Two DC Fencers Club veterans, two kidney donations three months apart, two comebacks already rolling. Ken Gauvey donated to his brother; Michael Hughes donated anonymously. They share why they did it, what recovery actually felt like, how they’re rebuilding their fencing, and what’s changed in their perspective. We also talk vet-community culture, mindfulness, listening to your body, and practical first steps if you’re curious about living donation.

Eric Soyka, USA Fencing’s National Parafencing Coach (and coach at Phoenix Center & Rogue Fencing Academy), lifts the curtain on a discipline that’s “a knife fight in a phone booth”: parafencing. We cover how he got started, what Paris 2024 taught the team, myths to retire, and the practical steps any club can take to add parafencing—equipment, space, recruiting, coaching, and refereeing. Plus, where the U.S. program is headed as we build toward LA 2028 (and Brisbane) with more camps, more access, and a deeper athlete pipeline.

Nurse and simulation specialist Amy Wilson shares a practical, stigma-free playbook for helping youth—and especially neurodivergent—fencers manage energy, focus, and emotions on competition day. Instead of “calm down,” Amy teaches athletes to regulate and then “pull the pin on purpose”—choosing the right moment to go explosive. We cover observation strategies for parents/coaches, low-tech visual tools, co-regulation and communication, and in-the-moment resets that keep kids engaged with the sport they love.

Ari Simmons — U.S. men’s epee standout, coach, mentor, and co-host of The Direct Elimination Podcast — opens up about the long road from dead-last youth finishes to cadet world champion, four-time All-American at Notre Dame, and senior-team regular with his sights on LA 2028. We dig into building a stronger U.S. men’s epee culture (mentorship, professionalism, teamwork), navigating college recruiting, staving off burnout with intention and process goals, and why paying it forward to the next generation matters.

Fencing has a long and fascinating history — and Alyssa Hirsch is helping uncover it. A Ph.D. student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and former Wayne State varsity fencer, Alyssa studies 20th-century U.S. fencing and its intersections with immigration, identity, and the Soviet Union. She joins First to 15 to share how she became a fencing historian, the stories she’s discovering — from post-Soviet coaches to Cold War camaraderie — and how every club can help preserve its own history.

Licensed clinical psychologist, mental performance consultant, and lifelong fencer Dr. Nicole Polanichka joins First to 15 to break down the mental game of fencing. From butterflies in your stomach to sweaty palms, she explains why those pre-bout nerves aren’t your enemy — they’re your body preparing you to perform. Nicole shares her own journey as a Princeton varsity fencer and veteran competitor, offers tools to reframe anxiety as “go juice,” and gives practical routines for athletes, parents, and coaches to turn stress into strength.

Ben Paul, director at Leon Paul, takes us from the family’s London workshop to Olympic arenas and movie sets. He shares how a century-old company helped reinvent raised pistes and Olympic lighting, why they still manufacture in London, and how they balance tradition with bold innovation. We also dive into athlete sponsorships, fencing’s pop-culture moments (from James Bond to The Princess Bride), and what’s next: truly wireless fencing and AI-assisted refereeing. Quick hits include museum-worthy props, club upgrades, haptics, drum-and-bass inbox sprints, and why buying quality gear once can last for years.

Damien Lehfeldt — chair of the USA Fencing Board of Directors and coach at Nova Fencing Club — joins First to 15 to demystify governance vs. operations inside an NGB. He shares his path from athlete to coach to board chair, how the board sets strategy while staff executes, and why the 2024–28 Strategic Plan centers on “growth, growth, growth” (memberships, clubs, brand, referees, and parafencing). We dig into the Governance Task Force proposals (including the flexible 4-4-4 board model), the importance of independent directors, and how he and CEO Phil Andrews collaborate without crossing lanes. Plus, quick hits on Damien’s governance mantra, his “magic wand” for clubs, and why governance is pure épée.

Olympian and 2023 World Champion Eli Dershwitz returns to First to 15 with a unicorn update: he’s bought the club where he trained for 17 years — Zeta Fencing outside Boston — and stepped in as owner and head coach. We talk about translating world-class saber into beginner-friendly training, partnering with parents, setting expectations around college recruiting, and what Paris and the most recent Olympic cycle taught him about leadership and leaving with no regrets. Eli also shares his club mantra (“EAT: Effort, Attitude, Toughness”), the gold medal he’d put in the lobby case, why stationary drills miss the mark in modern saber, and whether his own path includes a fourth Olympics.

Supriya Nair is a junior at Stanford Online High School, a rare triple‑weapon fencer, and the creator of Neurofencing — a project that asks a simple question every athlete knows: Does a good warm‑up really make you faster? She started by wiring herself up with cheap sensors in her garage. Two years later, she’s collecting data at major hospitals and university labs, using high‑end gear to track hundreds of lunges and reaction times.

Today we have a very special guest: Luao Yang! Luao is one of Team USA’s brightest young stars – he’s the newly crowned 2025 Cadet Men’s Foil World Champion. This season he’s racked up impressive international results and made history for USA Fencing, all while still in high school. In this episode, we’ll chat about Luao’s recent competitions and big wins, his journey in fencing (including some standout moments), what it’s like training at his home club in Michigan, and what’s next on his horizon – including college plans – all in a fun, light-hearted conversation. Ready? Let’s get started!

Today we have not one but two special guests whose journeys have been intertwined ever since their first lunges at Scarsdale Fencing Center. First up is Will Morrill — a former Cadet World Champion who’s now tearing it up on the collegiate scene with the Columbia Lions. Alongside him is Emilio Gonzalez, fresh off winning individual Cadet gold and helping Team USA claim team gold at this year’s Junior & Cadet World Championships in Wuxi, China.

Alexandra Lee is a sophomore saber fencer at Princeton University and a rising star on the international stage. She recently helped Team USA win a gold medal at the Junior & Cadet World Championships in Wuxi, China — and even brought home an individual silver in women’s saber as well. In this episode, we'll dive deep into Alexandra's journey, from standing atop the podium in Wuxi to balancing life as an Ivy League student-athlete, and learn what it takes to succeed in both elite fencing and rigorous academics.

Today's guest is Don Anthony. Don is not just a world-class fencer who competed for Team USA at two Senior World Championships; he’s also a visionary sports executive, an entrepreneur, and a transformational leader. He’s served as President and Chair of USA Fencing, a Vice President of the FIE, and now leads The Ohio State University’s fencing program as Head Coach.

Today we have a very special guest — someone who has remained in the top 16 world rankings for men's foil each year since 2012: Alexander Massialas. A four-time Olympian and three-time Olympic medalist, Alex has made history for Team USA time and again, from his silver and bronze medals in Rio to his key role in winning America’s first-ever men’s foil team world championship in 2019. But his fencing journey isn’t just about his own success — he’s now making an impact as the head coach at his alma mater, Stanford University.

In this episode, we’re talking with one of the most exciting young talents in the sport, Jaelyn Liu. At just 15 years old, Jaelyn has already made history by becoming the youngest U.S. Women’s Foil fencer to win a senior World Cup gold medal, a feat she accomplished in January in Hong Kong. This win came less than a year after she claimed the cadet world championship title in Riyadh, cementing her status as one of fencing’s rising stars.

Welcome to a special First to 15 miniseries: The Golden Touch. The Golden Touch is a First to 15 miniseries exploring the thrilling journey of Team USA as they secured their first-ever gold medal in women’s team foil at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Join us as we speak to the athletes, their coaches, and key support staff who made history in one of the most unforgettable Olympic moments for USA Fencing. In this episode, we’re talking with Lauren Scruggs, who made her Olympic debut in Paris and walked away with two medals—a silver in the individual event and gold in the team event.

Welcome to a special First to 15 miniseries: The Golden Touch. The Golden Touch is a First to 15 miniseries exploring the thrilling journey of Team USA as they secured their first-ever gold medal in women’s team foil at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Join us as we speak to the athletes, their coaches, and key support staff who made history in one of the most unforgettable Olympic moments for USA Fencing. In this episode, we’re celebrating the unsung heroes who made it all possible: the cadre, or as we like to call them, the “team behind the team.”

Welcome to a special First to 15 miniseries: The Golden Touch. The Golden Touch is a First to 15 miniseries exploring the thrilling journey of Team USA as they secured their first-ever gold medal in women’s team foil at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Join us as we speak to the athletes, their coaches, and key support staff who made history in one of the most unforgettable Olympic moments for USA Fencing. In today’s episode, we’re speaking with the three Women’s Foil training partners who played a pivotal role in Team USA’s historic gold medal run at the Paris 2024 Olympics: Zander Rhodes, Katerina Lung, and Stefani Deschner. Let's dive into their unique experiences and how they supported the team to victory.

Welcome to a special First to 15 miniseries: The Golden Touch. The Golden Touch is a First to 15 miniseries exploring the thrilling journey of Team USA as they secured their first-ever gold medal in women’s team foil at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Join us as we speak to the athletes, their coaches, and key support staff who made history in one of the most unforgettable Olympic moments for USA Fencing. Joining us today are the coaches behind that winning effort — Ralf Bissdorf, head coach of the U.S. Women’s Foil team and an Olympic silver medalist with Germany. And Brian Kaneshige, assistant coach for the team and a powerhouse coach and fencer in his own right. We’re going to talk about the intense preparation, tactical choices and emotional moments that made this victory possible.