2 days ago
Eli Dershwitz has represented the US in fencing in three Olympics. Now he's focused on inspiring the next generation.
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And to do it at Zeta.
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'It feels like the 'Circle of Life' song from the Lion King,' Dershwitz said in a recent telephone call from New York, where he and Karen are packing up their lives in advance of their September wedding. 'It's poetic, meaningful. I spent thousands and thousands of hours under this club, under this name, looking at these posters, this artwork, and imagining being on the other side. Now I can say to these young fencers, 'I stood where you stood, started where you started, not as a national champion or Olympian, but by focusing on small changes, making progress over the years.'
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'I grew up around here. My friends and family are here. This is my home. I want to try and motivate these next generations of kids, not just to do what I did, but to accept and appreciate the values and characteristics for the community that impacted me as a kid.'
Eli Dershwitz (left) took on Hungary's Csanad Gemesi during the Paris Olympics.
Andrew Medichini/Associated Press
Fencing has been his companion since 2004, with quite the impressive résumé. In 2015, Dershwitz became the first American men's saber fencer to win an individual title, at the U20 Worlds in Uzbekistan. In 2023, he won gold at the senior world championships in Milan, one of only two American men to do that. He won multiple NCAA titles at Harvard, and has represented the United States at the past three Olympic Games, in Rio de Janeiro, Tokyo, and Paris.
And while he's not ready to say his competitive career is finished, not with the 2028 Summer Olympics being in Los Angeles, for now, his focus is on Zeta. Having spent four post-college years as an assistant coach at Harvard, and then combining his own training in New York with coaching at a local gym and clinics, Dershwitz knows the time is right to shift gears.
'I think definitely my greatest strength and the thing I've been able to utilize the most for success as a coach is my ability to connect with a lot of these students,' he said. 'I'm on the younger side with regard to high-level coaches in the US, I grew up in the area, went to public school here, went through the college recruitment process, managing my academic career with athletic career along with social time, family time, traveling to tournaments. Having recently dealt with that and training at a high level gives me a unique perspective to relate to the kids, to try to motivate them, dealing with issues of perseverance, fatigue or anxiety.
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'I can say that I was in your shoes and these are tricks that work for me, how to frame the struggle in your mind and push through and overcome. These are worries that I can have real conversations about with students and parents. That, mixed with my top-tier knowledge or high-level training in the sport, puts me in a really good spot to help athletes turn into more mature athletes, students, and grow into citizens of the community.'
Let's look back at Eli Dershwitz's world championship day!
📹 Video by SwordSport Production Team
— USA Fencing (@USAFencing)
And beyond. Dershwitz has long appreciated fencing's global nature, and its deep historical roots. Before heading to Paris for the Olympics, he shared how much the trip resonated with the
'From a very young age having a wider group to become friends with, train with, practice with, have fun with, was really good for me, expanding my comfort zone,' he said. 'In my younger teenage years, I got to travel more, in my high school years, traveling internationally, the ability to meet fencers and coaches and refs from all over the world. It was a huge privilege and a huge honor and something I did not take for granted.'
Time to close one circle, and
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'I love this sport, I love competing, I love coaching and mentoring, and I want to dedicate my life to this, ' he said, 'so anyone who wants to take a chance on a younger but super-hard-working diligent coach, reach out and we'll figure out what's best for you and make a long-term plan.'
Tara Sullivan is a Globe columnist. She can be reached at
