To the members of the American Fencing community— Nearly 24 hours after learning I’d have the privilege to serve you, I’m still giddy with excitement! In my ongoing commitment to transparency, I wanted to write a quick post on my priorities in the next few months and what happens now. My Message to the Community … Continue reading Things I’m Going to do Before my Term Begins in September…And Answering Some Questions from the Community →

When I was a freshman in college, I decided to pledge a fraternity. When I look back on my pledge process 18 years later, I think to myself: “what the hell was I doing?” A Cliff Note’s summary of my ZBT Brandeis experience included: A hell week in which my pledge class was covered head … Continue reading I Am Not a Master: an Assessment of the USFCA Certification Process and a Hope for the Future of the Organization →

Disclaimer: A discount code was provided to the author by Azza Fencing in return for my honest review. The shoes, which retail at $167 (plus shipping) were discounted to $66.82. I received no monetary compensation for this review, nor am I endorsed by Azza Fencing in any capacity. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are … Continue reading Product Review: Azza 15/14’s – The New Gold Standard of Fencing Shoes →

In the upcoming February 16 Board of Directors meeting, the Board will consider a number of sweeping changes to the bylaws. As a member, you need to be aware of what’s coming and why these changes are important. One of the promises I made to you as a prospective Board member was to transparently share … Continue reading Assessing the Bylaw Omnibus Package – How I’d Vote and What You Need to Know →

Dear friends and members of the Fencing Community, I am pleased to announce that I am running for one of the three At-Large Director positions opening later this year. I’m jumping into this election for one simple reason: I love this sport with all of my heart, you love this sport too, and you deserve … Continue reading Damien Lehfeldt for USA Fencing At Large Director →

Note: This article was originally published in the United States Fencing Coaches Association Sword Master magazine, December 2022 issue. To join the USFCA and get access to Sword Master and other publications, visit the USFCA website. Introduction Nearly one year ago, I had the honor of joining the Team USA Epee National Coaching Staff as … Continue reading Trends in Senior International Epee Fencing (2021-2022) →

The Mad Lads in the FIE Congress have done it again, and the P-Card rules are changing on January 1, 2023. What you need to know you can find it here.

Disclaimer: This grip was purchased by the author and not provided by Lancet Fencing. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are my own and not influenced by Lancet Fencing and/or its affiliates in any way. Giving an ambidextrous lesson can be a clunky affair when you’re carrying one weapon in each hand. One weapon’s pointed … Continue reading Product Review: Lancet Fencing Ambidextrous Peregrine Grip →

Note: I'm all about feedback. Got some great input on this from the good folks of the r/Fencing subreddit and wanted to update the post to reflect their comments. A couple of years ago, a northeast region fencing coach was giving a lesson to a maskless student. One thing led to another, and the student … Continue reading Simple Rules of Fencing Safety (Version 2) →

Another NAC done and some more reflections to write down. Here's what you need to know about the new P-Card conventions and other little nuggets I thought I'd share. Enforcing Unwillingness to Fight: the New Interpretation For the last season, most international competitions have changed the conventions around enforcement of P-Card rules to include resetting … Continue reading Explaining the new “Unwillingness to Fight” (P-Card) Conventions (and other refereeing notes from the NAC) →