Freelance Fencing Coaching Staff
William Cracraft
Leo Bello
COACHES' BIOGRAPHIES
William Cracraft has been fencing for twenty four years and competing in local and national tournaments for nineteen years. He began fencing at The College of San Mateo in 1982 and began competing while training at Letterman Fencing Club in 1987 under maestros William O'Brien and Marcos Lucchetti. After Letterman folded in to the University of San Francisco FC in 1993, he earned numerous medals for individual and team competitions in all three weapons. In 2002, he joined Halberstadt Fencing Club and has been foil team captain for three years. The team earned a bronze medal in the 2003 at the Pacific Coast Championships. Cracraft has twice been three-weapon champion of San Francisco, and has won 74 medals, swords and other awards and is currently (as of Jan. 1, 2007) ranked 24th in the United States in his age bracket.
Cracraft began coaching at the College of San Mateo in 1996 and ran the USF Fencing Club from 1997-2000. He coaches for the Piedmont Rec Dept and is head coach for the Piedmont Fencing Crew, a BSA-based organization. He had two students, one epee, one sabre, make national points in their first full year of competition.
He currently trains in foil under Peter Ignatov, three-time European Men's Foil Champion, and in sabre under George Pogasov, 1992 Olympic Sabre Champion. Cracraft was chairman of the Northern California Division of the United States Fencing Association for six years and an elected delegate to the USFA senate. He advises the Pidemont Crew member-run executive committee and represents the club to the division and section.
Complete Resume
Leo Bello has been fencing for twenty years, beginning at the University of San Francisco as a student, and later at Letterman Fencing Club under maestros Dr. William F. O'Brien and Marcos Luccetti. He competed at local and national fencing tournaments in foil and epee, was Nor Cal Divisional Men's Foil Champion, held an "A" rating in foil and was a national point holder. Bello has been the fencing instructor at USF since 1997. He was chairman of the Northern California Division of the United States Fencing Association for two years and a delegate to the USFA senate.
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