Fencing creates better focus, problem-solving skills and hand-eye coordination. Photo Credit: Manhattan Fencing Center
How fencing can benefit your child
Pascual Di Tella from Manhattan Fencing Center will attend the Paris Olympics 2024. Photo Credit: Manhattan Fencing Center
Young talent turned Olympians
What makes Manhattan Fencing Center stand out is the elite coaching led by U.S. Fencing Hall of Fame inductee and seven-time Olympic coach Yury Gelman. Known for its inclusive programs and national results, the Center is celebrated as the #1 feeder club for highly selective colleges, consistently nurturing top-tier fencers. Add in a state-of-the-art facility, and each fencing student who trains will be set up for success. “As a family-owned club, we pride ourselves on creating a warm, inclusive environment where every student is treated like family. Our overarching goal is to ignite a passion for fencing in everyone who walks through our doors, helping them to fall in love with the sport,” says Julie Gelman, Executive Director of Manhattan Fencing Center. Moreover, the Manhattan Fencing Center is also a top-notch training club that was selected by the US Olympic Committee. It provides a learning hub for other coaches to develop their coaching skills and help young athletes realize their dreams of becoming Olympic champions.
Manhattan Fencing Center offers everything from private lessons to sleep-away camps. Photo Credit: Manhattan Fencing Center
What you need to know about fencing at Manhattan Fencing Center
Their New Jersey location provides private lessons, group classes, day camps, sleepaway camps, and both recreational and competitive saber programs. They also host tournaments ranging from local to international levels in addition to after-school programs. Students have dual membership, allowing them to access the New Jersey and New York City clubs. Classes are structured by age and USFA rating to ensure personalized attention, and they are available for all skill levels, from beginners to experienced competitors. Programs include the musketeer club (4-6), youth club (7-11), teen club (12-16) and adult fencing. Gelman said, “The center also offers comprehensive camps, incorporating chess to enhance strategic thinking and annual sleepaway camps, promoting intensive training and camaraderie among fencers.” When taking a class, fencing equipment includes a protective mask, padded jacket, glove, specific weapons (foil, épée, saber), and electric scoring gear like lames and body cords. Padded pants, specialized shoes for agility, and chest protectors are also necessary. Beginner students at the Manhattan Fencing Center receive full equipment sets. Additionally, the Yury Gelman Foundation provides financial aid to students aged 7-13 who need assistance to enroll in programs at both our locations and receive competitive grants to train.
Manhattan Fencing – New Jersey location
84 Honeck Street
Englewood, NJ 07631
For more information on Manhattan Fencing, please see their website, Facebook, and Instagram pages.
