Charlotte Fencing Academy Gains National Recognition with Junior Olympics

Fencing in Charlotte has come a long way over the last two decades, and Brian Toomey has played a large role in that growth. 

According to Toomey, owner and coach at Charlotte Fencing Academy, local fencers in the 1990s had to train wherever they could find space — small back rooms or basements in rec centers, churches and warehouses. Air conditioning was a rare luxury.  

In 2002, Toomey opened Charlotte Fencing Academy with a goal to create a more professional environment for aspiring fencers in the Queen City. 

Over the course of the school’s 22-year run, Toomey has witnessed the fencing scene in Charlotte evolve, as it has in other cities. Fencing academies are now in almost every major US city.

USA Fencing has done what it can to support that growth, launching its Fencing the Gap initiative in 2022 with a goal to bring fencing to more people through scholarships, mini-grants and incentives for athletes, coaches and clubs.

This year, with the backing of national nonprofit All Kids Play, the initiative will increase its funding allocations by 42% from $30,000 to $42,500.   

The work Toomey and others have done locally to grow fencing culminated in national recognition in February this year when the Charlotte Convention Center became the site of the 2024 Junior Olympics and Parafencing North American Cups.

The games are set to return to Charlotte next year as the city continues to see fencing grow and evolve. 

Home is where the heart is

USA Fencing, also known as the United States Fencing Association (USFA), has found Charlotte a welcoming host. 

USFA spokesperson Bryan Wendell told Queen City Nerve that Charlotte stays on its shortlist for host partners, an advantageous bias to have, according to Toomey.

“Anytime a national fencing event comes into Charlotte, it creates a great opportunity for our local fencers to actually see a high-level fencing tournament,” Toomey said. “It helps them invest more into the sport, which makes it easier for us as coaches to instruct them.”

Fencing, like any other competitive sport, requires a remarkable investment of time to become a serious contender. To qualify for the Junior Olympics, athletes must have at least 110 points in the regional point standings, typically placing them in the top 65% of regional competitions consistently. 

Charlotte is included in Region 6, which spans from Washington, DC to Florida. 

Fencers can also qualify by placing in the top 25% of the local division qualifying competition. For most fencers, it takes a few years to be at a skill level to qualify, though there have been exceptions, Toomey said.

The tournament gives local fencers access to physical vendors for equipment purchases rather than gambling on inconsistent sizing from online stores. 

The biggest expense faced by top fencers, however, is travel, said Toomey. National-level fencers looking to increase national ranking must attend up to nine events across the country — that’s not including all the smaller tournaments or camps athletes frequent as well.

Hosting a tournament on the Olympic scale in Charlotte allows top fencers and their support systems a break from traveling across the country for events. 

The return of the Junior Olympics to Charlotte in 2025 is an enormous success for the academy, Toomey said, especially announced as early as it was. That gives local fencers more time to target and execute goals, an essential for individual and academy growth and a critical inspiration to help them compete in their first national tournament experience. 

It’s not just Charlotte that is hosting major tournaments in North Carolina. Greensboro will host its third Amateur Athletic Union’s Junior Olympics from July 27-Aug. 3, with the fencing portion set to take place at the Greensboro Coliseum from July 29-31. 

A sport for everyone

Charlotte Fencing Academy offers introductory classes and camps with age divisions spanning from 10 and under to ages 70 and up. 

While Charlotte Fencing Academy is the largest fencing school in Charlotte, it’s not the only option for athletes eager to learn the sport. Triple Threat Fencing in Monroe and On Point Fencing in Clover, South Carolina are a few area academies with good reputations, according to Toomey.

For Lacey Maddox, Charlotte Fencing Academy is the only option. 

Maddox competes nationally in the Vet-40 (Veteran aged 40+) women’s foil, which employs a lightweight sword. She finished third at the 2024 USA Fencing Summer Nationals in Columbus, Ohio in July. Her goal is to make the Vet-40 World Team for the coming 2024-25 season. She is currently ranked fourth nationally in her age group.

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“I’m so grateful for Brian’s coaching and support of my fencing goals,” Maddox said. “Charlotte Fencing Academy is a wonderful club because of its people and how we all strive to improve and help each other.”

Toomey also coaches several students on track for the Olympics: Eva Campbell, Sebastian Glennon and Henry Bui. Campbell came in eighth out of 252 fencers at Summer Nationals, placing her at 28th nationally among the 17-and-under age group. 

Glennon and Bui finished first in Region 6 for their respective age groups and will be receiving their gold patch from USFA.

While that cohort is impressive, the academy trains everyone from casual recreational fencers to competitive fencers on track for national success, priding itself on helping fencers align and realize their goals, Toomey said. 

That wasn’t the case back when he launched Charlotte Fencing Academy, but in order for the sport and academy to grow as a whole, it’s important to reach all skill levels, he said.

“Not everyone who plays a random pickup game of soccer, basketball, baseball, or football is looking to or able to play at the upper echelon. But people still love it because it’s fun,” Toomey said.

“As far as I’m concerned, as long as fencers have an aim, whether recreational or competitive, and are realistic about what it takes to achieve that aim, then we’ve got a place for them.”