Bio

Two-time Olympian Molly Sullivan Sliney was a distinguished member of the 1988 and 1992 United States fencing team. Molly also was a member of the 1987 and 1991 Pan American teams where she won two gold medals.

A Massachusetts native, Molly started fencing at age ten as a way build her self-esteem. Because of her learning disability, dyslexia, she lacked confidence and belief in herself. Encouraged by her father Joseph, and coach Joe Pechinsky, she not only had success on the fencing strip but also in the class room. Attending the University of Notre Dame on a full scholarship, she received her Bachelors in Marketing while winning two NCAA titles, a mark recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records. Notre Dame also named her 1980's Female Athlete of the Decade. Though she has a tremendous list of athletic accomplishments, she views her college diploma as one of her greatest achievements.

Since retiring from competition in 1992, Molly has been an active public speaker and fencing instructor. By sharing her life experiences, she teaches youth to believe in themselves, to set goals and to work every day to achieve those goals, no matter what the obstacles.

Molly currently lives in Bradford, Massachusetts with her husband Keith, and children Michaela and Troy.

Fencing Resume

1. •1992-United States Olympic Women's Foil Individual and Team Participant, Barcelona, Spain
   

2. •1991-United States Pan American Women's Foil Team Participant, Havana, Cuba (Gold Medalist)
   

3. •1991-World Championship Women's Foil Individual and Team Participant, Budapest, Hungry
   

4. •1990-World Championship Women's Foil Individual and Team Participant, Lyon, France
   

5. •1980's-University of Notre Dame's Female Athlete of the Decade
   

6. •1989-World Championship Women's Foil Individual and Team Participant, Denver, Colorado
   

7. •1988-United States Olympic Women's Foil Team Participant, Seoul, Korea
   

8. •1984-88-NCAA All American
   

9. •1988-NCAA Women's Foil Individual Champion
   

10. •1987-United States Pan American Women's Foil Team Member, Indianapolis, Indiana (Gold Medalist)
    

11. •1987-NCAA Women's Foil Team Champion [NY Times Link]
    

12. •1987-World Championship Women's Foil Individual and team Participant, Laursanne, Switzerland
    

13. •1986-NCAA Women's Foil Individual Champion
    

14. •1984-United States National Women's Foil Champion
    

15. •1984-United States Junior National Women's Foil Champion
    

16. •1984-Junior World Championship Women's Foil Individual Participant, Leningrad, Russia
    

17. •1979-Junior World Championship Women's Foil Individual Participant, Laursanne, Switzerland
    

Schools

A list of some of the schools where Molly has spoken:

Merriam Elementary School, Acton, MA

Gates Elementary School, Acton, MA

Douglas Elementary School, Acton, MA

Luther Conant Elementary School, Acton, MA

McCarthy-Towne Elementary School, Acton, MA

Amherst Middle School,Amherst, NH

Pike School, Andover, MA

South Elementary School, Andover, MA

West Elementary School, Andover, MA

Bancroft Elementary School, Andover, MA

Pike School, Andover, MA

Dority Middle School, Andover, MA

Glenn Urquhart School, Beverly, MA

Hannah Elementary School, Beverly, MA

Landmark School, Beverly, MA

North Beverly Elementary School, Beverly, MA

Commonwealth High School, Boston, MA

Spot Pond Elementary School, Boxford, MA

Foxhill School, Burlington, MA

Nesoba Brook School, Concord, MA

Highland Elementary, Danvers, MA

Samuel W. Mason School, Dorchester, MA

Center School, Hanover, MA

Consentino Middle School, Haverhill, MA

Silver Hill School, Haverhill, MA

Nettle School, Haverhill, MA

Whittier School, Haverhill, MA

Forest Ave School, Hutson, MA

Winthrop School, Ipswich, MA

Doyon Elementary School, Ipswich,MA

Kingston Elementary, Kingston, MA

Arlington Elementary School, Lawrence, MA

Adult Learning Center, Lawrence, MA

Charles S. Storrow Elementary School, Lawrence, MA

Francis M. Leahy Elementary School, Lawrence, MA

General Donovan Elementary School, Lawrence, MA

James F. Leonard Elementary School, Lawrence, MA

J. P. Kane Elementary School, Lawrence, MA

John R. Rollins Elementary School, Lawrence, MA

Lawrence Charter, Lawrence, MA

Presentation of Mary, Lawrence, MA

Robert Frost Elementary School, Lawrence, MA

Littleton Middle School, Littleton, MA

The Welcoming School, Lynn, MA

Greater Lawrence Collaborative School, Methuen, MA

Medway High School, Medway, MA

Mentor School, Middleton, MA

Proctor Elementary School, Middleton, MA

Natick Middle School, Natick, MA

Wilson Middle School, Natick, MA

Newmen Elementary School, Needham, MA

Atkinson School, North Andover, MA

Franklin Elementary School, North Andover, MA

Kittredge Elementary School, North Andover, MA

North Andover High School, North Andover, MA

Thomson Elementary School, North Andover, MA

Linden Hill School, Northfield, MA

Peabody Veterans Memorial High School, Peabody, MA

Atherton Hough Elementary, Quincy, MA

Arthur W. Coolidge Middle School, Reading, MA

Barrows Elementary Schools, Reading, MA

Birch Meadow Elementary Schools, Reading, MA

Joshua Eaton Elementary School, Reading, MA

Killam Elementary School, Reading, MA

Lucy Stone School, Roxbury, MA

Oak Middle School, Shrewsbury, MA

Center Elementary School, Stoneham, MA

Colonial Park School, Stoneham, MA

Robinhood Elementary School, Stoneham, MA

Stoneham Middle School, Stoneham, MA

Louise Davy Trahan Elementary School, Tewksbury, MA

Howe Manning, Elementary School, Topsfield, MA

Walton School, Wakefield, MA

Doyal School, Wakefield, MA

Johnson Middle School, Walpole, MA

Atriam School, Watertown, MA

Hosmer Elementary, Watertown, MA

Brown School, Weymouth, MA

Events

More speaking engagements:

1. • The Boston Plan for Excellence in the Public Schools 1996 Benefit Special guest----Draw raffle winner of trip to the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta.
   

2. • Massachusetts' 25th Special Olympics Opening ceremonies Keynote Speaker----Kick off state-wide games. Also held a demonstration in the athlete's reception area.
   

3. • Department of Education Young Adults with Learning Disabilities Project's Keynote Speaker----State-wide kickoff addressing teachers, coordinators, counselors, and Department of Education staff.
   

4. • Title I Dissemination Project 1995 Parent Involvement Conference Keynote Speaker----Addressed parents, teachers, and educators.
   

5. • Mayor's Youth Summit "Youth Fit" 1995 & 1996----In conjunction with the Department of Public Health, provided a workshop to educate teenagers on overall mental and physical health and fitness.
   

6. • Words Not Violence Peabody High School----Provided an interactive workshop focused on encouraging high school students use words-not violence-to solve problems.
   

7. • Governor's Alliance Against Drugs, Acton Keynote Speaker for the DARE to Be Day.
   

8. • DARE Burlingtion, Ipswich, Orange, Rochester NH, Lowell, Salem, North Attleborough, Erving, & Barnstable, Speaker at graduations and summer camps encouraging a drug free live.
   

9. • John Hancock Hanover Agency Conducted a fencing demonstration and motivational speech.
   

10. • John Hancock Merrimack Valley Agency Motivational speech to sales representatives and staff.
    

11. • North Andover Women's League Honor Club Awards----Spoke to honor role students about setting goals and reaching them through believing in themselves.
    

12. • Duxbury International Festival Conducted a demonstration of the sport of fencing during the 3rd Annual International Festival.
    

13. • Women's Expo 1994 Purdue University-Keynote Speaker in the collaborative effort of Indiana District I Business and Professional Women's Clubs, Girl Scouts of Calumet Council and Saint Margaret Mercy Women's Center.
    

14. • Burt Moore Fencing Camp, Brandeis University----Spoke to group of young aspiring fencing athletes.
    

15. • YMCA Summer Camp, Malden----Spoke to a group of young adults regarding setting goals, working toward those goals despite setbacks, and the importance of believing in themselves.
    

16. • Summer of Opportunity Helped arrange a sports segment where Peter Westbrook, five-time Olympian, talked about the impact of the sport of fencing in his life. Supported program by offering fencing to the students in the program through the month of August '95.