The Club Behind
the Blade

Coach Anthony Lum Vella brings more than 16 years of fencing experience and over a decade of coaching to SFE Fencing Club. A multi-weapon coach with experience across foil, saber, and epee, Anthony has built a competitive career spanning collegiate, regional, national, and international competition.

His accomplishments include helping his collegiate team earn a 2nd-place finish at the Intercollegiate Fencing Conference Championships, along with an extensive medal record at the local and regional levels. Nationally, he has earned silver and bronze medal finishes, as well as multiple top-eight results in the United States and Canada.

Anthony's competitive success ultimately led to his selection to the USA Cadet National Team, where he represented the United States in international competition, including events in Slovakia.

As a coach, Anthony works with youth beginners, intermediate fencers, adults, private students, camps, and competitive athletes. His approach combines technical precision, tactical intelligence, disciplined progression, and long-term athlete development. Drawing from experience at every level of the sport, he helps athletes develop the skills, confidence, competitive awareness, and mindset necessary to continue advancing.

Born in England and raised in San Francisco, Anthony brings a broad perspective to his coaching and remains deeply connected to the local fencing community. Outside the sport, his interests include Wing Chun, classical guitar, and motorcycles.

Bryson J. Cooke is the CEO of SFE Fencing Club and a USA Fencing certified coach with a focus on saber. His passion for fencing grew under the guidance of his coach, Nicolas Rousset, whose influence helped shape Coach Cook's appreciation for the discipline, strategy, and character-building power of the sport.

Before founding SFE, Coach Cook, a former NCAA Div 1 student athlete and professional athlete, spent more than 10 years coaching youth sports, including football and baseball. That experience gave him a strong foundation in mentorship, team culture, athletic development, and helping young athletes build confidence through structure, repetition, and positive coaching.

At SFE, Coach Cook brings a CEO's vision and a coach's mindset to the club experience. His approach centers on discipline, confidence, movement, and personal growth — helping students develop not only as fencers, but as focused, resilient young athletes. He is especially passionate about introducing new students to fencing in a way that feels modern, supportive, and inspiring.

Through SFE Fencing Club, Coach Cook is building a community where youth, adults, and families can experience the sport through all three weapons — saber, foil, and epee — while developing focus, confidence, athletic intelligence, and a deeper respect for the art of fencing.