By Nolen Scruggs, Columbia Men's Fencing, Class of 2019
During my freshman year competing at the Ivy League Championships for the Columbia Lion’s Fencing Team, my mother (as mother’s are prone to do) made me realize something about myself I had only vaguely considered.
I was the one of the few black male faces in the room
Some context:
When I was around 7 or 8 years old, my mother signed me up for my first fencing classes. My mother, who was insistent that I was only going to recieve the best in life, was shopping around for extracurricular activities that would set her son apart from the crowd. Less concerned about fun, and more concerned about college applications, I went through a flurry of extracurriculars; guitar, swimming, chess and even robotics. By age ten, it was clear that I was most naturally talented at fencing. My abnormally long arms and legs (even at the age of ten) gave me a comparative advantage to my less developed peers.
After a year or two of fencing, I was already doing competitions across state lines. It was at this point that my mother’s goals of setting myself apart from my peers began to realize, whether in the way she wanted or not. At age 16 I started competing abroad and eventually was recruited.
One of the first things you may notice about a fencing tournament is how many white kids there are. If this isn’t something you don’t immediately notice, maybe it’s an indication that you yourself are part of that demographic.
Within the Columbia University fencing room, right at the entrance, hangs the Columbia Fencing’s hall of fame. Although the wall’s history dates back to the early 20th century, there are sparse black faces upon it.
There are numerous socio-economic and cultural factors that can explain why black kids aren’t as prevalent in fencing than in other sports. That is why I think it is a beautiful thing to see black children, and children of color at large, participating in activities that they are not thought to have the qualifications for. The simple act of performing in a sport that black people are typically not encouraged to pick up is powerful in of itself. Athletes like Serena Williams, just by competing in a space historically empty of black faces, can help black kids realize that they have the power to define their own identity, and not fit into an image that society projects on them. However, having kids of color participate in esoteric sports can also develop ego problems or a sense of elitism; “I’m not black, I’m OJ”. The story of Tiger Woods should serve as a lesson of how easily black athletes can fall from the public’s grace. I have felt the great confidence that competing in a privileged sport like fencing gives you. But, I have also sensed when that confidence turns into elitism, at which point you begin to think of yourself as somehow separate from your peers.
The question of how valuable an esoteric sport like fencing may be to children of color is open ended, but from my perspective I can validate that is has done more good for me than bad. Through fencing I have been able to travel to and compete at more than half the states, numerous countries in Europe, China and one of my personal favorites, Egypt. Fencing helped teach me lessons about focus, discipline, competition and ethics. Most important to my mother though, fencing greatly helped me gain access to an Ivy League education (another space which black people have historically been barred from).
With the Ivy League Championships upcoming, I find myself increasingly reflecting on the significance of my infiltration of space historically devoid of black faces. Only time will tell how my fencing experience will affect my life in the long term, but for now, I can only think of positives. My advice to any parents reading this; let your kid be weird and do chase what they like! Everyone has a talent, but it’s a parents job to help them towards that.
For all the CU Fencing Moms and Fans, Thank you for your support from day 1.
Sincerely,
Nolen Phya Scruggs
Nolen Scruggs is a junior on the Columbia Men's Fencing team. Scruggs, a 2017 first-team All-Ivy selection, was the runner-up in the individual men's foil at the NCAA Championship. He finished 13th at the NCAA Northeast Regional.
ABOUT AUTHENTIC IVY:
Authentic Ivy is Ivy League student-athletes, in their own words. Stay tuned to IvyLeague.com for more Authentic Ivy features throughout the 2017-18 year.