Our Professional
Coaching Staff
Head Coach Alexandre Ryjik
Coach Ryjik began fencing at age 8 in St. Petersburg, Russia. At 17 he earned a Master of Sport in Fencing of the USSR, the top prestigious certification in this sport. Coach Ryjik holds many championship titles: All Republic Champion, Army Champion, Leningrad Champion and National Youth Champion of the Soviet Union. Alexandre Ryjik has coached at Carnegie Mellon University. He is now Professor of Fencing at both American University and George Mason University
Coach Stuart Sacks
Coach Sacks is a professional educator with Fairfax County Public Schools, and has over 15 years of experience as a competitor and coach. In the early 80s, he created youth fencing programs at schools in Eastern Pennsylvania. He also coached Ursinus College through 8 years of championship titles as team captain. Coach Sacks studied under two Fencing Masters and specializes in foil. Having coached at VAF since 1993, he has been instrumental in the development of our youth programs.
