Andy Pavaday, BFA – Lead Coach
Andy is an experienced fencer and coach and is qualified to BFA level 5 (the top level) in coaching for all three weapons. He started fencing at Blackheath and was a member until 1997. He spent a year at the renowned Semmelweis University in Hungary to achieve his Diploma. He has also coached at Brixton Fencing Club, a large and successful club with a long history of developing excellent fencers. Andy is from Woolwich and still lives in SE London. He leads our Thursday Musketeer and Adult sessions.
Andrew Nisbet, BFA
Andrew N is a Level 2 Foil, Level 1 Epee coach, Youth Development Coordinator for the Musketeers and often leads the Adult training courses. He started fencing at the age of 11 and, after a 14 year ‘career break’ started again at the age of 48 becoming a qualified coach after taking early retirement a few years later. He is also club armourer and is a member of both London Region and Kent County fencing committees which organise competitions around London and south east England.
Corsini King
Corsini (Cos) is a Musketeers & Cadet coach and also leads our Adult training courses. Cos is also the captain for Kent County Fencing and runs and coaches at Shortland House Fencing Club in Beckenham. He has been a fencer for England at senior level and is still winning medals at veteran (over 40) competitions.
Andrew Grass – BFA
Andrew G is from Virginia USA. He is a NASM certified Personal Trainer and USFCA Certified Fencing Coach in Foil, Épée and Sabre. He has been coaching since 2017 at various US clubs and fences competitively reaching Top 16 Div 1 Men’s Foil December NAC (2022), Top 50 in USA Foil Ranking (2022) and was Virginia State Fencing Champion (2014). He leads our Thursday Musketeer and Adult sessions as well as our Saturday morning Musketeer session.
All registered coaches are DBS checked and subscribe to the Code of Practice for Club Officials Coaches and Volunteers, and the Task Descriptions for Lead Junior Coach and Assistant Junior Coach as applicable.
Senior fencers also assist as required and are always supervised by a BF coach
Jack Fitz-gerald, BAF. Jack passed away in June 2017 aged 89 after a battle with blood cancer. He was an ex Army PT instructor and had been involved with the club for many years. He was still coaching at age of 86! He left a lasting impression on hundreds of children and adults and is sorely missed.
He very generously left a legacy to the club which is being used to upgrade the children’s equipment and provide a challenge trophy to be awarded annually