Long Island fencing

IN THE NEWS

Port Washington Says En Garde

May 2, 2018By NY Fencing Academy (NYFA) No Comments

http://portwashington-news.com/port-washington-says-en-garde/

By Christina Claus
April 26, 2018
Port Washington News

*The red ribbon is cut at the newly opened New York Fencing Academy.*

The Port Washington Chamber of Commerce welcomed New York Fencing Academy, the number one ranked fencing club in youth épée by National Fencing Club Rankings, to the town with a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony. The fencing club’s second location on Haven Avenue, with its first in Brooklyn, was opened to offer its successful training programs for ages six and up to the Long Island fencing community.

“I’ve been looking for this space for a long time and we have a good amount of students coming from Long Island on a weekly basis,” said owner Michael Mokretsov. “It’s hard for them to go during the week days, so training only on the weekends you cannot achieve too much. Even though they were getting good results, we wanted to help them boost it a little and provide the service closer so they can train more on a weekly basis and not just on the weekends coming to Brooklyn.”

Town Clerk Wayne Wink, Marina Temiryaev, Owner and Head Coach Michael Mokretsov, Nassau County Legislator Delia Deriggi-Whitton, Fred Pollock representing Tony Durso, and President of the Chamber Mitch Schwartz

New York Fencing Academy offers introductory packages, private lessons, group classes, after-school programs, membership benefits, parties, day camps, and summer épée camps. Mokretsov explained many high schools around the area including Great Neck North and South, Manhasset and Jericho offer fencing for students, and he hopes students will be able to use the new facility for training as well.

“There is no fencing club here in Port Washington,” said Mokretsov. “We’re opening a club that never existed here. Second, we will try to work with all the high schools around so that off-season they can train. We’ll also be conducting competitions and summer camps. It’s actually the biggest épée camp in the country. It’s a great program we’re running and we hope it will be a good boost for the kids.”

Many may think that because fencing utilizes weapons, or épées, it could be harmful; however, Mokretsov explained that it is one of the safest sports because the equipment is made so that students cannot obtain weapon-related injuries. Another safe factor of fencing is that it is not a contact sport.

While fencing offers physical benefits like improving strength, coordination and agility, Mokretsov also explained that there are many mental benefits to fencing.

“It’s a strategic sport,” said Mokretsov. “It’s like a physical chess because there are so many combinations and you have to figure it out, predict their moves and figure out your strategy two, three or four moves ahead of them. It’s also working under pressure. It teaches you discipline, the same as any other sport, teaches you how to achieve goals under pressure, which is a very valuable skill when you get older. This teaches you a lot and it’s a great way of getting into a college program as well.”

New York Fencing Academy is located at 8 Haven Ave., Suite LL3, Port Washington and is open Monday through Friday from 4 to 9 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. by appointment. For more information about New York Fencing Academy, visit www.fencenyfa.com.

IN THE NEWS

World Class Fencing Comes to Port Washington

April 17, 2018May 3, 2018By NY Fencing Academy (NYFA) No Comments

https://theislandnow.com/uncategorized/world-class-fencing-comes-to-port-washington/

By Luke Torrance
April 11, 2018
The Island Now

*Michael Mokretsov with three of his students at a fencing event last year. (Photo courtesy of NYFA)*

Michael Mokretsov loves fencing.

It began when he first tried the sport at age 12 in his hometown of Khmelnitsky, Ukraine. That love led him to a silver medal in the Ukraine National Championship, to travel to the United States to fence for St. John’s University, and then to open a fencing academy in Brooklyn and now, Port Washington.

“It is interesting to work with the kids, to share the experience and grow in a different way of perceiving fencing,” he said of coaching. “And it helped me with fencing because I had to start thinking more.”

Mokretsov said he played basketball and danced when he was younger, but was drawn to fencing by its mental component and the variety of outcomes.

“A match against one person can be completely different each time,” he said. “You have to make decisions. There is strategy. It isn’t all physical.”

For several years as a teenager, Mokretsov was a member of Ukraine’s national team, competing in tournaments around Europe and the world. He was a finalist in the European Championship team event in 2004.

In 2006, he left Ukraine for the United States, where he had received a scholarship to fence for St. John’s University.

“Many colleges have fencing scholarships,” he said. “And the scholarships are not that competitive compared to tennis or basketball since it is a niche sport.”

At St. John’s, he earned All-American honors in 2008 and served as team captain and manager.

Fencing dominated his life, and so he was unsure what to do when he graduated in 2010. The economy was in the midst of a recession and jobs were hard to find. He had already spent the previous four years volunteering as a fencing coach, so he decided to open New York Fencing Academy in Brooklyn.

“It was scary, but it became very successful,” he said. “For 14 and younger, we were rated number one in the country.”

Mokretsov’s students, many of whom he has coached since they were 9, have won medals around the world. Speaking in his empty Port Washington studio a week before it was set to open, he mentioned that he had just returned with some of his students from a world championship in Italy.

As to why he had chosen Port Washington for his second location, Mokretsov said he wanted to have another practice space closer to some of his students, and he had many in the Port Washington area.

“We have many students coming from Long Island, and it is hard for them to train at a high level if they can only come on weekends,” he said.

Students as young as 6 can join the Fencing Academy. Mokretsov said he starts off by teaching them positions and how to hold the weapon, and recommends that students take four private lessons before taking the group classes.

“For the kids, it’s fun because you get to use a weapon,” he said, and then noted that fencing was one of the safest sports to play.

Even though most of his students are younger, Mokretsov said one of his favorite things about fencing is that it is a sport you can participate in, and get better at, regardless of age and body type.

“We have tall and short, we have slow and fast, those less physically strong can defeat an opponent with strategy,” he said. “We have veterans, guys over 60, who fence. And some who are 40 can get the best results of their life because they have experience.”

PRESS RELEASES, RESULTS

For Immediate Release: Brooklyn Trained Fencer Places 12th at His First Junior World Championship in Verona, Italy

April 2, 2018May 3, 2018By NY Fencing Academy (NYFA) 1 Comment

Brooklyn, NY (April 2, 2018) – First-time Junior World Championship Team member, 17-year-old, Alan Temiryaev, took 12th place in the individual epee competition on the first day of the Junior and Cadet World Championships in Verona, Italy.

Temiryaev, a member of last year’s Cadet World Team, defeated Marin Atanasov (BUL), 15-11, and Fynn Fafard (CAN), 14-11, to advance to the 32.

“I just came in feeling really confident. I was inspired by some other fencers who believe that if you believe you can do it, then you can do it,” Temiryaev said. “That was my mentality, especially against Fafard, where the score was touch for touch. I just believed I had to be stronger and more dominant and if I just believed in myself like I did, I just got those touches. It’s all about confidence and pulling through.”

After easily taking the bout against Goncalo Alves (POR), 15-5, Temiryaev faced Davide Di Veroli (ITA), the 2017 Cadet World Champion. Temiryaev kept the bout close, but at 9-8, Di Veroli put up three straight single touches and used the momentum to win, 15-10. Di Veroli went on to claim the silver in the event. Temiryaev will be back in action on Monday as part of the Cadet World Team.

“This is my first Junior World Championships and I hope there will be many more. I’m quite pleased with my result,” Temiryaev said. “Of course we would have wanted to do more and achieve as much as possible, but you know your limits and then for next year you work harder to achieve those limits.”

Temiryaev is a student at New York Fencing Academy in Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY. He has been training with Coach Misha Mokretsov since he began fencing at age 10.

New York Fencing Academy (NYFA) was founded in 2010 by owner and head coach Misha Mokretsov and is located in the Coney Island neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY. NYFA has quickly become a center for excellence in epee, with one of the strongest competitive epee programs in the country. NYFA has been ranked #1 in youth epee and Fencing Club of the Year by National Fencing Club Rankings, and has produced National and World Champions, and has members on the USA cadet and junior national teams and French junior national team. NYFA provides private lessons, group classes, day camps, and the biggest Summer epee camp in the US. Visit http://www.fencenyfa.com for more info.

###

Contact: Misha Mokretsov
Company: New York Fencing Academy
Address: 2896 W 12th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11224
Club Phone: (718) 996-0426
Cell Phone: (347) 741-1343
info.nyfa@gmail.com
http://www.fenceNYFA.com

Alan Temiryaev (left) 12th in World Championships Juniors Verona, Italy 1 april 2018 pc: Trifiletti / Bizzi

CLUB NEWS

NYFA IS EXPANDING TO LONG ISLAND IN APRIL

February 28, 2018April 12, 2018By NY Fencing Academy (NYFA) No Comments

NEW YORK FENCING ACADEMY NYFA-LI
PORT PLAZA – LOWER LEVEL
8 HAVEN AVENUE (near Main Street)
PORT WASHINGTON, NY 11050

EXCLUSIVE OFFER FOR NEW STUDENTS OF NYFA-LI:
SIGN-UP IN APRIL AND GET 15-MONTHS OF FREE MEMBERSHIP!

This limited-time offer is worth up to $875 and will give you all of our member benefits for free through August 2019, including member discounts on camps, classes, lessons, bouting, and more. After this offer expires, the standard new student package will be in effect and includes one session (9 weeks) of free membership. Don’t delay! Contact us today to get started.

OPEN BY APPOINTMENT STARTING SUNDAY, APRIL 1

Call 718-996-0426 now to schedule a visit and reserve your lessons for April.

OPEN HOUSE ON SUNDAY, APRIL 29 – 12PM TO 4PM

Come in with the whole family and see our new club, talk to our coaches, let the kids try a free group class, enjoy refreshments, and sign-up for exclusive offers!
Bring a friend to our Open House and each of you can take a FREE PRIVATE LESSON ($50 value) on that day or on a second visit!
New to fencing? We love to introduce fencing to anyone who has yet to discover this fantastic and fun, and rapidly growing sport for girls and boys (ages 6 & up)
Already a fencer? Nationally-competitive and high school team athletes are encouraged to come learn about our successful training programs, open bouting, and International Summer Fencing Camps which are the biggest and best in the US!

RIBBON-CUTTING ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18 AT 12PM

We’re also looking forward to officially announcing the opening of our Long Island fencing academy with our friends at the Port Washington Chamber of Commerce. Press and neighbors are welcome to join us.

NYFA BENEFITS

NYFA has been named Fencing Club of the Year and ranked #1 in the US in youth epee for the last two years per National Fencing Club Rankings. Long Island & Brooklyn members will be part of the same great team that benefits from the professional training provided by our accomplished and dedicated coaches. All members receive the same membership benefits, and are welcome to fence together at bouting practices in both locations, at our day camps, and at our popular sleep-away summer camps. They can also do make-ups at either club.

HIGH SCHOOL FENCING

Head coach Misha Mokretsov has been training LI fencers for years, including Nassau County Champions, Skyler Chin and Bennett Cohen. With a club on Long Island, we look forward to working with high school teams to help produce many more champions. Call to discuss what we can offer to your squads.

INTRO PACKAGES

Anyone ages 6 & up can begin fencing with our Introductory Packages. Group classes will be formed as fencers complete their introductory lessons. We provide all necessary equipment to get started. * Exclusive offer for new students who sign-up with NYFA-LI in April 2018: receive over 1 year of free membership good through August 2019!

NYFA-LI FACILITIES

Our state-of-the-art fencing gym will start with 5 electric strips (can expand as the club grows), overhead scoring machines, cushioned fencing floors, targets, air conditioning, heating, lockers, changing rooms, equipment, and extra room for kids classes and conditioning. Parents can watch the action from the club spectator area or check out the fitness gym in the same building for their own workout while the kids fence.

NYFA-LI HOURS

To start, we’re open in April by appointment only. As students complete introductory lessons, classes will be formed and open hours will be Mondays-Fridays: 4 pm-9 pm , Saturdays: 9 am-6 pm, Sundays by appointment: 9 am-6pm.

NYFA-LI LOCATION / DIRECTIONS

NYFA-LI is situated on the north shore of Nassau County, across the street from the Port Washington LIRR station at 8 Haven Avenue near Main Street in Port Plaza on the lower level. By train, we’re just minutes from Great Neck and Manhasset, as well as easy rides in from Queens and Manhattan. By car, it’s 10 minutes north of the LIE exit 36. Click here for a parking map.

Comfortable viewing area

NYFA-LI fencing gym

RESULTS

3 GOLD, 3 SILVER, 3 BRONZE + 2 TOP 8 AT MISSION SYC

May 9, 2017By NY Fencing Academy (NYFA)

NYFA athletes earned 11 medals and Coach Mokretsov took home 3 coach medals at the Mission SYC . Way to finish the SYC season! Congratulations to all!