Our Coaches
Our Coaches have huge amount of expertise in fencing and outstanding results at national and international level. Both of them hold fencing coach certifications and degrees in Physical Education. They work hard on improving the technical and tactical skills of their athletes. They are coaches of heart and soul motivating their fencers to perform at their best. They deeply care for the kids and their development, and provide a positive, supportive environment with a great team spirit. Our Coaches completed the Safe Sport Training course and a background screen of USA Fencing Association.
Head Foil Coach Misha Itkin
HEAD FOIL COACH MISHA ITKIN
- More than 30 years of coaching experience
- Coaching staff for the US senior world championship team.
- Ph.D. in Physical Education
- 11 years as as the US national coach for Junior and Cadet teams.
- His students have...
- gone on to win several national and international competitions
- Bronze Medal U20 World Cup 2019
- 4th Place European U20 Championships
Foil Coach Edward Jefferies
FOIL COACH EDWARD JEFFERIES
- More than 13 years of coaching experience
- Masters degree in Sports Performance Coaching
- Formal National Medal Winner
- Has received...
- 2nd place U20 World Ranking
- Silver medal U20 World Championships
- Gold U20 World Cup
- Bronze Senior European Team Championships
- 6th senior World Cup
- His students have received...
- L8 at European U20 Championships 2019 & 2022
- Bronze Medal U20 World Cup 2019
- 4th Place European U20 Championships
Foil Coach Ludovic Sotto
FOIL COACH LUDOVIC SOTTO
- More than 15 years of coaching experience
- Formal National Coach for Great Britain
- Served under…
- International Olympic Committee
- British Olympic Association
- The British Fencing Association
- Foil Coach for...
- Anaheim Hills Fencers Club (Head Coach)
- Fighting Fit Fencing Club of London (Head Coach)
- The Battersea School of Fencing
- The Lycee Francais
Foil Coach Igor Zapozdaev
FOIL COACH IGOR ZAPOZDAEV
- More than 15 years of coaching experience
- Masters degree in Physical Education
- Formal Russian National team member from 2006-2012
- Has received...
- Silver and and bronze medals at many Russian Championships
- Grand Prix and World Cup Finalist
- Bronze medal at Universiade 2011
- His students have received...
- Olympic Bronze Medal
- Several National/ International tournaments
Foil Coach Brando Messinese
FOIL COACH BRANDO MESSINESE
- Nearly 20 years of coaching experience
- Worked with Italian cadet and junior teams who won numerous European and World Championships
- Studied fencing at Fides Livorno, which has produced over a dozen Olympic Champion fencers
- His students have received...
- Several national medals and titles
- The right to represent team USA at the cadet World Cup
- Acceptance letters from many top rated NCAA universities
Foil Coach John Evan Snytsheuvel
FOIL COACH JOHN EVAN SNYTSHEUVEL
- Over 5 years of coaching experience
- Taught by many Olympic level choaches including Sergei Golubitsky, Oleg Matesychuk, and currently by Misha Itkin and Igor Zapozdaev
- Been a training partner for the US Olympic team since 2021 and has been a training partner for the Japanese Olympic team since 2019
- Has received...
- Top 10 overall cadet and junior men's foilist in the United States
Head Epee Coach Gago Demirchian
HEAD EPPE COACH GAGO DEMIRCHIAN
- Three-time Armenian National Epee Champion
- Fourth in the USSR National Championship
- Is a former US national epee coach
- Has taught:
- Many Olympian finalists numerous participants in world championships
- Numerous participants in world championships
Epee Coach Lewis Weiss
EPEE COACH LEWIS WEISS
- Trained under Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Team USA Olympic Coach, Andrey Geva
- Represented Team USA at the 2013 and 2014 Junior World Championships
- Was ranked as the number 1 Junior (U20) fencer in the United States from 2012-2014
- Was ranked as the number 9 Junior fencer in the world
- Has received...
- 3 US Junior National Team Championships titles
- Gold medal at the United States Senior Nationals
- Individual bronze medals at the US Fencing Senior, Junior, and Cadet National Championships
- A bronze medal at the 2014 Junior World Cup in Goteborg, Sweden
Epee Coach Eric Hansen
EPEE COACH ERIC HANSEN
- Seven-time member of US World Championship Men's Epee team - Cadet, Junior, and Senior
- Represented the US at Pan Am Games, Pan Am Championships, World University Games, and many World Cups, making ten World Cup finals
- Has received...
- Many National Championship and North American Cup medals
- Gold medals at the Junior NAC in 1995, Div IA National Championship in 2000, and Div I NACs in 2001 and 2008.
- Has taught...
- The 2011 Junior Olympic National Champion Men's Epee team
- The 2012 Y12 Men's Epee National Champion
- The 2016 Junior Olympic Cadet Men's Epee National Champion
- And the bronze medal at the 2016 Cadet Men's Epee World Championships
Head Sabre Coach Sergei N. Mindirgasov
HEAD SABRE COACH SERGEI N. MINDIRGASOVA
- Member of the USSR Senior Saber Team (1981-1990)
- Individual World Champion
- 1988 Olympic Silver Medalist
- Five-time Team World Champion
- Has received...
- A Master’s Degree in Physical Education
- 1983 Edmonton FEN gold: sabre team; and 1985 Kobe FEN gold: individual sabre and sabre at the Summer Universiade
Sabre Coach Daniel Grigore
SABRE COACH DANIEL GRIGORE
- Over 5 years of coaching experience
- Taught by many Olympic level choaches including Sergei Golubitsky, Oleg Matesychuk, and currently by Misha Itkin and Igor Zapozdaev
- Been a training partner for the US Olympic team since 2021 and has been a training partner for the Japanese Olympic team since 2019
- Has received...
- Top 10 overall cadet and junior men's foilist in the United States
Sabre Coach Allex Gruman
SABRE COACH ALLEX GRUMAN
- Over 5 years of coaching experience
- Taught by many Olympic level choaches including Sergei Golubitsky, Oleg Matesychuk, and currently by Misha Itkin and Igor Zapozdaev
- Been a training partner for the US Olympic team since 2021 and has been a training partner for the Japanese Olympic team since 2019
- Has received...
- Top 10 overall cadet and junior men's foilist in the United States
