Slava Zingerman Audio Interview

Wayne State junior men's epeeist Slava Zingerman (pictured below) etched his place in NCAA fencing history on March 20, winning his third straight NCAA title (see earlier blog postings about three/four-time NCAA champs; also see HISTORY tab).

Originally from Noyabursh, Russia, Zingerman immigrated with his family to Israel when he was six years old. His current hometown of Ashkelon features Israel's largest fencing club. Zingerman served in the Israeli military before enrolling at Wayne State as a 22-year-old freshman ... and going on to become a three-time NCAA champion.

Shortly after winning the 2009 NCAA men's epee title, Zingerman was able to take a few minutes for an audio interview with CF360 editor Pete LaFleur. A link to the audio and a text transcript follow below. (Look for more on Zingerman's historical achievements – plus a full recap of the men's epee competition, complete with photos and video footage – coming soon to the CF360 blog.)

CLICK HERE for link to audio version of the Zingerman interview.

CF360: "You defeated Princeton's Graham Wicas in the final bout. Have you fenced him much before?"

SZ: "I fenced him third time in my life, first bout 15 touches. [Also] today five touches and last nationals. Last year I beat him five touches, but today I lost to him five touches, so it was nice to win 15 touches."

CF360: "Did that loss to Wicas earlier in the day help you in the final bout?"

SZ: "Before the bout started, me and my coach decided what tactics to use, how to fence him and it worked. ... I just let him push me."

CF360: "You've adjusted well to college fencing, as a three-time NCAA champion. What do you like about college fencing?"

SZ: "The first thing I like about it, that other countries do not have, is that it lets the students continue being athletes. It gives a great opportunity to not stop with sports and get education."

CF360: "What are you majoring in?"

SZ: "Electrical engineering."

CF360: "Well, at least you chose an easy major. What are you plans for after college?"

SZ: "I still have one year to decide, but I would like to stay here for a while in the U.S. ... I just like this major. I'm good with science. I was thinking – what would I like to do when I am done with sports? – and I thought I might be good in [engineering]."

CF360: "Being from Israel, how did you end up at Wayne State?"

SZ: "I was done with my military service and my coach in Israel [Cheremski Alexei] moved to New York to work in a private club, so I stayed in Israel without a coach. And in order to go to school in Israel, I would have to quit with fencing. So then I started looking for opportunities in U.S. and I start talking to some schools, and then the coach from Wayne State called me and offered me an athletic scholarship – and I'm here."

CF360: "And, of course, Wayne State has been known over the past few years for producing great epeeists, both men and women."

SZ: "There was good opportunities to practice, places to practice, to work with my personal coach."

CF360: "What was your thought practice here during the round-robin bouts?"

SZ: "I tried not to think about it. Before each bout, I tried to think of how to beat the particular bout. When you win the bout, it just moves you closer to the gold. That's how I prepare myself.

"I lost like six bouts. Overall, all the bouts are tough because everybody are decent fencers and it is five touches, you can lost to anybody and you can win [over] anybody. You have to be really focused and it's really hard to be focused for two days."

CF360: "What is it like to be part of a small team when this team competition also is going in around you?"

SZ: "I'm used to fencing in small teams. I'm from Israel and we never had a huge team, so I'm used to it."

CF360: "You have accomplished a rare thing in being a three-time NCAA champion. Is that something you think about or care much about?"

SZ: "I do care. It's a good thing to be in small history. I will do my best, I will practice good and we will see next year. I try not to think about [being the defending champion]."

CF360: "Are there certain college fencers who you admire most or who pose the greatest challenge for you?"

SZ: "All of the guys in the [NCAA] 24 are good fencers, but one guy who I think is a very good, challenging fencer – [freshman Igor] Tolkachev from Ohio State, [Princeton sophomore Graham] Wicas, [junior Mykhaylo] Mazur from Wayne State, my teammate. [xxxx Daniel] Trapani was doing pretty well from Air Force today.

"I like fencers that fence not physically, but more tactically. That's how I appreciate fencing."

CF360: "At the Midwest Regional, you had a rough start but came back to win."

SZ: "I started really bad in the pools. I was first [seed] in the region, but I was under pressure and my coach wasn't there. I started the pools bad, I lost three and I won three. It was my luck that they had reparcharge. I lost my first 15-touches bout and then through the reparcharge I made it to the first place. I was just stressed. It's hard to fence good all the time."

CF360: "What are your thoughts on college fencing, with the travel and seeing different parts of America?"

SZ: "When I started college, it was my first time in the U.S. I really like New York. It's where my coach lives and when I have the time I'm going to practice there. Most of the best fencers are practicing over there."

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