Carisma Leyva
Staff Writer
Fencing, the sport in which two opponent fight against one another with swords, has captivated freshman Kevin Chao for the past four years.
Both nationally and regionally ranked, Chao has received numerous recognitions. Chao recently earned B14 USA National Fencing Rating and has placed in the top eight for regional tournaments. Among these achievements, Chao also ranks 40 for his age division in the 2014-2015 fencing season.
“His achievements in fencing are something that we are all proud of,” freshman Varun Murthy said. “It’s so cool to see him doing something like fencing. It’s rare to hear of someone pursuing an activity like that.”
Chao has been fencing since the summer of 2010. His older brother introduced him to the sport, and he liked it instantly.
“Playing is incredible. It helps me clear my mind and gives me a break from school,” Kevin Chao said. “It’s an amazingly enjoyable sport because of the passion needed to go after it as vigorously as I train.”
Chao fences about fifteen hours a week, not including tournaments which can add as many as 5 more hours to his schedule. He practices at the Los Angeles International Fencing Center (LAIFC) 4-5 days a week.
“The main reason I fence is because I love the sport and enjoy doing it,” Kevin Chao said. “Also, I fence to help me stay in shape as well as get credit for Independent Study Athletics at Mira Costa.”
Chao’s father, Warren Chao, recently took up fencing. Warren did this so that he would be able to spend time with his son as they travel to different tournaments across the country. Warren and Kevin often practice together, as well.
“I like having my dad fence with me,” Kevin Chao said. “It’s a great bonding experience, like other sports that bring families together. He’s very supportive and its great all around.”
Chao is proud of his own achievements as well. When Kevin gets the chance to meet people from across the country, he takes it as a major accomplishment too.
“My achievements push me to train harder in order to accomplish goals that I have set for myself,” Kevin Chao said. “I know that the sport brings me success in a lot of ways.”
Chao hopes to continue with fencing as far as it takes him, and hopes that his actions will help set him apart from other students both now and also when he is applying to colleges. In all his endeavors, Chao says he will take the skills he has learned from fencing with him and apply them to everything in his life.
“Even if fencing doesn’t help me in the future, I am sure I will pursue it throughout high school and maybe even after that,” Kevin Chao said. “It helps in school and in my life in general. It’s just a great sport, and my love for it will not die anytime soon.”
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