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03/30/2023 06:59 AMSome people are just naturally talented in a given sport. They can come in without prior experience and light it up in any competition. This mentality has rung true for Anita Sajan, who was a force on the fencing strip as a Second Team All-State athlete for North Haven this winter.
The junior saber fencer hasn’t had much experience with the sport but was eager to try something new in her sophomore year of high school and has since been a force to be reckoned with for the Nighthawks.
“I started last season, it was my friend’s idea, and she introduced me to it,” says Anita. “I knew nothing about the sport at the time, but I decided to join anyways.”
North Haven fencing Head Coach Jim Harris has seen tremendous progress from Anita since she first joined the team last winter.
“She did fantastic; this is her second year fencing, along with most of the squad. There was a time about midway through the season where we put Anita in the anchor spot because she was fencing really great,” says Harris. “She really just hit her stride at states, helped her squad qualify for the Team Championships, and then all three of the girls fenced really well at Teams.”
When Anita was in her novice fencing season last year, she didn’t know what to expect but found herself being able to get better with each and every bout.
“I would say last season, at first, I got the hang of it fairly quickly. There were not a lot of women saber fencers last year, so I got put on the starting line,” says Anita. “I think I was able to fill in the shoes of former fencers, and because of that, I think I received adequate training for this season.”
Harris notes that Sajan is a natural athlete who took to the footwork of fencing fairly quickly. Saber is a different weapon than others in the sport, where athletes use the side of the blade, and it is very fast-paced.
“Last year, she spent most of the year learning the ropes of what the sport is about. Audrey Notaro (senior) took the saber squad under her wing and helped them out last year,” said Harris. “This year, Anita took it to a different level and really got into some of the competitive aspects of it. We had a great saber coach this year for both the boys’ and girls’ squads, and I think Anita really took to that kind of instruction and grew as a fencer.”
Besides her talent on the strip, Anita also had to step up as a leader for the team this season because the Nighthawks had quite a few novice fencers on the roster.
“Especially with the novices this year, I was in their same position last year,” says Anita. “I have been trying to help them be the person that I needed last year, and the seniors did fulfill that last year.”
Harris echoes that sentiment, explaining that Anita and her saber teammates relied on each other to grow and be successful throughout the campaign.
“That whole squad impressed me, the way that they all leaned on each other. Nina Novicki, who is a second-year fencer as well, it was her first full year of starting,” says Harris. “That can be a scary experience for folks, but the three of them leaned on each other all year. It was fun to watch the squad develop, and Anita developed as a strong leader and fencer.”
To add to what was already a very successful season for Anita, she also qualified for the United States of America (USA) Fencing National Championships on July 9 in Phoenix, AZ. Going against the best athletes in the country can be intimidating for people sometimes, but Anita is taking the pressure in stride and looking forward to having her chance.
“Everyone that is going will be under the same rating; currently, I am unrated, so I will be paired with unrated fencers,” says Anita. “I am going in with a ‘what happens, happens’ mindset. I have never competed for anything, let alone fencing, at this level, so it will be interesting.”
As Anita concludes her second season with the Nighthawks and looks ahead to her final campaign on the strip, she hopes to continue to improve every day and become a better fencer while leading her team to even more postseason success.
“Of course, progressing as a fencer, there is a lot that I want to achieve. All-State is definitely the beginning, and I do plan on fencing post high school,” says Sajan. “In order to prepare for that, I will train as much as I can before next year and during next year.”
Harris knows Anita’s future is bright, and he is excited to continue to work with her in her senior year and see her reach even greater heights.
“I am hoping that she can build off of her experience from this year and that she does some things in the offseason,” says Harris. “I really think that she can be in that conversation again as one of the top women fencers in the state, and be a leader on a squad that I expect to be right in there fighting for a state title next year.”