Jackie Dubrovich
Olympic gold medalist in Women's Team Foil at the Paris 2024 Olympics — Team USA's first-ever Olympic fencing team gold. She trained at NJFA in Maplewood, where the club hosted her Olympic send-off.
Our community
A club that feels like family
NJFA is more than a place to train — it's a warm, supportive community where beginners and seasoned competitors share the same strip. From a child's very first lesson to an elite fencer's national run, our coaches and members cheer each other on, every single bout.
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The testimonials below are examples to show the design. NJFA can replace them with real quotes from members and families.
In their words
Voices from the strip
Parents, adult beginners, competitive teens, and longtime members on what NJFA means to them.
We came in for the free first lesson with zero expectations. My son was hooked before the 20 minutes were up — the coaches made him feel like he belonged from the moment he picked up a foil.
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Lena M.Parent of a Musketeer
I started fencing at 41, certain I'd be the oldest person in the room and hopelessly behind. Instead I found a patient coach, a relaxed group, and the most fun I've had getting in shape in years.
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David R.Adult beginner
Training sabre here pushed my game to a level I didn't think I could reach. World-class coaching, but everyone still knows your name — it really is a small club with a big heart.
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Amara K.Advanced / Elite fencer
Both of my kids fence here — one foil, one épée — and we practically live at the club three nights a week. It's become our family's second home, and we wouldn't have it any other way.
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The Okonkwo FamilyParents of two fencers
NJFA helped me grow from a nervous beginner into a varsity captain. The discipline and confidence I built on the strip carry straight into the classroom and onto the college recruiting trail.
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Jordan P.High-school competitor
I fenced here as a teen, drifted away in college, and came back as an adult. Walking through the door felt like coming home — same welcoming spirit, same coaches who still believe in you.
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Sofia B.Returning member
More than a gym
A community that gives back.
As a non-profit 501(c)(3) academy, NJFA is built on the belief that fencing should be open to everyone.
We encourage participation by all athletes regardless of gender, disability, age, ability, ethnicity, or background, and we work to broaden the base of the sport through community outreach, scholarship, and education. Our members don't just compete — they give back: in 2017, the NJFA community raised over $50,000 for charity.
Olympic gold at NJFA: Olympian Jackie Dubrovich — part of the U.S. women's foil team that won gold at the Paris 2024 Olympics — trained here in Maplewood, where the club hosted her Olympic send-off.
Olympic pedigree: Olympic bronze medalist Ibtihaj Muhammad once trained at NJFA.
NJFA pride
Champions train here
From Olympic finals to world podiums, NJFA fencers and coaches compete at the highest levels — and today's athletes are writing the next chapter.
Zander Rhodes
Junior World Champion in women's foil (2023) — a standout of the Maplewood and Columbia High School fencing pipeline that NJFA has anchored for over two decades.
Mya Spears
A current NJFA athlete headed to Temple University (NCAA Division I) and competing internationally for Team Jamaica — proof the club develops elite fencers today.
NJFA's own coaching staff includes Olympian Alejandra Terán (Mexico, Rio 2016) and World Championship medalist Andrew Doddo.
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Ready when you are
Your first touch is on us.
Book a free 20-minute introductory lesson and feel what fencing is all about — no experience, no equipment, no pressure.