OUR COACHES

A student often works for years with the same coach, developing a close relationship that transcends sport competition. The coach often becomes a mentor and confidante guiding the student through all aspects of his or her development. The coach addresses time management and goal-setting, and all facets of training- physical, psychological, tactical, and technical.

With their coach’s guidance, a student may take advantage of the lively competition scene in and around New York. The coach often accompanies the student, perhaps along with club-mates, to tournaments that are appropriate to his or her age and experience level. As the fencer reaches for greater competitive challenges, he has the opportunity to move beyond local tournaments, to regional, national, or international competition.

Our coaches are the heart of the NAFA program. They are enthusiastic and professional, and they truly care about their students. The nurturing environment they create makes NAFA a great place for students to grow. NAFA’s coaches are dedicated to helping our students reach their goals, whatever they may be.

Our staff members have years of coaching experience. As fencers, they are seasoned competitors themselves, having achieved many national and international results. As coaches, they have guided numerous students to national rankings. Our experienced staff is well-trained and dedicated to continuous improvement.

Kwong-Hyun Nam

Coach Nam brings two decades of coaching experience to New Amsterdam Fencing Academy , 19 of it spent coaching foil at the highest level in Korea, where fencing is organized through a national system. Coach Nam began his pedagogic carrier upon retiring from a successful competitive carrier cut short due to injury. His competitive record includes 1st place in the National Championships and the National University Championships in 1989. He earned 2nd place in the 1988 National University Championships the year before. He earned Physical Education degree from the Korean National Sports University and obtained his teaching license in 1991 from the Korean National Ministry of Education. His accolades include coaching the Korean Junior National Team. He has worked with members of the Korean World/Olympic teams, he has developed elite fencers who progressed to International level. He was assistant coach of the Korean Paralympics Team. Additionally, he was the Physical Education Teacher and Head Fencing Coach at a high school in Seoul, Korea. His team won multiple City Championship titles. Although there is no “club” type of fencing instruction in Korea, Coach Nam has worked closely with NAFA staff to meld his style with that of the existing program. The result is a curriculum that has reached new levels of excellence in offering instruction that is rich in technical progression and dynamic education models. John, Nam and Lael have been committing extra time to develop the best possible system for our students by culling from, and combining the strengths from their collective teaching experience.

Larissa Gonzalez

Larissa Gonzalez has been a fencing coach for 13 years. Along with John, she founded New Amsterdam Fencing Academy in the fall of 2001 in response to the needs of students on the Stuyvesant HS fencing team affected by the events of 9/11.  Larissa was trained and certified in the Feldenkrais method of somatic education.  She is also the mother of two young boys in who’s development she finds her inspiration to teach self-mastery through fencing.  She believes that it is paramount to provide children with a solid foundation in the use of their bodies and that a tangible, informed understanding of their physical relationship to the world around them is their birthright, as much as it is part of the joy of being a parent to help one’s child grow in to their world.  Few things are more fun than constructive play with children, more so even with the added value of real or foam swords and the imagination.

John Gonzales

John Gonzalez was a long-time nationally ranked, A-rated, foil fencer. He is also certified by the United States Fencing Coaches Association as a Moniteur in all three weapons. One of his students has, in only one year, recently become nationally ranked in foil, himself. John has been working with children for more than 17 years, and he has been teaching fencing for over 11 years. John is always looking to expand his coaching knowledge and improve NAFA’s program. Even though he is the club’s proprietor, John still makes the development of his students his primary concern.

Lael Laderman

Lael Laderman has been a fencer for 12 years, coach for 6 years at New Amsterdam Fencing Academy.  Primarily a youth and recreational fencing coach and has developed a 4-5 year old fencing program.  Lael Is a Moniteur of Modern sport fencing as conferred on her by the United States Fencing Coaches Association and is working towards a Masters in Child Psychology. She is excited to offer a developmental class to help parents to be a an more active part of their children’s growth and exploration of the world in which they are growing up.  She also loves that she gets to play with children and teach them the proper way to wield a weapon!