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Youth Cups 101: How to Prepare for Your First Competition!

How to Sign Up for a TMFC In-House Tournament

Competing in a TMFC in-house tournament is a great way to gain experience and test your skills in a competitive setting! These tournaments are great for both beginners looking to gain competition experience, and for intermediates who want to brush up on their skills before heading to regional tournaments. We recommend signing up after you’ve taken lessons and classes for a few months, but everyone is welcome and everyone can gain something valuable from participating!

Follow these simple steps to sign up:

Step 1: Purchase a Competitive USA Fencing Membership

Before registering for the tournament, you must have a Competitive Membership with USA Fencing. This is required for all sanctioned events. To purchase or upgrade your membership:

  1. Visit USA Fencing’s Membership Page

  2. Select the Competitive Membership option ($99 per season). Important: Access Memberships are not valid for TMFC Youth Cups.

  3. Complete the registration process and receive your USA Fencing membership number.

Step 2: Register on AskFRED

Once your USA Fencing membership is active, you can sign up for the TMFC in-house tournament on AskFRED:

  1. Go to AskFRED.net.

  2. Search for the TMFC tournament you want to enter. If you type “TMFC Youth” you will see all of our in-house tournaments for the rest of the season.

  3. Click on the event and follow the registration instructions. This will involve entering the membership number you received from USA Fencing.

Step 3: Pay the Registration and Event Fees

Each TMFC in-house tournament has:

  • A general registration fee that covers tournament participation.

  • An additional (lower) fee for each event you enter (e.g., Y10 Men’s Saber, Y12 Men’s Saber if you are eligible for both events).

2024-2025 season fees: The registration fee typically starts at $65 and then turns to $85 after the early deadline. Day-of registration fee is $105 so it’s always best to sign up early! Event fees are always $20. Be on the lookout for each tournament’s early deadline!

Step 5: Confirm Age Category Eligibility

Fencers must register for events based on their birth year. TMFC follows USA Fencing’s strict age category guidelines for the 2024-2025 season:

  • Y8 (2016-2018)

  • Y10 (2014-2017)

  • Y12 (2012-2015)

  • E & Under (Open to fencers born in 2011 or earlier who have an E rating or are unrated) Note: Only sign up for this event if you are 13 or up! TMFC Youth Cups do not offer a Y14 event at this time so this would be the correct event for someone who participates in Y14.

You can sign up for multiple events if your birth year overlaps between two events. For example, If you were born in 2015, you are eligible to compete in both Y10 and Y12 if you would like. Y10 will have kids mostly your age, while Y12 will be a bit of a challenge against mostly older kids. You are encouraged to do whatever is most comfortable for you!

Step 4: Check Event Times on AskFRED

All event start times are posted on AskFRED. Make sure to check the schedule so you arrive with enough time to warm up and check in before your event begins. If we ever update an event time, an email will automatically go out to all registrants.

Step 6: Bring Full Equipment

Each fencer must have their own full set of saber equipment to compete. We ask that each fencer purchase their own set as participating in a tournament marks your first step to committing to fencing. This includes:

  • Saber mask

  • Jacket and glove

  • Lame

  • Saber

  • Body cord and mask cord

  • Fencing pants and knee-high socks

Make sure all equipment is in working condition before the tournament.

Step 7: Arrive Early on Tournament Day

Fencers should arrive 45 minutes to an hour before their event starts. This allows time to:

  • Check in at the registration desk

  • Warm up and stretch

  • Fence practice bouts before the competition begins

That’s it! You’re all set to compete. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at info@timmorehousefencing.com. See you on the strip!

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!

Welcome Olympian and Olympic Coach Akhi Spencer-El to Tim Morehouse Fencing Club!

We are thrilled to announce that Olympian and Olympic Team Saber Coach Akhi Spencer-El is officially joining the coaching staff at Tim Morehouse Fencing Club, starting Monday, February 3!

This is far more than just a professional addition to our team—it’s a truly meaningful full-circle moment. Akhi and I share a special history that dates back to our elementary school days at Central Park East in East Harlem. From being schoomates to becoming Olympic fencers, our journeys have intertwined in incredible ways over the past 40 years!

Akhi is widely regarded for his exceptional coaching expertise and just as importantly, he is also deeply respected for his integrity, kindness, and dedication to his students. As Akhi joins us as a coach, I am very grateful that I will be able to work with him to inspire and develop the next generation of champions at our newest facility, TMFC’s East Side location, where he will play a key role in leading the growth of the club.

We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Akhi to the TMFC family!

A Legacy of Excellence in Fencing

Akhi Spencer-El brings an extraordinary wealth of experience and accomplishments to TMFC. A seasoned coach at both the prestigious New York Fencers Club and the Peter Westbrook Foundation, Akhi has also spent years shaping top-tier athletes at Columbia University with the team claiming 3 national titles during his tenure. His coaching career includes serving as a multi-time U.S. National and Olympic Men’s Saber Team Coach at the Paris Olympics. His students include US Olympic Medalist Daryl Homer, Olympian Khalil Thompson and Olympic Medalist Ibtihaj Muhammad in addition to the numerous national and international medalists he has coached and developed throughout the years.

Coaching education

Akhi’s education and training are equally impressive—he holds a Maestro’s degree from the renowned Semmelweis University in Budapest, Hungary, a program that has also produced TMFC coaches Iba Keita, Mamodou Keita, and Coach Sall.

Athletic Accomplishments

As an athlete, Akhi represented the United States at the highest levels of competition. He made history as the first U.S. saber fencer to achieve the #1 world ranking as a Junior, a groundbreaking achievement at the time. He competed in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, became a two-time U.S. National Champion, and solidified his legacy as one of the sport’s greatest.

A Vision for TMFC

At Tim Morehouse Fencing Club, Akhi will bring his unmatched expertise, passion, and coaching philosophy to help elevate both our developmental and competitive programs. From guiding youth fencers to supporting elite athletes, Akhi’s leadership will be a game-changer for our community. His addition reflects our commitment to providing world-class training and mentorship for fencers at every level.

A Family Affair

Akhi is not only a remarkable coach but also a dedicated family man. He and his wife are proud parents to four wonderful children: twins Zoe and Olivia, who are both 11 years old; Elijah, a 13-year-old saber fencer who is excited to join the TMFC community; and Skye, who is 16 years old.

Achievements as a Coach

  • Olympic Coach: Coached the U.S. Men’s Saber Team at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

  • Columbia University: Guided one of the nation’s top collegiate fencing programs to three national championships.

  • Peter Westbrook Foundation: Continues to mentor young athletes, fostering their development in fencing and life.

Welcome to the team, Coach Akhi Spencer-El—we are thrilled to have you with us!

WELCOME TO TMFC
COACH AKHI EVENT!

Friday, February 7
Tim Morehouse Fencing Club - East Side
(235 East 49th between 2nd and 3rd Ave)
5pm-9pm.

To celebrate, the club will operate on a modified schedule with open bouting from 5 PM to 9 PM, accompanied by wine and refreshments for parents and guests in addition to a few remarks!
(Feel free to bring a bottle of wine or a dessert to share!)

If you’re interested in fencing or simply joining us for this special welcome event, please register to fence using the link below and email info@timmorehousefencing.com to RSVP.

Schedule Updates Starting Monday, February 3

With Akhi’s arrival, we are updating the class schedule for the Elite classes on the East Side. The Youth and Musketeers classes will all remain at the same time.

Here’s the new schedule at a glance:

Note:
The bouting classes will primarily consist of open bouting, supervised by our coaching staff.

The updated schedule is listed above. If you would like to register for these new classes, please click on the “Class Registration” link below.

TMFC Welcomes New Faces to the Podium in Austin and Jersey City

December 27, 2024 — Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to everyone at Tim Morehouse Fencing Club! We hope you have had a restful break filled with family, good food, and memories. For those of you participating in our winter camp, we are happy to have you back for a 5-day session of rigorous training, college talks with Columbia University Head Coach Michael Aufrichtig, and a sports psychology lecture from Dr. Michelle Chung. For those of you still relaxing, we will see you next week for regular classes resuming on January 2! We wanted to take a moment to celebrate some of the TMFC wins that took place at regional tournaments this past week. Although we were not able to send coaches to either event, we are tremendously proud of our athletes who still chose to represent TMFC at the Ultimate Fencing Cup RYC in Jersey City, NJ and the Austin Challenge SYC/RCC in Austin, Texas. Our fencers did an incredible job of harnessing the self-sufficiency and confidence that we expect and hope to build in our young athletes.

Additionally, we were happy to see some newer faces on the podiums at these events. Many of our fencers have made amazing strides this season and their efforts are paying off in the form of some great results.

Gianni Mele showing off his Top 8 medal in Jersey City, NJ.

AUSTIN RESULTS:

Aidan Song - 7th Place, Y12MS

Luca Yang - 6th Place, Y10MF

Anika Von Marie Kabiling - 8th Place, Y10WS

Charlotte Choi - 7th Place, Y14WS and 5th Place, Y12WS

ULTIMATE RESULTS:

Savannah Li - 2nd Place, Y14WF

Ella Zhu- 5th Place, Y14WF

Kai De Castro- 3rd Place, Y12WF

Owen Tardiff- 2nd Place, Y8MF and 7th Place, Y10MF

Lucas Lin - 8th Place, Y10MF

Lorenzo Mangini - 6th Place, Y10MS

Anna Willer - 8th Place, Y12WS

Gianni Mele - 8th Place, Y14MS

Marcus Avery - 5th Place, Y12MS

Michael Grigoriev - 6th Place, Y12MF

Ellie Paek- 7th Place, Y10WF

Lily Laffy - 6th Place, Y14WS

Sophia Ng - 7th Place, Y14WS

FIRST REGIONAL MEDALS + OTHER HONORABLE MENTIONS

Lorenzo Mangini, Ellie Paek, Anna Willer, Gianni Mele first regional medals
Eli Fields - first regional event with TMFC (top 32 Y12MS at Ultimate)

Kylee Demry- national points earned (top 32 Y12WS at Austin)

If we are missing anyone, do not hesitate to comment down below or reach out to us! We are happy to celebrate all of our fencer’s wins, whether it’s a medal earned or a challenge overcome.

TMFC Rings in the Holidays with Big Wins at Morris Cup RYC/RJCC

December 17, 2024— TMFC had a great weekend at the 2024 Morris Cup, with strong performances and several podium finishes across multiple events.

A standout moment was Grace Feng’s gold-medal win in Junior Women’s Foil, earning her A24 rating—a huge milestone in her fencing career and a great end to the weekend that saw her bring home 2 separate medals. We were also delighted to have former TMFC coach Daniel Bass (now an assistant coach at Cornell University) join us in strip coaching again as well as to have some of our student coaches get the chance to hone their skills mentoring our younger group. Congratulations to all of our medalists and competitors for their hard work and determination throughout the tournament!

We’re proud of every TMFC fencer who competed, regardless of results. Many of our athletes have made big strides this season, showing improvements in skill, strategy, and confidence. These efforts are just as important as medals, and we’re excited to see their continued progress. Thank you for representing TMFC so well, and let’s keep up the momentum as we head into the new year and tackle the full slate of tournaments ahead.

Grace Feng with Coach Mohamed Essameldin after earning her gold medal in Junior Women’s Foil.

TMFC Morris Cup Medalists:

Y12 Women’s Foil
3T - Ella Zhu

Y8 Women’s Saber
1st Place - Akari Tomonari
3T - Isadora Blair

Cadet Men’s Saber
5th Place - Ryan Waxler
6th Place - Lucas Henderson

Y8 Men’s Saber
3T - Ethan Zhang
5th Place - Conrad Silverzweig
7th Place - Christian Eng

Y10 Men’s Foil
8th Place - Ziyue Lin

Cadet Women’s Foil
6th Place - Grace Feng
7th Place - Iris Yang

Y14 Men’s Foil
6th Place - Declan Hart-Syed
7th Place - Kai Toomre

Y12 Men’s Saber
1st Place - Miles Chambers
3T - William Lucas
5th Place - Marcus Avery

Y14 Women’s Foil
6th Place - Anastasia Roberts

Junior Women’s Saber
1st Place - Varvara Mankova
7th Place - Charlotte Choi

Y10 Women’s Saber
3T - Alaia Varah
5th Place - Nia Maluki

Cadet Men’s Foil
6th Place - Jonah Lee

Junior Men’s Saber
7th Place - Jonas Broening-Chai

Junior Women’s Foil
1st Place - Grace Feng (Earned A24 rating)
6th Place - Amabel Wang

Y14 Men’s Saber
3T - Zihou Dai
5T - Miles Chambers
8th Place - Jacob Levin