Episode 26: Nikki Franke
SabreCoachKate podcast
Nikki Franke began her illustrious fencing career her last year in high school; she enjoyed the combative mental aspect of it. Listen as Dr. Franke explains the need for more fencing exposure for inner city youth. She’ll explain how training for the Olympics back then differed from today. You’ll hear what she looks for in a recruit and her vision for a college fencing team. She’ll also give advice on how an athlete should choose which college to attend.
info_outline
Episode 25: Stacey Johnson
SabreCoachKate podcast
Stacey Johnson got involved in fencing at 13 when the Pentathletes at Fort Sam Houston asked her to keep time and score at a tournament. She was terrible at it until her coach switched her to her left hand, a move that would eventually earn her a spot on the Junior World and Olympic Teams.
info_outline
Episode 24: Terrence Lasker
SabreCoachKate podcast
Terrence loved computers and jumped at the chance to study in a state-of-the-art computer science program at a new Kansas City Magnet school. He didn’t expect to turn that passion into a love of fencing. After being wooed by the promise of international travel and thanks to their focus on Olympic sports, Terrence learned from one of the greatest Sabre coaches of all time: Vladimir Nazlymov.
info_outline
Episode 23: Cody Mattern
SabreCoachKate podcast
Cody Mattern started fencing at age 15 after an argument with his brother. After 2 years he became the Junior National Epee Champion. He competed at the 2004 Olympics and then joined the US Army’s World Class Athlete Program. In 2012 he was part of the Men’s Epee Team that won the World Championships. After all these successes, Cody retired to coach full time. Tune in to hear his journey from fencing wonder to coach, USAFencing Board VP, and Vice Chair of the USOC Athletes Advisory Council.
info_outline
Episode 22: Lisa Campi-Sapery
SabreCoachKate podcast
Lisa Campi Sapery is a woman who has filled pretty much every possible role in our sport: elite college athlete, coach, international referee, referee trainer, club owner, and published author. She is known as the Fencing Referee online on YouTube, Fencing.net and Facebook. She started fencing when her sister Barb thought the guy at the recruiting table was cute...and the rest is history. Tune in today to hear more about this history, a life story you will find both inspirational and uplifting.
info_outline
Episode 21: David Sach
SabreCoachKate podcast
Today’s episode is the story of David Sach, a man who has represented fencing on two continents, and who you probably know best as the Head Assigner of Sabre at most NACs. You know: the guy with the accent at the big table in the middle of the venue. You just had no idea who he really is!
info_outline
Episode 20: David Sierra
SabreCoachKate podcast
David Sierra began fencing at Texas A&M when he needed a PE credit. Since then, he has worked his way up the referee ranks and is now the co-owner of Cutting Edge Fencing, a Sabre-only club, near Fort Worth. He describes what the fencing world was like back when he started in the 90s and the changes he has helped bring to our sport. Note: yes, David is my husband. We decided to do this from an impersonal journalistic perspective as much as possible and not as a married couple. This is HIS story, not ours.
info_outline
Episode 19: Maureen Griffin
SabreCoachKate podcast
Maureen Griffin started foil at age 14 when she quit the swim team; her dad said she had 24 hours to find a new sport. Her fencing career had many ups and downs, from a Bronze at the PanAmerican Games, to missing the Olympics because of a visa. She is now the owner of GGFC in San Francisco and will describe how to build a positive competitive culture, as well as the difference between losing and being beaten. Tune in today to hear the career of an extraordinary woman: Maureen Griffin.
info_outline
Episode 18: Damien Lehfeldt
SabreCoachKate podcast
Damien Lehfeldt coaches epée at the Richmond Fencing Club. His website, TheFencingCoach.com, is one of the Top 50 Fencing Blogs of 2018. He and his writing team post articles on a variety of topics. Damien can be found on Facebook and other forums leading wide-ranging discussions about contemporary societal issues. Tune in to listen to one of the thought-leaders of our sport talk about his experiences as a competitive fencer, Olympic epée Coach, blogger, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan: Damien Lehfeldt.
info_outline
Episode 17: Peet Sasaki
SabreCoachKate podcast
If you say the name “Peet Sasaki” to fencers, they might not recognize it. If, however, you ask them who “FRED“ is, nearly every one will be able to give you an answer. The name FRED is as ubiquitous a name to a fencer as HAL is to a sci-fi fan.
info_outlineDan Kellner started fencing in the 7th grade. He had a video game called Summer Games and had trouble figuring out the fencing part. He asked his mom about the sport so much that eventually she took him to his first coach, Ted Li. Ted was the Olympic Armourer at the time and would expose Dan to his first taste of attaining a shot at Olympic Gold. Later, Dan became Simon Gershon’s student. Where Coach Li was instrumental in teaching and perfecting Dan’s foil technique, Coach Gershon led him through the tactics of the game. The work of both coaches would lead to many successes in fencing: Silver at the National Championships in 1997, 1998, and 2000.
With such a phenomenal trajectory in the works, Dan instead hit rock bottom in 2000. He missed qualifying for the Olympic Team that year and took it really hard. It was a challenging time for him both mentally and physically: he gained weight from the lack of activity and was in a funk. But fencing called him back. A year to the day he walked out of his club for what he thought would be for the last time, he went back to Coach Gershon and started training again.
Two years later, in 2003, Dan won gold at the Pan-American Games. He earned the National Championship title in 2004 and made the Olympic Team that same year. He retired from competitive fencing in 2006 and is now the owner and Head Coach of the Brooklyn Bridge Fencing Club.
Listen to the incredible story of how Dan Kellner turned his fencing career from smoldering ashes to fiery victory. He suffered the greatest of defeats—not reaching his ultimate goal of competing in the Olympic Games—and found the strength within himself to try again. And succeeded.
What an inspiration!