SEBASTIANI FENCING ACADEMY of PRINCETON, NJ

MaÎtre Michel Sebastiani
Fencing Master

Michel Sebastiani holds an MS degree in Physical Education from the National Institute of Sports of Paris. He is a graduate of the Ecole Superieure d'Escrime of the National Institute of Sports and has earned a MaÎtrise d'Escrime (Fencing Master) M.A. from this prestigious institution.

Michel was a member of the 1959 French National Team of Modern Pentathlon. He participated in many International fencing tournaments in foil and épée. He was selected as a member of the French Olympic Team for the 1960 Games. He participated in the Rome games. He served in the Army from 1960 to 1962. While an infantry Company Commander, he was wounded in November 1960, but rejoined his combat unit while recuperating. Michel came to the United States in 1963 and joined the staff of Cornell University's Fencing team as Assistant Men's Coach and Head Coach of the Women's Team. His Women's team won the national title in 1967, 1968 and 1969. His fencers won the NIWFA individual title in 1968 and the NCAA men's épée title the same year. The 1970-71 season found Michel at NYU teaching Physical Education on the Bronx Campus. Michel was appointed Assistant Professor of Health and Physical Education and Head Fencing Coach of the Men's Team at Brooklyn College from 1971 to 1977. Two Brooklyn College fencers made the U.S Junior Team, which fenced in the World Championships. Michel then relocated to Houston, Texas. He taught at Rice University in the Physical Education Department and founded the Sebastiani Fencing Academy. MaÎtre Sebastiani was the Head Coach of the Men's and Women's fencing team at Princeton University from 1982, retiring in 2006. The men's and women's Princeton University teams have combined to win nine Ivy League championships and six IFA national championships under Master Sebastiani. He has coached three NCAA individual men's champions and one NCAA individual women's champion. Master Sebastiani's men's teams have finished in the top four of the NCAA or IFA 16 different times. Sebastiani has had the privilege to be the pupil of some of the legendary French Fencing Masters of this Century.

Gabrielle Roux
Fencing Instructor

Gabrielle was born in Corsica, France and grew up in French Guiana (South America) where her father worked on the European Space Program in Kourou. After a year in Law School (Paris), she switched to Classical Studies and moved to the United States in 1999. As a fencer, Gabrielle is a pure product of MaÎtre Sebastiani's instruction since 1994. She was introduced to the strict classical French style of fencing, which incorporates knowledge, precision, serious study and psychology rather than techniques designed for illusory, quick results. She believes in long and attentive study, which is required by MaÎtre Sebastiani. Gabrielle is an Academy Instructor known for her outstanding pedagogy with young boys and girls keeping in mind technical precision and harmony of movements. She is an accomplished equestrian, enjoys swimming, exercising, traveling and is an avid classical singer, now studying with a renowned professor at the Westminster Conservatory in Princeton.

Harry James
Fencing Coach & Fitness Trainer

Harry was assistant Coach at Drew University under Paul Primamore. He has been Head Coach of the Somerville, NJ High School team since 1991. He is Certified Fitness Trainer with ISSA, the International Sport Sciences Association. Harry has been an instructor with the Sebastiani Fencing Academy since 2001.

Somerville High School: Captain and MVP.
Drew University: Captain, Co-Captain and twice MVP.
Assistant Coach at Drew University from 1982 to 1992.
Boys Coach Somerville High 1993 until present.
New Jersey Interscholastic Fencing Association: Coach of the Year 2001.
New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association: Service Award 2009.
Author of "Strength Training for Fencers" published by Swordplay Books.
United States Fencing Coaches Association: Moniteur Coach Certification.
United States Fencing Association: Certified Referee.

Tom Outwin
Fencing Instructor

Tom was introduced to fencing during his education at The Allen Military Academy in Bryan, Texas and later at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia. He took up the sport competitively in 1978 when he was introduced to Maitre Sebastiani at his Salle d’Escrime in Houston, Texas. Because of MaÎtre Sebastiani’s encouragement, Tom relocated to Europe for the 1979 and 1980 season where he studied under various masters at the Erste Fechtunion in Vienna Austria. During this time, Tom participated in many regional and international competitions in Austria, Hungary, Italy, Switzerland and Germany. Upon returning to his native Texas, the experience immediately elevated Tom’s competitive results. Relocating to California in 1982, Tom continued in local competitions on the West Coast and assisting the coaching staff at the University of Southern California, Long Beach. In 1984, Tom was invited along with other members of the USCLB team to demonstrate the sport for the U.S. Olympic Committee prior to the 1984 Games.