Coaches

Coach Brian Chen has nearly 20 years of competitive Saber fencing experience, including 5 years of coaching experience, and brings a wealth of fencing and training knowledge. Coach Brian began fencing at the age of 12 under the tutelage of former US Junior and Cadet National Team Coach Boris Khurgin and has taught fencing alongside renowned fencer and coach Andrew Fischl (@CyrusOfChaos).

Coach Brian also trained at Manhattan Fencing Center, home of the US Olympic Saber team, studying under legendary 7x Olympic Coach and Hall of Famer Yury Gelman, where he served as a training partner for several members of the US National Teams. As a fencer, Coach Brian has competed at and achieved top results in competitions at the regional and national level, in addition to participating in numerous international training programs both domestically and abroad, which included members of National Teams from various countries.

Coach Brian is a USA Fencing certified coach and has previously coached at several clubs across Long Island and currently leads the Cold Spring Harbor Varsity Fencing Team as the head coach of its program. Many of Coach Brian’s students began fencing under his guidance as complete beginners and have gone on to earn medals and top placement at regional and national competitions.

Coach Brian’s most notable students include a 2x National Bronze Medalist ranked 5th in the country. Another of Coach Brian’s students ranked 8th in the Northeast Region and was also ranked the number 1 high school girl’s saber fencer in Nassau County as a 7th grader, receiving All-Long Island awards in her high school fencing debut. During the 2024-25 Fencing Season, many of Coach Brian’s students received All-American and All-County High School Fencing Awards. Coach Brian’s personal students also include the Nassau County Boys’ Saber Individual Champion and multiple Boys’ and Girls’ Saber Individual Medalists.

Coach Brian’s coaching philosophy is rooted in pushing limits, building perseverance, and helping each student discover their unique strengths through consistent training, mentorship, and hard work— both on and off the strip.

Coach Brian holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Stony Brook University and a Master’s Degree from New York University.