Coaches
Who We Are
Julian Rueda
Owner & Head Coach
Coach Julian, hailing from Colombia, boasts nearly 15 years of coaching and a successful épée fencing career with numerous Colombian National titles. His coaching style blends technical expertise with a profound understanding of the sport.
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Julian received degrees in Physical Activity/Sports and international training at the Institut Nacional d’Educacio Fisica de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain. He also holds the highest Fencing coach certification level from the Real Federación Española de Esgrima.
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Julian served previously as the Secretary of Sport and Head Coach of the Colombian Cadet and Junior Team. Julian's students have earned 30+ national and international medals, including recent golds in the Bratislava and Grenoble World Cups.
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Coaching Approach:
Coach Julian prioritizes individualized development, refining technique, and instilling a winning mindset. His tailored coaching approach, combined with a keen eye for detail, strategic insights, and a supportive training environment, helps students unlock their full potential and achieve their goals.
Mark Elbag
Coach
Coach Mark, boasting almost two decades of coaching, is dedicated to the holistic development of every fencer. His coaching journey spans major fencing clubs in New England, and he founded his own club in New Hampshire, propelling students to National and International competition levels. Now in Boston, Coach Mark brings his unique perspective to our fencing program.
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Coaching Approach:
Mark, who started fencing épée in his teens, prioritizes coaching over his successful competitive career. Frustrated by the lack of support during his competitive days, Coach Mark deeply invests in his students' development. Drawing from his experiences, he emphasizes a well-rounded approach to performance improvement that integrates both the physical and mental aspects of fencing.
Shang Qiao
Coach
Coach Shang was born in Beijing, China, where he began his fencing journey at the age of 10, under coaching from Asian Champion & Olympian, Lihong Wang. Shang was selected into Team Beijing at the age of 13, and competed in the National Games. He also achieved the rating of 1st-Class National Fencing Referee.
He pursued his career as a fencing coach at Wang Haibin International Fencing Club since 2013 and moved to US in early 2017. Coach Shang is a certified coach by the United States Fencing Association and a prévôt-level fencing coach in both Foil and Épée. With his coaching achievements in the US, Shang founded ECHO Fencing in Boston in 2021, and he serves as the head coach at The Newman School.
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Coaching Approach:
Coach Shang's coaching methodology is tailored to each fencer’s unique abilities and traits. He specialized in identifying each fencer’s strengths and crafting training plans. His expertise in fencing fundamentals, footwork, and in-match strategies. He also simulates opponents in drills to help fencers to break through their challenges.