Club News Week of March 1: Mission Accomplished at Rocky Point, Plus Upcoming Camps and Tournaments

Tim Morehouse Fencing Club’s Y10 Saber girls pose on the podium at Rocky Point RYC. The 4 fencers earned the top 4 spots in the event: Anika Von Marie Kabiling (Gold), Alaia Varah (Silver), Chloe Chen (Bronze), Katherine Ong (5th)

February 25, 2025— Tim Morehouse Fencing Club’s fencers delivered another slew of commanding performances at Mission RYC in Rocky Point, Long Island, this past weekend in both saber and foil. After an incredibly successful Junior Olympics, we were delighted to end February on a strong note. Even though Mission was not a designated event for TMFC—which meant our fencers had to compete without any strip coaching—they showed up in big numbers nonetheless.

The tournament results, which included 15+ medalists and more than a dozen top 16 finishes, proved the growing self-sufficiency of our fencers as the season has progressed. They have taken what they’ve learned from our elite coaching staff this year and applied it to become not just great students but great athletes in their own right. who have mastered the fundamentals of fencing and added their own styles to resounding success.

The success we had this month at Junior Olympics and Mission RYC starts young. While students get the bug for fencing at all different points in their life and everyone’s path is different, the value of fencing consistently at a young age in both group classes and private lessons cannot be understated if you want to eventually attain competitive success. The students who achieve the greatest results in competition (from our in-house Youth Cups to regional tournaments to the international circuits) stand apart for their commitment and dedication to the sport. This typically means taking at least 2 classes and 2 lessons a week. For example, Ella Calise (TMFC- Port Chester), who won Junior Women’s Foil at Junior Olympics this month, has the highest average for sessions/week among all TMFC fencers at 10 and more than 1,200 total!

But even if you’re not interested in one day competing at the Olympics, fencing is as good a sport as any to build essential athletic and life skills. What may seem like a purely individual sport can be so much more at a club like TMFC where we put great emphasis on building camaraderie and a sense of teamwork in our classes and camps, and we welcome all fencers regardless of their end goals.

We thought JOs were big for our Cadet and Junior fencers, but Mission RYC proved that the kids are alright and the future is bright! Take a look below at some of the biggest stories of this past weekend at Mission RYC. We are proud of everyone who competed, regardless of result. All of you have put in the work in your training and are building what we hope can become fruitful lifelong careers with fencing.

⭐ Royce Zhao's FIRST EVER gold medal, earned in Y14MS
⭐ TMFC girls DOMINATE Y10WS- Anika Von Marie Kabiling 1st, Alaia Varah 2nd, Chloe Chen 3rd, and Katherine Ong 5th. This marks Anika's first gold medal in Y10 AND all four girls are ranked in the top 50 Y10 women's saber fencers in the country
⭐ Three medalists in Y12MS- William Lucas gold, Aidan Song + Leo Shapiro top 8
⭐ Kai De Castro's 6th regional medal of the season- silver in Y12WF
⭐ Sienna Young's first regional medal this season- 5th place in Y14WS
⭐ Sibling Slayers- Lucas and Katherine Lin both medal (3rd in Y10MF and 7th in Y14WF) and Katherine renews her E rating
⭐ A total of 15+ medalists and 13+ top 16 results- notable ones include Will Qian (pictured in slide 3, top 8 in Y10MF) Bennett Sabino (6th in Y10MS) Leo Constantine (11th in Y10MS, his best regional result this season) and Luna Hagn (12th in Y12WS, her best regional result)
⭐Walker Passman's first regional of the season and Olivia Upbin's first regional with TMFC

TMFC YOUTH CUP MARCH 15/16

The next in-house tournament at TMFC will take place March 15th and 16th. Day 1 is at Port Chester and Day 2 is at Manhattan-West! Sign up for both days or just one. Great for beginners and intermediate fencers!

Registration fee: $65 until March 8 + Event fee: $20/event

Registration fee $85 after March 8

Event times are listed for each day. All fencers must have their own equipment.

Port Chester Tournament Sign Up

Manhattan Tournament Sign Up

SPRING BREAK CAMP IS COMING + SUMMER CAMP EARLY DEADLINE #2 ENDS MARCH 18TH!

Join us for a transformative experience full of fun and fencing with Olympians and Olympic Coaches! Our camps are designed for youth fencers to learn and practice their fundamentals in an engaging and exciting group environment. We encourage beginners aged 7-11 to sign up for any and all of our camps, but Spring Break Camp will also be a great opportunity for our competitive youth students to gain an edge on the competition with extra training.

For Spring 2025, we are offering 2 sessions of Spring Break Camp.

Session 1: March 17-21 Time: 9:30-3 PM Locations: ALL

Session 2: April 14-18 Time: 9:30-3 PM Locations: Both Manhattan locations (great for NYC Public Schools spring break!)

All you need to bring is a packed lunch. See you there!

Additionally, you still have a few weeks until prices raise for Summer Day Camp! A week of camp costs $899 until March 18th, after which the price will rise to $999. Full details and discounts can be found on the camps dropdown of our site.

TMFC’s Brynnley McKee and Keira Lauri Top the List of USA Fencing’s Latest Rankings

After their incredible performances at the Junior Olympics, both Brynnley McKee and Keira Lauri have risen in the US rankings to massive heights. As per USA Fencing’s latest published national points rankings (02/16/2025), Lauri has risen to 5th and McKee to first in the country among all Cadet Women's Saber fencers. Brynnley has also been selected as 1 of the 3 fencers to represent Team USA in CDTWS at the 2025 Junior and Cadet Fencing World Championships in Wuxi, China that are taking place in April. We could not have more pride for their dedication and achievements, and we know this is just the beginning of both Keira and Brynnley's bright futures.

February Tournament Update: TMFC Leads at the Junior Olympics

February 20, 2025 — TMFC leads the charge at the Junior Olympics securing multiple medals and setting new milestones for the club. We ranked as the top club on USA Fencing’s charts; 2025 is shaping up to be an amazing year for TMFC athletes during the competitive season!

Connor Chung poses with his medal at the Junior Olympics.

At the Junior Olympics: TMFC Dominates as #1 in the Country!

TMFC made a major statement at the Junior Olympics, where Brynnley took double GOLD in the Women’s Saber event, a historic achievement for the club. Ella joined her on the podium with GOLD for foil, marking an impressive performance for TMFC and Team USA. These results show that our fencers are not only competing at the highest level but also winning, consistently.

Connor Chung goes for gold with a lunge at his opponent.

Tim Morehouse ranks #1 with Fencers wining 3 Gold, 1 Silver, and 2 Bronze medals, 7 total.

Brynnley McKee wins Junior Women’s Saber and Ella Callise wins Junior Women’s foil at the Junior Olympics.

Junior Olympics: Saber Highlights

Our sabre fencers put in strong performances in Charlotte, N.C., with multiple medals and key personal bests:

• Brynnley McKee (PC/ ST), earned gold and is now the National Champion claiming the second National Title on Day 3 for Cadet Women’s Saber.

• Ethan Kim (PC/ ST) placed 8th in Division I Men’s Saber.

• Robert Wang (PC) secured Bronze at the Junior Men’s Saber event.

• Connor Chung (PC/ ES) earned Silver in the Cadet Men’s Saber event.

• Nazir Primus (ES) earned a medal in Cadet Men’s Saber with 6th place.

Philip Matsak with a Bronze medal in Cadet Men’s foil at the Junior Olympics posing with coaches from left to right, Essam, Slava, and Eddie.

Junior Olympics: Foil Highlights

TMFC’s foil squad, based out of our Port Chester location, also delivered outstanding performances, bringing home multiple medals:

• Ella Calise (PC), the junior women’s foil national champion, claimed her gold medal and not only was it a national title, but it was her first junior gold medal.

• Philip Matsak (PC) wins a Bronze medal in Cadet Men’s foil at the Junior Olympics.

With a historic Junior Olympics showing, TMFC’s 2025 is continuing strong. Congratulations to all our fencers and coaches!

January Tournament Recap: Big Wins For TMFC in Boston Junior World Cup and Capitol Clash SYC

February 3, 2025 — TMFC athletes kicked off 2025 with incredible performances on both the international and national stages, bringing home multiple medals and setting new milestones for the club. Our hope is to bring this positive energy into February for the Junior Olympics. Take a look at our January recap below to see a summary of what is possibly TMFC’s best month of the 2024-2025 competitive season!

McKee and Lauri pose with their medals from the Boston Junior World Cup.

Boston Junior World Cup: TMFC Dominates with Gold and Bronze!

TMFC made a major statement at the Boston Junior World Cup, where Brynnley took GOLD in the Junior Women’s Saber event, a historic achievement for the club. Keira joined her on the podium with BRONZE, marking an impressive double-medal performance for TMFC and Team USA. These results show that our fencers are not only competing at the highest level but also winning.

Yang presents her trophy from the Marathon Fleuret.

Other International News: Foil Gold in Paris!

Across the Atlantic, Iris Yang delivered an outstanding performance at the Marathon Fleuret 2025 in Paris, winning GOLD in U17 Women’s Foil in a pool of 131 fencers. This is a major international victory and a testament to her hard work and dedication. Congratulations, Iris!

Bennett Sabino is all-smiles after his Top 32 finish in Y12 Men’s Saber at Capitol Clash. Shoutout to Coach Sall, Coach Amer, and Coach Mostafa back home for the support!

Maluki’s TMFC crew rallies around her and Coach Tom after her triumphant win in Y10 Women’s Saber.

Capitol Clash SYC: Saber Highlights

Our sabre fencers put in strong performances in Washington, D.C., with multiple medals and key personal bests:

• Kinoti Kiara (PC) placed 11th in Cadet Men’s Saber, earning one of his best regional results and renewing his E rating.

• Miles Chambers (PC) and Charlotte Choi (UWS) both double-medaled in the Y14 and Y12 events of their respective categories.

• Bennett Sabino (UWS) secured his first Top 32 finish in Y12 at just 10 years old, showing great progress in a tough event.

• Akari Tomonari (UWS) was TMFC’s only fencer in Y8 Women’s Saber and fought her way to a Top 8 medal, with the older girls cheering her on.

• Royce Zhao (PC) earned a medal in Y14 Men’s Saber with 5th place, continuing his strong competitive form.

Ghedini with his Daniel Benson-McCarthy Sportsmanship award at Capitol Clash. The award is only given to 8 fencers across the entire weekend.

Capitol Clash SYC: Foil Highlights

TMFC’s foil squad, based out of our Port Chester location, also delivered outstanding performances, bringing home multiple medals:

• Owen Tardiff earned bronze in Y8 Men’s Foil.

• Luca Ghedini secured bronze in Cadet Men’s Foil, showing his strength at the regional level.

• Amabel Wang took bronze in Y14 Women’s Foil, with Savannah Li placing 7th in the same event.

• Lucas Lin had a strong showing in Y10 Men’s Foil with 8th place.

• A special congratulations to Kai De Castro and Luca Ghedini, who were both awarded the Daniel Benson-McCarthy Sportsmanship Award. This prestigious award is given to only eight fencers throughout the entire tournament and recognizes athletes who demonstrate exceptional respect, integrity, and sportsmanship on and off the strip.

With a historic Junior World Cup victory, an international gold medal in Paris, and strong regional performances across multiple weapons, TMFC’s 2025 is off to an incredible start. Congratulations to all our fencers and coaches!

Tim Morehouse Fencing Club's Ziad El-Sissy OLY Inducted into Wayne State University Athletics Hall of Fame

November 5, 2024 — Tim Morehouse Fencing Club Coach and 2x Olympian Ziad El-Sissy was named to the Wayne State University Athletics Hall of Fame yesterday. A graduate of the Detroit, Michigan institution, El-Sissy was a major contributor to the Warriors team, achieving the status of four-time letterwinner, three-time All-American and two-time national runner-up in saber (2017 and 2018).  The Alexandria, Egypt native returned to the university to receive a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering in 2021. Since graduating from Wayne State, El-Sissy has competed in 2 Olympics (Tokyo and Paris), finishing 4th in the Paris games this August.

When not competing, El-Sissy works as a full-time coach at Tim Morehouse Fencing Club, where he has developed many of our athletes into elite fencers, including Robert Wang (currently 8th in USA Fencing’s Junior Men’s Saber rankings, Stamford Class of 2029 commit) and Brynnley McKee (currently 4th in USA Fencing’s Cadet Women’s Saber rankings). Coach Ziad is a central figure at TMFC and helps shape our curriculum to make us one of the premier fencing clubs in the United States. He represents the future we aim for all our fencers: a balanced path that includes collegiate fencing success alongside strong academic achievements—to become well-rounded, multi-skilled individuals.

You can catch El-Sissy at TMFC’s Westchester County location most days of the week and at TMFC Chelsea Piers in Stamford, CT, where he currently calls home. To see the Olympian in action, you can watch (or even fence!) in the Ziad + Eli Cup on January 1, 2025 at TMFC Port Chester. El-Sissy will ring in the new year by fencing against Team USA 3x Olympian Eli Dershwitz among other elite athletes who make up our TMFC staff and network. SIGN UP HERE: TMFC Ziad and Eli Saber Cup (New Years Day) (4th Annual) | Tim Morehouse Fencing Club | Port Chester, NY | AskFRED

We’d like to wish Ziad a sincere congratulations from everyone at Tim Morehouse Fencing Club!

Tim Morehouse Fencing Club Foil Program Excels at Neil Lazar RYC/RJCC!

This past weekend, the foil fencers from Tim Morehouse Fencing Club delivered an exceptional performance at the Neil Lazar RYC competition, showcasing their skill, determination, and hard work. Under the expert guidance of Coaches Slava Grigoriev, Mohamed Essam, and Eddie Grigoriev, our fencers stood out among the competition, earning medals in an impressive eight events. Their dedication and teamwork continue to elevate the TMFC standard, proving once again why we are a force to be reckoned with in foil fencing in the New York City metro region and beyond.

Y14 Women’s Foil: Anastasia Roberts (5th) Kai De Castro (8th)

Cadet Men’s Foil: Ethan Chen (Silver), Luca Ghedini (5th)

Y12 Men’s Foil: Misha Grigoriev (6th)

Junior Women’s Foil: Ella Zhu (Silver)

Y10 Men’s Foil: Ziyue Lin (5th)

Junior Men’s Foil: Jonah Lee (Bronze)

Cadet Women’s Foil: Amabel Wang (Silver), Eleanor Li (Bronze)

Y12 Women’s Foil: Ella Zhu (Bronze), Amelia Youm (5th)

We’d like to extend a huge congratulations to all of our foil fencers on their impressive showing in Connecticut and we look forward to their successes that will follow in the rest of the season!

Tim Morehouse Fencing Club’s Saber Fencers Shine at Neil Lazar RYC/RJCC

This weekend, Tim Morehouse Fencing Club’s saber fencers showcased their talent and hard work at the Neil Lazar RYC/RJCC tournament. The event was a great success, with several of our athletes earning top positions and demonstrating the dedication they've put into their training. We’re so excited to have started the 2024-2025 season with more than a dozen medals across all events! Below are the medalists from each saber event:

Y12 Women’s Saber: Charlotte Choi (5th)

Y14 Men’s Saber: Marcus Pinto (Gold), Aram Clark (Bronze), Miles Chambers (7th)

Junior Men’s Saber: Matthew Fields (Bronze) Connor Chung (7th)

Y12 Men’s Saber: Miles Chambers (Gold), William Lucas (Silver) Aidan Song (Bronze)

Junior Women’s Saber: Brynnley McKee (5th)

Y10 Women’s Saber: Nia Maluki (Gold), Chloe Chen (Silver), Anika Von Marie Kabiling (5th)

Cadet Men’s Saber: Christopher Ao (8th)

We’d like to give a shoutout to not only our medalists but ALL of the fencers who represented Tim Morehouse Fencing Club on the regional stage this past weekend. As we celebrate the outstanding achievements of our saber fencers at this early-season competition, we are filled with excitement for what's to come. With Premier ROC coming up this weekend, we know our athletes are more motivated than ever to build on their success and continue making us proud. Here's to even more incredible performances and bringing home more medals as the season unfolds. Go TMFC!