Sword Masters Club & Fencing Academy to Attend AAU Junior Olympic Games

Orlando-based fencing school sends more than 100 youth athletes to Greensboro, NC to make history at the AAU Junior Olympic Games

Sword Masters Club & Fencing Academy (www. swordmastersclub.com), a fencing school located in Orlando, FL, is sending over 100 youth athletes, some as young as 5 years old, to compete in 32 different fencing events at the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Junior Olympic Games. These youth from Central Florida will be among the first fencers in history to compete at the AAU event.

Sword Masters was founded in 2018 by Carlos Kuri & Riley Roca. With backgrounds in fencing, the arts, and education, they opened their academy in Orlando as a place to grow young minds through an ancient sport that dates back to the 18th century. “Sword Masters became the largest fencing academy in Florida because we understand athlete development and we train the whole person,” notes co-founder Riley Roca. “Athletes’ emotional and mental well-being is fundamental to us and that is how we create champions.”

Their fencing school on Avalon Park Boulevard in East Orange County hosts dozens of youth and adult group classes each week, private lessons, and numerous local fencing tournaments throughout the year. Sword Masters is the largest and most prestigious fencing academy in Florida, one of the largest in the country and it is the largest tournament organizer in the southeast. Just last year the academy produced many champions including the Y14 champion in 12 states, team USA members for two Panamerican games and was in charge of selecting Team USA for the Gymnasiade in France. This year the club also won the prestigious award for “Best Club” at the Sunshine State Games bringing in more than 36 medals. The school’s master coaches and collaborators are an impressive team that includes Olympic-level coaches and the former silver medalist at the World Championships. The school is proud of its work training the next generation of fencing greats.

Fencing tournaments at the AAU Junior Olympic Games are scheduled to take place in Greensboro, NC from August 1st - August 3rd, 2022. Fencing will lead the parade during the Celebration of Athletes at 6:00pm on Monday, marking the sport’s addition to the Games. Carlos Kuri, owner and head coach of Sword Masters said, “From recreational fencers to Olympic champions, from 4-year-olds to 80-year-olds, from the able body to special needs, it is my goal to make fencing accessible to every athlete no matter their age, condition or their economic status. With the help of the community, industry, and government, I would like to make Florida the fencing capital of America and America the fencing capital of the world. I will do everything in my power to reach this vision.”

The AAU Junior Olympics will include 19,000 participants in 12 sports representing all 50 states and several U.S. territories. The fencing tournaments will take place at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex. “The AAU is thrilled to offer fencing for the first time ever at the AAU Junior Olympic Games,” said Jennings “Rusty” Buchanan, AAU President & CEO. “Our mission statement is “Sports For All, Forever” and we pride ourselves on offering a wide range of different sports for young athletes to compete in.” Events are open to public spectators, but there is a fee to attend. ____________________________________________

About Sword Masters Club & Fencing Academy: Sword Masters Club & Fencing Academy is the premier fencing school in Orlando, FL featuring Olympic fencing classes, Olympic fencing after-school programs, and Olympic fencing camps. It offers an array of classes for fencers of all abilities from pre-school to adults, recreational and competitive including Historical (HEMA) and Parafencing (Wheel Chair fencing). Co-Founder, Carlos Kuri, is also the president of the Fencing League of America and the National Sport Director for Fencing for the AAU. For more information on classes and programs visit www.swordmastersclub.com.

ABOUT THE AAU: The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) is one of the largest, non-profit, volunteer sports organizations in the country. As a multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports programs. Founded in 1888 to establish standards and uniformity in sports, the AAU philosophy of “Sports For All, Forever” is now shared by nearly 700,000 members and 150,000 volunteers across 45 sports programs and 55 U.S. districts. For more information, visit www.aausports.org.