Metro Tacoma Fencing Club

Kwangsuk Chung (Kwang Seok Jung) (Head Coach, Master in Foil). Coach Chung runs the Elite Foil Program. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in physical education from the Korea National Sport University in 1996. While on the Korean National Foil Team from 1993-1999, he earned gold in a number of international events and a bronze medal with South Korea’s 1998 world championship team. He was ranked 1st in veteran (40 years old and older) men's foil on the USA Fencing national points list for the 2017-2018 season. He was certified as a Level 2 coach by the Korean Fencing Federation in 2013 and earned his Master in Foil from the United States Fencing Coaches Association (USFCA) in 2018. He is among the 2% of USA Fencing competitive members who hold a rating in all three weapons. He has a rating of A2019 in foil. Coach Chung is available for private individual foil and épée lessons. His MTFC students have earned a number of national medals, achieved national rankings, and represented the United States internationally.

Jisun Kim (Head Épée Coach). Coach Kim runs the beginning and intermediate foil programs as well as the intermediate and elite épée programs. She qualified for the South Korean national women's épée team when she was competing and has competed in a number of international events including the women's épée Grand Prix in Nankin, China in 2009. Coach Kim is available for private individual foil and épée lessons. Her MTFC students have earned a number of national medals, achieved national rankings, represented the United States internationally, and earned medals on the European Cadet (U17) World Cup circuit.

Christian Ford (Head Foil Coach, Prévôt in Foil and Épée). Coach Chris started fencing in 1983 at Wallingford Rod and Foil and was trained by Ray Coats, Steve Colton, and Jim Denton. Chris later trained and worked for the former South Korean Olympic coach, Maestro Kim Man Sik who was the coach and director of the Korean National Fencing Team, decorated by four different presidents of Korea for his outstanding achievements in fencing representing Korea, and served as executive director of the Korean Fencing Federation from 1977 to 1981. Coach Chris was a popular coach at Rain City Fencing Center where he trained Elite fencers along with Maestro Garik Balayan who was awarded the USSR Medal of Merit for his performance as a coach at the Olympic Games in Seoul and named a Coach of the USSR in 1990, the highest Soviet coaching rank. Since Chris started coaching, his students have qualified for World Cup events, earned national medals, achieved national rankings, and represented the United States internationally. Chris’s students have received scholarships and have been captains and team members of university fencing teams.

Tobias Lee, MD (Coach, Prévôt in Foil, President of Metro Tacoma Fencing Club). Toby started fencing in 1986 at Lakeside High school. He was a member of the Harvard varsity fencing team as an épéeist from 1991-1994, coached by fencing master Branimir Zivkovic. He enjoys helping with beginner classes, open fencing, and competing whenever he is not on call for his cardiology practice. He earned his certificate from the US Fencing Coaches Association as a Prévôt in Foil in 2011. He is among the 2% of USA Fencing competitive members who hold a rating in all three weapons. He has weapons ratings of A2022 in épée, B2022 in foil, and E2019 in saber. He holds simultaneous top 10 rankings for his age group in both épée and foil. Toby earned a place on the 2022 US veteran 50 men's épée team to compete at the Veteran World Championships in Croatia in 2022. His US fencing referee ratings are R1 in foil and a R2 in épée (2012). Toby wrote the Beginner Fencers’ Guide. Additional information about Toby can be found at tobylee.com/fencing.htm.

Andrew Glynn (Coach, Moniteur in Foil). Andy has been involved with fencing for many years. He teaches the adult beginner class and is also available for private lessons. Previously, he ran the Youth Fencing Program at Metro Tacoma Fencing Club. His passion is with the beginner fencers. Andy earned his certification from the United States Fencing Coaches Association (USFCA) as a Moniteur in Foil in 2011. Andy previously served on the Board of Directors as Treasurer.

Dana Sanford (Coach). Dana has been fencing since the age of 12, competed nationally for 4 years, and trained at Northwest Fencing Center during his senior year of high school, 2002-2003. He attended Drew University and was selected to participate in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Fencing Championships 3 of his 4 years while there. He was inducted in the Drew University Hall of Fame in 2018. When he was competing, he held an A classification in épée. His students have earned a number of national medals, achieved national rankings, and represented the United States internationally. Dana served as president of Metro Tacoma Fencing Club from 2018-2019.

Nikanor Ford (Instructor Assistant, Assistant Moniteur). Nikanor was born in Iceland and moved to the United States when he was nine years old. In Iceland Nikanor practiced soccer for three years with Knattspyrnufélag Reykjavíkur, the oldest and most successful soccer club in Iceland and started fencing in Skylmingafélag Reyjavíkur or Reykjavík Fencing Federation. Nikanor trained at Rain City Fencing Center, where his dad, Coach Chris Ford, coached for many years; Nikanor also took classes from Maestro Garik Balayan. Nikanor is in Coach Chung's Elite foil class and has assisted Coach Chris with classes and camps over the last two years after they joined MTFC. Nikanor attends the School of Industrial Design, Engineering & Art (IDEA). He is an artistic, creative introvert and likes to work with his hands. He holds an E2022 in épée. He earned his Assistant Moniteur certification in 2022.

Yeongbin Chung (Instructor Assistant, Assistant Moniteur). Yeongbin has been a tireless volunteer at the club. He helped with video training and demonstrations during COVID-19. He volunteers weekly in our beginning and intermediate foil and épée classes as an assistant coach. He has weapons ratings of C2022 in foil and D2022 in épée. He earned his Assistant Moniteur certification in 2022.

Joseph Jasper, MD (Head Sabre Coach, Prévôt in Sabre). Dr. Jasper is certified by the United States Fencing Coaches Association (USFCA) as a Prévôt in Saber and also teaches foil. He is a valued certified saber and épée director. Joe first fenced in 1971 in NYU’s Junior Varsity team under Hugo Castello, and continued at Case Western Reserve University. Joe has worked with coaches Bruce Burch, Harald Hillemann and later M. Wang Yung. Joe stays busy outside the salle with his career and the medical community, where he served as President of the Pierce County Medical Society. Joe enjoys teaching foil to new and intermediate fencers. Joe has been a volunteer coach at Blue Steel then Metro Tacoma Fencing Club for 25 years. Joe has a keen mind, level head and great sense of humor. His positive attitude and active lifestyle are gladly shared with his son, Max, one of our former star fencers. Coach Joe will be spending more time enjoying fishing, photography, woodworking, hiking, and spending time with his family.

Sofia Guerra (Instructor Assistant, Assistant Moniteur, MTFC Youth Athlete Representative). Sofia has been fencing foil since she was eight years old. She holds a B2021 in foil. Some of her top finishes include first place at the Div II Women’s Foil National Championship in Philadelphia and 7th place in Y14 Women’s Foil in the 2021 April NAC in Houston. Sofia has worked as an assistant coach in beginner to intermediate foil and épée classes, earning her certificate as an Assistant Monitor from the US Fencing Coaches Association in 2022. Sofia is serving as the Metro Tacoma Fencing Club Youth Athlete Representative from 2021-2023. Outside of fencing, Sofia enjoys writing, researching obscure marine biology facts, and listening to music. She graduates from Annie Wright Upper School in 2023 and will be attending the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Brian Li (Instructor Assistant, Assistant Moniteur, MTFC Youth Athlete Representative). Brian has been fencing since 2014. Brian earned the Regional Gold patch for Cadet and Junior épée for the 2019-2020 season. His best finish has been 2nd place for division 3 men’s épée at the April North American Cup (NAC) at Salt Lake City in 2019. Brian has a classification of A2021 in épée and E2022 in foil. He is a rated referee in all three weapons with a rating of L1 in épée, L2 in foil, and L2 in saber. Brian has assisted with the beginning épée class and substitutes when needed. He earned his certificate from the US Fencing Coaches Association as an Assistant Moniteur in 2018. Brian enjoyed glass blowing as part of the Hilltop Artists Production Team before going to college. Brian was the Metro Tacoma Fencing Club Youth Athlete Representative from 2019-2021. He has been competing on the Vassar fencing team since 2022. In college he was awarded the NCAA division 3 epee newcomer of the year award. His coaches are Dana Sanford and Bruce Gillman.