Direct Elimination Podcast
The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts.
Hosted by Ari Simmons and Stephen Ewart, two elite U.S. fencers chasing Olympic dreams, Direct Elimination goes beyond the strip to uncover the stories, ups and downs that shape athletes. Each episode brings you conversations with fencers, Olympians, and sports leaders who share the mental battles, personal growth, and cultural shifts behind their journeys.
This isn’t just a fencing podcast. It’s about resilience, mindset, and purpose. Whether you’re an athlete, a fan of Olympic sports, or simply someone chasing excellence in life, you’ll find stories here that resonate.
🎙️ Topics we explore:
The mindset of world-class athletes
Failure, resilience, and comeback stories
NCAA & Olympic fencing insights
The role of social media, culture, and community in sports
Why athletes do what they do — and what keeps them fighting
📌 Subscribe for episodes that deliver real talk, laughs, and lessons — straight from the fencing strip to your headphones.
Direct Elimination Podcast
Ben Atkins on Fencing, Business Success & Purpose | Direct Elimination Ep. 9
🎙️ EPISODE 9 – BEN ATKINS INTERVIEW
The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts.
In this episode of Direct Elimination, hosts Ari Simmons and Stephen Ewart sit down with Ben Atkins — one of the most accomplished U.S. collegiate fencers of his generation and a rare athlete to achieve championship success in both foil and épée. After his NCAA titles at Columbia University, Ben went on to an equally impactful professional career in real estate investment, while staying deeply connected to fencing.
Ben shares how fencing shaped his mindset for business, how mentors like Aladar Kogler influenced his journey, and why he chooses not to coach his own son — instead trusting others to guide the next generation.
You’ll hear:
- Ben’s fencing origin story and how he got started
- The moment he decided to go “all in” on fencing
- His motivation then and now
- How fencing prepared him for professional success in law, real estate, and entrepreneurship
- Reflection on the John Wooden quote: “Success is found in the running of the race — your planning, preparation, practice, and performance — counts for everything.”
- Insights from years of training with Aladar Kogler
- Why he chose not to coach his own son, and what that says about separation between family and sport
- How Fencing for a Purpose aims to give back to the community
- One-Light Answers (rapid fire Q&A)
Ben’s story is one of excellence, perspective, and purpose — a reminder that the lessons learned in sport can shape success far beyond the strip.
⏱ Timestamps
00:00:00 – Welcome & recap of last episode
00:02:23 – Ben’s fencing origin story
00:11:45 – Ben’s all-in moment
00:20:08 – SEGMENT: The Why Behind the Win
01:03:08 – Reflection on John Wooden’s quote about success
01:03:58 – Fencing for a Purpose organization
01:05:02 – SEGMENT: One-Light Answers (rapid fire)
01:07:00 – Closing & thanks to Prieur
đź’¬ Key Quotes
“It was really just blind, dumb luck that my first coach was one of the great legendary coaches of young foil fencers in the United States.”
“The same planning and preparation that win bouts are the same qualities that drive success in business.”
This is a podcast about passion. Fencing For A Purpose is a non-profit organization founded by 3 young fencers to share their passion for fencing with communities that would otherwise be underserved by the sport. The organization has engaged many high school fencers across the country with the intent of giving back and paying it forward, with officers all over the country. They run camps for underrepresented community members, tutor international fencers in English, raise money and donate gear in order to support grassroots clubs that need funds in order to provide a better experience for their fencers.
Website: https://fencingforapurpose.org/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencingforapurpose/
GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/fencing-for-a-purpose
Thank you for listening!
đź”— Connect with Us
🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple: https://link.me/directeliminationpodcast
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