Coach Nick has been fencing for 40 years and has spent the last 30 years teaching kids and adults the secrets of this very exciting sport. An accomplished fencer himself, he is proud to have been national champion of his native Romania and to have represented his country at many international competitions.
However, he is most proud of seeing his students succeed, and he has a proven track record of training for success. Among his most notable students at the Olympic Center for Juniors in his native Romania was Mihai Covaliu, Olympic and World Champion. In 1993, Coach Nick moved to Canada, were he continued developing national team members, including national champions Ursula Bero and Olga Ovtchinnikova. Olga also won the bronze medal at the 2002 Cadet World Championship and finished 15th representing Canada at the Olympics in Beijing 2008.
In 2006 Coach Nick moved to the United States. His students here have already had exceptional results, placing constantly on the podium at national and international events. The list of national champions he produced in the US includes Mary Barnett, Ian Jones, Ryan Jenkins, Morgan Jenkins and Kevin Sohn.
Coach Nick enjoys working with elite fencers as well as novices. He teaches through positive reinforcement and strives to create a fun and pleasant learning environment. He also believes that good pedagogy is one of the most important qualities of a fencing master.