BERKSHIRESTRAINING CAMP

The goal of the Fencers Club Berkshires Training Camp is to pursue excellence through fencing in a diverse and welcoming community of

athletes from around the world.

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∞ Provide the highest level of facility and instruction for the modern Olympic sport of fencing,∞ Promote the social and athletic interaction of its members through the sport of fencing,∞ Preserve the history and tradition of fencing in the United States, the United States,∞ Broaden the base of support for fencing in the United States by actively developing and offering fencing-related community outreach, scholarship and educational programs,∞ Continue to produce fencers of Olympic caliber through the active sponsorship of world-class training programs, competitions and teams. training programs, competitions and teams.

Fencers Club, a non-profit institution, was established in 1883 and is the longest continuously- operating fencing club in the United States. The Mission of Fencers Club is to:

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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ScheduleCoaches’ BiosCamp FacilitiesFencing SessionsActivities and LeisureBoard of Directors

Each summer, Fencers Club moves to the scenic Each summer, Fencers Club moves to the scenic Berkshire Hills in southwestern Massachusetts for our intensive training camp. Our world-class coaching staff conducts drills, tactical exercises, strengthening and conditioning and supervised bouting in three daily fencing sessions. Our elite athletes and Olympians also attend to work with the campers to reach their goals both on with the campers to reach their goals both on and off the fencing strip.

Our highly-trained staff members supervise campers 24/7 with a maximum 7:1 campers- counselors and coaches ratio. Campers are housed in single-sex dormitories with single or double occupancy rooms. Shared bathrooms and counselor rooms are on each floor, and all dorms have kitchens. Berkshire School provides the very best acommodation and dining the very best acommodation and dining

This unique experience offers campers not only the opportunity to train with the world’s best, but also to make friends and create connections within our diverse community. Through innovative programs--including the Berkshires Camp--we are committed to creating a culture of sharing and improving our world through sport. sport.

Photo by Charles Hayward

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Fencers Club Coaches

Irene Gershon (Foil)Irene Gershon, a former Regional and Collegiate Coach in Ukraine and assistant coach 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. Currently, she coaches in our Partner Schools program while coaching some of the most promising young fencers.

Simon Gershon (Foil)Formerly coach of both the Ukrainian Men’s and Women’s Foil Squad and the Soviet Formerly 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. Simon earned a Masters degree in fencing from the Kiev Institute of Physical Education, coached at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, and has served as the US National Men’s Foil Coach.

Buckie Leach (Foil)Buckie Leach is one of the most successful foil coaches in USA Fencing’s history. His students have won more international medals in Women’s Foil than any US coach or club combined. Leach was US Olympic Coach in 1996, 2000 and 2004. He has placed six athletes on US Olympic Teams, including 2012 Olympian Nzingha Prescod and two athletes on Canadian Olympic Teams.

Archil Lortkipanidze (Sabre)“Achiko” is a talented sabre coach from the Republic of Georgia. He has extensive “Achiko” is a talented sabre coach from the Republic of Georgia. He has extensive coaching experience in both his home country and in the US. Achiko received his degree from the Tiblisi State University and had a successful athletic career, including being an Olympian (1996 Atlanta Games), Soviet Union Champion and World Cup finalist. His students have also achieved significant results at both the national and international level, including a silver medal at the 2012 Cadet World Cup and multiple medals at 2012 North American Cups (NACs) and Junior Olympics.

Alexey Cheremsky (Epee)Alexey Cheremsky was born in Ukraine and received his maestro’s degree from the Alexey Cheremsky was born in Ukraine and received his maestro’s degree from the Ukrainian State University of Physical Education and Sport. After coaching in Kiev, Alexey moved to Israel where he became the National Team coach from 2000-2005. After Israel, Alexey moved to the United States and was named the Cadet and Junior National Team coach for 2011. His students have achieved exceptional results on both the national and international circuit, including a top-4 Junior world ranking, three US National Cadet and Junior team members, and 7 consecutive individual NCAA medals.

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Fencers Club Coaches

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Mikhail Petin (Foil)Mikhail earned his Masters degree in both Physical Education and fencing at the Mikhail earned his Masters degree in both Physical Education and fencing at the Institute of Physical Education in Lvov, Ukraine. Since arriving in the United States, his top students have won a Silver Medal in Olympic Games (Beijing, 2008), 4 Gold and 4 Bronze Medals at the Junior and Cadet World Championships, as well as numerous international, national and NCAA Titles. Mikhail is a former U.S. National Women’s Foil Coach, and he was also awarded the 2003 Fencing Developmental Coach of the Year by the United States Olympic Committee.

Akhnaten Spencer-El (Sabre)Akhnaten “Akhi” Spencer-El is a 2009 graduate of Semmelweis University in Budapest, Akhnaten “Akhi” Spencer-El is a 2009 graduate of Semmelweis University in Budapest, Hungary where he completed his Maestro’s degree. A native of Harlem, Spencer-El started fencing at the Peter Westbrook Foundation at the age of 13. He is a three-time U.S. Junior Sabre National Champion, a two-time Senior National Sabre Champion (1999, 2000), and in 1998 was ranked the No. 1 Junior Sabre fencer in the world. He was also a member of the 2000 U.S. Olympic Team. In addition to coaching for Fencers Club, he is involved with helping Peter Westbrook Foundation athletes and our Partner School students achieve their highest potential in fencing.School students achieve their highest potential in fencing.

Kornel Udvarhelyi (Epee)Kornel Udvarhelyi graduated with high honors from the Masters program at the Kornel Udvarhelyi graduated with high honors from the Masters program at the Hungarian Institute of Physical Education. As the Hungarian National Junior Epee Coach, his top student won the Cadet World Championship, Junior World Cup Championship, and a silver medal at the Junior World Championships. His American students have had similar success at the Cadet and Junior World Championships, as well as U.S. National and NCAA Championships. In addition to coaching at Fencers Club, he helps develop the curriculum for our Schools Partnership Program while also coaching at New York University.coaching at New York University.

Boris Vaksman (Epee)Boris Vaksman began his fencing career in Odessa, Ukraine at the age of 14. At 17 he Boris Vaksman began his fencing career in Odessa, Ukraine at the age of 14. At 17 he was awarded the title “Master of Sport” and by 18 he had won both his first Ukrainian National Championship and his first Soviet Union Championship. In total, Vaksman earned an impressive 56 medals in international and Soviet competitions between 1978 and 1983. Vaksman moved to the U.S. in 1989 and began coaching in New York. He was the U.S. National Junior Epee Coach from 2004 to 2008. For the past five years Vaksman has been an Assistant Coach at St. John’s University. In 2007, the Red Storm placed 2nd in the NCAA Championships.placed 2nd in the NCAA Championships.

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BERKSHIRE SCHOOL FACILITIES

Berkshire Hall - classrooms and meeting area

A mountain-fed stream runs through campus State-of-the-art weight

room and gym facilities

Each summer, our fencers are very fortunate to be guests of Berkshire School, located near the town of Sheffield, Massachusetts. Founded in 1907, Berkshire School sits on 680 acres of pristine natural grounds at the foot of Mt. Everett. Campus facilities include: 10 dormitories (A/C available), quarter-mile track, 3 gymnasiums, locker and weight rooms, 2 hockey rinks, 12 tennis courts, 7 fields, an observatory, and an on-site maple syrup production facility.

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FENCING AND CONDITIONING

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FREE TIMEAND ACTIVITIES

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEERex Chung, Chairman

Julio Mazzoli, President

Anne Mathews, Vice President

Michael Nissan, Secretary

Eric Pho, Treasurer

Some of the colleges our students attend

2007-2012:

Barnard College, Boston College, Brandeis Barnard College, Boston College, Brandeis University, Brown University, Carnegie-Mellon University, Columbia University,Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Drew University, Duke

University, Emerson College, Harvard University, Haverford College, New York University,

Northwestern University, Oxford University, Penn State University, Princeton University, Stanford State University, Princeton University, Stanford University, St. John’s University, Temple University, Tufts University, Tulane University, University of Chicago, University of Edinburgh, University of Michigan, University of Notre Dame, University of

Pennsylvania, Yale University

Some of the colleges our students attend

2007-2012:

Barnard College, Boston College, Brandeis

Peter Ganzenmuller

Simon Gershon

Alan Getz

Jean-Marc Oppenheim

Kathleen Reckling

Peter Westbrook

Julia WhiteheadJulia Whitehead

ADDITIONAL COMMITTEES:

FINANCE AND AUDIT

FUNDRAISING

NOMINATING

DEVELOPMENT

SCHOLARSHIP

SEARCHSEARCH

Photo by Charles Hayward13

229 W. 28th Street, 2nd Fl.New York, NY 10001www.fencersclub.orginfo@fencersclub.orgT. 212.807.6947F. 212.807.6944

BERKSHIRESTRAININGCAMP

A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the pursuit of excellence through the sport of fencing.

Fencers Club does not discriminate on the basis of race/ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, disability, veteran status, or age.