OUR STAFF

Connie Schreiber

Executive Director

Connie is excited to share her vast experience of 15+ years at the national and international level in the world of fencing with FSA students and parents. Her unique insights as a fencing parent, fencer, and manager enable her to maintain a professional, family-friendly environment where Épée, Foil, and Sabre fencers at any level can bond and grow together, unfolding the world of fencing through personalized training.

She was fundamentally involved in attracting a team of high caliber coaches at Fencing Sports Academy and supporting their efforts to develop the successful program that has enabled the Academy to become named among the top level fencing centers in the United States.

Fun Facts

Working in the garden during spring, summer, and fall keeps her balanced. Watching the daffodils peek out with their friendly, yellow bells brings her joy. During the colder seasons, she prefers preparing her favorite comfort foods, keeping them simmering in a crock pot. And of course: COOKIES. Specifically baking secret family recipes and seeing everyone eagerly waiting to get their share. And above all else, stabbing a target certainly takes the edge off.

Alexis Machado Cordoves

Manager of Programs and Fencing Floor Supervisor

Machado has extensive experience in sports management and consistently develops a cohesive fencing program at FSA at all levels for all weapons. Considering each individual fencer’s skill level, allows him to help them achieve their full potential based on the class contents as well as personal attention.

Machado has found success in coaching both individuals as well as teams including successes at the Olympic level. He has managed national programs, accomplishing repeated podium appearances at the highest levels for Cuba, Venezuela, and Mexico. He has successfully developed students in the United States for the last 6 years. He studied fencing training and specialized in coaching all 3 weapons at the University of Cuba.

Machado was instrumental in pulling the coaches together as a team to jointly develop and continue the development of the programs at the Fencing Sports Academy and enabling the coaches and fencers to maintain the highest level of performance and fencing education.

Fun Facts

In Machado’s free time, he likes to watch movies, explore new places, and read, keeping himself well-read personally and professionally. He also enjoys spending time with family, going out to eat, and sightseeing hotspots like museums, aquariums, parks, and the beach.

Alexis Machado Cordoves

Meet Our Coaches

Yasmany Diaz Hernandez

Foil & Épée Coach

As a high-level fencer himself and national and international coach in multiple countries, Yasmany is no stranger to the competitive fencing circuit. As a fencer, he won the Silver Medal in Épée at the April North American Cup (NAC) in 2018 and the Silver Medal in Foil in the 2019 National Championship. In December 2019, he confirmed his success with the Gold Medal in the December NAC in Foil and a Bronze Medal in Épée in the same tournament. These successes placed him in the number one position in his category in the United States.

Just to name a few of his fencers’ achievements, they have won Top 8 in the 2018 National Championship and Top 8 in the November 2019 NAC. Currently several of his fencers are ranking among the Top 10 in the United States. Solid proof that his efforts and contributions to the programs developed at the Fencing Sports Academy are leading to success. He proudly continues to coach his students, helping them achieve their own successes. Yasmany earned his degree in physical education and personalized sports training.

Fun Facts

Yasmany is a fan of all sports, especially fencing. In his free time, he enjoys being with his family, watching movies, reading books and playing soccer with his friends. Sharing his knowledge with his fencing students allows him to help educate young people for their athletic development and personal growth.

Yasmany Diaz Hernandez
Alex Wood

Alex Wood

Foil Coach

Coach Wood has been involved in the sport of fencing for over nearly 30 years, including as a competitor, coach, and leader within the United States Fencing Association. Coach Wood has been a fencing coach in Northern Virginia area for the past 12 years, providing group instruction, private foil lessons, and strip coaching students at national and international tournaments. His students have gone on to attend and compete at NCAA schools, including Stanford, John’s Hopkins, University of Pennsylvania, and Penn State.

As a competitor, he trained at the Rochester Fencing Centre (RFC) from 1987-1996 under Nat Goodhartz (primary coach) and Buckie Leach. Thereafter, he competed at Stanford University under Zoran Tulum, Lisa Milgram, Alex Kuznetsov, and George Pogosov where he was three-time NCAA All-American and Captain of the Stanford Fencing Team. His main accomplishments include being a multiple U.S. Junior Olympic Champion in Foil, finalist in numerous U.S. national tournaments, and a 5-time U.S. team member at the World Championships. During this time, he attended numerous World Cups representing the United States. In addition to competing, he was an athlete representative on the US Fencing Board of Directors, Chair of the Athlete Council, Chair of the National Team Oversight Committee, Chair of the Membership Growth Task Force, and participated in many other US Fencing committees. He stopped competing in 2005 to attend law school at the University of Oregon.

As a competitor Coach Wood strived to compete with integrity, sportsmanship, and fair competition. He stands by those values to this day and has continued to impress upon his students with those same values when they compete. He would like to continue to advocate for all athletes in the fencing community to compete in an environment that fosters those ideals. He strives to teach in a positive work environment, encourage when needed, while promoting hard work so athletes are able to reach their highest potential.

Fun Facts

While not coaching, he spends his time either at his full-time job as a privacy attorney with the U.S. Federal Government, or chasing after his three boys shuttling them from activity to activity. He also enjoys traveling, reading, and playing soccer, including rooting for his favorite team, Liverpool. Go Reds!

Russ Wilson

Foil & Sabre Coach

Coach Russ Wilson has produced many local, regional, and national champions during his forty years involvement in American Fencing. He has coached both foil and Sabre fencers to Division 1 top eight and helped many fencers secure berths on both USA and British national teams. He has produced All-Americans and All-Ivy League fencers. He has also coached fencers to the World Maccabiah championships. This event takes place once every four years and is the third largest sporting event in the world.

Russ has helped his students get recruited to such schools as Stanford, University of Pennsylvania, and Johns Hopkins.

As a referee, Russ is a AAA FIE rated referee, certifying him to referee the Olympic Finals in each weapon. He is the last living person to have refereed both Foil and Sabre at the Olympic Games, having been selected to three Olympiads.

As an athlete, Russ was junior national champion, twice All-American, and four-time First Team All-Ivy League selections for Columbia University. Russ won a bronze individual and a gold team medal at the 1985 Maccabiah event. He was also a three-time selection for Team USA to the Junior World Championships. He coaches foil and Sabre students at all levels. He has an AB from Columbia, a MA from Georgetown, and a JD from the Washington College of Law.

Fun Facts

When Russ worked for the government, he met with Fidel Castro, Kim Il Sung and most world leaders. He loves opera and art and taught Law school for nine years.

Russ Wilson

Moataz Abdelkarem

Épée Coach

Moataz is a remarkable left-handed fencer and has been fencing since he was 7 years old. As a member of the Egyptian National Fencing Team for 10 years, he participated in multiple international competitions, and was the Arabian Champion two years in a row. He has been coaching the sport for over 10 years, both nationally and internationally, and has trained Olympic fencers and World Cup Champions. Moataz recently moved to Virginia to join FSA after his consistent success as a coach in New Jersey for more than 4 years. His love for Epee clearly comes through in his classes. His expertise and enthusiasm enlivens the classes and private lessons. 

Coach Moataz’s fencing style focuses on speed, tactics, agility and discipline. 

Fun Facts

Moataz is a huge soccer fan. In his free time, he enjoys being with his family, grilling, watching sports and reading sports news and articles. He also enjoys traveling.

Domingo Gomez

Domingo is an experienced fencing coach and athlete with multiple studies in sports and exercise science, This includes a bachelor’s degree in Sports Science (UANL), which made him stand out as a regional and state coach in his hometown Monterrey, México. As an athlete he made his way up to the Junior and Senior Mexican National Epee Team while fencing in various individual and team events. His vast experience as an athlete and coach is reflected in the success of his students, who have participated in FIE events such as Junior Pan Ams, World Championships, Junior and Senior World Cups, NACs, and USAF Regional Events. Domingo is well known for his ethical, technical, and strategical thinking which transcends into fencing drills and tactics, making athletes achieve their potential at the highest fencing levels. 

 

Fun Facts

My favorite sports besides fencing are baseball and soccer. My favorite soccer team is the Rayados de Monterrey. I consider world history to be very interesting. I like to learn, read and watch documentaries related to museums, buildings, artefacts etc. I enjoy barbecues and spending time with family and friends. I am passionate about watching fencing tournaments and keeping up with the statistics, results and videos of national and international tournaments.

Coach Domingo

Jean Carlos DeLa Cruz

I started fencing when I was 11 years old and since that day I fell in love with the sport. In my 15 years of fencing I made the Puertorican National Epee Team in Cadet, Junior and Senior levels.

As a coach I have helped many athletes improve in their fencing on the National and International level.

I love working with younger fencers,  helping them to bevy the best they can be and fall in love with the sport of fencing.

Fun Facts

In my free time I enjoy gaming with my friends. Also like listening to music from Bad Bunny. Other than fencing I love baseball, boxing and pool. I like to watch fencing videos to learn from other fencers and coaches. I love spending time with my family and going to the beach.

Oscar Garcia Perez

Oscar Garcia Perez is an accomplished athlete and coach who graduated from the Sports University in Cuba in Physical Culture and Sports. His fencing career is nothing short of impressive, boasting a silver medal at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona and a bronze medal at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games. In addition, he placed 7th in teams at the Sidney 2000 Olympics. But his success doesn’t stop there. Perez has also won an incredible 5 medals at the World Championships, including two gold medals, one silver medal, and two bronze medals. He’s also claimed 15 medals at world cups and Grand Prix, including 8 gold medals and 7 bronze medals. His impressive achievements also extend to the continental level, with 4 gold medals in the Pan American Games, 4 gold medals and a silver medal in the Central American Games, and three gold medals at the Summer Universiade. It’s safe to say that Oscar Garcia Perez has truly left his mark on the fencing world with his incredible results.

Oscar García Perez is a renowned coach with an impressive record of success. During his tenure as coach of the Belgian national team from 2003 to 2014, he achieved remarkable results, including the qualification of an athlete to the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. Following this, he went on to coach Algeria from 2015 to 2017, and his fencers won several championships in Africa and Europe, qualifying two fencers for the Rio 2016 Olympics. He then went on to coach the Tunisian National Team from 2017 to 2019, where he achieved many results on the African circuit. Oscar is now developing athletes and champions at FSA, his new home.

 

Join Our Team!

Fencing Sports Academy is always looking for Épée, Foil, and Sabre fencing coaches and fitness and administrative staff who are compassionate, professional, and talented. From recreational to competitive fencing, FSA seeks individuals that can contribute to the continued creation of effective training programs, developing fencers of all skill levels into national and international champions.