Episode 1: Ariana Klinkov

SabreCoachKate podcast

I chose to begin this podcast with an incredible woman: Ariana Klinkov. She was one of the first women to fence sabre in the U.S., she was the first female sabre referee the U.S. ever sent to an international competition, and she has coached many fencers who have had varying levels of success, including National Team members. She still gets out on the fencing strip once a year to be a part of my team at the April NAC.

During the recording, Ariana shares her thoughts on what it took for her to be a good competitor and how that translated over to becoming a good coach. She regales us with stories of her first trip abroad as a referee and how everyone involved was surprised to learn that "Mr. Klinkov" was instead a "Mrs." You'll hear her answers to the Famous Ten Questions invented by Marcel Proust and used by James Lipton on his TV program "Inside the Actor's Studio". She will tell you about her obsession with CrossFit. She's a great friend; I learned a lot about her through this interview and hope you will glean some good information as well.