Alex Agrenich
Alex Agrenich began fencing at the age of ten in his home town of Moscow.He immediately loved the sport and his youthful hard work, determination and commitment soon paid off. When, three years later, he moved to Israel he quickly became its top-ranked Cadet.In 1994, he returned (briefly) to his home town where he ranked 5th in the Moscow Junior Olympics. From 1995, he continued to fence in numerous international events.During this time, Alex also began his training as a coach. In 1996 he gained a ranking of 11th in the Junior World Championships.
When Alex emigrated to Britain he quickly discovered Haverstock Fencing Club and began training there.He continued both fencing and his own training as a coach.In 1999 he began coaching full-time at Haverstock!
Through his coaching, Alex aims to provide fencers with an opportunity to achieve consistency and better results – especially internationally.He encourages fencers to gain skills through systematic, structured training and is active in trying to build a network of support for fencers who wish to work towards an elite status. Alex works with Cadet, Junior and Senior fencers in a quiet, forceful manner that brings their individual strengths to the fore.
When Alex emigrated to Britain he quickly discovered Haverstock Fencing Club and began training there.He continued both fencing and his own training as a coach.In 1999 he began coaching full-time at Haverstock!
Through his coaching, Alex aims to provide fencers with an opportunity to achieve consistency and better results – especially internationally.He encourages fencers to gain skills through systematic, structured training and is active in trying to build a network of support for fencers who wish to work towards an elite status. Alex works with Cadet, Junior and Senior fencers in a quiet, forceful manner that brings their individual strengths to the fore.
John Ince (The Chairman)
When Haverstock’s Chairman and Founder Member, John Ince, began fencing he was fifteen years old and fenced foil. The trouble was, he beat everyone; and where is the fun in that? So he packed it in and moved on to other sports, learning judo, mountaineering, hill-walking, sky diving and football. After nine or ten years away from fencing, he felt something was terribly wrong. So, when he was twenty five, John returned to fencing and felt much better.
One evening, while John was in discussion with some fencing mates, an idea was born: ‘Wouldn’t it be great to have a fencing club that you could come to straight from work, three nights a week, get some proper training, enjoy a bit of fencing without pressure, where you could feel at ease and feel supported in your goals, but also feel that the club was not political and exclusive.’ ‘Yeah, great!’ everyone agreed. And so it happened!
With a bit of effort on the part of John, Greg Allen, Steve Paul, Chris Norden (who discovered the premises and became the first head coach), as well as other founding members, Haverstock Fencing Club was founded in 1995 using the pre-renovated facilities of Haverstock School. John became Chairman of Haverstock Fencing Club and promptly announced that ‘A Club is only as good as its members’, a sentiment that certainly comes across in his effervescent entrance to the fencing hall every evening. He tries to take on board what any member has to say and insists that the Club is an ‘all comers’ sort of place. ‘Whether you are elite or mediocre, you come along here and you fence. It’s for professional and recreational fencers alike.’
John has recently completed his two year training to become a Fencing Master (British Fencing, International Fencing Masters Diploma in three weapons from Profs. Bognar Gabor and Peter Frolich).
One evening, while John was in discussion with some fencing mates, an idea was born: ‘Wouldn’t it be great to have a fencing club that you could come to straight from work, three nights a week, get some proper training, enjoy a bit of fencing without pressure, where you could feel at ease and feel supported in your goals, but also feel that the club was not political and exclusive.’ ‘Yeah, great!’ everyone agreed. And so it happened!
With a bit of effort on the part of John, Greg Allen, Steve Paul, Chris Norden (who discovered the premises and became the first head coach), as well as other founding members, Haverstock Fencing Club was founded in 1995 using the pre-renovated facilities of Haverstock School. John became Chairman of Haverstock Fencing Club and promptly announced that ‘A Club is only as good as its members’, a sentiment that certainly comes across in his effervescent entrance to the fencing hall every evening. He tries to take on board what any member has to say and insists that the Club is an ‘all comers’ sort of place. ‘Whether you are elite or mediocre, you come along here and you fence. It’s for professional and recreational fencers alike.’
John has recently completed his two year training to become a Fencing Master (British Fencing, International Fencing Masters Diploma in three weapons from Profs. Bognar Gabor and Peter Frolich).
Adam M. Steiner
After 37 years of experience as a club member and competitor in the United Kingdom and Hong Kong, Adam has recently qualified as a British Fencing Coach.
Inspired by a love of history and the romance of swordplay, Adam started fencing in the 1980s at City of London School. Like many fencers of his generation, he was forced to learn with a foil. Luckily, in the late 1990s, he joined Haverstock Fencing Club where he discovered the joys of epee along with his future wife, Christine. Two generations of Steiners now fence at HFC.
Having coached friends and family on an informal basis for many years, Adam started his official coaching career in 2021, achieving his Core Coaching qualification at a British Fencing course held at the Hertfordshire Combat Centre. His coaching training is ongoing and he looks forward to gaining further qualifications in the coming months.
Adam is focused on development coaching of the club's younger fencers. He seeks to encourage students to develop a lasting love of the practice and theory of fencing in a safe, enjoyable and respectful environment.
Inspired by a love of history and the romance of swordplay, Adam started fencing in the 1980s at City of London School. Like many fencers of his generation, he was forced to learn with a foil. Luckily, in the late 1990s, he joined Haverstock Fencing Club where he discovered the joys of epee along with his future wife, Christine. Two generations of Steiners now fence at HFC.
Having coached friends and family on an informal basis for many years, Adam started his official coaching career in 2021, achieving his Core Coaching qualification at a British Fencing course held at the Hertfordshire Combat Centre. His coaching training is ongoing and he looks forward to gaining further qualifications in the coming months.
Adam is focused on development coaching of the club's younger fencers. He seeks to encourage students to develop a lasting love of the practice and theory of fencing in a safe, enjoyable and respectful environment.
David Shevelew
David Shevelew is our newest and youngest coach but has been fencing since he was 13, starting in 2003. Having started fencing at Brentwood School, it was an ex Haverstock fencer who first suggested Epee and David has never looked back since.
Competing from a young age he was a ranked Cadet and Junior and fenced internationally on the Under 20 A-Grade circuit. Still fencing today, David is ranking in the Top 50 of the Men’s Senior GB rankings.
David started his coaching career in 2009 in Wales, at a coaching course run by the then Hungarian Olympic pentathlon coach Gabor Bognor and collected the first Level of the Hungarian coaching qualification. Following this, David obtained his Second level of the BFA coaching qualification in 2012 and is on the path to complete level 3.
David’s time at Haverstock is split between training and coaching where he works with a range of fencers, especially growing the quality and talent of our junior fencers as well as working with senior fencers at the club. Through his coaching, David hopes to develop confidence within a fencer and to show that good fencing is not complicated but is the use of the right action at the right time.
Competing from a young age he was a ranked Cadet and Junior and fenced internationally on the Under 20 A-Grade circuit. Still fencing today, David is ranking in the Top 50 of the Men’s Senior GB rankings.
David started his coaching career in 2009 in Wales, at a coaching course run by the then Hungarian Olympic pentathlon coach Gabor Bognor and collected the first Level of the Hungarian coaching qualification. Following this, David obtained his Second level of the BFA coaching qualification in 2012 and is on the path to complete level 3.
David’s time at Haverstock is split between training and coaching where he works with a range of fencers, especially growing the quality and talent of our junior fencers as well as working with senior fencers at the club. Through his coaching, David hopes to develop confidence within a fencer and to show that good fencing is not complicated but is the use of the right action at the right time.
