D
r. Paul Geraci was born into a rich fencing legacy, in fact he is the fourth fencing master in his family. His cousin A. John Geraci was an international master who coached at West Point and Rutgers and was president of the USFCA in the early 1980s. His ancestor Garibaldi Geraci and his father Andrea Geraci were fencing masters to the armies of Italy and Switzerland and very influential in establishing schools of fencing throughout Europe.
Maestro Geraci took his first fencing lessons from his cousin John and began fencing in the New Jersey High School system at Morristown High School. But he developed a love of coaching when he went to Bowling Green State University for a master’s degree where he augmented his graduate assistantship by teaching fencing classes. Eventually he went to Indiana where he coached at River City Fencing, Summit City Fencing Club, Escrime du Lac, Bladepoint, and Purdue University. He held many clinics for fencers and coaches, and produced many certified coaches, rated fencers, and national medallists. He is now the head coach for the Indianapolis Fencing Club.
As an administrator he was the chairman of the Indiana Division, the Vice President of the United States Coaching Association, the Vice Chair of the Great Lakes Section, member of the USFA Congress, and is the editor of The Swordmaster magazine. His articles on fencing have been published and he has been a presenter and panellist at many fencing conferences. He is also known nationwide for his sports broadcasts at the Arnold Sports Festival and Ascalon Sword Festival.
Geraci has earned an “A” rating in competition epee, and is rated as a three weapon referee. He holds a master diploma in epee (Maitre d’epeee) and Prevot d’armes from the USFCA and AAI. He also holds the rank of Classical Fencing Master from the CAA (Classical Academy of Arms) in all three weapons. In addition to his sport fencing, he has fenced with historical weapons since 1992 and considers the rapier to be his second weapon. He is thrilled to come back to Indiana and begin working with fencers, coaches, and parents at the Indianapolis Fencing Club. In many ways he considers this going back to his family roots taking up the time honoured tradition of teaching swordplay like his ancestors did before him.