Academy Of Fencing Masters

My daughter is a devoted athlete and has participated in every sport under the sun, but we (and I mean our entire family — fencers and not) have never felt so well taken care of as we do at AFM. Not only is AFM one of the best fencing clubs (recognized by US Fencing Association), but it is a community (and for my daughter — a house of worship to the gods of fencing). Irina and Igor went out of their way to make it a place where fencers and their families feel comfortable and welcome.
For bullet point lovers, here’s a list:
–world class coaches
–excellent facilities (flooring is designed to minimize the impact of serious training; observation room for parents)
–great location near Downtown Campbell and a park.
–free wi-​fi
–amazingly designed seasonal camps to boost performance
–recognition and prizes to boost the spirit too!
–contests, events and family activities to build camaraderie
–various training levels to fit your needs
–adult class rocks! thank you, coach Natasha!
–blog filled with useful, practical advice
Hands down the best experience we’ve had with kids sports.

My son just finished the beginner class (4 session), which was the perfect amount of time to get to know enough about it to decide if he liked it. He’s not super sporty and won’t even try many types of sports, but the swords were a definite draw:) He will continue on with the intermediate class, which is high praise indeed considering the number of activities he hated after the first session. The instructors are all very friendly and enthusiastic. I LOVE the parent lounge (so many saturday mornings spent in cramped spaces with uncomfortable seats watching kids dance).

I will definitely give Academy of Fencing Master (AFM) five stars.
We moved to Bay area from China this summer. My two daughters have learned fencing in Shanghai for three years. When my husband and I were looking for the fencing club, we were impressed by the philosophy the club were built. Igor (the founder) said they believed in structure and system. Every year, they have at least one one-​to-​one parents’ meeting to discuss the goal, progress and possible issues. Therefore, the kids, parents, coach and club are working together to achieve the goal. The progress is measured periodically to make sure that kids are in the right track.
As mentioned in other reviews, the club has the best coaches. My daughters work with coach Alexander, they made a huge progress in less than two months. Coach Alexander not only taught them the techniques, but most importantly, he taught them how to think, and led them to view the games in quite different angles. In the first RYC game, my elder daughter got the first place in Y12, and even the younger one got the third place. What a surprising results.
One night after the extensive training, my younger daughter (10 years old) told me that she found the happiness in fencing. As a mom, that words mean everything to me.

My daughter had been fencing for 1 year, We like it very much. This club are very friendly and flexible. Have a big area for kids to study after school and parent can stay and watch their fencing. They also have very good events for team build, team entertainment .
It is a nice to study and practicing fencing. we are happy with it.
Diane Z

Very impressive summer camp. The facility is wonderful! coaches are professional. Further more, the business is ran by the owner who spends a lot time with parents, maintain facility. It’s a great learning facility. Highly recommended!

This fencing place is the best fencing place around! During the summer, we searched and found many different fencing camps, but this one looked like the best, and the location wasn’t that far away from where we lived.
The teachers there are very friendly, and my kids loved it! After the first day, they immediately told me that they thought that it was really fun. They told me that the new coaches, Vil Nagimov and Nastya were amazing and very encouraging. The new assistants, Alexander and Taly, were also very encouraging and nice! This is world class fencing with world class coaches and assistants! My kids told me that the environment there was very welcoming and very friendly. My older son is already interested in starting in more classes!

My 11-​year-​old has been attending the beginner fencing class, and he loves it. The instructor (Igor) seems really nice and seems to enjoy working with kids. The woman who handles the administrative side of the business (Irina) has been very pleasant too.
They have a room upstairs with big windows so the parents can watch the kids fence. It is air conditioned and has free wi-​fi, as well as a bunch of books (in case you get bored). The only downside is that the kids get really hot in their fencing outfits (the room in which they fence is not air conditioned). However, that is a small price to pay, and my son definitely wants to continue taking classes here.

World class fencing right in our neighborhood!
On a whim over the summer we decided to try out Academy of Fencing Master’s week long summer camp for beginners. My son (just turned 8 at the time) was immediately hooked. Each day was filled with a wonderful mix of fencing skills, games, and conditioning activities. He came home exhausted and eager for the next day. By the end of the week I don’t think there was anything we could do to deter him from signing up.
The summer camp was an excellent introduction and immersion into the world of fencing, and at the end of the camp, you have enough skills to enter the intermediate class.
The Academy of Fencing Masters (AFM) club is very family friendly and incredibly well run. The owners, Igor and Irina, are themselves parents of young children involved in fencing, and are well acquainted with the vagaries of balancing family life with the sporting life. They like to say: family first, then school, then fencing. They are very generous with their time, are almost always there, always welcome questions, and are quick to respond via email, and work really hard to make the fencing community feel like a family. I wish all youth sport programs were this well organized and well put together. If you want to get an idea of how they think about fencing and how they provide information, just check out their web site and read their blog. It’s a very valuable resource and provides a lot of insight into their approach and attitude.
The club has a comfortable viewing lounge upstairs where you can watch the fencers, and there is reliable wifi as well as plenty of desks so it’s quite efficient for dropping kids off and catching up on work while keeping one eye on how they’re doing.
The coaches, Alexandr and Natasha, are very professional, highly experienced, and also very warm and playful with the kids. They have a genuine affection and affinity for young fencers. Yet when it’s time to focus there is no nonsense. I believe their approach is a classic Russian fencing training, but I’m no expert. In addition, Coach Natasha has a Ph.D. in Sports Physiology and Pedagogical Science, and both are experienced Olympic coaches, not to mention medal holders.
There is an emphasis on participating in competitions as the best way to progress in the sport. All fencers are encouraged to enter competitions as a way to build experience and face a variety of fencers. But competition is not required.
We knew nothing about fencing going in, but between the excellent resources available on their web site, a number of formal parent orientation meetings, and Igor and Irina always being very generous with their time, we are quickly learning.
Any downsides?
As novices to this world, here’s what we found surprising:
* Fencing is pretty expensive (I’ve heard it’s similar to hockey) and requires a bit of a commitment both time-​wise and equipment-​wise. But fencing in general is an expensive sport, this is not peculiar to AFM.
* Fencing also requires a significant time commitment, and while it can be done recreationally, progress requires commitment. It’s not like gymnastics where you can spend many years doing it recreationally an hour a week, but is more like competitive sports leagues, e.g. martial arts: in order to improve and be competitive, you need to commit to practicing 2 or 3 times a week. That said, the club welcomes a recreational approach if that is what your family is after.
* Although the kids don’t seem to have any trouble understanding what is expected of them, sometimes communicating with the coaches can be a challenge because English is not their first language. But the owners are always ready to step in to help. And hey, if you want famous Russian coaches, they’re not going to be native English speakers…
* The club is growing quickly, and there will likely be growing pains. In addition to introducing many new kids to fencing, it is also attracting fencers from the local area (a testament to how well liked the club is). This means there will be a need for new coaches. Based on the high standards that Igor and Irina have expressed for who they’re looking for, and the international search they’re engaged in, we’re confident that the new coaches will be a welcome addition. But of course, there will be a transition period.
The bottom line? I completely trust that we are on the same page with regard to the long term development of my son as a sportsman and athlete and feel very blessed that we have this resource right in our neighborhood.

My son went to AFM’s summer camp last summer and fell in love learning this sport and quit karate which he had been learning for 7 years. The reasons are fencing is more fun, and there are 3 types of fencing, épée, foil, and sabre. This club teaches épée and foil. My son does épée and because my son went to this camp, he is currently in competitive class which is the highest level. This camp is the one for you.
The coaches there teach you everything you need to know.
The épée coach, coach Alexander, coached the National épée team and is a great coach. The foil coach, coach Natasha, earned her Ph. D in sports physiology. She is a wonderful coach and she will help you in your injuries.

My son had been fencing for 3.5 years and had attended a lot of competitions.
Out of all local clubs that held competitions, Academy of Fencing Master is his favorite club to compete in.
Competitions are very well organized, everything is on time, facility is very comfortable for both young fencers and their parents.
Club owners are very attentive to the needs of the participants and even giving small gifts to the top 8 competitors.
AFM is a welcoming facility and we always happy to find out that competition is scheduled to be held at AFM.

Yesterday at my daughter’s first fencing competition, I was really impressed how dedicated the AFM coaches were. Less than two months since my 12 year old started her introduction beginner fencing class, Coach Igor suggested her to participate a regional competition. I was very skeptical on going in with so limited experience in the sport. Coach Igor convinced us that attending competition earlier has its advantage.
At the competition, Coach Igor made sure that the new fencers and parents are informed with what is going on. During the competition, there were AFM coaches constantly giving tips and encouragement to the fencers, the new comers as well as the advanced ones. I was so surprised how much progress my daughter made within minutes after being strip-​coached by Igor. It was a great experience for our whole family, sensing that we belong to a fanatic club. Even though my daughter didn’t take home any medal, she ended the competition with big smile and a huge pride in her growth.
My daughter was looking forward to each fencing lesson in the past month or so. Now she is looking forward to the next competition. Thank you, AFM coaches and Irina, the owner, for providing such as a pleasant environment in learning fencing.

Fencing at AFM with phenomenal coaches, caring owners, caring adults of other fencers, great supportive young fencers, and wonderful high quality facilities is the center of my daughter’s world.
She has learned about fencing, competition at the highest levels, focus, discipline, and the importance of community honor, respect and pursuit of mastery.
They truly live up to their motto «art of fencing, art of life»
They also provide a welcoming and productive second office for fencing dads like me with excellent wifi great desks with an upstairs observation room that lets me take evening calls with Asia answer email AND watch my daughter fence.
Love the downtown Campbell location! Easy to get to. Great running trail and coffee shops near by if I ever need a break.
Finding these coaches and this place transformed our lives for the better.

My son has been fencing at AFM for a little over a year and we LOVE it here. The coaches are top notch and really care about their students. The owners, Irina and Igor, make the club feel like it is one big family; lots of support and encouragement. There is an awesome parent’s lounge and an area for siblings to do homework or a parent to telecommute (WiFi!). AFM also offers amazing Summer Camps and Winter Break Camps. Great fencing club all around!

Always thought this would be fun! Realized it’s an amazing working too! And the instructors are very good. Full fencing floor, it was so much fun!

Truly EXCEPTIONAL fencing academy. The «apple doesn’t fall far from the tree» paradigm is definitely in effect here. Because the owners are extremely knowledgeable and passionate about the sport AND the coaches are highly skilled and dedicated to student success, the academy is grooming the next generation of humbly confident fencing champions.
Our family is completely new to the sport. The owners provided excellent customer service and invested the time to explain subtleties of the sport. The coaches – though may appear rather intimidating at times – foster a nurturing environment for fencers of any age or skill level to excel.
After witnessing how other belligerent coaches publicly berate, belittle, or walk-​off on their fencers at a few competitions (RYC, Bay Cup, and Summer Nationals), I now know AFM operates on a whole other level. .. very sportsmanlike and professional. Fencers and their families cheer and support each other during competitions. More experienced fencers pass down tips to younger and less experienced fencers. Seasoned parents pass down their wisdom to novice parents like me. This is definitely a top-​notch academy. The elite of the elite.
With only 6 months of fencing experience, my 12 year old daughter placed 2^nd, 3^rd, and 3^rd in three competitions AND my 11 year old son scored several touches against a full-​grown MAN with DECADES of experience in his first major competition.
How da ya like dem apples?!!
Apple – Tree.

The fencing camp was well planned with many activities to keep things fun for the kids. My son had fun and learned a lot while making friends. The coaches are very supportive of all the kids needs during the camp and classes.

I had no idea fencing could be such a great workout and super fun.
I highly recommend it to anyone who’s looking for a new workout method.
Adult training night is at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays (please… doublecheck the current schedule) and it’s been a blast. After warm-​ups you get to practice the basic moves of attack, retreat, duck, etc. and finally you get to fence with your peers.
Igor and his team have been very helpful getting you set-​up to learn the basics. It was tough the first day to keep everything straight (stance, how to hold your weapon, etc) but by the second session you should be hitting a groove.
Yes, you do have to fence with other adults who may be more advanced in their study of fencing, but if you remember to relax and just have fun with it — you will enjoy it. Don’t expect to be perfect the first day or four! It takes practice.
Check out Academy of Fencing Masters if you are interested in learning more. They also have fun with the students and try to create a light environment to learn from.

My 9 year old son recently asked to try out fencing after we saw an ad for AFM. We enrolled him in the beginner class and he loved it. He is now in an intermediate class and he gets better by the lesson. I am super pleased with the facility and the staff at AFM and I couldn’t be happier that my son now has a great skill to focus on that provides him coordination, physical strength and quick-​thinking. Perhaps the icing on the cake for me was the great Mother’s Day video they put together… it was a nice touch and it reflects the kind of personal attention students receive at AFM.
There is a great group of kids and an excellent program… I highly recommend AFM if you are interested in the sport of fencing.

Academy of Fencing Masters completely blew off my expectations. They provide classes for all levels of fencers, from kindergarten to adults of any age. The club provides an unprecedented atmosphere of joy and happening, has exceptional staff that is passionate for the sport of fencing, very supportive, patient and really cares about club members. From the very first step in the club, or even before — from reading their website and Facebook page, it is obvious what are their values and vision and how much they are oriented on family needs. They don’t just say they care about whole family — you feel it in everything that happens there from the very first minute. Did I say that they have really great facilities geared towards quality time that parents, fencers and their waiting siblings could spend while there. I am completely hooked.

Amazing place! People who work there are so passionate about fencing!
We are new to the sport but they always finding time to explaine everything to us and answer all the questions we have.
And the facility is beautiful, lots of space, very clean…