Fencing is an avenue of competition where one can truly express themselves individually, both with physical prowess and mental acumen. Ayla Sivri has done just that with North Haven High School, while bolstering an already close commune as captain.

The Nighthawks’ senior captain played soccer all of her life, but she then gave up the pitch play her freshman year. Yet post pandemic as a sophomore, she wanted to get back into athletics and saw a flier for North Haven fencing. After meeting Head Coach James Harris, Ayla became immersed in it all, and has worked her way up to being a captain as an épée competitor.

“I love the community of the sport; we are tight-knit and are there for each other. I also love bestowing knowledge to the younger fencers. It is also a unique concept, because you are the only one performing out there, and it is an intimate sport personally,” says Ayla. “Perseverance has helped me, along with Coach Harris. He is a man with many wise words and motivating speeches. My teammates also help me when I am down. They know when I am down, and give me that boost of energy to get me going.”

The pace of action with Ayla’s discipline is anything but brisk. Yet the slow flow allows one to truly showcase their talents and mental processes and strategies, according to Ayla, who tries to be a master tactician.

“Epée is probably the slowest type of weapon of the three,” Ayla says. “I have learned patience and waiting for the right time, when to attack and also when to defend. It is also very physically and mentally demanding, as the matches run pretty long because it is slower. It has helped me build up my stamina and persistence, too.”

Still at the onset of her fencing foray, Ayla reflects that she used to be a little impatient mentally when she was faced with a setback. She later discovered a grander sense of purpose and looked at the bigger picture, and revamped negatives into positives.

“In the beginning, I would get down on myself a lot if I lost a match. I later realized it was not the end of the world if I lost,” Ayla says. “I changed my perspective, and I started to see losses as a chance to learn and improve. The new thought process helped me build in my perseverance, as well.”

Ayla has additionally gained a greater sense of fulfillment via a rewarding added vocation as captain. She notes she loves imparting any sort of knowledge upon her youthful colleagues, while contributing to their personal progress.

“Being a captain has been really great so far. It is an honor and privilege to be the leader of the team,” says Ayla. “I love chances to teach and help others. I know that with a team, your teammates’ success is just as important as your own. Helping them out makes me feel happy. I love building that team bond. I am also glad I have Coach Harris, and the trust of him and the team.”

Despite parting ways with many graduating members from the previous installment of the club, Ayla and the Nighthawks have certainly stepped forth to help the team not skip a beat. As they aspire for full representation on the postseason stage, Ayla just wants to keep moving.

“We lost a lot of seniors from last year’s team, and so it has been a battle. But it did not stop us from working very hard,” Ayla says. “As a group, we want to qualify all six squads for the Team State Championships, and we will work hard to attain that goal. I want to be the best fencer and leader I can be, and I want to grow in the sport.”

Alya is not only someone who has been establishing herself as a leader for quite some time now, but she is additionally someone who has ice water in the veins when the stakes are at their highest, per Coach Harris.

“Ayla is one of the fiercest competitors I have ever had the pleasure to coach. She has been a leader of her squad since she started her sophomore year, and she brings an intensity that raises the level of competition for the entire team,” says Harris. “I think Ayla is the fencer many of her teammates would choose with a match on the line, and I know she is one of the athletes that I and the other coaches lean on in those situations. Ayla is a fantastic leader of both her squad and the team as a whole.”

As much as Ayla has contributed to the program and the sport, fencing has reciprocated back to her, by giving her realization of the importance of responsibility to the books, as well as to others. She concludes that it has given her the mental tools to construct any sort of optimism through hurdles.

“Fencing has taught me responsibility, with the balance between being a student and an athlete,” says Ayla. “I have also learned responsibility through fencing by being someone other people look up to. It also taught me how to build upon perseverance, and how it can be unhealthy to dwell on the past. It also gave me a better perspective on setbacks and how to handle them.”