Coaching recreational sport fencing has been part of my life since 1987. In that year I attended a  fencing coach's Foil and Sabre seminar in Orlando FL. From that day on, I knew that “I was” a “Fencing Coach". All that was needed: the skills of "the Coach".

To start my new career, I attended in 1991 and 1992 the United States Fencing Association's (USFA) Coaches College at the Olympic Training Center (OTC), Colorado Springs.

“Tampa's Fencing Academy” Florida, was founded in 1992, and I became a lifetime member of the U.S. Fencing Coaches Association. Ten years later at age 62 It was time to retire from my day job. Now I can dedicate 25 hours a week to teaching and coaching sport fencing at the Academy and local private schools. I revisited the Coaches College at the OTC for 3 weeks of coaches training in 2005 (EPEE, FOIL,SABRE) and I was privileged to attended in 2006 a seven day seminar “Sport Fencing The Unity of Theory and Practice”, with renowned Polish Fencing Master and Coach Professor Zhigniew Czajkowski.          

Their is always something more to learn in this sport: better technique, tactics, pedagogy. Now that the USA has gotten a taste of there first gold fencing metal at the 2004 Athens Olympics, more people are attracted to fencing as a recreational sport.

I've taught and coached over 1,000 recreational and competitive fencers ranging in ages from 7 to 70.

Everyone can succeed in the sport of fencing. All that's needed is, a love for the game.

CoachGerryDuran