Vincent Beatty has been fencing for more than 30 years. After a career-ending knee injury in Judo (he was a brown belt), Vince found that a lunge was the only athletic movement his leg could handle, and since he had been enamoured of swordsmanship since watching the old swashbuckler films with his father, when he started fencing, Vince says it was “love at first fight”.
Over his fencing career, Vince has studied with many of the coaches in Pittsburgh, as well as working with coaches in Florida when he traveled for work in the 1990s. He has held ratings in all three sport fencing weapons, and won or medaled in the Keystone State Games Vet40 sabre event several times.
As a coach, Vince is most proud of his son, Brendon, some of whose accomplishments in fencing are listed in his bio below, and the Championships won by Taylor Allderdice High School when he coached them for 10 seasons in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Vince is also experienced with historical swordsmanship and fight choreography, working as the fight choreographer for the Pittsburgh Opera (Romeo & Juliet and others), the Palace Theatre in Greensburg (The Nutcracker), and working on the independent film Greek Goddess with his son Brendon.
Vince believes that fencing is a great sport that hones mental and physical prowess. He also believes that Corsair is a great place to practice fencing, as it provides a close-knit community which becomes each member’s “third place” (i.e., not home and not work). Vince’s long commitment to the sport and the Pittsburgh fencing community have made him an amazing resource for aspiring fencers, and he is happy to help anyone who asks.
Brendon Beatty- All weapons
Brendon’s accomplishments in fencing are literally too numerous to name. He’s been fencing since he was under 10 years old, and has been participating in various competitions in and outside the USFA for nearly as long. He has been and is highly rated in all three sport fencing weapons, has won State Championships at the Keystone State Games many times (once 3 in a single year!), and finished in the top 16 and earned National Points in Cadet Men’s Epee in the Junior Olympics. In addition to his personal accomplishments, his students have earned many impressive accolades. Under Brendon and Vince’s coaching, the Taylor Allderdice High School fencing team won 11 Championships (Boys and Girls separate) in 10 seasons. Brendon was also responsible for laying a strong fencing foundation for Zara Moss, who has gone on to become one of the strongest sabre fencers in the USA, currently fencing in the NCAA for Penn State, and traveling the world as a member of Team USA.Brendon was also the Fight Choreographer and stunt coordinator for the movie Greek Goddess by Eleni Romanias, and has done educational and entertainment sword shows with Vince at the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Key West, the National Aviary in Pittsburgh, the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, several local middle and high schools, and various other venues.
Like Vince, Brendon is overflowing with knowledge of fencing and other sword arts and is always eager to share. He is probably the most personable of all the Corsair coaches, so never hesitate to approach him with questions!
Bogdan Haiko - All weapons
~*~*~Bio coming soon!~*~*~
Adam Marthens - All weapons
Adam has been fencing for nearly twenty years and Corsair has been his home away from home for more than half his life. Adam is experienced in all three sport fencing weapons as well as historical European swordsmanship and fight choreography/stage combat. After an afterschool fencing program with the late, great Coach Murphy, Adam fenced and was the captain for his high school team (Allderdice) under coaches Vincent and Brendon Beatty, won four high school league championships, and competed (and continues to compete) in a variety of USFA competitions. In addition to giving lessons and classes at Corsair, he and his wife Lisa also coach the fencing teams of Oakland Catholic and Central Catholic High Schools (OC won the PIFA Championship in 2019!), and Adam also serves as the League Commissioner for the Pittsburgh Interscholastic Fencing Association. As far as fencing is concerned, he’s a true Renaissance man and is happy to share his knowledge and love of the sport with everyone. Adam believes that fencing teaches many valuable skills, including discipline, flexibility (both mental and physical), self-reliance, and, most importantly, honor.
Lisa Marthens - Foil
Lisa caught the fencing bug when the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie was released, so you can do the math on how long she's been involved in the sport. She joined the Fencing Club her freshman year at Oakland Catholic High School, under the tutelage of Coach Murphy. She fenced on the team for 3 years and assistant coached for one. During and after high school she competed in some local and national competitions, but she really fell in love with coaching (Coach Murphy could never get her to promise that she wouldn't become a fencing coach). From her modest beginnings as Murphy's "lovely assistant" to running her own beginner classes, Lisa has become pretty convinced that she can get anyone to fall in love with fencing. Lisa truly believes in the power of this sport and the lessons it teaches in everyday life, and she knows that everyone involved in fencing has something valuable to gain and she will do her best to impart that wisdom.
Joshua Karausky- Epee
Joshua has been fencing intermittently since 2005. Since then he has become rated in all three weapons. He started at Fencing Institute of America and has attended many different clubs, and sought as many different coaches as possible. The formation of wordless connections with other individuals is among the best parts of fencing for him. As such, Josh is always willing to fence anyone, in any weapon, at any time. Just ask!
It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Coach Murphy on June 4th, 2016. His teaching and influence on the Pittsburgh fencing community will be missed, and his memory will live on in the minds and hearts of all of his students and friends.
Mr. Murphy has been coaching fencing for 30 years. He has coached at Carnegie Mellon University and California University of Pennsylvania. He is currently the head coach of the Oakland Catholic/ Central Catholic High School fencing team. His many students look up to Coach Murphy as a wise guru... or a fencing Buddah. He teaches all of the weapons, including the Stage and Historical styles, but focuses on Foil and Epee. Coach Murphy is a kind soul, but he is also a fencing master to be reckoned with. Under his wing, his fencers learn a beautiful, classic form, and are instilled with new-found self confidence.
