One of my goals as I go through life is to collect amazingly kind people. Keeth Smart (@KeethSmart) and Sree Sreenivasan (@sree) are two of them. I met Sree when he interviewed me in 2013 after I won a Shorty Award. From the very first moment we met, he has changed my life, from inviting me to speak at a social media conference that served as a reference for my upcoming speech at the United Nations Speak Up Women conference to giving me feedback on my new book.
I have known Keeth for decades since we are both fencers. I have been thrilled to watch Keeth’s career soar to great heights as he led the wave of American fencing to its first Olympic medal in decades. And I have cheered as he has become a husband, father and startup founder. I am proud to call him a friend.
When I began fencing, there was only one weapon available for women in college sports – foil. My senior year, épée was added to the varsity women’s roster, and my boyfriend – a men’s épée fencer – convinced me to switch over. He told me he would train me to be a tricky french grip fencer. Basically, he was going to help me compensate for my small stature with an extra-long grip. I tried it his way for a year and then switched back to the pistol grip I was using in foil.
I loved épée from the beginning. There is something about the lack of rules and slow pace that satisfies the core of my being. Spectators often complain that épée fencing is boring to watch – it is the least flashy of the three weapons. Epée rewards patience – the time element is more of a factor than in the other two weapons. Often, you will have bouts that do not reach the maximum score. Why? Because time expires. Time itself becomes a weapon, one that determines tactics. A single touch can influence the outcome – I have seen competitors maintain a one-touch lead as an increasingly desperate opponent launches attacks while time runs out.
As I grow older, I am grateful to be able to continue to fence at a high level in my weapon. Am I close to the skills I wielded in my prime? Absolutely not. But I can give my husband a decent bout and bring smiles to the faces of everyone who watches us. And there is no reason why that cannot continue for decades.
Fencing and social media have changed my life. I would not be where I am without Sree and Keeth. And now? I am thrilled to discover that they know each other.
Kathy Zucker is an international social media Shorty Award winner, mother of three and a startup founder at companies including the Metro Moms Network®.
