Blair Academy was excited to welcome Sarah Apgar '98, who connected with students, faculty and staff during a virtual Society of Skeptics lecture on April 14 at 7 p.m. Her presentation centered around her company, FitFighter, and the strength and conditioning training program she developed. To watch her full presentation, please click below:

Ms. Apgar is the founder of FitFighter, an exercise program and manufacturer of world class fitness equipment. Originally designed for those in fire service, the fitness program utilizes free weights crafted from firehose and steel shot, and it has been adapted for professional athletes, coaches, gyms and group training. She was inspired to start FitFighter after becoming a volunteer firefighter following her service in the Army. The program is designed to help first responders develop  the cardio and pulmonary capacity required to do different aspects of their jobs, including ventilation, hose handling, and ladder and gear operations.

At Skeptics, Ms. Apgar discussed “What it Takes.” “I told three stories, sharing my experience in public service and starting my own business,” she said. “I wanted to share what it takes to succeed as an entrepreneur using what you’ve learned at Blair.”

Ms. Apgar and FitFighter have been featured on ABC News, The Today Show, at the ESPN Women + Sports Summit and, most recently, on Todd Durkin’s IMPACT Show Podcast. FitFighter clients and customers include fire academies and departments, performance training centers, gyms, trainers, and pro and amateur athletes, including the FDNY Fire Academy and San Diego Fire Rescue Academy.

A graduate of Princeton University, Ms. Apgar was an all-American collegiate rugby player and member of Princeton’s Army ROTC program. She served tours in Afghanistan and Iraq during her military career and holds a master’s degree from Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business. A volunteer firefighter and EMT, as well as a certified fitness professional, Ms. Apgar lives in Port Washington, New York, with her husband, Ben Smith, and two young daughters, Emory and Arlyn.

Ms. Apgar reflects on her time at Blair Academy fondly, recalling how it inspired her journey to develop FitFighter.

“My roots that developed during my time at Blair run deep,” she said. “They helped me overcome serious bouts of homesickness during my sophomore year and formed the foundation of my collegiate athletic career and success. Today, my Blair roots provide me with a lifelong community I can depend on. Blair is a very special place for me.”

The History of Skeptics

The Society of Skeptics was established as a forum for students and faculty to discuss and debate important global issues; it has grown to become one of the premier high school lecture series in the United States. Each week, speakers from the political, social, scientific, economic and literary arenas share their unique perspectives with students, who are encouraged to engage with presenters, asking questions and debating points of view.

The program was an outgrowth of the Blair International Society, begun in 1937. Forty years later, former history department chair Elliott Trommald, PhD, Hon.’65, established the modern Skeptics program as a regular forum for student discussion and debate; history teacher Martin Miller, PhD, took over in the mid-1980s and molded the program into a weekly lecture series, one that has since continued without interruption. Under the tutelage of Dr. Miller, Skeptics has featured a wide variety of speakers who are engaging, accomplished in their respective fields and often controversial. For a listing of upcoming Skeptics programs, please click here.