Fencers Club Coaches
Fencers Club is proud to have a world-class coaching staff that is nationally and internationally recognized for their expertise and achievements.
They teach the latest fencing methods and provide short and long-term athlete development plans. In addition, they inspire and motivate their students while serving as effective leaders and role models in our diverse community. Our coaches work with all ages and levels of fencers.
Epee Coaches
Alexey Cheremsky
Alexey Cheremsky was born in Ukraine. He competed in epee internationally for Ukraine and Israel and has won World Cup medals. Alexey received his bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and Masters degree in Sport Psychology from the Ukrainian State University of Physical Education and Sport. After coaching in Kiev, Alexey moved to Israel where he was the National Team coach from 2000-2005.
Guillermo Madrigal
Guillermo Madrigal was born in Cuba. He competed in epee internationally for Cuba and has won many World Cup medals and Pan-American championships during his fencing career as an athlete. Guillermo earned his Masters degree in both Physical Education and Fencing at the Institute of Physical Education in La Havana, Cuba.
Foil Coaches
Simon Gershon
Formerly a coach of both the Ukrainian Men’s and Women’s Foil Squad and the Soviet Union Women’s Foil Team (Gold Medalists at the 1986 World Championships), Simon Gershon continues to develop students who achieve international results, including 2012 Olympians Miles Chamley-Watson and Nicole Ross. Gershon earned his Masters degree in fencing from the Kiev Institute of Physical Education. He was also a coach at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, and has served as the US National Men’s Foil Coach.
Irene Gershon
Irene Gershon, a former Regional and Collegiate Coach in Ukraine and assistant coach at St. John’s University, received her degree in fencing with high honors from the Kiev Institute of Physical Education. Working closely with her husband Simon, she supervises several youth developmental groups in addition to training many top men and women foilists at Fencers Club, including 2012 Olympians Miles Chamley-Watson and Nicole Ross. Miles was also the first US man to win an individual foil World Championship in 2013.
Oleg Brusilovsky
Oleg is a foil coach and master with 40 years of fencing experience. He has a masters degree in physical education and Fencing from Kiev Institute of physical culture. Oleg is the former Soviet Union medalist and five time Ukrainian national champion and Soviet Union Junior champion.
Sabre Coaches
Archil Lortkipanidze
Archil Lortkipanidze (“Achiko”) is an Olympic-level fencer and internationally recognized fencing coach. He received his degree from the Tiblisi State University, Republic of Georgia.
As a fencer, Achiko is a five-time Georgian National Champion, a Soviet Union Cup Finalist, World Cup Finalist, and a member of the Georgian Olympic Fencing Team (1996 Atlanta Olympic Games). As a coach, he has over 25 years of experience as a Master Saber Coach for a variety of leading athletic Organizations and institutions, including the Georgian National Team, and Yale University Fencing Team.
Dmitry Ronzhin
A native of Russia, Dmitry has been one of the world’s top sabre coaches for more than 30 years in a professional career spanning multiple continents. He is a two-time Olympic Coach and has coached both the Russian and Canadian Olympic Teams, in addition to coaching athletes at 19 Senior World Championships, 10 European Championships, 7 Pan-American Championships, and 5 Junior and Cadet World Championships.