History
The Fencers Club is the oldest continuously existing organization in the Western Hemisphere dedicated exclusively to teaching and promoting the sport of fencing. Since our establishment in 1883 we have remained at the vanguard, producing successive generations of Olympians and National Champions. As a highly diverse not-for-profit organization, we promote the following activities:
- after-school, community outreach and college placement programs
- local, regional, national and international competitions
- seasonal training camps and national team camps in all weapons
- individual and group classes for beginners, recreational fencers and serious competitors of all ages - all contributing to our tradition of developing Olympic caliber athletes.
The Fencers Club is located in the lively Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan.
The club offers its members and guests a state-of-the-art facility, with shock-absorbent hardwood flooring and 19 grounded, electronically scored fencing strips expandable to a combination of 29 training and competition strips.
It also features a conference room with a Wi-Fi connection, an exercise room, an on-site fencing equipment and apparel store, weapon repair facilities, and locker rooms with showers.
The Fencers Club's coaches are a talented and experienced group of internationally recognized Fencing Masters.
Several of the coaches are National Team Coaches, shaping the national fencing weapons program and representing the United States in world championships.
Many of the coaches are head coaches of major universities in the tri-state area.
All of our coaches are dedicated to coaching students of all abilities and ages.
The proud patrimony of the Fencers Club includes more National Champions and Olympic Medalists than any other club in the United States, and is uniquely documented by our vast photographic and pictorial archives.
Spanning over a century, they chronicle our greatest competitors, from Olympic Silver Medalists George Calnan and Joseph Levis, to foilist Albert Axelrod and sabreur Peter Westbrook - Bronze Medalists in 1960 and 1984 respectively - as well as such legendary coaches as Chaba Elthes and Michel Alaux.
The Fencers Club is the birthplace and home of the Peter Westbrook Foundation, whose innovative programs geared toward inner city youth have had a profound effect on the competitive landscape of American fencing.
We invite you to become part of our dynamic tradition as we continue to make new history in the 21st century.
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