection. Therefore, along with her aggressiveness, Joline is always thinking of her next move while she’s competing on the fast-paced varsity circuit.
Joline credits the tutelage of North Haven Head Coach Jim Harris and assistant coaches Stu Holmes and Emily Harris for helping her improve. Jim Harris says that Joline has progressed immensely and is a valued member of the program both in and out of competition.
“Joline is everything you could ask for in an athlete. She’s a natural leader, a tremendous competitor, and outworks everybody,” says Harris. “This year, Joline has added a belief in herself and what she can accomplish. The results have been fun to watch. She’s only just starting to scratch the surface of what she can accomplish on the strip.”
In addition to being a varsity fencer, Joline was also named one of North Haven’s captains alongside Andy Cecarelli this year. Joline felt honored to get selected as a captain and loves being a leader for the Nighthawks.
“It was very honorable to be a junior and also a captain,” Joline says. “I understood the responsibilities of being a captain.”
As she continues her fencing career, Joline wants to keep working hard and dedicate herself to the sport as much as possible. Joline has learned a lot this season, and she’s aiming to take that knowledge and come back even stronger as a senior next year.
Joline had no idea what to expect when she joined the North Haven fencing program. Joline relied on her captains to guide her and take those first steps toward becoming the best fencer she could be. Now a captain herself, Joline’s goal is the emulate the role models that came before her and provide a strong support system her teammates.
“Supporting my team is what’s key to me,” says Joline. “I always want to motivate all the other fencers to do their best. That’s what I want to bring to the team.”