Fencing Coaches

Dan Kellner, OLY

Head Coach

Dan has been coaching in Brooklyn since 2008, and prior to opening BBFC in 2010, he was also an assistant coach to Simon Gershon, then the U.S. Men’s Foil National Coach. Dan’s students have won numerous national and international medals, including a Bronze Medal at the 2016 Olympic Games, a Silver Medal at the 2019 World Championships, a Junior World Championship Gold Medal, a Cadet World Championship Gold Medal, as well as other Junior World Cup, Senior World Cup and Grand Prix medals.

In 2015, Dan became the first American coach to have a Men’s Foil Fencer win the Overall World Cup, finishing the season #1 in the world.

In 2016, Dan was awarded The Order of Ikkos by the United States Olympic Committee, for excellence in coaching and recognizing his contribution to the US Men’s Foil Team winning the Bronze Medal at the 2016 Olympic Games.

In 2018, Dan was inducted into the U.S. Fencing Hall of Fame.

In 2020, Dan became the first American coach to qualify a European Men’s Foil Fencer to the Olympic Games via the individual route and was awarded 2020 Performance Coach of the Year by British Fencing

In 2021, Dan was Team GB Olympic Team Fencing Coach for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Competitive Career

Dan finished his competitive career ranked 1st in the U.S., 1st in the hemisphere, and 10th in the world. He was a member of the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team where he placed 16th individually and, as captain of the foil team, led the U.S. squad to a 4th place finish, the highest in fifty-six years.

He was also a seven-time U.S. World Championship Team Member, U.S. National Champion, U.S. National Junior Champion, U.S. Junior World Championship Team Member, a two-time U.S. World University Games Team Member, and a two-time U.S. Pan-American Games Team Member. In 2003, he was the first American foil fencer to win the Pan-American Games in twenty-eight years and also led the team to its first gold medal in thirty-two years. He also has numerous podium and medal finishes at National, World Cup, and Grand Prix World Cup fencing tournaments. Finally, while attending Columbia University, Dan was a four-time NCAA All-American and 1998 NCAA Fencer of the Year.

José Samora

FOIL Coach

Member of the Dominican Republic’s National Team since 2012, José Samora has over ten years of experience as a collegiate, national, and international fencer, including a Bronze Medal at the 2016 Central American Games.

Before joining the BBFC coaching staff, José has coached at various clubs and schools around the New York Metropolitan area, including head coaching experience at Greenwich Academy and Brunswick School and New Amsterdam Fencing Academy­North.

Jean Goto

FOIL Coach

Jean Goto is a native New Yorker who started fencing at the age of ten at the Peter Westbrook Foundation. She competed at the national level, winning several medals through the years. As a member of the NYU fencing team Jean was the winner of the Temple Open, an NCAA All American and Arthur Ashe award recipient.

Jean has coached for over ten years with fencing programs at Greenwich Academy, Gate Hill Day Camp, Eagle Hill, The Dwight School and throughout Greenwich, CT and New York City.

Michael Green

FOIL Coach

Michael was the first US coach to graduate from the FIE Fencing coaching program. He holds a level 3 coaching certificate from the University of Physical Education in Budapest, Hungary, and holds the title of Prévôt de Fleuret from the US Fencing Coaches Association.

Michael works as a national and international referee, having officiated in Division I quarter-final and semi-final rounds and multiple world cups in the European Cadet Circuit.

As a competitor, he was an ‘A’ rated foil fencer and medaled in the 2004 Summer National Championships.

Andrew Foster

Foil Coach

Andrew is a Grand Prix level referee, with over eight years of coaching experience. He previously worked at Emerald City Fencing Club in Seattle, Washington and MTeam in San Francisco, California with the US National Men’s Foil Coach, contributing to many regional, national, and international medals.

Fraser Ward

Senior SABER Coach

Fraser Ward joined Brooklyn Bridge Fencing Club in 2023 as Senior Coach of the saber program. Born on the beautiful island of Guernsey, Fraser's love for fencing began at the age of 13. He quickly developed his skills and represented Great Britain in international competitions until 2013, winning international medals and national championships along the way.

Fraser's passion for fencing didn't stop there. In 2007, he attended his first coaching course and discovered a new way to channel his love for the sport. He went on to study physical education specializing in fencing at Semmelweis University in Budapest, where he graduated with distinction in 2009.

Fraser's has put his skills to the test in the United States since 2015. He built a saber program at Atlantic Fencing Academy in New Jersey and coached at the Tim Morehouse Fencing Club in Manhattan. His hard work paid off when his students won several medals at National Championships, proving his technical skills, discipline, and organization were second to none.

As a coach, Fraser is known for his ability to develop confident athletes who are passionate about fencing. He inspires his students to believe in themselves and encourages them to strive for excellence through his infectious dedication.

Now at Brooklyn Bridge, his experience, knowledge, and passion for the sport make him the perfect leader for the saber program.