About Us

The Riverside Fencing Center is a small club and school in the San Bernardino Division, located in Riverside California, dedicated to carrying on the traditions of the Italian school of fencing. We teach all three competitive weapons and have classes for both youth and adult fencers.

The Program

Our program is based on a rotating two-month cycle. New Fencers are enrolled in our Introduction to Fencing course, which lasts for two months (averaging between 7 to 8 weeks, depending on the months), during which time rental club gear is provided for the student at no extra charge. It is expected that Students who progress to the upper levels of instruction obtain their own equipment to allow incoming Students to use the club gear.

At the end of the instruction cycle, the student is enrolled in our Foil Level 1 class, which lasts for another instruction cycle. After Foil Level 1 has been taken for at least 2 consecutive cycles, the student is given a written and a practical exam. If mastery is demonstrated, the Student may then enroll in Foil Level 2. It usually takes two full cycles (or four months) of consistent attendance for a student to fully master and graduate out of a given level.

This process is repeated through all the levels and weapons our club offers, proceeding through Foil Level 1, Foil Level 2, Epee Level 1, Epee Level 2, and Saber Level 1.

Foil and Epee level 3 classes are sometimes offered during competitive seasons, and Saber Level 2 is offered by demand. Students in higher-level classes are strongly encouraged to continue attending all the lower-level classes they have already passed through, in order to keep in practice with all learned techniques.

Private lessons are offered for a fee at coach discretion.

Our Pedagogy

The head coaches of the Riverside Fencing Center are Zachary Porcu and Dale Gerlach. Zachary has been fencing for over 15 years and has been teaching classes, directing, coaching, and supervising competitive teams for the last 6 years. Dale began his fencing "career" in 1986 at UCSD and had his first taste of competition at the '97 California State Games, and has also been teaching classes, directing, and supervising competitive teams. Both Zachary and Dale were coached by Randolph Bean, who was coached by Maestro Ted Katzoff, who was coached by Dr. William Gaugler, who was coached by Aldo Nadi. Randolph Bean remains our Coach Emeritus.