Our Mission
To develop a strong community that is focused on learning, sportsmanship, and healthy competition through fencing.
At the Encinitas Fencing Academy, we believe that being a part of a supportive community is crucial to success. Participating in that community requires both drawing from it for help as well as contributing to it. Whether a student’s endeavors are athletic, scholastic, or beyond, we provide the skill set to achieve their goals through problem solving, setting healthy goals, and an emphasis on constant learning.
We believe that self-motivation and the formation of good habits are the cornerstones of advancement. Our coaches take every opportunity to open doors and show students the paths to achieve their goals, be they at the club, local, regional, or even national level. Our coaches are not motivated by victories at competitions, but motivated by their students’ motivation to succeed.
Our Coaches
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David "Lucky" Polakoski - Head Coach Coach Lucky began fencing in 2000 as a freshman in high school with the goal of meeting some new friends. The sport grabbed his imagination immediately and he has been competing in it consistently ever since at the local, regional, national, and international levels. His achievements include having an "A" rating since 2006, winning the Bladerunner tournament at UCSD, being a 4-year member of the UCSD fencing team, and being Men's Epee Squad Captain during his Junior and Senior years. He had been coaching alongside Coach Jens Stephan since 2007, and has been with Encinitas Fencing Academy since its inception. He has experience giving private lessons to kids as young as 9 and adults as old as 60, helping them set goals, find their game, and improve their fencing. |
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Aaron Kandlik - Head Coach Aaron Kandlik started coaching in 1998. He has coached at 3 NCAA fencing schools, 2 USA Fencing National Training Centers, and numerous private clubs. His students have competed at several US National championships, World Cups, and Cadet World Championships. His students have ranged in age from 5 to 89 and skill from beginner to Olympian. Coach Kandlik believes that every student should have a program that addresses their individual goals based on their unique traits, talents, and abilities. His core values: Sportsmanship is as important as winning Achievement will follow sustained, committed effort Learning is a lifelong process Teaching is most effective as a partnership Coach Kandlik is a Level 4 Coach, certified by the USA Fencing Coaches College in all 3 fencing disciplines. Coach Kandlik has also been a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and a Level 1 Weightlifting coach. He holds a BFA in Studio Art from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and is currently pursuing a degree in music composition. |
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William "Bill" Ostrie II - Coach Coach Bill Got his start in fencing at Encinitas Fencing Academy under the instruction of Coach Jens and Coach Lucky. While his daughter brought him to the academy initially, once he saw how much she enjoyed fencing, he took up the sport. Bill instantly saw the value in the club's high level of instruction, great peer group, and balanced approach to the sport. As a coach he works tirelessly to foster these ideals in the club. Bill currently coaches the Youth Group and assists with the Mixed Skill group. He began teaching as a high school student tutoring math, and he has continued to be a teacher and instructor in many capacities and subject areas including: mathematics, downhill skiing, drawing/painting, guitar, and using Iphones and Mac computers. |
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Our Great Volunteers! As part of our competitive program, we ask that our older fencers give some of their time back to the club to help bring new youth fencers into the sport. We have several fencers volunteering to teach youth beginners at any given time, and we find that younger fencers connect quickly with coaches who are closer to their age. Additionally, our volunteers learn great skills like leadership, patience, and team building through working with the younger fencers. |
Our History
The Encinitas Fencing Academy was started in 2007 by Coach Emeritus Jens Stephan and David “Lucky” Polakoski with the goal of providing the opportunity to compete at a high level as well as make great friends. They started by renting out spaces in local facilities: Monday classes were held in a 500 square foot dance studio and Friday classes in the Harding Community Center in Carlsbad. Having quickly gained a following of young students, they were eventually able to secure a space in the Encinitas Community Center for regular classes twice a week, where they started gaining many adult members.
During this expansion, thanks to our fencers’ passion and their hard work with coaches, the club started to have success at the local, regional, and national level in the Youth circuit (Y10, Y12, and Y14). In 2011, EFA was fortunate enough to be able to secure a space in the Encinitas Boxing and Fitness building. With a lot of elbow grease and love, the space was renovated and became a top-notch fencing facility. EFA fencers have gone on to compete at schools such as Cal Tech, Columbia, and UC San Diego, with many more continuing on to other prestigious schools without competitive teams.
Coach Jens moved on from the club in 2015, handing the reins over to current Head Coach David “Lucky” Polakoski, who has been running it alongside Coach William Ostrie II ever since. While it is very difficult to carry on a small club when a new leader takes over, the incredibly supportive community stuck behind the new coaches and allowed them to build a new foundation for the club.
In September of 2019, Coach Aaron Kandlik joined EFA as a coach, bringing with him a wealth of experience and knowledge. Impressed at the attitude of the students and the support of the families at the club, Coach Aaron is incredibly excited to be a part of the club and cannot wait to help our students reach their goals.
