Akhi El-Spencer | Olympic Silver Medalist and Olympian Coach

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!

Daryl Homer | Olympic Silver Medalist and Coach

Daryl Homer, an Olympic silver medalist in saber fencing, joined Tim Morehouse Fencing Club (TMFC) as a coach in the spring of 2024. His extensive experience and dedication have significantly enriched the club's training programs. As a former Olympic teammate of TMFC founder Tim Morehouse, Daryl brings a deep-rooted friendship and a shared commitment to excellence, serving as an inspiring role model for students.

Background and Achievements:

Born on July 16, 1990, in Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Daryl moved to New York City at the age of five. He began fencing at 11 after discovering the sport in a dictionary and joined the Peter Westbrook Foundation, which introduces inner-city youth to fencing. Daryl chose saber, inspired by Peter Westbrook, a six-time Olympian and 1984 Olympic bronze medalist.

Daryl's fencing career is marked by numerous accolades:

• Olympic Games: Three-time Olympian, securing a silver medal in individual saber at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics—the first U.S. men's saber silver since 1904.

• World Championships: Silver medalist at the 2015 World Championships in Moscow, becoming the first U.S. men's saber fencer to achieve this feat.

• Pan American Championships: Eight-time team champion and three-time individual champion, underscoring his dominance in the Americas.

• NCAA: Back-to-back national champion during his tenure at St. John's University, where he earned a degree in advertising communications.

Beyond his competitive success, Daryl has always been dedicated to mentoring the next generation of fencers. 

As Daryl prepares for a potential run at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, his presence at TMFC offers students unparalleled insights into elite-level training and competition. His journey from a young enthusiast to an Olympic medalist exemplifies the dedication and passion he now imparts to aspiring fencers at the club.

Daryl teaches at both Tim Morehouse Fencing Club’s Manhattan locations on the East and West Side of Manhattan during the week.

Tim Morehouse, Olympic Silver Medalist | Founder of Tim Morehouse Fencing Club

Tim is one of the most decorated US athletes coaching Saber in the USA today with an Olympic Silver Medal ('08) won in the men's saber team event and a quarter final individual finish at the London Olympics ('12). Tim is a three-time US Olympic Team Member ('04 '08 '12), 9-time senior world team member and two-time individual US National Champion ('10 '11).

Tim spent fifteen years as a student of 4-time Olympic and USA Fencing Hall of Fame Coach Yury Gelman. 

Tim also has extensive experience in education having served both as a teacher and teacher trainer in the prestigious Teach For America program. Tim holds a Masters Degree in Education and he was honored by the White House as a "Champion For Change" in 2012 because of his efforts in education through his non-profit Fencing In The Schools and his work with Teach For America.

His students have won national medals at every level and his students were recruited and attended elite schools including Yale, Johns Hopkins, Cornell and Princeton amongst others.

Irem Ulku | Coach (Saber)

Coach Irem comes to us all the way from Türkiye. She has 27 years of fencing experience and was on the Turkish National Team. In 2001, she was the bronze medal winner of the Balkan Individual Women’s Saber Championships and a member of the silver medal winning Team Women’s Saber in the same year. She has placed in the top 32 of the European Championships and top 16 of the team event at the Junior World Championships. Coach Irem is very involved in all aspects of the sport. She has Bachelor’s degree in Sports Management from Türkiye Ege University and a Master’s degree in Coaching Sports, and Health Sciences from the Türkiye Celal Bayar University. She currently researches and prepares articles on the sport of fencing in her field of Sports Biomechanics. 

Irem has been a fencing coach for 18 years and an International Fencing Referee for 11 years. She worked with the Cadet Men’s Saber National Team and the Veteran Men’s Saber National Team in Türkiye. There, her students won National and International medals, including the European Cadet Women’s Saber Championship. She also recently obtained a Maitre De Sabre certificate from the US Fencing Coaches Association. Tim Morehouse Fencing Club is already benefiting from her extensive knowledge and experience!

Luka Oboladze | Saber Coach

Oboladze is a Saber fencing coach whose talent lies in developing fencers — youth, adults and parafencers — to go on to become champions. 

We were delighted to have Luka return to Tim Morehouse Fencing Club in 2022 after a four-year stint from 2016 to 2020. Previously, he worked with fencers of all ages, but really made his mark with the Veteran fencing program, growing it from nothing to 15 active members in a year. He has also led camps for both youths and adults.

Luka started coaching Saber while he was still fencing himself. He worked with youth fencers, wheelchair fencers and also served as the Assistant Coach for the National Team of Georgia.  

As a Saber fencer, he was a member of Georgia’s National Team from 2010 to 2016. He earned countless medals at the Kutaisi Cup and Championships, the Georgian Cup and Championships, the European Cup and Championnats d’Europe. In 2014, he was a member of the bronze medal winning U-23 European Championships team. He was also part of the Georgian team placing in the top 10 of the Senior European Championships multiple times. 

Luka attended the Akati Tsereteli State University in Kutaisi, graduating in 2014 with a degree in Oriental Studies.