Fencing SYFA-South Youth Fencing Alliance

Huge congratulations to Therese-Margaret Woerter and Jamie Zinser on being named to the 2025-26 USA Fencing All-Academic Second Team!

This national honor recognizes fencers who excel in the classroom while competing at a high level on the strip. Therese and Jamie represent exactly what SYFA is about: discipline, focus, and excellence in everything they do.

We could not be prouder of these two. The work they put in at school and in the club shows every single day.

Want to start your fencing journey? Join us at https://playpass.com/south-youth-fencing-alliance

Building Champions On and Off the Strip

South Youth Fencing Alliance | Playpass South Youth Fencing Alliance (SYFA) is a foil-focused fencing club based in Rochester, Minnesota. SYFA develops young athletes through structured training, disciplined practice, and consistent competition. The club emphasizes process over outcome.

That’s a wrap on the 2026 USA Fencing Summer Nationals! 🤺

One year. Same stage. Look at the growth.

📈 Jamie Zinser: 177th of 275 in Div II last year. 74th of 233 this year. From the top 64% to the top 32%, plus his first Div I-A national event and a brand new C rating earned this season.

📈 Therese-Margaret Woerter: Moved up from Div III to Div II and delivered her best Nationals ever, 84th of 154 with wins over multiple rated fencers. That’s what a year of work looks like.

📈 Aviella Wilkins: 144th in Y-10 last year. 96th this year. A 48-place jump in twelve months, on top of two Y-8 gold medals this season.

📈 Graham Randall: Aged up to Y-12, faced kids up to two years older in a 254-fencer field, and fought into the elimination rounds at his first Nationals in the division.

📈 Mateo Wilkins: Backed up last year’s Div II run with another top-third finish, 68th of 233, while balancing a full college fencing season at Lawrence University.

Some personal bests. Some tough days. All of it earned. Every one of these fencers showed the grit, bravery, and determination we build at SYFA, and every one comes home knowing exactly what to sharpen next.

This week gave your coach plenty too. I studied programs from across the country, connected with college coaches who are now watching our athletes, and came home with new training ideas and a notebook full of plans. The work continues this summer, and the season is coming.

To our parents: the travel, the early mornings, the endless encouragement through hard bouts. None of this happens without you. You are the backbone of this team.

And to anyone who watched us in Portland: the camaraderie you saw is real. Our fencers cheer for each other win or lose. No cliques, no egos. Just a family that competes hard and lifts each other up.

Building Champions On and Off the Strip.

Join us:

South Youth Fencing Alliance | Playpass South Youth Fencing Alliance (SYFA) is a foil-focused fencing club based in Rochester, Minnesota. SYFA develops young athletes through structured training, disciplined practice, and consistent competition. The club emphasizes process over outcome.

Four days of national competition in the books for SYFA at USA Fencing Summer Nationals in Portland, and we’re not done yet. Aviella Wilkins takes the strip in Y-10 Women’s Foil tomorrow, and the whole SYFA family is behind her.

Here’s how our crew has answered the challenge so far on the biggest stage in American fencing:

Therese-Margaret Woerter fenced two national events, going 84 of 155 in Div II Women’s Foil and battling through Div III as well. Two events, hundreds of the best fencers in the country, and she stepped up to every bout.

Mateo Wilkins finished 68 of 234 in Div II Men’s Foil, a top-third finish in one of the deepest fields of the tournament, and tested himself against elite competition in Div I-A.

Jamie Zinser put together two strong days, finishing 74 of 234 in Div II and 74 of 129 in Div I-A, holding his own against some of the strongest foilists in the nation.

Graham Randall competed in Y-12 Men’s Foil against a 254-fencer national field, won his way into the DE round, and gained the kind of experience you can only earn by being here.

Every one of these athletes will tell you what they learned this week, and every one of them will be back next year hungrier and sharper. That’s what this trip was about.

To our SYFA families: your coach sees you. The early mornings, the travel, the support in the stands. Our kids step up to the challenge because you show up for them. I could not be prouder of this team.

One more day. Let’s go Avi!

Building Champions On and Off the Strip.

🤺 SUMMER NATIONALS UPDATE 🤺

Big shoutout to ZINSER Jamie for stepping onto the strip in Junior Men's Foil at USA Fencing Summer Nationals in Portland! 🇺🇸

The first event didn't go the way we hoped, finishing 285 of 326 in an absolutely loaded field. But here's the thing about this sport: Summer Nationals is one of the toughest tournaments in the country, and just being there means you've earned your place among the best young fencers in the nation.

That's fencing. Some days the touches fall your way, some days they don't. What matters is you showed up, you competed, and now we move forward. 💪

We're already locking in and getting ready for the next series. The blade is sharp and the mind is focused. This is just the beginning.

Proud of you, Jamie. Onward! ⚔️

Forge the Mind. Sharpen the Blade.

Ready to start your own fencing journey? Join us at SYFA: https://playpass.com/south-youth-fencing-alliance

South Youth Fencing Alliance | Playpass South Youth Fencing Alliance (SYFA) is a foil-focused fencing club based in Rochester, Minnesota. SYFA develops young athletes through structured training, disciplined practice, and consistent competition. The club emphasizes process over outcome.

We loved bringing fencing to the community and introducing new and potential fencers to the sport. Watching people pick up a foil for the first time is always a highlight.

And the journey doesn’t stop here. Next up: our fencers are heading to Portland for Summer Nationals to compete on the biggest stage in the country. 🇺🇸

Whether you’re a first-timer or a national qualifier, there’s a place for you on the SYFA Team. Come fence with us!

Thank you to everyone who stopped by our exhibition. See you in Portland and beyond!

Packed house for Adult Fencing Night at SYFA tonight! 🤺

If you have been curious about fencing, want a new way to get out, work out, have fun? Friday nights from 5-7pm are the perfect time to come find out what it is all about. We stay late because when it is this much fun, why rush? No gear? No problem. Loaner equipment is available.

Special thanks to Aaron Chan, Jonathan Phung, and Ashwin Koka for the great coaching and for making everyone feel welcome tonight. And a big shoutout to Aaron for keeping the cool people coming through our doors.

Ready to give it a try? Find us at:
6254 34th Ave NW Unit C, Rochester, MN 55901
Or sign up at:
https://playpass.com/south-youth-fencing-alliance

See you on the strip! 🤺

🤺 TCFC June Challenges, and what a day for SYFA!

This was likely our last local tune-up before we head to Portland for Summer Nationals, and our fencers showed up with the kind of growth and grit we love to see.

Some big results to celebrate:

🥇 Aviella Wilkins, 1st of 9, Y-12 Mixed Foil
🥈 Ardella Walsh, 2nd of 3, Y-12 Women’s Foil, plus 3rd of 9 in Y-12 Mixed Foil
🥉 Graham Randall, 3rd of 9, Y-12 Mixed Foil
🏅 Maja Elizabeth Kunze, 3rd of 3, Senior Women’s Foil
🔥 Therese-Margaret Woerter, 7th of 16, Senior Mixed Foil
🔥 Linus Winters, 8th of 16, Senior Mixed Foil

And the rest of our Senior Mixed Foil squad battled hard and kept fencing strong:
Evan Sundsbak (9th), Ashwin Koka (12th), Ezra Mogensen (13th), Maja Elizabeth Kunze (15th), Avarie Phingpha (16th)

A special shoutout to our épéeist Ashwin Koka, who doubled up and competed in two events, adding a 14th of 23 in Senior Mixed Épée to go with his 12th in foil. 💪

Win or learn, every bout makes us better. Proud of this whole team. Portland, here we come. ⚔️



Coach and fam also were lucky enough to see Horace the Co**se Flower Como Park Zoo & Conservatory open!!