Our Coaches

Coach Nataliya Maximovich PhD

TFC is fortunate to have acquired Nataliya Maximovich, a PhD in Sports Physiology and Pedagogical Science. She is a superb addition to The Fencing Center's athlete development program(s). She has been recognized by the National Ministries of Sport in the Former USSR and her home, the Republic of Kazakhstan for her work with championship fencers.

Dr. Maximovich oversaw the Graduate Studies Program at the Kazakhstan Academy of Sport in Almaty Kazakhstan including coaches development and recertification. She has supported the development of over 250 coaches in her career who are actively coaching throughout the world. Some of these coaches are in the USA and include Victor Svatenko, Head Coach Us Modern Pentathalon Team; Yakov Danilenko and Vyacheslav Grigoriev NYC; and Bakhit Abdikulov (Chicago).

In addition to being a renowned developer of professional competitive coaches, Dr. Maximovich is also a 3 time national foil champion for Kazakhstan. She coached the 1990 Kazakhstan Women's Foil team to the gold medal in the USSR Nationals, and coached the 1991 Kazakhstan Sport Academy team to the gold medal in the USSR Collegiate Championships. She has prepared over 1000 athletes who have gone on to become fencing champions in Kazakhstan, the USSR, and medalists at World Cup and Olympic Competitions.

Dr. Maximovich brings her talent to The San Jose Fencing Center to enable our mission of supporting local, national, and international competitive fencing.

She is implementing a youth development program designed to provide a fun environment that supports the rapidly developing minds and bodies of young athletes. She is also available to consult with and support educational institutions in their athletic programs both academic and competitive.

Coach Michael Botenhagen

Michael Botenhagen, A2009 Epee, has trained for 4 years with Alexandr and Nataliya Maximovich as a student and a coach. He was a National point holder in Div.1 Epee and has 3 silver medals from The Pacific Coast Championships, in the Pacific Coast Section, 1997, 1999 and 2002. Mike finished 8th at the 2002 Duel in the Desert, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Michael has over 24 years of competitive fencing experience and is a certified Moniteur D'Escrime in foil and epee by the USFCA (United States Fencing Coaches Association).

He was awarded the classification of Level II Instructor in The German Epee System at Halberstadt Fencing Studio, San Francisco, CA in 1992. He is also a Level II Epee Instructor, from the USFA National Coaching Development Program, Coaches College, Colorado Springs, CO. in 1999.

Mike has helped start and develop many junior and adult fencers from their first day fencing to NAC medals. Student’s recent achievements:

• - 3rd Place Epee Men’s Veteran’s USA National Championships 2005
• - 2nd Place Epee Men’s Veteran’s USA National Championships 2006
• - 3rd Place Foil Div. III USA National Championships 2006
• - 1st Place Men's Epee Div. III North American Cup "E" 2008
• - 3rd Place Men's Epee Div. II North American Cup "E" 2008
• - 5th Place Men’s Epee Div. II U.S. National Championships 2008
• - 5th Place Men’ Epee Div. III North American Cup "E" 2009
• - 2nd Place Men’s Epee Div. II North American Cup "E" 2009

Coach Connie Yu

A founding member of The Fencing Center's first board of directors, Connie Yu, selected as the USFA Western Region Developmental coach of the year in 2000, has over 16 years of competitive fencing experience and is a certified Moniteur D'Escrime in foil and epee by the USFCA (United States Fencing Coaches Association). Connie has organized, managed, and coached 6 Junior fencing camps and is the founder and coach of the Fencing Outreach Program at the Palo Alto JCC. Coach Yu trains junior and adult fencers at the Fencing Center. Yu's students have won the Men's Foil and Epee at the Junior Pacific Coast Championships (PCCs), and the Women's Epee at the 1998 U19 PCCs. Additionally, 2 of her students were among the top 10 youth fencers being considered for the 1998 Moscow Youth World Championship team. Connie, mother of Jennifer (1990 National Foil Champion & World Championship team member), Jessica (Oscar Winner and Multiple World Championship team member) and Marty (Multiple World Championship team member) brings a long history of excellence to youth, junior, and adult development at TFC including several finalists at Junior Olympics and national circuit events.

George Zee

George Zee joined the faculty of TFC in October of 2008, and quickly built up our introductory foil classes. With his engaging personality and dynamic teaching skills, he has encouraged all ages to appreciate the sport of fencing. He has also attracted competitive students, giving private lessons in sabre and foil. Coach Zee was a foil champion in Shanghai and represented China in international competitions. He graduated from the Physical Culture Insitute of Shanghai and was an coach of high school fencing teams. When he came to the United States in 1990 he became a private fencing instructor in the Bay Area, but found a livelihood in owning and operating a Chinese restaurant, Jade Garden, in Sunnyvale. Since re-joining the fencing community by teaching at TFC, George Zee has contributed time and effort in improving TFC's facility and programs. We are delighted to have a coach of such character, experience and enthusiasm at TFC.

Craig Van De Vooren

Craig Van De Vooren, sabre coach, is a new member of TFC's teaching staff. He is known at our club, fencing with a sabre group on Wednesday nights, and he also coached at Camp Winabout 2009. He will now be overseeing sabre training twice a week at TFC.

Coach Craig was born and raised in the SF Bay Area. He started taking fencing classes at San Jose State University (SJSU) in 1982. His class instructors were Michael D'Asaro and Gay D'Asaro (now Gay MacLellan). Additionally, he took two semesters of the Military Fencing Masters Program at SJSU with Maestro (Dr.) William Gaugler.

Craig competed in sabre for two seasons with the varsity team at SJSU - where the program was discontinued (booo!) after winning the collegiate Western Regional Championships in 1985. The next season he transferred to Cal State University, Fullerton, where Coach Heizaburo Okawa helped (yeahhh!) to complete Craig's goal of competing in the 1986 NCAA Fencing Championships.

Coach Craig wants his student athletes to learn to appreciate fencing in all of its various ways.