Girls & Women’s Fencing Program
Building Confidence, Leadership, and Champions in Life
Learn about our Girls & Women's Fencing Class at Durkan Fencing AcademyAt Durkan Fencing Academy, our Girls & Women’s Fencing Program, launched in the 2020–21 season, creates a strong, supportive space where female fencers can grow, learn, and lead with confidence.
“As parents, as coaches, as leaders, we can no longer lead from a place where winning is our only metric of success, where our ego sits center stage, because it has been proven that that process produces broken human beings. And I emphatically know that it is absolutely possible to produce and train champions in life in every single walk of life without compromising the human spirit.”
We believe success isn’t just about winning—it's about developing the whole athlete. In a world that often prioritizes outcomes over well-being, we are committed to honoring the human spirit. As Valorie Kondos Field puts it, real champions are built with character, not just medals.
Our Philosophy:
Program Details:
What We Do
Analyze women’s fencing techniques using video.
Facilitate meaningful discussions on training and competition from a female perspective.
Offer female-only bouting sessions.
Incorporate character-building activities inspired by Harvard’s Making Caring Common initiative.
Alumni & Pathways:
Our female fencers have moved on to study at top-tier universities—including Cornell, Princeton, Columbia, NYU, Stevens Institute, Johns Hopkins, Vassar, Sacred Heart, St. John’s, and Hunter College—demonstrating how the values we instill extend far beyond the strip.
Interested in Joining?
We welcome girls and women of all ages and skill levels—from complete beginners to experienced competitors—to join our supportive, empowering community. Whether you’re looking to try fencing for the first time or refine your skills for competition, our program offers expert coaching, personalized guidance, and a positive environment to help you grow both on and off the strip.