About Us
The Fencers Academy is a club dedicated to teaching and promoting the sport of fencing in the Greater St. Louis area. We were founded by our Head Coach Hossam Hassan and his family in 2009 and have produced nationally and internationally ranked fencers throughout the years. Some of our fencers went on and continued the sport of fencing in Ivy league colleges and continue to compete in national, international FIE, NCAA and the Olympics.
Our mission is to provide the highest level of instructions for the sport of modern fencing, as well as promote the social and athletic interaction of its members through fencing competitions.
We want to preserve the history and tradition of fencing in the US and expand the base of support for our community by actively offering fencing related community outreach programs in schools and local summer camps. Our club actively works on hosting more local tournaments for our members to improve and expand their knowledge of fencing and its competitive side.
Where Our Fencers Have Gone On To Fence
Our Partner Schools
Coach Hossam Hassan
Founder & Head Coach
Our head coach, Hossam Hassan, is a talented and internationally recognized coach with 30+ years of fencing experience. He holds nine certifications and degrees from the French Fencing Federation as well as the International Olympic Committee. He has produced 10 top ten finishers in international youth tournaments and 5 top finishers in World Cup events. He was also the National Coach for Egypt from 2002-2004, and during his time with the team, his Women’s Foil team swept the Arab Nations Championship competition. Later that year, his Men’s Foil Team qualified for the 2004 Olympics Games in Athens.
Our Staff
Saber Coach
Nehal Hassan
Nehal Hassan is a skilled fencing coach with over 10 years of experience teaching all three weapons: foil, saber, and épée. A former saber fencer, she currently coaches the saber team at The Fencers Academy and has worked with beginners, competitive athletes, and fencing summer camps. Passionate and experienced, Nehal is dedicated to helping her students excel both on and off the strip.
Epée Coach
Dr. Philip Ferko
Coach Philip began fencing in Atlanta, Georgia under Coach Bill Murphy before moving to Saint Louis where he started training with Coach Hossam Hassan. He continued to compete, eventually earning his A in 2011, and began to coach. In 2011 he also passed the examination for Moniteur d’ épée. In 2017, he moved to California and coached at the Monterey Peninsula Fencers Club. Returning to Georgia in 2018, he took the role of épée coach at the Augusta Fencers Club and attended the USFCA Coaches College. He returned to Saint Louis in 2020 to take the position of épée coach at the Fencers Academy where he has remained since.
While coaching, Philip has continued to compete, with recent results including two gold medals at the Show Me State Games, and a top 16 finish in VET40ME at the 2024 Summer Nationals. Outside of fencing, Philip works as a senior scientist at EAG Laboratories.
General Manager
Miriam Ferko
Miriam Ferko is a member of the TFA women's sabre team. You will frequently see her around the club for foil class and the summer beginners' camps, as well. Before moving to St. Louis and training at TFA, she trained at the Augusta Fencers Club from 2020 to 2022. She started competing locally in 2023. In addition to helping with club administration and management, Miriam has completed 250 hours of yoga teacher training, which she finds helpful for cross-training and overall fitness in fencing.