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🥈 World Youth Games Silver · Moscow · 🥇 4× National Champion · ⭐ 2× All-American · 3× USA Junior World Championship Team · ☘️ University of Notre Dame · Division I Fencing Scholarship 📋 20 Years Coaching

Get mentored by a
World-Class
Fencer.

At 15, Derek won a silver medal representing the U.S. at the World Youth Games in Moscow. A 4× national champion and #2-ranked junior foilist in the country, he earned a full scholarship to Notre Dame, where he reached #12 in the world and was a 2003 NCAA champion. That experience — plus 20 years of coaching — is now available to you online worldwide – or in-person in East Ventura County & the West San Fernando Valley.

View Services My Story
4×
USA National
Champion
🥈
World Youth Games
Silver · Moscow '98
#12
World Junior
Ranking · Foil
#2
National Junior
Ranking · Foil
🏆
NCAA National
Champion · 2003
Two fencers in action – gold outline artwork
4× USA National Champion · Foil
3× USA Junior World Championship Team
2× All-American · University of Notre Dame 2002 & 2003
NCAA National Champion · Notre Dame 2003
Silver Medal · World Youth Games · Moscow 1998
#2 National Junior Ranking · #12 World Junior Ranking · Foil
42–0 · Individual Record · California High School State Championships
Featured in Sports Illustrated & ESPN School Sports
9th Place · U.S. Olympic Trials 2000
3rd · Junior World Cup London, England 2001
7th · Junior World Cup Madrid, Spain 2001
5th Place · NCAA Championships 2003
NCAA Midwest Foil Champion 2004
8× Pacific Coast Champion · 4× California State Foil Champion
Chaminade Athletic Hall of Fame
7 Consecutive Combined Overall High School State Championships (2017–2026)
7 Consecutive Men's Foil Team High School State Championships (2017–2026)
Trained by Rev. Lawrence Calhoun · Creator of Fencing Junior Olympics
Trained by Misha Itkin · Former USA National Coach
4× USA National Champion · Foil
3× USA Junior World Championship Team
2× All-American · University of Notre Dame 2002 & 2003
NCAA National Champion · Notre Dame 2003
Silver Medal · World Youth Games · Moscow 1998
#2 National Junior Ranking · #12 World Junior Ranking · Foil
42–0 · Individual Record · California High School State Championships
Featured in Sports Illustrated & ESPN School Sports
9th Place · U.S. Olympic Trials 2000
3rd · Junior World Cup London, England 2001
7th · Junior World Cup Madrid, Spain 2001
5th Place · NCAA Championships 2003
NCAA Midwest Foil Champion 2004
8× Pacific Coast Champion · 4× California State Foil Champion
Chaminade Athletic Hall of Fame
7 Consecutive Combined Overall High School State Championships (2017–2026)
7 Consecutive Men's Foil Team High School State Championships (2017–2026)
Trained by Rev. Lawrence Calhoun · Creator of Fencing Junior Olympics
Trained by Misha Itkin · Former USA National Coach
Meet Your Coach
Two Ways to Train with Derek
💻
Path 1

Online Coaching

Available Worldwide

Win more pool bouts. Go deeper in DEs. Get a World-level coach's eyes on your fencer's game.

  • Mentorship from a world-class competitor
  • Age-appropriate, personalized development plans
  • Direct text access to Derek
  • Live Zoom coaching sessions
  • Personal bout reviews
  • Private community + 37 coaching guides
  • Three membership tiers starting at $199/month
Features vary by tier. Higher tiers include more direct access to Derek.
See Membership Options →
🤝
Path 2

Live, In-Person Coaching

East Ventura County & West San Fernando Valley

Train one-on-one with a 4× national champion and NCAA champion. Footwork, bladework, tactics, and conditioning — at your home.

  • Individual & family lessons (up to 4 fencers)
  • 1-hour, 90-min & 2-hour formats
  • Free 15-min discovery call to get started
View Local Lessons →
💻 Monthly Membership · Worldwide

Better Results Start Here.

Every tier includes the members-only community, 37+ coaching guides, and monthly Q&A recordings. Higher tiers add direct coaching access with Derek.

📚
The Playbook
$199/mo
Join a community of fencing families who help each other improve. Full guide library, monthly Q&A, and you're never figuring it out alone.
"Stop guessing. Start knowing."
Most Popular
⚔️
The Game Plan
$449/mo
Derek personally watches your fencer's bouts and tells you exactly what's costing them touches. Everything in The Playbook plus his eyes on your fencer's bouts.
"Win the extra pool bout. Close the 4-4s."
🏆
The Championship Path
$999/mo
A full coaching relationship with a world-class competitor. Live sessions, weekly check-ins, and direct access to Derek.
"Turn 15-13 losses into 15-13 wins."
Compare Plans & Join →

Cancel anytime · Save 20% with an annual commitment

📘
Walk Into Every Tournament Prepared
Every membership includes the full 37-guide, 354-page curriculum, but if you aren't ready to join the community, the
Tournament Parent Survival Guide
alone will change how you experience competition day.
37 Guides · 354 Pages · $197 One-Time →
Members-Only Community

A Peek Inside the
Members' Vault.

Every membership connects you with Derek, other fencing families, and a growing library of resources. You're not figuring this out alone.

Members Only
💬

Community Forum

+ Ask Derek · Monthly Q&A Recordings
  • Ask questions anytime — Derek and other parents respond
  • Monthly recorded Q&A — your question might be next
  • The support system your club doesn't offer
Join to Unlock →
Members Only
🤺

For Fencers

  • Guides covering what coaches don't have time to explain at practice
📄 Includes: 10 coaching guides — glossaries, checklists, goal-setting, video analysis + more
Join to Unlock →
Members Only
👨‍👩‍👧

For Fencing Parents

  • Understand what's happening on the strip — and what to say after
  • College recruiting, real costs, and decisions other parents wish they'd made sooner
📄 Includes: 6 parent-specific guides — tournament survival, college recruiting, club selection + more
Join to Unlock →
Members Only
🎬

Bout Analysis & Tactics

  • Video breakdowns and tactical concepts
Join to Unlock →
Members Only
🧠

Mental Prep & Training

  • Pre-tournament routines, visualization, conditioning
Join to Unlock →
Members Only
📚

Resource Library

  • 37 downloadable coaching guides — footwork, bladework, tactics, mental game, conditioning, and more
Join to Unlock →
Real Conversation from Inside the Vault
A member asks about summer training and Derek responds with personalized coaching advice
A parent asked. Derek answered the same day. This is what the community looks like.
Join the Community →
À La Carte Services

Start with a Single Service.

No commitment required. Most families who start here end up joining the community within a few months.

💻 Recorded Analysis · 3–5 Day Turnaround

Bout Review

Derek watches your fencer's bout and tells you exactly what's costing them touches — with a detailed video breakdown you can re-watch before the next tournament.

from$100per bout
See Review Options →
💻 Live via Zoom · 30 Minutes

Live Coaching Session

One session. One problem fixed. Your fencer walks into the next tournament with a specific plan — not just "try harder."

from$150per session
Book a Session →
Also available à la carte:
🏆 Tournament-Day Coaching · $450–$900 👥 Group Seminar · 4–10 Fencers · $40–$50/person
About Derek Snyder

A coach who's been exactly
where your fencer is now.

Derek Snyder competing at Notre Dame

At 15, Derek won a silver medal for Team USA at the 1998 World Youth Games in Moscow. A 4× national champion and #2-ranked Junior Foilist in the country, he earned a full scholarship to Notre Dame, reached #12 in the world in Junior Foil, and was a 2003 NCAA champion. He has spent 20+ years coaching at Chaminade College Preparatory, leading the program to 7 consecutive Combined Overall High School State Championships and 7 consecutive Men's Foil Team High School State Championships.

Derek was shaped by two legends of American fencing: Reverend Lawrence Calhoun, who invented the Junior Olympics for fencing, and Misha Itkin, a former USA national coach whose son Nick Itkin is currently ranked #6 in the world in Men's Foil. Under their guidance he became a 4× national champion, earned his first "A" rating in foil on his 15th birthday, earned his second "A" rating in épée before his junior year in high school, and holds the California High School State Championship individual record at 42-0.

Father Calhoun, Derek Snyder, and Misha Itkin at the 2000 Summer Nationals
Summer Nationals, 2000. Reverend Lawrence Calhoun (left), Derek Snyder (center), and Misha Itkin (right) after Derek's national championship victory.
🏅 Read Derek's full competitive career →

At 15 years old, Derek stepped onto the piste in Moscow representing the United States at the 1998 World Youth Games — the closest thing to the Olympics that existed for young athletes — and walked away with a silver medal in Men's Team Épée.

🌍 More about the 1998 World Youth Games in Moscow…
The 1998 World Youth Games brought together over 7,500 athletes from 140 countries. Moscow renovated the historic Luzhniki Sports Arena — the same stadium that hosted the 1980 Summer Olympics — and built an entirely new Olympic Village featuring five 19-to-25 story residential towers, a sports gymnasium complex, a cycling track, a massive cafeteria, artificial hills, and a lake. Athletes had access to a 24-hour McDonald's where everything was free. Boris Yeltsin delivered a speech at the opening ceremonies — and all 7,500+ athletes were invited to a party inside the Kremlin.

Derek represented the U.S.A. three times on Junior World Championship teams (1999, 2000 & 2002). He went to Moscow for épée in 1998 but made every Junior World team for foil — at his peak, ranked top 5 nationally in both weapons in his age bracket.

He reached #12 in the world for Junior Men's Foil in 2001, finishing 3rd at the Junior World Cup in London and 7th in Madrid in back-to-back weekends — while battling a serious illness throughout both tournaments that required an emergency tonsillectomy and a three-week hospitalization upon returning to the U.S. In April 2000, he earned a bronze medal (3rd place) at an Open NAC in Cleveland, Ohio — competing against adult fencers as a high schooler. He competed at the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials, finishing 9th in Men's Foil. His highest national ranking was 2nd in Junior Men's Foil (2002). In 2001, after not fencing épée nationally for nearly two years, he entered the Junior Olympics in Men's Junior Épée and finished 2nd, losing in the final to the #1-ranked fencer in the country — who became his future Notre Dame teammate. His overall Chaminade high school fencing record was 1,915 wins, 542 losses (.779 winning percentage).

Derek was inducted into the Chaminade Athletic Hall of Fame in 2011. His fencing jacket was retired after graduation and hangs in the foyer of the Chaminade High School gym.

🏆 Read about Derek's 20-year coaching career →

Since graduating from Notre Dame, Derek has served as Head Coach at Chaminade College Preparatory, coaching 6th through 12th grade in both foil and epee. Under his leadership the program has won 7 consecutive Combined Overall High School State Championships (2017-2026) and 7 consecutive Men's Foil Team High School State Championships (2017-2026).

Derek has coached fencers who have reached the top 8 at USA National Championships, developing competitive athletes who perform at the highest levels of the sport. His commitment to his fencers extends beyond the local strip — he has traveled internationally to coach and support his athletes at competitions abroad.

His coaching perspective was enriched by working with elite coaches from Notre Dame, Stanford, Princeton, Penn State, Ohio State, and international coaches from Ukraine, France, Hungary, Russia, Germany, Great Britain, Japan, and beyond.

Derek Snyder coaching at a tournament
Coach Derek between bouts — coaching a 3× California High School State Champion
Questions Parents Actually Ask

Straight Answers for
Fencing Families.

Will online coaching actually help my kid?
The difference between top-32 and top-8 is rarely physical — it's tactical, mental, and strategic. Derek adds the brain trust your club can't.
My kid already has a club coach. Will this conflict?
No. Derek handles the tactical, mental, and developmental side that complements club training — never replaces it.
What makes the community different from buying individual sessions?
Sessions are one-and-done. The community is ongoing — ask questions anytime, learn from other fencing families, and access a growing library of guides, videos, and monthly Q&A recordings.
How much should we expect to spend?
Memberships: $199/mo (The Playbook), $449/mo (The Game Plan), or $999/mo (The Championship Path). À la carte: bout reviews from $100, Zoom sessions from $150, in-person from $140/hr. Save up to 20% with multi-month commitments.
How does a bout review work?
Upload your fencer's bout to Google Drive, share with derek@dereksnyderfencing.com. Derek records a detailed video analysis and shares it within 3–5 business days.
Why are bout reviews so valuable?
Club coaches remember the tournament. Derek breaks it down. Your coach watches 15 fencers at the tournament and recalls the big moments. Derek sits with your fencer's footage, pauses every touch, and gives you a tactical breakdown covering footwork, distance, bladework, timing and tempo, tactical decisions, body language and composure — each one with multiple levels depending on your fencer's experience. Want Derek to focus on a specific area, or break down what your opponent is doing? Just let him know when you submit. Otherwise, he'll point out the things that stand out most. It doesn't replace club training — it adds the layer your opponents aren't getting.
What ages and levels do you work with?
4th grade through adults, including parents and families. 6th–11th graders are ideal candidates for the mentorship levels because Derek can work with them for years and develop their game over time. Younger fencers start with a trial session.
What if we live too far for in-person?
Online coaching works from anywhere. Many of Derek's most successful coaching relationships are entirely remote.
How do we know if Derek is right for our family?
Book a free 15-minute discovery call. No commitment, no pitch.
🤝 Live · In-Person Coaching · East Ventura County & West San Fernando Valley

Live, In-Person
Lessons at Your Home.

Private fencing lessons at your home, backyard, garage, or any flat space you have available. All formats include technique, footwork, and tactical instruction — longer sessions (90-min and 2-hour) incorporate conditioning, agility work, and athletic development alongside fencing. Year-round availability.

$140
1-Hour Lesson
Book Now →
$200
90-Min · Fencing + Conditioning
Book Now →
$260
2-Hour Complete Training
Fencing + conditioning + athletic development
Book Now →
📋 Family Packages, Gear Rental & Policies →
👥 2 Fencers · 1hr & 2hr 👨‍👩‍👧 Family of 3 · 1hr & 2hr 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family of 4 · 1hr & 2hr 🚗 Travel Fees ⚔️ Gear Rental 🏠 Space Requirements 👶 Younger Fencer Policies

Full In-Person Pricing.

Service
Rate
— Individual Lessons —
1-Hour Fencing LessonTechnique, footwork, bladework & tactical instruction
$140 Book →
90-Minute LessonFencing lesson, conditioning, footwork & agility
$200 Book →
2-Hour Complete TrainingFencing lesson, conditioning, agility work & athletic development
$260 Book →
— Two Fencers —
2 Fencers (1 hour)$120/person effective
$240 Book →
2 Fencers (2 hours)$200/person effective
$400 Book →
— Family Group Lessons —
Family of 3 (1 hour)$100/person effective
$300 Book →
Family of 3 (2 hours)$167/person effective
$500 Book →
Family of 4 (1 hour)$87.50/person effective
$350 Book →
Family of 4 (2 hours)$146.25/person effective
$585 Book →
— Travel Beyond 10 Miles —
10–25 miles from Simi ValleyMaximum travel range · round-trip fee per session
+$40
— Equipment Rental (if needed) —
Coach brings gear · 1 personMask, glove, blade · saves families from buying gear before they're sure
+$20
Coach brings gear · 2–4 peopleMultiple sized sets · ideal for family lessons
+$40
Travel and equipment rental fees are collected separately at the time of your lesson.

Your Space.

Lessons happen at your home — in a backyard, on a driveway, in a garage, or any flat surface you have. Derek has coached in tight garages, narrow strips next to pools, and everything in between. Most spaces work; reach out and describe yours.

🏠 Indoor Space

  • Hard, flat, level floor (concrete, hardwood, sport court, sealed garage)
  • Ceiling height of at least 8 feet (10+ feet ideal)
  • Air conditioning, fan, or natural ventilation
  • Minimum usable space: 7 meters × 1.5 meters
  • Ideal space: 14 meters × 2 meters (full strip dimensions)

🌳 Outdoor Space

  • Hard, flat, level surface (sport court, tennis court, driveway, patio)
  • No slope or pitched grade
  • Minimum usable space: 7 meters × 1.5 meters
  • Ideal space: 14 meters × 2 meters
  • Shaded area or AC nearby for breaks (especially summer)
  • Water access for both coach and fencer

Local Coaching Policies.

👶 Younger Fencers (Grades 4–6)

For 5th and 6th graders new to coaching, Derek recommends starting with a 1-hour session before committing to longer formats. 4th graders considered case-by-case – please reach out for a brief phone consultation first. Derek has coached for 20 years and knows what makes the difference between a fencer who's ready and one who isn't.

📅 Travel & Scheduling

Travel within 10 miles of Simi Valley is free. A $40 round-trip travel fee applies for sessions 10–25 miles away. Derek does not travel beyond 25 miles.

🤝 The Honest Pipeline

If your fencer reaches the level where they need a top-tier club environment, Derek will be the first to tell you – and the first to recommend the right club. He's not here to keep clients past their development phase; he's here to build fencers who go on to compete seriously. Honest scope, transparent referrals.

Pedigree & Pipeline

Coached by Misha Itkin · Trained Alongside Olympians

Derek's primary coach is Misha Itkin, founder of Los Angeles International Fencing Center (LAIFC) and a former USA national coach. Misha has trained world-class fencers for decades, including his son Nick Itkin – currently ranked #6 in the world in Men's Foil, an Olympic medalist, and a Notre Dame alumnus like Derek.

For fencers ready to compete at the regional and national level, Derek will be the first to recommend a top club like LAIFC. Derek's role is the developmental, tactical, and mental coaching that prepares fencers for that next step – and complements elite club training for those already there. Honest scope, real referrals, no overselling.

Not Sure Where to Start?

Book a free 15-minute discovery call with Derek to talk through your fencer's goals, your space, and find the right format. No commitment – just a conversation.

Book Your Free Discovery Call →
Book a Session

Ready to Elevate
Your Game? 🤺

Fill out the form and Derek will respond within 24 hours to confirm your session, answer any questions, and get you set up with everything you need.

Derek works with fencers at every level – from club beginners to nationally ranked competitors – in both foil and épée. Two ways to train:

  • 💻 Online coaching – worldwide via Zoom or Google Meet
  • 🤝 Live, in-person coaching – East Ventura County & West San Fernando Valley
  • Foil and épée – Y10 through Senior Open, grades 4–12 (with trial) and adults
  • Bout reviews delivered within 3–5 business days
  • Free 15-min discovery call available – not sure where to start? Just ask.

📁 Uploads & 💳 Payments – Completely Free

How to Share Video (Online Only)

After booking, upload your bout video to Google Drive (free with any Gmail account) and share it with derek@dereksnyderfencing.com. No special software needed – phone footage is fine.

How to Pay

Pay securely online via Stripe (credit card, debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay). Payment confirmed instantly before session begins.

Have Questions? Get in Touch

Not ready to book yet? No problem. Use this form to ask Derek anything — about a service, your fencer's level, which option is right for you, or anything else. This is not a checkout form. When you're ready to purchase, use the "Book" or "Pay & Book" buttons on any service above.

Prefer to pay via Zelle or Venmo? Contact Derek first and he'll get you set up.

⚔️ About Your Fencer

This helps Derek understand exactly where your fencer is so he can provide the best coaching path. Every fencer is different — there are no wrong answers here.