YOUR Coaches

[thecarpinator]

Started out in the PE class at Northwestern University in 1981-1985, fenced there under Laurie Schiller until 1985.

1985-1986 fenced under Fima Feigan in Chicago.

1986-1988 fenced under Manfred Kaspar in Bonn, West Germany.

1988-1996 fenced under Dr. Aladar Kogler at the NYAC.

1996-2002 various and sundry golf pros to whom I apologize... turns out I'm a fencer not a golfer...

2002- 2006 Coached at Grapevine Texas Fencing Center which eventually merged with La Touche to become the Gold Blade Fencing Center. Two of my students will be attending Northwestern University next year under Laurie Schiller.... I think that means the circle is now complete.

[cfaustus]

I started fencing at age 15.

I only remember this because I was just about to start learing to drive so I would eagerly observe how my Mom shifted gears when she drove me to and from practice.

My Coaches were:
Mike Sampon: (introduced me to sport foil)
Mr. Farrel: (helped me start a club in Highschool)

After highschool, I did not fence much as my University did not want to start a program since they had JUST gotten rid of all the old equipment the year before.

My Masters/Instructors have been:
David Achilleus: (who introduced me to Classical/Traditional fencing while I was in Law school - David continues to be a great training partner and mentor and most importantly, a great friend)
M. Nick Evnagelista: (early 20th century sport fencing - split with to pursue Traditional/Classical fencing more fully)
M. Tony Gilliam: (who taught me enough about modern sport coaching to help me pass my USFCA certification exam(s) - I received my Moniteur cert last year in foil & epee. This year I hope to test and pass for sabre.)
M. Ramon Martinez (current master): - Traditional fencing. M. Martinez has graciously accepted me as a student of his 'on the Master's track'.

[Tohn Jedeschi]

Weet tdawg

John said:

Mr. Trapani-

I, too, am from New Jersey. Though younger to the sport (I only began fencing in 1990) I recognized all the names in your post.

My coach, Tom DiCerbo passed away away in 1996 and was a student of Al Sully (at William Paterson University I believe). He mentioned Maestro Sully many times, always with great respect for his talent.

I had the honor of meeting Tony Orsi, and conversing with him, several times before he too passed away.

Jack Albanese founded the High School fencing program at Indian Hills HS (Bergen County, NJ) of which I am currently the head Girls Coach. Mr. Albanese, also, routinely directs for local high school meets and I see him a half dozen times over the course of the season.

Jack Zelner and John Cilio (some other students of Al Sully) are also still very much involved in New Jersey Fencing as extremely well respected directors.

Anyways, thought you might be interested to know the "line" of coaches that you (and I) are a part of is still alive and marching forward in NJ.

Best Wishes,
John Tedeschi

[D]

I fenced for about 9 to 10 months (FOIL) when i was 9 years old... At the Round Rock fencing club. I think Poujardieu was one of the coaches but dont quote me on that I was 9 yrs. Also of course Gary Murray was there too.

Then I stopped. Dont remember why..... I DO REMEMBER THAT THEY REFUSED TO TEACH GIRLS SABRE BECAUSE THEY DIDNT HAVE IT AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL THEN... SO GUESS WHAT HAPPEN WHEN I GOT OLDER..... I BECAME A SABRE FENCER.... try to tell me i cant do somthin cause im a girl!!!! i'll show you damm it!!!

Then i started back up when i saw a demonstration at TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY in 1999... I didnt really take a lot of lessons i think until i graduated in 2002. Those lessons before i graduated were with Paul Schimelman

After i graduated i moved to london and took lessons from Mike Matthews at the London Thames Fencing Club.

Then I came back in half a year and took more lessons from Paul S.
Decided to go to graduate school in NY City and got invited to fence with the PETER WESTBROOK PEOPLE at NEW YORK FENCERS CLUB..... took lessons from MICKIAL SANKOFA

Decide that NEW YORK was making my credit card cry in pain & i missed my boyfriend.

NOW I HAVE NO COACH AND AM IN GRAD SCHOOL AT TEXAS STATE..

[JEC]

Gary Van der Wege live near you Ii think Buda). He teaches saber at Salle Pouj. The TX State group has saber fencing. Daniel bayarena is one of them. PM and i can send you Gary's email/number.

[DavidSierra]

jec said:

Gary Van der Wege live near you Ii think Buda). He teaches saber at Salle Pouj. The TX State group has saber fencing. Daniel bayarena is one of them. PM and i can send you Gary's email/number.

*chuckle* you do know that "D" is Demaris Dotson? One of the mainstays of sabre fencing at Texas State?

[D]

Yea, I just fenced Daniel B. last night for, 4 back to back 15 touches in a row.... Im not sure fencing him so much is a good thing though..... Im beginning to think its messing with my distance with people that fence more conventionally/normal.

[Jack Tintera]

"Never Change a Winning Game" Maestro Charles Schmitter. Michigan State...by Jack Tintera, now of Austin, Texas.

[Wayne Yee]

"Parry, Riposte. Parry, Riposte. Parry, Riposte. Just like Mom and Apple Pie, Abbott and Costello, peanut butter and jelly, they always go together." Maestro Charles Schmitter (former coach at Michigan State University)

PS Jack Tintera... Is that you! How's life?
Wayne Yee

[jazz007]

Mine is a relatively short story, so far

Started fencing with Paul Schimelman at UT Austin in the PE class in late August of 2004. Took about..... three days to get bored with that, took private lessons from Josh and Doug (and ribbing from Russell) (collectively, Navy). Met my guy, Andrew. Accidentally stayed with foil for nearly 3 months, then got wise and picked up a sabre. Continued with Paul through December of 2005 and a bit, then ended up on my own for a while (thanks, RecSports!) before taking up with David Sierra and CEFC.

Strip coaches have varied WIDELY, from Paul S. to Andrew to David to Aaron Clements to Justin Meehan to Sean Moran... kind of whoever is handy and can yell loudly enough that I can hear it on strip!!

[Scott Brown]

Jerry Dunaway was my first and primary coach for many years.
Richard Alvarez was my secondary, and also taught me many other things like jousting and
fight choreography.
Mike Mergens was also one of my instructors.

At Coaches College, I have had instruction by Alex Beguinet, Ed Richards, Salem, the awesome Gary Copeland, and Sarah Solomon.

I also took lessons from Ashley Cockburn in Shreveport.

And I'm missing a few, but those are the ones that really stuck out the most!

[kd5mdk]

I started fencing at UT in a summer kids class with Vinnie Bradford in I think 1996. It was foil only and she couldn't break me of the habit of keeping my off hand in front of my chest, so I got very frustrated and didn't want to continue after that.

Fast forward to my junior year in college at UT. I took the beginning fencing class with Paul Schimelman my first semester, and attended the club. It became apparent that although I now had the body control to keep my hand out of the way, I was by nature a sabre fencer. I then went on a study abroad to New Zealand for the 2nd semester of my Junior year, so my development was a bit arrested. I fenced some foil at the Otago Swords Club there, but it was extremely informal. I don't think anyone ever refereed a practice bout. Coming back for my senior year at UT I started fencing sabre with the club and took the intermediate class, which covered foil, epee and sabre. I entered my first tournament, the 2004 Longhorn, and did predictably terrible. I'm not sure I even knew all the sabre parries by then. However, I earned my E via a lot of flukes of luck at the next tournament I attended, the 2004 Cat Fight a few weeks later.

In this time I was taking lessons from Paul S and a few from one of the senior UT fencers, James Demerest.

Since I graduated from UT I haven't attended a club or had any coaching and am retired from competitive fencing. I do attend small tournaments for the fun of it, but for anything serious I really expect to be refereeing them.

[supox]

I started fencing my Freshman year at UST when I was 18 (2005).

Foil: Scott Brown, Karl Schroder, Delfina Perka
Saber: Scott Brown (two lessons)
Epee: No formal training.

[Curtis Potterveld]

I started in my mid twenties, taking a class at Arizona State University. I don't remember the instructors name. Since then it has been:

Jim Barbour - Salle Diablo, ASU
Sud Deland - Salle La Verne - Torrance, CA
Pat Waples - Salle de Escrime - Prescott, AZ
Orange Coast Fencing Academy, Long Beach, CA
Damien Berntsen - Clear Lake Fencing Club - Seabrook, TX

(Sorry couldn't resist the fencing jedi!)

[Bryn Ralph]

Russell Karl Wieder, maestro di scherma, was my introduction into fencing in 1956 during my undergrad days at Texas A&M.
I became his assistant after three years and can say that those years of fencing were most instructive and satisfying. Since those days, I have received foil instruction from Mr. Sergei Golubitsky;and, I continue to work "the long steel" as well as instruct classical fencing and modern style fencing.

My odyssey continues to advance -- but not without reflecting upon the tutelage of a great American fencer: R.K. Wieder.

[vraptor]

My first fencing class was under Ms. Tomlin at NTSU (now just UNT). After that, it was a 25 year layoff. Then, instruction under Mike Mergins and Richard Alvarez. But I find that the best lessons come from the people who beat the stew out of me. It keeps my game very much a work in progress.

[Jett]

Hmm, my first fencing class was at UH some spring semester. I was taught the basics by the club president (Joel I think his name was). I've never really had an actual coach, but I've practiced with:

Foil: Jerry Dunaway, Manuel Rodriguez, and Delfina Perka, Isael Urgelles-Diaz
Epee: Andrey Geva, Oleskii Ivanov
Sabre: Oleskii Ivanov

Strip Coaches: Delfina Perka, Oleskii Ivanov, Isael Urgelles-Diaz, Adam Brewer, Curtis Hardy, and Matt Cooper

[swordchickx]

I started fencing about 3 years ago, and my coach was Damien Berntsen at clfc, foil, sabre, and I taught myself epee with some wonderful people to guide me along the way.

[the6dark6knight6]

Jul 21, 2008 21:24:38 GMT -6 Jett said:

Hmm, my first fencing class was at UH some spring semester. I was taught the basics by the club president (Joel I think his name was). I've never really had an actual coach, but I've practiced with:

Foil: Jerry Dunaway, Manuel Rodriguez, and Delfina Perka, Isael Urgelles-Diaz
Epee: Andrey Geva, Oleskii Ivanov
Sabre: Oleskii Ivanov

Strip Coaches: Delfina Perka, Oleskii Ivanov, Isael Urgelles-Diaz, Adam Brewer, Curtis Hardy, and Matt Cooper

You forget Jett that in epee,I take you to school every time I fence you and I also have given you lessons in handling defeat...you are a great student!...heh-heh-heh...

[swordchickx]

So sorry , coach Damian Berntsen, I totally hit the wrong key, the other night when doing this, and coach Damian is a great coach, and I apologize for misspelling his name. He rocks as a coach.

[archangel]

Ive only been in the game a short time but my influence is pretty diverse.

-Took Sara Price's Fencing class 4 semesters in a row. (no one can teach a flunge better.)
- Watched Beau Brunson, Tim Guerinot, Damaris, and others for inspiration. (was not currently taking lessions.)
-Never turned down advice from David Sierra, Ivanov, Jerry Benson, Tomas Stizinski (butchered last name), Dan Gorman, and others.
- Continue to attend camps hosted by Ivanov, Schimelman, Nazylmov and others I always planned to check out but never had the chance.
- Currently Coached by Paul Schimelman.

All and all I like to believe that I was raised by Texas. So many people helped a bright-eyed weird little college boy learn how to fence saber. I owe it to all of you.

Thank you...
Brewer

[Sabina]

My first coach was my father, Tony Orsi and then my uncle Al Sully.

[russ]

Alisher at integrity fencing
www.integrityfencing.com/

[Brad]

I was walking with my umbrella and recalled hearing R. K. Wieder tell us in my elective fencing class at Texas A&M that you could use an umbrella as a weapon if threatened. This was back in '65. Though I had no particular interest in the sport, he made an impression on me or I would not have remembered his name. One day one of my classmates got an attitude with Wieder and challenged Wieder who was quite old by then and a small man to boot. I will never forget how deftly he wielded his foil as he humiliated his challenger. It was a nuclear defeat that gave us great pleasure. R. K. made his "point" forcefully!