Our Mission

Our goal is to create an inclusive fencing environment, a united community fit for the Olympic hopeful through the recreational fencer.Unlike the more classical American program which focuses often exclusively on individual coach-student relationships, our new model provides a community of coaches who have a vested interest in each and every student. Empire United emphasizes an integrative, group approach to its training system. Students in all of the offered programs benefit from the insight and attention of our entire coaching staff. Empire United’s cohesive approach translates into an enriched, structured training environment conducive to the growth of both our fencer’s skill and overall enjoyment of the sport. Empire United Fencing fosters the pursuit of personal excellence and enrichment for the student who has experienced the excitement of the strip for a few weeks or many years.We envision the development of Olympic champions, yet understand that the realization of each student’s potential is the ultimate goal. One key to achieving this goal is a proactive relationship between the coaching staff and the parent. Parents become community members with a thorough understanding of the “Blueprint” for their child’s development. Unique to our approach is the prioritization of physical, mental, and body awareness skills that promote lifelong discovery. In addition to the youth program, all adult and collegiate fencers will be welcomed as a valued member of the community, with programs tailored to their individual needs for continued progression.Conveniently located across from Penn Station and major subway lines, our brand new facility is state of the art. Built with the belief that a fencing center is more than just a high volume workout facility, our space pays particular attention to enhancing the overall experience of both the athlete and spectator alike. Designed to protect against the rigors of repetitive movement our thirteen strips sit upon a sprung floor modeled after the finest ballet and dance studios in the country.The coaches and staff at Empire United Fencing are Olympic caliber, having been represented in the eternal games for the past twelve years: Atlanta ’96, Sydney ’00, Athens ’04, and have a combined 60 years of coaching expertise.

Congratulations to all our fencers who did very well at the Summer Nationals, particularly our Jr. Womens Foil Team who brought home the Gold Medal!

Watch it on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZEElnTlH-o

Coach Bios

Jed Dupree

Jed has been a member of the US National Team for seven years. An Olympian in 2004, he helped the team earn the highest men’s foil team result in the history of US fencing. He attended Columbia University where he won an NCAA individual title and became a two time national champion. In 2001 he won a gold medal at the Pan American Championships. In addition to continuing his quest for a second Olympic birth, Jed is a coach at Columbia University where he helped them win both the men’s and women’s Ivy League titles. In addition to his coaching he is completing a Doctoral program in applied physiology at Columbia University.

Sean McClain

Sean’s twenty years of competitive fencing experience garnered him recognition as an elite international athlete. As a member of the United States National Team he earned a scholarship to Stanford University where he produced an individual NCAA title while majoring in Industrial Engineering. He went on to become a two time national champion and win a silver medal for the US at the Pan American Championships.Transitioning from competition to coaching, Sean’s students are consistently placing in the medal rounds of national competitions. His students have been recruited by some of the premier universities in the country. McClain students are currently on the fencing teams at Stanford, Columbia, and the University of Pennsylvania. Sean’s students continue to compete at an elite collegiate and national level.