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04/02/2024 11:38 AMIt took the first decade of Ben Pollio’s life to find his haven athletically when he saw the fencing strip. In such a short time, he has harnessed the case study of each individual bout to become a youthful student of the game who looks to continue towards a great capstone as he enters his upperclassmen years.
The North Haven sophomore foilist grew up trying his hands and feet at basketball and soccer, though they did not settle with him in his mind. Yet at the age of 10, he found fencing and started competing at a young age, and he joined the Nighthawks’ program last year as a freshman. This past winter in his first full campaign as a starter, he helped the boys’ foil squad secure the school’s first conference crown with the Central Connecticut Fencing Conference (CCFC) title. Individually, he finished with a personal record of 32-9 and earned First Team All-Conference recognition.
“Compared to other kids who do not start it until high school, I got an early introduction to the sport. The sport just clicked for me in a different way. I like how fencing two different people is never the same; each match is like a unique puzzle,” says Ben. “Having confidence in what I am doing has helped me a lot. Without that level of commitment to what you are doing, it usually doesn't work out. I just focus on the opponent in front of me. Also, the fencing community has been great. I have made many friends with guys from other towns and schools, and we all support each other.”
In terms of his discipline, Ben eyes a great balance of pace when it comes to his foil forays. He adds that the window of opportunity to land a touch is quite narrow, and so every single maneuver must be meticulously thought out and executed.
“I like foil because it is not too fast or too slow,” Ben says. “It is unique because of how limited the target area is. You have to really plan out your action before taking it because you can only hit the torso. It also has a right-of-way rule, where if two people touch simultaneously, the one with more momentum gets the point. It is all challenging, but a fun challenge for me.”
When it came to that historic triumph at CCFCs for Ben and his fellow foilists, it came with a little bit of a pleasant surprise. He explains it was not so much because the boys did not believe in themselves, yet more so because they bested a tandem of also-terrific programs for the top prize.
“It was surreal to be part of that title, because I don’t think we could have imagined it at the beginning of the year,” says Ben. “We beat out two great teams to win it. I believe we have only beaten Morgan once before, and then I do not believe we had ever defeated Guilford. We could not believe it when we won. It was also surprising because we had two new starters this year.”
Being very satisfied with his performances on the Individual and Team State Championship strips, Ben explains that the program as a whole took some major strides forward by cultivating a crop of younger talent to fortify a fruitful future.
“I fenced well at states, especially for it being my first year as a starter,” says Ben. “For a young team, I thought we managed to do really well this year. Overall, we improved a lot because we had people that had more starting and competition experience. We also have some younger and newer fencers we are training for the future when the upperclassmen graduate.”
North Haven fencing assistant coach Stu Holmes worked closely with Ben this year and last. He details that Ben’s success comes from his desire to be an ultimate technician when it comes to fighting on the strip. He inspires others to do their best via his efforts, and Ben never leaves his mates hanging when it comes to dispensing pointers and advice.
“Ben’s dedication to his own improvement helps make him a great fencer. He consistently gives his all during practices, helping him improve at a quick rate. His absolute focus on the techniques, tempos, and skills allows him to continue to develop every day,” says Holmes. “At competitions, he continues to out-think his opponents, making adjustments immediately when needed. He also practices at a local club year-round, ensuring that he continues to improve and gain a step on many others who only fence during the season. Competitive experience is just as invaluable as consistent dedicated practice. Ben continues to be a great teammate to the team. Not only does his own fencing help elevate the level of those around him, but he always helps his teammates during drills and competition. He’s often seen helping his teammates work through drills at practice. Ben also helps his teammates during competition, cheering them on and pointing out actions and adjustments for his teammates to make. Ben has been an absolute pleasure to have on the team and is a heavy influence on the success of the boys’ foil squad.”
For the bigger scope of life moving ahead, Ben has discovered that faith in action really weighs heavily in a positive direction. He also explains that while being a prudent pupil of the game, Ben has harnessed the power of learning from mistakes to avoid repeating history.
“Fencing has helped me gain confidence in my abilities, because you have to be confident on the strip, or else you will not be taken seriously,” Ben says. “With losses, I always remember that even if I lose to a person, I will fence them again. I also like to learn on my lost touches to improve. I also study film of matches to pick up on patterns, so I can work on them and come back better.”