While Greenhill wraps up its first quarter, and most students settle into their school routines, sophomore Aahil Chaudhry is often thinking about something else: his next fencing match.
Ranked No. 102 nationally in the 16-year-old and younger category and fourth in the North Texas region, Chaudhry has spent years building his skills in a sport that demands both physical ability and strategy. He practices three times a week in Houston, requiring him to travel there regularly balancing his demanding schedule with his school life.
That balance is something his advisor, Upper School Spanish teacher Stephanie Eniafe says she has noticed.
“He has to be organized because of the amount of time that fencing takes,” Eniafe said. “He wants to be present, and he wants to be part of the Greenhill community while still doing this other thing that takes up a great chunk of his time.”
That dedication took Chaudhry to Italy toward the beginning of this school year, where he spent a week training alongside other fencers and working with an Olympic medalist.
The experience also exposed him to different approaches to fencing.
“I’m being trained by mostly Egyptian and Russian coaches [in Houston].” Chaudhry said. “So for Italian, it is an extremely more aggressive style, whereas Egyptians focus more on just pure shooting.”
For Chaudhry, adapting to different styles is part of what makes fencing challenging.
“If you’re fencing against someone who plays really defensively, then you can just go. If you’re playing against someone who’s [doesn’t use Italian styled fencing], you can shift styles” Chaudhry said.
His progress is visible not only in his ranking, but also in the way he has advanced in the sport, according to Eniafe. Eniafe said Chaudhry has moved up several fencing classes over the summer and has improved significantly compared to last year.
Yet despite these successes, Chaudhry rarely brings them up himself.
“I know most about his accomplishments through his mother, not directly from Aahil’s mouth,” Eniafe said. “Because he is very humble.”
That modesty coexists with his strong sense of responsibility, says Eniafe. Chaudhry communicates proactively when fencing affects his school schedule and works to keep academics his priority, according to Eniafe.
“I have never seen any student-athlete with the amount of care and dedication that Aahil puts,” Eniafe said. “Not just into the sport itself, but balancing everything to make sure that he is able to keep up with his classes and still be present with his friends,”
