Ed Korfanty
Encyclopedia
Edward Korfanty is a Polish
-born American
fencing master, U.S. National Women's saber coach, Olympic saber coach, and a former Men's Veterans Saber World Champion.
He became head coach at the Polish Olympic Center in Katowice
in 1984. Korfanty moved to the University of Notre Dame
in the U.S.
in 1990 as assistant fencing coach, and also coached at the Indiana Fencing Academy until 1993. During his tenure at Notre Dame, he coached Canadian fencer Leszek Nowosielski
(who was attending Notre Dame) to represent Canada at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain.
He was appointed the US National Women's saber
coach, and coached the first US Women's team (Mariel Zagunis
, Christine Becker
, Nicole Mustilli, and Sada Jacobson
) to win the world championship in 2000. Under Korfanty's direction in 2005, the US women's saber team (Zagunis, Jacobson, Caitlin Thompson, and Rebecca Ward) won the gold medal at the world championships for the second time.
Ed Korfanty is also coach to Mariel Zagunis, who won the gold medal in the 2004 Summer Olympics
in Athens
- the first American to win fencing gold in 100 years. In October 2003, as a member of the FIE ad hoc committee on saber fencing, Korfanty spearheaded the change with the International Fencing Federation (FIE) in the timing in which the lights for recording a touch fired. The change shortened the time in which the second light could fire (close out time) from 300 milliseconds to 120 milliseconds, 180 milliseconds faster than the previous rule. The change was implemented in October 2004, immediately following the Athens Olympics. The change in the light timing fundamentally changed the sport and granted a decided advantage to the taller longer reached fencer. Other notable students include Olympian Seth Kelsey, Christine Becker, Sara Borrmann (2008 NCAA Women's Saber Champion), Valerie Providenza (2004 NCAA Women's Saber Champion), Patrick Ghattas, Ian Farr, Caity Thompson
, and William Thanhouser.
In 2005 Korfanty's students made up 75% of the U.S. Div. 1 National Women's Saber Team (consisting of Zagunis, Ward, and Thompson - fourth team member Sada Jacobson is from another club). In 2006, student Rebecca Ward
became the only fencer in history to win three World Cup titles in one season.
Korfanty continues to compete internationally as a member of the U.S. National Veterans team, and has been the 50-60 age group Men's Saber World Champion three times (2002, 2003 and 2006). In 2004 and 2005 he won the silver medals at the Veterans World Championships.
Korfanty was named the U.S. Olympic Committee's Coach of the Year in 2001, 2003, and 2004. In 2005, the U.S. Fencing Coaches Association presented Korfanty with the 2005 Outstanding Coach of the Year award for his outstanding results at the international level.
Korfanty currently resides in Portland
, Oregon
, where he is the head coach of the Oregon Fencing Alliance and the U.S. Women's National Saber Training Center.
, Poland
, under the tutelage of Zbigniew Czajkowski
. He is also certified as a fencing master by the U.S. Fencing Coaches Association and the Academie d'Armes Internationale.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
-born American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
fencing master, U.S. National Women's saber coach, Olympic saber coach, and a former Men's Veterans Saber World Champion.
Fencing
Korfanty was a member of the Polish national fencing team from 1972 to 1984. During his eight years on the Polish national team, he won numerous national and international medals and was a finalist at numerous World Cup and international competitions. He took second place individual three times in the Polish national championships and was team captain of the winning team four times. He was an alternate for one of the Olympic Games, but did not fence.He became head coach at the Polish Olympic Center in Katowice
Katowice
Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
in 1984. Korfanty moved to the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1990 as assistant fencing coach, and also coached at the Indiana Fencing Academy until 1993. During his tenure at Notre Dame, he coached Canadian fencer Leszek Nowosielski
Leszek Nowosielski
Leszek Nowosielski is a Polish footballer who currently plays for GKS Bełchatów....
(who was attending Notre Dame) to represent Canada at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain.
He was appointed the US National Women's saber
Sabre (fencing)
The sabre is one of the three weapons of modern sport fencing, and is alternatively spelled saber in American English. The sabre differs from the other modern fencing weapons, the épée and foil, in that it is possible to score with the edge of the blade; for this reason, sabreur movements and...
coach, and coached the first US Women's team (Mariel Zagunis
Mariel Zagunis
Mariel Leigh Zagunis is an American Olympic sabre fencer, of Lithuanian heritage. She won the gold medals in the individual sabre at the 2004 Summer Olympics and the 2008 Summer Olympics. She is only the second American ever to have won a gold medal in Olympic fencing.-Biography:Zagunis is the...
, Christine Becker
Christine Becker
Christine Becker was a member of the first United States women's sabre team to ever win the World Championship title .Becker is a member of the U.S. National women's sabre team, and president of the Oregon Fencing Alliance. She is coached by U.S. National coach Ed Korfanty.- References :...
, Nicole Mustilli, and Sada Jacobson
Sada Jacobson
Sada Molly Jacobson is an American fencer. Her hometown is Dunwoody, GA. She is the 2008 Olympic Individual Sabre silver medalist and 2004 Olympic Individual Sabre bronze medalist. She has been training at Nellya fencers from a young age.-Background:Jacobson is a daughter of David Jacobson, a...
) to win the world championship in 2000. Under Korfanty's direction in 2005, the US women's saber team (Zagunis, Jacobson, Caitlin Thompson, and Rebecca Ward) won the gold medal at the world championships for the second time.
Ed Korfanty is also coach to Mariel Zagunis, who won the gold medal in the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
- the first American to win fencing gold in 100 years. In October 2003, as a member of the FIE ad hoc committee on saber fencing, Korfanty spearheaded the change with the International Fencing Federation (FIE) in the timing in which the lights for recording a touch fired. The change shortened the time in which the second light could fire (close out time) from 300 milliseconds to 120 milliseconds, 180 milliseconds faster than the previous rule. The change was implemented in October 2004, immediately following the Athens Olympics. The change in the light timing fundamentally changed the sport and granted a decided advantage to the taller longer reached fencer. Other notable students include Olympian Seth Kelsey, Christine Becker, Sara Borrmann (2008 NCAA Women's Saber Champion), Valerie Providenza (2004 NCAA Women's Saber Champion), Patrick Ghattas, Ian Farr, Caity Thompson
Caity Thompson
Caitlin Thompson is an American Women's Sabreist from Portland, Oregon. She currently attends Penn State University- Fencing :Caity Thompson has been fencing for ten years. A member of several United States World teams and has won 5 World Championship medals, four of which were gold...
, and William Thanhouser.
In 2005 Korfanty's students made up 75% of the U.S. Div. 1 National Women's Saber Team (consisting of Zagunis, Ward, and Thompson - fourth team member Sada Jacobson is from another club). In 2006, student Rebecca Ward
Rebecca Ward
Rebecca "Becca" Ward is an American sabre fencer. She won the gold medal at the sabre 2006 World Fencing Championships after beating Mariel Zagunis 15-11 in the final, and took bronze in both individual and team sabre events at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.-History:A member of the Oregon Fencing...
became the only fencer in history to win three World Cup titles in one season.
Korfanty continues to compete internationally as a member of the U.S. National Veterans team, and has been the 50-60 age group Men's Saber World Champion three times (2002, 2003 and 2006). In 2004 and 2005 he won the silver medals at the Veterans World Championships.
Korfanty was named the U.S. Olympic Committee's Coach of the Year in 2001, 2003, and 2004. In 2005, the U.S. Fencing Coaches Association presented Korfanty with the 2005 Outstanding Coach of the Year award for his outstanding results at the international level.
Korfanty currently resides in Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, where he is the head coach of the Oregon Fencing Alliance and the U.S. Women's National Saber Training Center.
Education and training
Ed Korfanty earned his fencing master diploma at the Academy of Physical Education in KatowiceKatowice
Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, under the tutelage of Zbigniew Czajkowski
Zbigniew Czajkowski
Zbigniew Czajkowski is a fencing coach. Czajkowski has been dubbed "Father of the Polish School" of fencing. He has been coach to many champions, including Egon Franke - the first Pole to earn an Olympic gold medal in fencing....
. He is also certified as a fencing master by the U.S. Fencing Coaches Association and the Academie d'Armes Internationale.
External links
- Ed Korfanty profile from Oregon Fencing Alliance