Academy of Fencing Masters, Campbell

Not every student at Academy of Fencing Masters dreams of competing in the NCAA or the Olympics, but those who do are in good hands. Coaches Natasha Maximovich, PhD and Alexandr Maximovich are veterans of prestigious competitions, having achieved success as professional fencers themselves and having trained innumerable athletes who have gone on to win medals in U.S. nationals, world, and Olympic championships. Alexandr's accomplishments include coaching the foiling team that won the gold at the 1988 Olympics, as well as earning national coaching awards from both the former USSR and his home country of Kazakhstan. Also a native of Kazakhstan, Natasha has taught more than 1,000 championship-winning athletes, but she doesn't just coach student fencers—she coaches coaches themselves, teaching them how to develop youth athletes with fast foils and faster minds. At Academy of Fencing Masters, these seasoned oracles teach students the art of fencing through four tiered levels that focus on endurance, technique, agility, and sportsmanship skills. The facility features 14 total strips, nine of which are electric and five of which are for practice, and specially manufactured floors that are easy on legs and joints. Families are encouraged to watch from a quiet second-floor spectator area with Wi-Fi.