News Modern Fencing Staff Location and Direction Class and Programs Team GRAFA Fencing Camp Events and Tournaments


We've Moved! As of September 1st, 2006 we have moved to our new location at 1345 Monroe!


Welcome to Grand Rapids Fencing Academy, home to West Michigan’s finest fencing instruction.  Under the direction of co-owners Mikhail and Arkadiy Sarkisov, accredited Masters of Fencing, GRAFA offers fencing programs for all ages, from beginner to advanced.  Our academy provides both the competitive and the recreational fencer a facility where they can develop their skills to their greatest potential through the active implementation of world-class training programs, competitions, and team sport.  It is our mission to develop each fencer to his or her ability and to promote the sportsmanship, passion, and camaraderie of fencing within the West Michigan community.

  • New! Grafa-Parents Mailing List
    • GRAFA now has an email list setup for club news.
    • To join send an email to grafa-parents-subscribe@grfencing.com
    • To send email to the list, send messages to grafa-parents@grfencing.com
    • If you have trouble, email the webmaster at zjanse20@calvin.edu

  • Foil and Epee "D" and Under Tournament
    • GRAFA is please to announce we will be hosting a Foil and Epee "D" and under Tournament in our new facility on September 30, 2006.
  • National Woman's Cadet Foil Team Coaches
    • Congratulations to coaches Mikhail and Arkadiy Sarkisov. They have been named as National Cadets Women's Foil Team Coaches for Cadets World Cups in Samorin, Slovakia and Jena, Germany.

  • News from Nationals
    • Rada Sarkisova took home a bronze medal in Cadets.
    • Dayana took 5th in Division I.
    • Michael DeCou made top 32 in Division III out of 211 fencers.
    • Additional congratulations go to Mitchell Sarkisov, Rui Takagi, Ed and Eddy Rosanski, and Justin Schohl.

  • New Building
    • We are currently finishing construction on our new location.
    • We will continue to operate in the old location until the new location is finished.
    • There will be an official announcement before we move.

  • Results from Nationals in Sacramento, CA
    • Dayana Sarkisova took 2nd place in the Youth 14 catagory.
    • In the Youth 10 Mitchell Sarkisov took 17th place. He is youngest fencer in the club on National Point List.
    • Rada Sarkisova made it to the top 32 in Div I.

  • Regional Youth Tournament Results-3 medals for Youth Fencers
    • Mitchell Sarkisov (age 9) competed in the Youth Under 10 and took home a gold medal.
    • Alex Enright (age 8) also competed in the Youth Under 10 catagory and took home a bronze medal.
    • Mitchell also competed in the 12 and Under event and took home a silver medal after several very difficult bouts.
    • GRAFA would like to congratulate Mitchell and Alex, two of our youngest fencers, on their success and wish them luck at Nationals.
    • more info...

  • Cadets Junior Olympics Results
    • Dayana Sarkisova competed in Cadets Junior Olympics in Hartford, Connecticut Feb. 20-22 and took home a bronze medal out of 215 .
    • Dayana earned an "A" rank.
    • She is now the youngest "A" rated fencer in Michigan.
    • Rada and Dayana Sarkisova are now the youngest "A" rated fencers in Michigan.

  • Alyson Swanson is the club's first and only women epee fencer to qualify and compete in the Junior Olympics.
    • Passed preliminary qualification cuts and competed in direct elimination bouts, where she lost to Courtney Hurley from Texas, who is the #1 epee fencer in the USA and one of the best epee fencers in the world.

  • Edy Rozansky is the first male epee fencer ever to represent GRAFA in JO competitions. Being only 13 years old he competed in both events: Cadets and Juniors. We admire his courage and are very proud of him. Way to go Eddy.

  • Zach Williams qualified for the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Individual Championship.
    • He is also ranked number one in the East going into the finals.
    • His team at Queen's University is undefeated and ranked number one going into the finals.

  • Rada Sarkisova placed 5th in NAC Div I in Pittsburgh, Dec. 9-12 2005.

  • National Championship results from Albuquerque, NM
    • Dayana Sarkisova - Gold medal in 14 and Under.
    • Rada Sarkisova - Gold medal in Cadets.
    • First time in history that any Michigan Club brought home 2 gold medals from a National Championship.

  • Dayana and Rada Sarkisova competed in the Cadets World Cup in Tauberbishofsheim
    • Dayana took 20th place
    • Rada took 33rd place, competing against 167 fencers from 11 countries.

  • Dayana and Rada Sarkisova participated in Cadets World Cup in Budapest, Hungary on October 15-16. Out of 92 fencers from 11 countries:
    • Dayana took 6th place 
    • Rada placed 18th 

  • Dayana and Rada Sarkisova competed in North American Cup in Miami, Fl October 8-9. Out of 99 fencers from the USA and Canada:
    • Dayana took home a silver medal 
    • Rada placed 6th

  • Alex Kernosky took 2nd place in Youth Regional Tournament in12 Under.

  • Rui Takagi earned "D" rank at the tournament for C and under held at Saginaw YMCA on October 3, 2005. He took third place out of 28 fencers.

  • On Oct. 2, Michael DeCou won the The Highlander D and Under Mixed Foil Tournament at WMFA.

    • More GRAFA News...


Grand Rapids Fencing Academy is very proud of it's accomplishments and the accomplishments of it's members:

First and only club in West Michigan to take home two gold medals at Nationals.


Home of two national gold medalists.

Coach Mikhail honored as “2004 Developmental Coach for Fencing"

Rada and Dayana Sarkisova are the youngest "A" rated fencers in Michigan.

GRAFA has the highest ranked fencers among the clubs in West Michigan.

GRAFA fencers earned 27 medals at Nationals, including one from the World Cup! The most of any club in Michigan.

Coaches Mikhail and Arkadiy Sarkisov have been selected as National Cadets Women's Foil Team Coaches for Cadets World Cups in Samorin, Slovakia and Jena, Germany.