Amy Tong, ’14, is the most successful fencer Ridge has seen in years.
Fencing is split into three weapons: foil, sabre, and epee. Tong fences epee, the heaviest of the weapons.
Ridge’s two-year epée squad captain and current team captain has already led her squad to a district title last year and a state title the year before. The All-State First-Squad and Star-Ledger Top-Performer has consistently claimed top-eight finishes at national competitions, notably taking second individually at the 2013 North American Cup in the cadet, fifth individually at the 2013 Junior Olympic Championships in cadet, and fourth at the 2013 Junior Olympics in junior teams.
We recently sat down with Amy to find out more about her fencing career.
Kevin Liu (Reporter for Devil’s Advocate): When and how did you start fencing?
Amy Tong: I attended my first fencing camp the summer after seventh grade. The coach at the summer camp happened to specialize in epee so I took up epee and stuck with it. Turns out it was a good decision because there are really good coaches in our area for epee and quality of coaching plays a huge role success at fencing so…I’m lucky.
KL: Do you have any pre-competition rituals?
AT: Not really—well, my mom always hugs me!
KL: Any specific pre-competition diets or intake standards?
AT: I eat a lot of bananas and other fruits and I drink coconut water, but it’s hard to manage diets strictly on competition days. There’s not a lot of downtime and when there is, it’s completely unscheduled, so I never know when I have to be ready.
KL: What do you consider your biggest fencing success?
AT: Second at the North American Cup back in January of this year. I wasn’t aiming that high going into the tournament (I’d only initially set my goal at top 16) but I won a lot more bouts than I expected. And fifth at the Junior Olympics this past February because it proved that my January success wasn’t a fluke—there are actually a lot of flukes in fencing because of how dependent it is on outsmarting one’s opponent.
KL: Have people approached you about your successes?
AT: I’m actually extremely, extremely touched when teachers approach and ask me about fencing things; they’re all very nice and genuine about it and I can’t express my gratitude enough in person.
KL: How do you balance school and fencing?
AT: I don’t. (chuckles) Really, though, it involves a lot of sacrifices. I’ve grown used to irregular sleep patterns and have definitely suffered lower grades than I could potentially have earned.
KL: Any regrets?
AT: Nah, life really isn’t about being perfect at everything, especially not school and grades. Plus fencing is super fun and definitely, definitely worth it.
KL: What do you attribute your success at fencing to?
AT: Coaches, genes—for the mental acuity—but also because I bust my butt and work hard. People mistakenly think that fencing doesn’t require the physical fitness of other sports.
KL: Would you say mental or physical qualities have impacted your success as a fencer more?
AT: Probably mental; I use my wit and trickery mainly. Don’t get me wrong, I have legs of steel—like I could bike the Hills easy! (laughs)
KL: Do you find fencing more mentally or physically taxing?
AT: Hmm, good question. Well there’s definitely a ton of physical exertion involved; when I get a touch there’s…a grunt, sort of the equivalent of a tennis grunt (laughs), and I’m always sore afterwards. But I’d have to say mental: there’s just so much concentration required. Every point I have to wrap my head around the situation and plan to maneuver accordingly. It’s just extremely taxing mentally—I actually cannot function for a week after big national events (chuckles).
KL: What do you see yourself doing with fencing in the future?
AT: I want to fence in college and maybe after, but just for fun. I don’t have Olympic aspirations because I’m not quite that caliber, but definitely for fun.
KL: Where do you find inspiration?
AT: Do you mean in life in general? I usually find inspiration in people I find wise and giving, so many of my teachers and coaches. I’ve never really idolized celebrities or Olympians. Like when I was in Cleveland for a fencing competition, I ran into a chef I love from Food Network (because it turns out there was a Food Network convention at the same place) but I didn’t feel the need to go and ask for an autograph or a picture. I guess I don’t like to put people on pedestals because I respect individuals based on their character, not their fame or skills.
KL: Why do you like fencing?
AT: Well, primarily because it is so fun. Plus people of all shapes and sizes can fence and be good at fencing; it’s not like basketball where a four-foot boy has an inherent disadvantage compared to a six-foot man and specific body types excel. Like I’m small and short, and while my small stature has its disadvantages, I’m faster and sneakier. It’s almost like a physical chess, and it’s fun to design puzzles and traps and have them pan out like I intended them to.
Support Ridge fencing and Amy as her squad pursues a consecutive district title and seeks to regain the state title this coming season!