Alain Barbasiewicz

With experience in all 3 weapons - as County and Regional Champion at Arms - Alain is a BFA Regional (level 4) coach in épée and County coach in foil.  From September 2004 he has been running our hugely popular Beginners Course with the help of Robin (see below).  Alain has teaching experience both in the U.K. at his old school, university club, and of course at RFC, as well as some teaching experience abroad in Montpellier, France.

Dave Hillier

Over the past 13 years Dave has fenced all three weapons under five coaches, representing three clubs, two universities, two counties, one region, one company, the civil service and almost anyone else who has asked him. Competing at foil and epee for years Dave loitered around small competitions picking up easy medals, most of them bronze. On moving to Reading in 2005 Dave stopped dallying with the other weapons and switched to doing épée full time and his results started to improve dramatically - moving up in the Britiish national rankings as well as being selected on the Winton Cup-winning Southern Region team in 2007.  Dave has been coaching on and off since university and is currently working his way through England Fencing's coaching qualifications.  [TOP]

Ian Worthington

As a competitior, Ian was trained by three internationally-renowned French fencing masters (Maîtres Liétar, Dumuin and Gamot), and won several school, county and regional French titles including French U20 Northern France Epée Champion and winning the French University Cup three years on the trot (1968-70) for Lille University.  His list of honours in the UK are no less impressive, with a host of county and regional titles to his name in England as well as representative honours for Kent, Northamptonshire, Leicestershire counties, and South East and East Midlands Regions. He is now a regular member of Great Britain's Veterans team (coming in the Vet' World Championships in Limoges, 2003).

As a coach, Ian is qualified as County Coach in foil and sabre and Regional Coach in épée.  He was the master in charge of fencing and main coach at Wycliffe College, Oundle and Uppingham Schools between 1979 and 2006; Ian started coaching at RFC in 2006 and his energetic, practical style is an asset to the club.  [TOP]

Mick Johnson

Mick started fencing in 1973, and went on to represent both Surrey and Middlesex counties.  He became Middlesex County Champion in all 3 weapons and regularly made the finals in many Open competitions, training with Great Britain's Epée Squad.  A founder member of Egham Fencing Club, Mick has also been both Middlesex County Fencing Union's Team Captain and Chairman from 1997 to present.

Mick started coaching in 2001, coaching for Godalming, Egham, Morely Fencing Clubs, as well as, Hampton, Charterhouse, Sir William Perkin, and Farlington Schools, and started to coach at RFC in 2006.  He holds Epée Diploma (level 5) and Advanced Coach Foil (level 4) under the British Academy of Fencing.  He is also a BFA Regional (level 4) coach in both épée and foil, as well as County Coach (level 3) in sabre.  [TOP]

Robin Salt

Robin started his coaching after helping out with the juniors at Reading Activity Centre and attending a basic coaching course at Eton.  He has been at RFC now since 2002, and is a valued member of our coaching staff. Just recently he was awarded his County Coach (Foil) qualification, and along with Alain teaches our popular Beginner Classes; on Wednesday evenings he is available to give additional coaching to our intermediate fencers. A keen foilist and sabreur, he can now be seen practising épée after lessons have finished.  [TOP]

Will Ross

When the world was yet young, in the 1970s, Will fenced in Scotland at schools and youth international level, as well as coaching at school club level. He then took a bit of a breather, coming back to the sport in 2005 and can now be viewed on club nights in a (BIG) pool of sweat.  In fact, a bout with Will has been described as "just like real fencing, but slower".

Will is brushing up his coaching skills on England Fencing's coaching course and hopes to be available to club members in the Summer. Meanwhile, he is experimenting on his sons...

BACK TO TOP

BACK TO 'ABOUT US'

RFC HOMEPAGE