EPEE COACHES
Gago Demirchian
Coached by his father, Armenian National Coach Edouard Demirchian, Gago started fencing in childhood. With the benefit of having his father as a coach and being a natural talent, Gago started winning many athletic titles at a young age. He became a three-time Armenian National Epee Champion and scored fourth in the USSR National Championship. Gago is a former US national epee coach, and has prepared many Olympian finalists and numerous participants in world championships.
Eric Hansen
Eric has over 30 years of fencing experience and is a seven-time US World Championship Men’s Epee team member across Cadet, Junior, and Senior levels. He represented the US in the Pan Am Games, World University Games, and various World Cups, reaching ten finals. A three-time Pacific Coast Champion, Eric holds multiple National medals, including gold at the Junior NAC (1995), Div IA Nationals (2000), and Div I NACs (2001, 2008). Coaching at LAIFC since 2006, his students have earned top honors, including Junior Olympic and National Champions. Eric is also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS).
Lewis Weiss
Lewis began fencing in 2003 and joined Alliance Fencing Academy in 2008, training under Olympic Coach Andrey Geva. Representing Team USA, he competed at the 2013 and 2014 Junior World Championships, ranking No. 1 in the US Juniors (2012-2014) and No. 9 globally. While with Alliance, Lewis won one Senior and three Junior National Team titles, plus multiple individual bronze medals, including at the 2014 Junior World Cup. Recruited by Ohio State in 2014, he became a 4-time All-American and earned two NCAA bronze medals. Since joining Alliance’s staff in 2018, Lewis has coached multiple US National Champions, including his brother, who anchored Team USA to gold at the 2019 Cadet World Cup.
FOIL COACHES
Misha Itkin,
Head Foil Coach. A native of Lvov, Ukraine, Misha started competing at a very early age winning numerous fencing competitions. With a Ph. D. in Physical Education and an outstanding talent for teaching, Misha started coaching early in his career earning various distinctions. His skill for guiding gifted athletes continued when he came to the US. He was the US national coach from 2002 to 2009, and has trained US national and world champions, as well as World Cup winner
Igor Zapozdaev
A former member of the Russian National Team from 2006 to 2012, Igor was a two-time Russian Champion, a silver and bronze medalist of many Russian championships, as well as a Grand Prix and World Cup finalist. He also received a bronze medal at Universiade in 2011. Igor received his Master’s Degree in Physical Education from Lesgaft National State University in St. Petersburg. Since joining LAIFC in 2013, Igor has trained many students who have won national and international tournaments and championships. He is also a part of the coaching staff who trained 2017 Junior World Champion Nick Itkin.
Brando Messinese
Brando started fencing at Fides Livorno (Livorno, Italy) - one of the most legendary clubs in the World which has produced over a dozen Olympic Champions all the way since Stockholm 1912. He was a member of the Italian Junior Team and has reached finals of the Senior Satellite World Cups. Brando started coaching in 2006 and has worked with the Italian Cadet and Junior Teams which won numerous European & World Championships. Since 2013 he has been teaching in America - first at the Academy, then at Manhattan Fencing Center. His recent students have won National Medals and Titles, represented Team USA at Cadet World Cups, and have gone on to attend top rated universities.