Direct Elimination Podcast

Direct Elimination Podcast

The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts.The world of elite fencing's most relatable duo — Ari Simmons and Stephen Ewart of Team USA — team up to provide next-level access to life as a fencer as it unfolds. The two teammates drop insights about their journeys to qualify for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. They also endlessly rag on each other as friends do, chat about their sport and welcome some very popular and well-known friends to chat with them.Topics they explore:The mindset of world-class athletesFailure, resilience, and comeback storiesNCAA & Olympic fencing insightsThe role of social media, culture, and community in sportsWhy athletes do what they do — and what keeps them fightingSubscribe for episodes that deliver real talk, laughs, and lessons — straight from the fencing strip to your headphones.

  1. 1d ago

    Sabre Olympian Kaito Streets on Learning from Losses and Chasing Greatness | The Will to Win Ep. 4

    Kaito Streets left Team USA to fence for Japan, where he has both missed and qualified for Olympic Games in the last 10 years. Through the ups, downs, wins and almosts of his career, Kaito's resilience speaks for itself.  The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts. In this episode, you'll discover: • Why Kaito switched from representing the US to Japan, and what it meant to him in pride, perception, and belonging between two cultures • What it actually feels like to stand on the Olympic strip: the shaking, the fear, the joy, and why Kaito says he'll never feel anything like it again • How Kaito nearly retired after Tokyo, nearly retired again after missing Paris, and what finally convinced him to chase LA 2028 • The 'win or learn' philosophy behind starting the Tokyo International Fencing Academy, and why Kaito says keeping elite knowledge to himself would be selfish Kaito Streets is an American-Japanese Olympian who competed for Japan at the Tokyo 2020 Games and is a founding coach of the Tokyo International Fencing Academy. He is one of the more recognizable faces growing fencing internationally through competition, content creation, and coaching. This podcast was produced in collaboration with the International Fencing Federation (FIE). 💬 Have you ever had to choose between two identities, in sport, work, or life? Drop your take in the comments. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:15 - Comedy, Content Creation & Athlete Persona 00:06:09 - The Switch: Why He Left Team USA for Japan 00:10:02 - Adapting to Japanese Culture and Earning His Spot 00:11:54 - Tokyo Olympics: Pure Human Emotion on the Strip 00:16:47 - COVID, Family Absent & Nearly Retiring After Tokyo 00:18:35 - Missing Paris & Considering Retirement Again at 30 00:19:22 - Why He Chose to Come Back for LA 2028 00:20:16 - The Only Real Way to Fail 00:21:25 - The World Championship Bronze Medal Match 00:25:07 - Win or Learn: The Mindset That Keeps Him Going 00:27:10 - Starting the Tokyo International Fencing Academy 00:28:43 - Teaching as a Renewal of Passion 00:32:49 - Growing Fencing Into a Mainstream Sport 00:35:58 - Rapid Fire & Closing Thoughts 💬 BEST QUOTES "When I got to the Olympics, I've never felt emotion like that before. I was, nervous, scared, happy, like everything you could think of in one." [00:13:08] "I think you learn the most in your losses." [00:26:01] "The will to win is learned after a loss." [00:38:53] 🔗 CONNECT WITH KAITO 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaitostreets/?hl=en ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ ⁨@kaitocstreets⁩  CONNECT WITH TOKYO INTERNATIONAL FENCING ACADEMY 🌐: https://tifa-fencing.jp/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tokyointlfencingacademy/ 🔗 CONNECT WITH THE FIE 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencing_fie/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fie_fencing ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJEy8aBnqDymMIcJCh72gMw 🌐: https://fie.org/ Thank you for listening! 🔗 Check out FencR 🌐: https://www.fencr.app/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencr.app 🔗 Connect with Us 🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple: https://link.me/directelimination 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directelimination/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@directeliminationpodcast 📺 Subscribe for more episodes: youtube.com/@DirectElimination 🔗 Prieur USA 🌐: https://www.prieurusa.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prieur_usa/

  2. Sep 28

    Olympic Bronze Medalist and World #1 Mohamed Elsayed: Trusting Yourself When It Counts Most | The Will to Win Ep. 3

    How powerful is manifestation? In Paris 2024, Mohamed Elsayed won bronze, and then finally opened a video that he recorded on his phone in 2021. The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts. In this episode, you'll discover: • How Mohamed Elsayed turned years of one-touch losses in quarterfinals into the exact skills that won him an Olympic medal, and why he says he didn't know those losses were building something the whole time. • The multi-year promise: why Mo recorded a message to himself as an anonymous spectator at Tokyo 2021, never re-watched it, and what happened when he finally opened it the day after Paris. • What "just be yourself" actually means at the Olympic level, Mo's take on full preparation followed by total self-trust, and why that's the opposite of laziness. • How to mentally move on from a devastating loss: Mo's framework for processing failure, detaching from results, and showing up ready two weeks later. Mohamed Elsayed is an Egyptian Olympic bronze medalist in épée fencing from the Paris 2024 Games, one of only two Egyptian Olympic fencing medalists, and a fencer who has built his career on mastering the one-touch moment under maximum pressure. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00:00 - Introduction: Who Is Mohamed Elsayed 00:01:34 - The Art of the One-Touch Moment 00:03:32 - Trusting Yourself When It Counts Most 00:06:03 - There Is Always a Comeback 00:08:47 - The Video Promise: Tokyo 2021 to Paris 2024 00:11:53 - Goal Setting, Wish Lists, and Becoming a Legend 00:14:10 - How to Respond to Devastating Loss 00:17:09 - Learning to Move On 00:21:13 - Dealing With the Pressure of Expectations 00:25:44 - What 'Just Be Yourself' Actually Means 00:27:35 - Trusting Yourself When Everything Works Against You 00:29:57 - Flow State: What Freedom Feels Like on the Strip 00:32:41 - Living the Dream From the Inside Out 00:35:26 - Rapid Fire: Peace, Poker Face, and Who Mo Is Off the Strip 00:37:27 - Closing 💬 BEST QUOTES "I didn't know that every touch I lost was building up to a greater moment." [00:02:52] "I think it was just, a pure moment of me promising myself…I'm talking to my future self about me being there, and, I just have to wait." [00:10:03] "The will to win is yours." [00:37:32] 🔗 CONNECT WITH MO 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_supermooo/ ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iamsupermooo 🔗 CONNECT WITH US 🎙️ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4G1LSu4ubtqTUH17nfFs0f 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directelimination/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@directeliminationpodcast ▶️ YouTube: youtube.com/@DirectElimination 🔗 CONNECT WITH THE FIE 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencing_fie/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fie_fencing ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJEy8aBnqDymMIcJCh72gMw 🌐: https://fie.org/ Thank you for listening! 🔗 Check out FencR 🌐: https://www.fencr.app/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencr.app 🔗 Connect with Us 🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple: https://link.me/directelimination 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directelimination/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@directeliminationpodcast 📺 Subscribe for more episodes: youtube.com/@DirectElimination 🔗 Prieur USA 🌐: https://www.prieurusa.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prieur_usa/

  3. Sep 21

    Hong Kong Fencer Kaylin Hsieh on Winning Gold, Fear of Losing, and the Olympic Question | The Will to Win Ep. 2

    Kaylin Hsieh won her first Grand Prix gold sick, alone, and with nothing to lose, and came to share some of the ups and downs of her professional athletic career. The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts. In this episode, you'll discover: • How Kaylin used illness at the Doha Grand Prix to strip away pressure and fence with complete freedom, and why that mindset produced her best result • Why she deliberately documents wins and losses publicly, and the deeper reason elite athletes staying silent is a disservice to the next generation • What it actually feels like to abandon your entire fencing identity and rebuild from zero under a new coaching system, and how that process led to a breakthrough • How she answered the hardest question in elite Olympic sport: is it all worth it if there's no Olympic medal at the end? Kaylin Hsieh is a Hong Kong national team fencer, U17 World Champion, Grand Prix gold medalist, and NCAA champion who has represented Hong Kong for years on the international stage while navigating the pressure of elite competition Olympic qualification. She is one of the most transparent voices in fencing today. This podcast was produced in collaboration with the International Fencing Federation (FIE). ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00:00 - Introduction: Who Is Kaylin Hsieh? 00:01:23 - The Doha Grand Prix 00:03:41 - What Being Sick Taught Her About Acceptance 00:06:21 - How Experience Compounds and The Process Mindset 00:08:35 - What Would You Tell Your Younger Self? 00:11:03 - Transparency in Elite Sport 00:13:38 - Finding Joy as the Key to Winning 00:16:50 - Is It All Worth It If There's No Olympic Medal? 00:17:13 - The Moment That Changed Everything 00:18:37 - Coming Back to Hong Kong 00:22:16 - Grieving the Conventional Life She Didn't Live 00:24:36 - The Fear She's Never Talked About in an Interview 00:25:15 - Learning to Let Go of Her Old Self 00:28:56 - Rapid Fire 💬 BEST QUOTES "I knew that I may not be able to perform at my best, but I knew that I could overcome this." "I had to let go of who I was and to become someone that I haven't been before." "Even if I fail, I get to show others that it's okay to go for your dreams." "My biggest fear was just just losing. But like it's normal... if you don't lose, how would you win?" "The will to win comes within you." 🔗 CONNECT WITH KAYLIN 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaylinhsieh/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kaylinhsieh 🤝 LinkedIn: https://hk.linkedin.com/in/kaylinhsieh ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ ⁨@kaylinhsieh⁩  🔗 CONNECT WITH US 🎙️ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4G1LSu4ubtqTUH17nfFs0f 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directelimination/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@directeliminationpodcast ▶️ YouTube: youtube.com/@DirectElimination 🔗 CONNECT WITH THE FIE 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencing_fie/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fie_fencing ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJEy8aBnqDymMIcJCh72gMw 🌐: https://fie.org/ Thank you for listening! 🔗 Check out FencR 🌐: https://www.fencr.app/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencr.app 🔗 Connect with Us 🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple: https://link.me/directelimination 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directelimination/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@directeliminationpodcast 📺 Subscribe for more episodes: youtube.com/@DirectElimination 🔗 Prieur USA 🌐: https://www.prieurusa.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prieur_usa/

  4. Sep 18

    Pentathlon Olympian and World Champion turned NCAA Fencing Head Coach at Duke: Omar Elgeziry | Direct Elimination Ep. 35

    Duke Fencing Head Coach Omar Elgeziry on why there's no luck in college fencing, and the meditation secret behind every Duke practice. The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts. In this episode, you'll discover: • Why Omar believes college fencing structurally eliminates luck, and how the round-robin format changes everything an international fencer thinks they know • The guided visualization and meditation sessions Omar runs at the start and end of every Duke practice, and why he keeps doing it even when athletes fall asleep • Genuinely contrarian college recruiting advice: why Omar tells athletes to ignore big names and championships and choose the school that makes them grow as a person • How Stanford joining the ACC and the men's and women's championship split are reshaping the competitive landscape of NCAA fencing Omar Elgeziry is an Olympian and World Champion modern pentathlete, fencer, and current head fencing coach at Duke University. He is also one of the few coaches in the country who has led programs across three different NCAA regions. If you're a high school fencer or a fencing parent navigating the recruiting process, drop your biggest question below — Omar's answer at 00:09:48 might change how you're thinking about your search. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:21 - Who Is Omar Elgeziry? 00:03:00 - From Olympic Pentathlete to College Fencing Coach 00:05:22 - Why College Fencing Has No Luck 00:06:23 - Growing Fencing in the NCAA 00:09:08 - What Makes Duke Fencing Different? 00:09:48 - Real College Recruiting Advice 00:13:02 - NCAA Changes: Stanford to ACC, Men's & Women's Split 00:15:14 - The Most Important Quality in a College Fencer 00:19:01 - Visualization & Meditation: Omar's Secret Coaching Weapon 00:24:48 - One-Light Answers 00:29:06 - Outro 💬 BEST QUOTES "I came to this country because I was following my guts. I just wanted to live the American dream." [00:03:04] "There is no there's no luck in college fencing." [00:05:24] "Go for the school that will make you grow. Don't just go for a school that's a big name, or that will win a championship, or it's just going to be easy for you to win. Just challenge yourself." [00:10:51] "If you see it, [and] you make it happen in your mind. It actually will happen in reality." [00:21:45] Theme Song Written and Performed by Colin Campbell 🔗 Connect with Colin 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/campbelltunes/?hl=en 🔗 Connect with Omar Elgeziry 🌐: https://www.linkedin.com/in/omar-elgeziry-oly-98a65b12b 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/omarelgeziry/ 🔗 Connect with Duke Fencing 🌐: https://goduke.com/sports/fencing 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dukefen/ Thank you for listening! 🔗 Check out FencR 🌐: https://www.fencr.app/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencr.app 🔗 Connect with Us 🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple: https://link.me/directelimination 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directelimination/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@directeliminationpodcast 📺 Subscribe for more episodes: youtube.com/@DirectElimination 🔗 Prieur USA 🌐: https://www.prieurusa.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prieur_usa/

  5. Sep 14

    Áron Szilágyi: Back-to-Back-to-Back Olympic Champion Who Says Losing at Paris Olympics Was Actually Liberating | The Will to Win Ep. 1

    3× Individual Olympic champion Áron Szilágyi on the Achilles injury that changed everything and why losing at Paris felt like freedom. The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts. In this episode, you'll discover: • What Szilágyi is looking forward to in his upcoming competitions and seasons • How his first career injury forced him to rebuild his identity around small wins like walking and footwork, not gold medals • What it felt like to finally lose at the Olympics, and why 'liberating' is the word he chose • The one sentence that defines his entire competitive philosophy: what the will to win actually means when the desire runs out Áron Szilágyi is the only sabre fencer in history to win three consecutive Olympic gold medals (London 2012, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020). He is a three-time World Champion, a six-time European Champion, and also the recipient of the FIE Fair Play Award.  This podcast was produced in collaboration with the International Fencing Federation (FIE). ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00:00 - Introduction 01:31 - First Career Injury: Achilles Surgery 04:03 - The Mental Side of Rehab 05:07 - Preparing for the Body You No Longer Know 07:50 - Mindset Going Into Worlds 13:00 - Paris 2024: Inside the One-Minute Break 15:32 - What Losing at the Olympics Actually Taught Him 17:00 - Processing Failure as a Team 22:25 - Which Olympic Gold Felt Most Impossible 24:18 - The Fair Play Award 29:00 - Rapid Fire 33:53 - Closing and Where to Follow Áron 💬 QUOTES "Every day, every morning I had to choose to do this. So I had to talk myself into going to the physio, doing the work and getting better."  "I learned much more [from this loss] than from the Olympic titles I won. And that’s always true with failures, I guess." "After I accepted it, it was a liberating feeling that I don't have to be the person, you know, who wins the Olympic Games. No, I've been to an Olympics where I was beaten, and that's fine. That's good actually." "I had this kind of imposter syndrome after London that I felt like I shouldn't have won this because I'm not Olympic Champion material." "The will to win is to be able to do what's necessary." 🔗 CONNECT WITH ÁRON 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/szilagyi_aron/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aronszilagyi_official 🤝 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/szilagyi-aron/ 🔗 CONNECT WITH THE FIE 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencing_fie/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fie_fencing ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJEy8aBnqDymMIcJCh72gMw 🌐: https://fie.org/ Thank you for listening! 🔗 Check out FencR 🌐: https://www.fencr.app/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencr.app 🔗 Connect with Us 🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple: https://link.me/directelimination 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directelimination/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@directeliminationpodcast 📺 Subscribe for more episodes: youtube.com/@DirectElimination 🔗 Prieur USA 🌐: https://www.prieurusa.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prieur_usa/

  6. Jul 6

    USA Fencing CEO Phil Andrews on Growing Fencing in America: NCAA Programs, Marketing Push & the Road to LA 2028 | Direct Elimination Ep. 34

    USA Fencing's CEO, Phil Andrews, reveals influencer and K-pop deals, a sport-saving radio campaign & what the sport's growth strategy is as we approach the LA 2028 Olympic Games. This episode will surprise you. The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts. In this episode, you'll discover: • How USA Fencing became the ninth most mentioned brand on US radio in December (the only sport ever to achieve it) and why that matters more than Paris 2024 medal counts for long-term growth • The full celebrity and influencer strategy targeting LA 2028: from the Gardiner Brothers and Dolph Lundgren to Jenson Button and a K-pop activation designed to open fencing to entirely new audiences • Why the NCAA pipeline is central to USA Fencing's future, including new programs at Trinity College, HBCU outreach, and how membership growth is directly funding more athletes — including para fencing for the first time • What Phil Andrews actually walked into when he became CEO in 2022, and how a British ice hockey player ended up leading one of America's most storied Olympic sports federations Phil Andrews has served as CEO of USA Fencing since 2022, previously leading USA Weightlifting. He is one of the most unconventional and candid executives in American Olympic sport. 💬 What would it take for YOU to bring a friend to try fencing? Drop your answer below — Phil's actually thinking about this. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00:00 - Intro & Welcome to the New York Athletic Club 00:01:06 - US Fencing Foundation Gala 00:03:02 - Phil Andrews' Background: From London 2012 to USA Fencing CEO 00:05:10 - Stabilizing USA Fencing: Challenges Inherited in 2022 00:08:14 - USA Fencing's Mission to Grow & Popularize the Sport 00:09:08 - iHeartMedia Deal & Radio Campaign Impact 00:11:30 - Celebrity & Influencer Activations: Gardiner Brothers, Dolph Lundgren, Jenson Button 00:13:59 - Community Outreach 00:19:06 - Lowering the Barrier: How Fast Can Someone Try Fencing? 00:20:38 - Paris 2024 Results vs. iHeartMedia Campaign Reach 00:22:44 - NCAA Pipeline, HBCU Outreach & Trinity College Announcement 00:24:19 - Athlete Funding Growth Across Weapons & Para Fencing 00:25:56 - US Fencing's Rising International Competitive Results 00:30:15 - One Light Answers 00:35:05 - Closing Remarks  💬 BEST QUOTES "Fencing is not well enough respected in the circles that it should be. I think that's something that we're hoping to change between now. I think we've started to change it, and I think it's something we're hoping to change between now and 2028." "If 4 or 5 people from that [collaboration] go 'that looks cool, I want to go and try some fencing.' That is success." "[Fencing was] the ninth most mentioned brand on the US radio during December of last year, the only sport ever to have achieved that." "I like being the dumbest human in the room. Great news in fencing is I'm usually dumbest person in the room." Theme Song Written and Performed by Colin Campbell 🔗 Connect with Colin 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/campbelltunes/?hl=en 🔗 Connect with Phil Andrews 🌐: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philandrews2 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a.phil/?hl=en 🔗 Connect with USA Fencing 🌐: https://www.usafencing.org/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/usafencing/ Thank you for listening! 🔗 Check out FencR 🌐: https://www.fencr.app/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencr.app 🔗 Connect with Us 🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple: https://link.me/directelimination 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directelimination/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@directeliminationpodcast 📺 Subscribe for more episodes: youtube.com/@DirectElimination 🔗 Prieur USA 🌐: https://www.prieurusa.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prieur_usa/

  7. Jun 22

    Jerry Simmons on How to Raise a World Champion Fencer | Direct Elimination: Special Father's Day Edition

    What does it actually take to raise a World Champion fencer? Jerry Simmons reveals the parenting philosophy no one talks about. The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts. In this episode, you'll discover: • Why Jerry and his wife never pressured their children about results, rankings, or college scholarships — and how that restraint became the foundation of their success • The hotel room meditation lesson in France that Jerry taught a 15-year-old Ari the week of competition, and what happened to his fencing immediately after • The exact moment Jerry realized fencing was no longer a hobby — and why he went all-in financially and logistically without looking back • What sleep science actually says about athlete recovery, reaction time, and how to manage circadian rhythm during international travel Jerry Simmons is the father of 2 former NCAA Division 1 Fencers, Camille Simmons (Episode 11) and our Co-Host Ari Simmons (Cadet World Champion, 4x NCAA All-American, USA World Team Member and more), and a physician whose background in sleep science gives him a uniquely grounded perspective on youth athletic development. He joins the show to offer an honest, experience-tested look at what elite youth sport support actually demands — and costs — from a family. 💬 What's the hardest part of being a fencing parent? Drop your answer below — we read every comment. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00:00 - Intro 00:02:03 - How Ari Got Into Fencing: The Origin Story 00:05:18 - Jerry's Six Months as a Fencer 00:08:17 - The All-In Moment: Summer Nationals in Reno 00:12:35 - First Tournament Travel and Early Memories 00:23:28 - Parenting Philosophy: Never Pushing for Results 00:30:37 - Supporting Athletes Through Failure 00:35:20 - Meditation in France: A Life-Changing Hotel Room Lesson 00:47:35 - Watching Your Child Become World Champion 00:54:38 - Advice for Fencing Parents Today 00:58:47 - Sleep Science: How Much Does Sleep Actually Matter for Athletes? 01:07:12 - Sleep Maxing Trends: Mouth Tape and More 01:09:03 - One Light Answers 💬 BEST QUOTES "You've got to lose to be good. You know, that's part of the process." "I think the most important time for a parent is probably how you deal with the failures." "When you look back, I mean, the money comes and goes. You're not going to remember, but it's these opportunities that really transform someone individually." "You build on your opportunities and on your successes. And if you don't take these early steps, how are you ever going to get to the later ones? You don't just all of a sudden arrive. You have to build up that momentum." "We didn't look at fencing as, oh, this is a ticket to get you into a college. You were fencing because you wanted a fence. And we recognize how it's good to build character." Theme Song Written and Performed by Colin Campbell 🔗 Connect with Colin 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/campbelltunes/?hl=en 🔗 Connect with Jerry Simmons 🌐: https://www.csma.clinic/ 📺: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoJ63AFmFyA 📺: youtube.com/@jerrysimmons1727 Thank you for listening! 🔗 Check out FencR 🌐: https://www.fencr.app/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencr.app 🔗 Connect with Us 🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple: https://link.me/directelimination 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directelimination/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@directeliminationpodcast 📺 Subscribe for more episodes: youtube.com/@DirectElimination 🔗 Prieur USA 🌐: https://www.prieurusa.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prieur_usa/

  8. Jun 12

    The Fencer Who Wrote Our Theme Song: Colin Campbell | Direct Elimination Ep. 33

    Colin Campbell wrote the Direct Elimination theme song on sticky notes during construction breaks — and he's a Notre Dame fencing champion. The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts. In this episode, you'll discover: • How Colin wrote, performed, and produced the Direct Elimination theme song — including the bossa nova chord progression, fencing-inspired lyrics, and his stacked harmony technique • The concrete parallels between competitive fencing and the arts: adaptability, attack planning, committing fully, and performing under pressure • Colin's journey from age-10 fencer in Washington D.C. through a Senior World Cup appearance, to being on Notre Dame NCAA and ACC championship winning teams, and into Juilliard and professional performance • How his short film 'The Sharp Way Out,' shot at a former Staten Island correctional facility, and his theatrical adaptations are building toward a serious acting and filmmaking career Colin Campbell is a multi-instrumentalist, actor, and filmmaker currently studying at Juilliard. He's also a decorated competitive fencer who won ACC and NCAA championships with Notre Dame — and the person behind the theme song you've been hearing at the top of every episode. Here's our question for you: What's a skill from your sport that showed up somewhere completely unexpected in your creative or professional life? Drop it in the comments. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00:00 - Intro 00:00:36 - Welcoming Colin Campbell 00:03:11 - The Story Behind the Direct Elimination Theme Song 00:04:15 - Colin's Musical Origins 00:09:21 - Fencing Roots: Starting at Age 10 in Washington D.C. 00:19:36 - Going All-In on the Arts at Notre Dame 00:21:25 - Early Filmmaking with Teammates 00:27:46 - Colin's Competitive Fencing Career 00:30:55 - Coaching at Sheridan Fencing Academy 00:34:04 - How Fencing Parallels Music, Acting, and Artistic Discipline 00:47:37 - Flow State, Authenticity, and Performing Under Pressure 00:53:26 - The Sharp Way Out 01:03:55 - Upcoming Projects and Continuing to Weave Fencing Into Art 01:06:47 - One Light Answers 01:14:07 - Closing Reflections and Live Performance of the Theme Song 💬 BEST QUOTES "I will always know from fencing the ability to just adapt to things being thrown at you and taking accountability for your mistake in just a split second." "Fencing taught me how to understand the way that I moved, my body and my vessel and focusing on carrying through my plan.. and having an attack plan." "When you're an adult all the fun may seem like it's behind you. No it's not. You can find it, and you can create it with people that are your pals." "I wrote these lyrics down because I wanted to implement fencing, and I knew that I could do that because I know the sport" 🔗 CONNECT WITH COLIN 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/campbelltunes/?hl=en Thank you for listening! 🔗 Check out FencR 🌐: https://www.fencr.app/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencr.app 🔗 Connect with Us 🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple: https://link.me/directelimination 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directelimination/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@directeliminationpodcast 📺 Subscribe for more episodes: youtube.com/@DirectElimination 🔗 Prieur USA 🌐: https://www.prieurusa.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prieur_usa/

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9 Ratings

About

The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts.The world of elite fencing's most relatable duo — Ari Simmons and Stephen Ewart of Team USA — team up to provide next-level access to life as a fencer as it unfolds. The two teammates drop insights about their journeys to qualify for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. They also endlessly rag on each other as friends do, chat about their sport and welcome some very popular and well-known friends to chat with them.Topics they explore:The mindset of world-class athletesFailure, resilience, and comeback storiesNCAA & Olympic fencing insightsThe role of social media, culture, and community in sportsWhy athletes do what they do — and what keeps them fightingSubscribe for episodes that deliver real talk, laughs, and lessons — straight from the fencing strip to your headphones.

Information

  • Creator
    Direct Elimination Podcast
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    46
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Direct Elimination Podcast
  • Show Website
    Direct Elimination Podcast

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