Coaches & Club History

Northern Colorado Fencers (NCF Boulder) is a coach-led fencing club offering structured training for youth, teens, and adults, from first-time beginners to long-term athletes.

Founded in 1979 by Head Coach Gary Copeland and joined by Andrea Lagan in 1992, NCF has operated for more than four decades as a stable, professional training organization. The club is grounded in long-term athlete development, consistent coaching standards, and a clear understanding of how fencing is taught well over time.

NCF is not a drop-in activity or a short-term program.
We are a training organization.

How We Approach Training

Training at Northern Colorado Fencers is structured, intentional, and coach-directed.

All new fencers begin with a Free Trial Lesson, followed by Intro to Fencing, our six-week starter program. From there, coaches guide placement into ongoing programs based on readiness, engagement, and the ability to train productively in a group setting.

Placement decisions are informed by direct observation of how athletes train. We do not rely on age alone, prior claims, or self-selection. Placement may adjust over time as athletes grow, change, or take on new training demands.

This approach supports safety, clarity, and long-term progress, and allows training time to remain purposeful, focused, and worth the commitment it requires. It also respects the time, effort, and trust families invest when choosing a serious training environment.

Youth, Teen, and Adult Programs

Northern Colorado Fencers offers training programs for:

• Youth fencers (ages 7–13) in developmentally structured programs

• Teens and adults (ages 14+) in commitment-based training programs

Youth and adult programs are structured differently to reflect developmental needs and life demands. All programs follow the same core principles: clear expectations, consistent instruction, and progression over time.

Athletes develop at different rates, and training environments are adjusted to support both growth and sustainability.

Training Before Competition

Competition is optional at Northern Colorado Fencers.

Some athletes compete regularly. Others train seriously without competing at all. Competition is treated as an application of training, not the purpose of training.

For many adult fencers, training itself is the goal: focused instruction, physical challenge, and sustained engagement that fits alongside professional and personal responsibilities. That choice is fully supported.

Coaches guide decisions about when competition is appropriate and how it fits into an athlete’s overall development.

Coaching & Leadership

Northern Colorado Fencers is led by a professional coaching staff responsible for instruction, placement decisions, program structure, and maintaining a safe, focused training environment.

Gary Copeland

Founder & Head Coach

Gary Copeland founded Northern Colorado Fencers in 1979 with the aim of building a program centered on technical clarity, disciplined training, and long-term athlete development.

Over more than four decades, Gary has coached athletes across youth, collegiate, national, and international levels. Under his leadership, NCF athletes have earned national titles, international medals, and selection to U.S. World and Pan American teams across Cadet, Junior, Senior, and Veteran categories. Some athletes have continued on to collegiate fencing and other high-level competitive pathways.

Gary was named U.S. Olympic Committee Fencing Coach of the Year in 1999 and has coached U.S. National Teams more than 20 times. He also served for many years as Assistant Director of the U.S. Fencing Coaches College at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, contributing to coach education at the national level.

He continues to lead NCF Boulder’s programs with an emphasis on consistency, judgment, and sound training habits.

Scott Permer

Coach

Scott Permer is a Prévot-certified coach with the United States Fencing Coaches Association and brings more than 20 years of fencing experience to NCF.

He has coached extensively in Colorado, including at Colorado State University, and works across all skill levels. Scott has helped athletes qualify for National Championships and the Junior Olympics and has significant experience working with beginners and youth athletes.

Scott emphasizes technical fundamentals, positive sporting behavior, and reliable training habits.

Andrea Lagan

Coach

Andrea Lagan joined Northern Colorado Fencers in 1992 and works primarily across youth and introductory programs, as well as program design and daily operations.

A former New Zealand national champion in épée, Andrea has also held roles within U.S. and international fencing development systems, including work with Olympic and high-performance programs. She has served in national leadership roles within USA Fencing, contributing to athlete development frameworks and program oversight.

At NCF, her focus is on foundational instruction, training structure, and building systems that support long-term development for athletes at all levels.

Devon Tafoya

Training Support

Devon supports training sessions under the direction of the senior coaching staff across youth and adult programs.

All coaches working with youth athletes maintain current SafeSport training and required background screening.

Community Events & Special Programs

In addition to training programs, Northern Colorado Fencers offers supervised birthday parties and occasional special events designed to introduce fencing in a structured, age-appropriate way.

These events are coach-led and often supported by experienced youth fencers, providing leadership opportunities while maintaining the same standards of safety and organization used in regular training.

Parties and special events are separate from training programs and are intended as introductory or community-facing experiences.

Safety, Standards, and Continuity

Northern Colorado Fencers maintains clear standards for coaching conduct, athlete safety, and training environments:

• Training sessions are coach-led and supervised

• Safety expectations are consistent across programs

• Placement and progression decisions are coach-directed

• Coaching continuity and consistency are prioritized

Program decisions are guided by long experience, not short-term trends. While assistant roles may evolve, training philosophy and structure remain stable.

Our Culture

Northern Colorado Fencers values:

• respect for coaches and fellow athletes

• focus and effort during training

• clear communication

• long-term development over quick results

Coaches are responsible for maintaining clear standards, thoughtful instruction, and consistent communication. We do our best work with athletes and families who value structure, patience, and steady progress.

Northern Colorado Fencers is a member of the Colorado Division of USA Fencing.