Guest: Deep Patel
Deep walked onto the men’s fencing team at Haverford College after discovering fencing through a PE class, and quickly became one of the team’s leaders. He now coaches sabre at Badger Fencing Club and is part of a new generation of coaches helping make fencing more accessible.

What you’ll hear in this episode

• How Deep discovered fencing in college (and why a PE class + a “why not?” mindset changed everything)
• What transfers from soccer/lacrosse/cricket — and what fencing forces you to “rewire” (upper/lower body separation, individual accountability, body language)
• The steep learning curve: terminology, right-of-way, and why Deep urges new competitors to actually read the rule book
• A turning point moment: the first big win that made the progress feel real
• Competing as a D3 athlete against lifelong fencers — and why it can feel empowering, not just intimidating
• Leadership and culture: how Deep became captain by contributing beyond his own bouts (rides, armory basics, energy, motivation)
• Coaching development: what it was like entering Tim Morehouse Fencing Club’s Fencing Corps and becoming a “small fish” again
• The “UN ambassador lesson” story: how to make a first fencing experience fun, memorable, and meaningful
• Building something new at Badger: what it’s like joining a developing club — and why Badger matters nationally as a Club Incubator success story
• Post-college fencing: why it doesn’t have to be “stop now, maybe come back at Vet 40”
• Growing the sport: Deep’s idea of making fencing feel more like drop-in recreation leagues while still preserving the competitive ladder

Haverford roster (Deep Patel): https://haverfordathletics.com/sports/mens-fencing/roster/deep-patel/9407

USA Fencing: Badger Fencing Club launch (Club Incubator): https://www.usafencing.org/news/2024/september/16/club-incubator-program-celebrates-successful-launch-of-wisconsin-s-badger-fencing-club

USA Fencing: Badger success story (0 to 100 members): https://www.usafencing.org/news/2025/november/20/club-incubator-success-story-badger-fencing-club-rockets-from-zero-to-100-members

USA Fencing Club Incubator Program info: https://www.usafencing.org/club-incubator

Club Incubator overview article: https://www.usafencing.org/news/2024/june/06/club-incubator-program-a-new-grant-opportunity-to-turn-fencing-passion-into-a-profession

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First to 15: The Official Podcast of USA Fencing

Host: Bryan Wendell

Cover art: Manna Creations

Theme music: Brian Sanyshyn

Guest: David Sierra
David Sierra is the head men’s and women’s fencing coach at Wagner College (NY), where he expanded the program from seven athletes to a co-ed squad of 31 and produced NCAA qualifiers early in the men’s program. He also coaches veteran fencers (40+), served as coach and team captain at the 2025 Veteran Worlds in Bahrain, is a longtime national referee, a certified fencing master, and the Education Manager for the US Fencing Coaches Association.

What we cover:

David’s entry into fencing via a Texas A&M PE class (and why he’s glad he didn’t choose “aerobic walking”)

How an injury ended his competitive career — and pushed him into coaching and refereeing

Building Wagner fencing: recruiting, culture, and growing a young NCAA program fast

“Better humans” as a coaching motto — and what that looks like day to day

Why veteran fencers matter to clubs: culture, feedback, community, staffing, and smart scheduling

Coaching vets vs coaching NCAA athletes: what’s different, and what’s surprisingly the same

Bahrain 2025: David’s first international coaching experience and the realities of coaching on the world stage

Why Veteran Worlds is a tougher jump for Americans (and how vets prepare without an international circuit)

Team format changes, fast team selection, and the challenge of coaching a relay team you just met

What USA Fencing can do better for vets — and why travel funding would be a game-changer

“Vet fencing is the soul of fencing”: tactical depth, tempo, and what younger fencers can learn

What keeps David motivated after losing a club and rebuilding in a new region

Rapid fire includes:

Favorite weapon (no surprises)

David’s “other lifetime” in science and the Human Genome Project

The coach who shaped his philosophy — and the best advice he ever received

How he reads the room before coaching

Motorcycles, sci-fi, cooking, and The Repair Shop

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First to 15: The Official Podcast of USA Fencing

Host: Bryan Wendell

Cover art: Manna Creations

Theme music: Brian Sanyshyn

Guest: Corwin Duncan is a mental performance coach, former national champion and world team member, and a longtime fencing coach and referee. He works with fencers of all levels to build concrete, in-the-moment skills for managing pressure, emotions, and focus — on and off the strip.

What we cover:

Why tournaments feel different than practice: familiarity, “safety,” routine disruption, and expectations

How spirals start (and how to interrupt them before they snowball)

The “5-second reset” breathing technique you can use between actions

Using time wisely on strip (shoe tie, blade straighten, creating a moment to think)

A parent’s role: supporting without adding pressure, and managing your own stress

“Losing to weaker fencers”: how expectations can lower intensity — and what to do instead

Reframing a bad result so it doesn’t define you

When it’s time to consider a mental performance coach (including “I’m not enjoying fencing anymore”)

Building a mental warm-up and why routines should be consistent, not rigid

Why Corwin cares about skills that transfer beyond fencing (the “doctor’s shot” story)

Links mentioned:

SharperMind Training: https://sharpermindtraining.com/

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First to 15: The Official Podcast of USA Fencing

Host: Bryan Wendell

Cover art: Manna Creations

Theme music: Brian Sanyshyn