Equipment Reapirs

If you break something—club gear or your own—here’s what to do:

1. Grab a red repair tag from the armory area.
2. Fill it out completely: your name, the date, and what the issue is (e.g. broken wire, zipper won’t close, needs rewiring, etc).
3. If it’s your personal gear, add contact info—email, phone, or parent’s number—so we can follow up if needed.
4. Attach the tag to the equipment using the pipe cleaner wire on the tag.
5. Put the item on the armory counter. That’s the repair pile.

That’s it. The more clear you are on the tag, the faster we can get it back to you.

Some Pretty Big News...

A message from Andrea:

If you’ve been around NCF for any length of time, you probably know that Gary isn’t someone who puts himself in the spotlight. But something came through recently that I think is worth sharing—even if he wouldn’t be the one to bring it up.

Gary has been nominated for the USA Fencing Hall of Fame Class of 2026.

Voting happens in May, and only current USA Fencing members can vote. If he’s selected, the induction will take place during Summer Nationals next year.

For those of us who’ve been part of Northern Colorado Fencers for a while, it’s hard to sum up exactly what this means. It’s not just about the length of Gary’s career—it’s about how far his influence has reached, and how many people he’s helped along the way.

He’s coached fencers at every stage—from kids picking up a weapon for the first time to athletes competing at the highest levels of the sport. He’s taught at the U.S. Fencing Coaches College, worked on national training methods, and stayed hands-on at the club day in and day out.

What’s always stood out to me is that even with all the travel, all the international events, all the big stages—he’s never stopped showing up for the work that happens right here. He genuinely cares about the people in front of him, whether they’re chasing national titles or just trying something new.

That’s been true since the very beginning—back when Gary was giving lessons in a park, before moving into an aerobics studio in the early ’80s, and eventually into what’s now our third club location. It’s been a long road, and he’s stayed all-in through every version of it.

Over the years, a lot of his fencers have gone on to NCAA programs—some of them winning national titles. He’s coached Olympians, World Cup finalists, and veteran world champions. And in 1999, the U.S. Olympic Committee named him Fencing Coach of the Year.

He’s also written coaching manuals, mentored other coaches, and led clinics all over the country. I’ve lost count of how many people I’ve met who tell me many variations of, “Gary helped me figure out how to coach.”

And of course, we’ve seen generations of fencers come through NCF—some who’ve gone on to big things, and others who’ve just grown into great people. Some we still see all the time. Others drop by when they’re back in town visiting family. But the one thing we hear over and over is that their time here mattered. That it stuck with them.

That’s what this nomination is about—not just medals and titles, but the long-haul, show-up-every-day kind of impact that coaching really is.

When we got the official nomination notice, I reached out to Lisa Strauss (whose son Luke now fences for Brandeis) and to Melody Hu, who’s helping with the media and communication side of things. They’ve both stepped up behind the scenes to keep this effort moving, and I’m so grateful to them for it.

As for me—I’ve had a front row seat for a long time. I met Gary back in 1992 at USA Fencing Coaches College at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. And now, all these years later—with a lot of stories and journeys between us—it means something to be able to share this with you.

Gary’s not going to make a big deal out of this. But I wanted you to know.

He’s in good company—this year’s ballot is full of people who’ve shaped the sport in their own ways and who are also considered friends. Just being nominated is a huge honor. But of course, we’d love to see him inducted.

If you’d like to help share Gary’s story with the wider fencing world, connect with Lisa (ltstrauss@gmail.com) and Melody .

There’s no way to capture everything he’s done in one message. The list is long—and still growing. But if you’ve got a story or a memory or something you’d like to share, I’d really love to hear it.

—Andrea