Sabre Training Program
Home of Champions — Train Like One
Durkan Fencing Academy’s Sabre Training Program is built on a foundation of excellence. It’s where National Champions train, and where athletes from all experience levels—beginners to travel team competitors—elevate their skills through elite-level instruction.
What We Offer:
Our sabre training emphasizes:
General athletic development—coordination, balance, agility, speed, and fitness.
Fencing-specific mastery—perfecting lunges, parries, cuts, footwork, tactics, and bout strategy.
Customized training for all levels:
Beginners/Intermediate
High School Competitive
Competitive Sabre Fencers (local and regional)
Travel Team Fencers (regional, national, and international competition prep)
Why Choose Sabre at Durkan?
Durkan Fencing Academy is the Home of the 2020 Women’s Sabre Junior Olympic Champions and the 2018 Division 1 Men’s Team National Champions. We bring high-caliber coaching to every session, ensuring every fencer benefits from a unified, elite-level training methodology.
Fencing Class Schedule
Meet the Sabre Coaching Team
Patrick Durkan
Maestro Patrick Durkan picked up a sabre at the New York Athletic Club when he was only five-years-old and has been fencing ever since! For the past 33 years he has represented the USA in all levels of fencing, including being a part of the Cadet, Junior, and Senior National Teams.
Tom Bergman
Coach Tom began fencing at age 10 in his hometown of New Rochelle, New York. He graduated from Regis High School where he was captain of their fencing team during his Junior and Senior years.
Platon Ermakov
Originally from Saint Petersburg, Russia, Coach Platon has over 12 years experience as a fencer and has spent the past 4 years coaching. As a sabre fencer, Platon competed at the International level in Russia.