Mission Statement Durkan Fencing in NJ

The Patrick Durkan Fencing Foundation’s mission is to empower youth to develop respect, confidence, discipline, and achieve significance in life through success in the sport of fencing. The PDFF’s ultimate goal is to educate the athlete both intellectually and physically especially those with financial barriers.

Core Values:

Each of these core values contributes to individual and team success.

1.) Respect – Self respect is the first step in having respect for your competitors, coaches, and teammates.

2.) Confidence – Through mastery of skills athletes learn they can rely on their trained abilities to achieve desired results.

3.) Discipline – A fencing program provides structure that builds a foundation for more advanced skills. There are many steps that must be taken to win a championship and it is easier to reach the top from a strong disciplined foundation.

The PDFF’s long term mission is to improve the quality of domestic fencing and to produce future Olympic fencing champions. The sport of fencing has provided me with opportunities for personal growth, athletic development, and academic success which I would like to pass on to future generations of young athletes. I started fencing at five years-old and after over 28 years of experience in the sport I know how to give back as a coach and a mentor.

My early coaches taught me that first I had to respect myself; my many hours of practice to improve my fencing skills helped me develop discipline; and finally as a confident young adult I could realize my goals including winning multiple national championships and graduating from Columbia University as a four-time All-American.

While in high school, I had the opportunity to travel all over the world representing the USA on nationals teams but I learned just as much about fencing by giving back as a coach of 20 fellow students. As a mentor and coach my students’ successes became as valuable as my own.
The PDFF will achieve its mission by:

1.) Providing scholarships to assist in eliminating financial barriers for developmental and elite athletes.
2.) Establishing a mentorship program where current students foster athletic and personal development in future generations.
3.) Teaching our core vales and inspiring young athletes to achieve success in life.
4.) Provide structured programming in an environment that trains fencers to advance in life as well as in athletics.

The PDFF aspires to help young athletes become champions in all areas of life by providing the resources and environment required to promote success. The Durkan fencing program is built on my years of experience as a fencer and a coach and is instrumental in the development of a respectful, disciplined and confident athlete. These core values will benefit young athletes, both in and out of fencing competitions, as they advance to other achievements throughout life.