About the Worcester Fencing Club
The Worcester Fencing Club was founded in January of 1998 by Head Coach Doug Galpin. The club originally operated under the name Worcester Academy of Fencing, but as that was in direct conflict with a prestigious prep school of a similar name, the name was changed in the spring of 1999.
Doug taught fencing at the Higgins Armory Museum in Worcester since the Fall of 1996, and was often asked where students could continue their studies. Regretfully, there was no choice but to send them to either Watertown or Woonsocket. Neither of these options were acceptable to the students and for some time nothing much was done. One day, however, the concerned mother of a couple of students took some initiative, and suggested that Doug get in contact with Bob Berman at the Worcester Jewish Community Center.
Bob was definitely
interested in the program, and after some negotiating, the club started
in early January of 1998 with a handfull of students, two nights each
week. At the start of the '98-'99 season, the club had 18 members, and
had doubled by the start of the '99-2000 season. By this time, the schedule
had expanded to 9 classes each week held over four nights, and one afternoon.
In September of 2001, Doug got married and changed his last name to Jacobs.
In April of 2004, we signed a lease for 9600 square feet at 1075 Southbridge Street on the Worcester - Auburn line.
In the Summer of 2008, we moved to our current location on the second floor of 243 Stafford Street, Worcester.