Coach James “Jim” Basler is a nationally certified coach under the United States Fencing Coaches Association (USFCA) holding the rank and title, “Prevot d’Epee”. Coach Jim started his Fencing career at Texas State University, participating in both intercollegiate club tournaments, as well as USA Fencing events. He helped start some of the first public school Fencing programs in the state of Texas, coaching several state championship teams.

Coach Jim completed an an apprenticeship under Olympic Gold Medal Coach, Maestro Mark Masters at the Fencing Academy of Philadelphia. During his time there he worked alongside NYU Head Coach Ben Bratton and learned from Jerzy “Jurek” Konczalski, former Polish National Epee Coach, at the FIE coaching conference in Peru. Coach Jim has continued to further his education more recently by attending seminars lead by Maître Michel Sicard and an intensive, invitational, national training camp in Poland.

He has developed numerous national competitors as well as student athletes that have gone on to Fence at NCAA schools such as Drew University, Vassar College, and UPenn.

When not coaching he can often be found behind a grill perfecting the art of searing Picanha to a perfect medium rare.