The light shines down on the metal swords, illuminating the room with a silver hue. It’s a late afternoon practice, but even with the mellow mood, tensions are at an all-time high. Fellow teammates stare in awe as rising freshmen star Ellie Cheung raises her foil. With one last miss of her opponent, she angles her foil inward, striking her training partner as her teammates cheer them on. As she continues to assert her dominance on the practice strip, Cheung has proven to be a formidable competitor who should never be underestimated.
With every lunge, Cheung moves with a fierceness that’s noticeable to any opponent. Welcoming feedback from fellow peers, she approaches each practice with determination and a commitment to continuously improve. “Ellie has the potential to become a great athlete. She takes constructive criticism incredibly well and always tries to incorporate it into her fencing,” shared junior team captain Naomi Diehl.
In just her first season fencing for Poly’s JV team, Cheung has asserted her competitive prowess. Although frequently faced with more experienced fencers at tournaments, often implying faster-paced bouts, Cheung leverages her precision and intentional movement to counteract what she lacks in expertise. “I think she’s successful because she works hard. She’s grown a lot this year.” added sophomore teammate Narayan Neti.
Despite having no prior experience before joining the Poly’s fencing team last fall, Cheung has demonstrated innate talent coupled with determination, and she has the medals to prove it. On Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, she secured first place in the SoCal Scholastic Fencing League Novice tournament in the high school women’s foil category. Out of 15 fencers, she rose above the rest. Ending the season off strong, Cheung also advanced into the quarter-finals in the San Diego Individual League Championships at Cathedral Catholic High School on Saturday Feb. 7.
Head coach Eric Holmgren said, “As Ellie gains more combat experience, I expect her to become a formidable opponent. Improving her technique will open up new opportunities for attacks.”
As a freshman coming into a new team, Cheung has already made clear strides to become a vital asset to the team. Freshman Gemma Chang reflected, “Ellie contributes to the fencing team by constantly staying positive and being supportive of our other teammates. Even after her bouts are finished, she supports our teammates on the sidelines and makes others smile with her humor and happiness.” In addition to Cheung’s promising athleticism, she also distinguishes herself as a reliable teammate.
It’s clear through all her hard work and dedication, Cheung has cemented herself as a vital part of the Poly fencing team thus far. As her athletic journey continues to burgeon, the Poly community cannot wait to see her development in the coming years.
