Brooklyn Tech fencing — a beast of a program

Anne Cebula. Photo courtesy of Barnard Magazine

It is the second most successful team at Brooklyn Technical High School.

Hint – It’s like chess on legs – at least that’s what the coach says.

Time’s up.

It’s Tech’s fencing team – the math team is No. 1.

Thank you Bert Yaged. He is – according to sources – credited with establishing a “beast of a program” at Brooklyn Tech, often training students in unconventional spaces like the school’s cafeteria.

Under his leadership, the Brooklyn Tech boys’ and girls’ varsity fencing teams have won numerous New York City Public Schools Athletic League City Championships, including the 2024 City title – and a notable three-year consecutive streak for the boys’ team from 2017 to 2020.

The boys were city runners-up this past season, which concluded in November. The boys’ season runs from September through November – it’s March through May for the girls.
But why fencing?

“It was in 1965, at Lincoln High School,” Yaged told the Brooklyn Eagle. “I met Claude – a friend who was from Montreal; and he was on the school’s fencing team. He asked me to join.

“I knew nothing about fencing,” Yaged continued, “He said he’d teach me.”

That Claude must’ve been some kinda teacher.

Yaged started his teaching career – guess where – at Tech – after his graduation from LIU. “I taught Physical Education there from 1970-75, and then moved to Sara J. Hale, Tilden (’77-‘92) and returned back to Tech.”

And he’s never left.

“When I was teaching,” he remembered, “I guess I must’ve taught 100 kids a term how to fence. That really helped me get kids on the team.”

Now, he’s just a coach. Oops, sorry – not just any coach.

He has about 34 kids split between his boys’ and girls’ squads. “We get kids by word-of-mouth, announcements on Instagram, and there are some kids that fence on outside clubs.
“We also welcome first-timers on the team as well.”

Fencing practice, he says is 3:45 to 5:45 Monday through Thursday. “Friday and Saturday is for private fencing club practice,” the coach said.

The sport is “not cheap” he added, “It’s a costly sport like golf. When I taught kids to fence at Tech, I saved them at least $6,000-$7,000 a year.”

Success doesn’t come easily. Yaged is known for a rigorous conditioning-first approach. For example, he has been known to have students spend months strengthening their endurance and footwork – running up and down the school’s eight flights of stairs – before ever allowing them to touch a blade.

“I remember the very first day of the club,” Anne Cebula told the Eagle. “About 50 kids showed up. It was all about fitness and footwork. In fact,” she recalled, “Coach (Yaged) didn’t open the equipment closet until that May.”

By then, Cebula remembers, there were about only 10 kids left in the club. “One of the reasons I chose Tech,” she said, “Was because of their free fencing club.”

Cebula did more than stairs at Tech. The three-year varsity member and team captain led the Engineers to their first PSAL City title in 36 years (2016). She was PSAL Girls’ Individual Epee champion in 2014 and 2016.

There’s more. She enrolled at Columbia and was an NCAA Epee Champion in 2019. “I was selected as an Epee performer,” she said, “Because I am tall (5-11).” The two-time All-American honoree concluded her career with an 82-42 dual record and 21-8 in Ivy League competition.

The Epee is the largest and heaviest of the three weapons used in the sport of fencing, foil, and sabre being the others. The modern Epee derives from the 19th-century Epee de combat, a weapon which itself derives from the French small sword.

She finished as the highest ranked American in women’s Epee on May 1, 2024, qualifying for both the individual and team events in the 2024 Paris Olympics. In the individual event, she won her first match 15-14 against Rossella Fiamingo (three time Olympic medalist, eventual Olympic gold medalist in team). She lost her next match, 13-15 against Auriane Mallo-Breton, Olympic silver medalist in both individual and team. This resulted in her 13th place finish.

In the team event, she went +2 overall against Poland, but the overall team score ended at a loss, 29-31. The team fenced in the back bracket for placement and ended in seventh place.

The Olympics were commonplace for Tech graduates. Siblings Keeth and Erinn Smart were members of the 2004 (Athens, Greece) and 2008 (Beijing, China) Games. Keeth won a silver medal in the team sabre event.
Keeth was a three-timer – he was in the 2000 Games (Sydney, Australia). Erinn was a silver medalist in the team foil event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The list of Yaged Success continues. There was Sara Harvey-Browne, s standout fencer who Yaged noted for her “impeccable footwork” and “astounding lunge.” She was recognized as a top talent with the potential to follow the Smarts’ Olympic footsteps.

And Stephanie Gales, a versatile fencer known for her leadership and loyalty to the team. She was described by Yaged as a “Renaissance Woman” for her balance of athletics and academic ambition.

Kevin Powell, Class of 1975, was recipient of the PSAL Iron Horse Award, an honor for multi-sport or exceptionally durable high school athletes.

David Arasa, Class of 1973/74, A former team captain, and recipient of the PSAL Iron Horse Award.

And, the 2024 PSAL Boys’ Champions:
Dillon Miller, Conrad Seib-Levinson, and Jonah Batre-Bang in foil, and Nathan Lin, Enzo Bera and Rygel Ng in epee. There is no sabre event in the PSAL.

The success? Easy, says the coach.

“The kids at Tech get in a problem and solve it. Fencing is a problem. It’s like chess on legs.”

It’s not much of a problem at all at Brooklyn Technical High School – thanks to their coach.

Andy Furman is a Fox Sports Radio national talk show host. Previously, he was a scholastic sports columnist for the Brooklyn Eagle. He may be reached at: [email protected] X: @AndyFurmanFSR