When he heard Amborski had moved to the Bay Area from Sacramento in 2002, Joslin gave him a call.
“I told him who I was and what I was doing,” said Joslin, director of the Coastside Academy of Fencing. “I asked him if he would help me out.”
 Tomek Amborski has spent most of his life in fencing, from participating to coaching to officiating. He's one of the coaches at the Coastside Academy of Fencing. |
These days, they are preparing a handful of students for the U.S. Nationals taking place this summer in Grapevine, Texas.
Amborski has been involved in fencing for more than 40 years. A native of Poland, he was an alternate for that country’s 1972 Summer Olympic team. He was a three-time national champion, and was Poland’s national junior coach in the early 1980s.
He immigrated to Canada in 1988, as the Polish people dealt with crushing economic decline that ultimately led to the end of the communist government.
Amboroski moved to Sacramento in 1996, building the Sacramento Fencing Club. He coached James Williams before leaving for the Bay Area. Williams won a silver medal at last year’s Olympics.
After coaching in San Francisco, Amborski is now involved in the Coastside Academy.
“We are hoping for more fencers,” Amborski said. “We have about 40 to 50 members. Not all of them are fulltime.”
The club will be offering classes in Pacifica, which is very convenient for Amborski, who now resides there with his family.
Amborski lives the sport. He officiates, runs training courses and reviews new officials.
At practice, he puts on the gear and fences with some of the students.
“Fencing keeps me in shape,” Amborski said. “I tell the kids if I can do it, so can they.”
He has earned the respect of the students.
“He never gets mad at us,” said Carrie Gilchrist. “If we make a mistake, he works with us.”
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