Larissa Gonzalez

Larissa Gonzalez

(Founder & Coach)

Larissa co-founded the New Amsterdam Fencing
Academy in the fall of 2001 in response to the needs of Stuyvesant High School fencing
team students affected by the events of 9/11.

Larissa’s own two sons are her inspiration for teaching self-mastery through fencing. She
believes it is paramount to provide children with a solid foundation in the use of their
bodies, along with a tangible, informed understanding of their physical relationship to the
world around them.

“Few things are more fun than constructive play with children,” Larissa explains. “More
so even with the added value of real or foam swords to light the child’s imagination.”

In addition to coaching fencing, Larissa was also trained and certified in the Feldenkrais
(http://www.feldenkrais.com/) method of somatic education, which she incorporates into
her lessons as a means to cut down trauma and injuries in athletes.