Van Diemen Fencing Club

We are dedicated to raising the profile of the fun and challenging Olympic sport of fencing in Tasmania. We have four AFF accredited coaches, and Head Epee Coach Avery Holderness-Roddam gained his Oceania Fencing Confederation Epee Coach Level 2 qualification in January 2025.

 All coaches have their Registration to Work with Vulnerable People checks, AIS Community Coaching General Principles certification, and current First Aid and CPR training. Coaches Karina and Avery also have Mental Health First Aid training.

Coaching Team:

Avery Holderness-Roddam - Head Epee Coach

  • OFC Epee Coach Level 2

  • AFF Epee Coach Level 1

  • Registration to Work with Vulnerable People (with NDIS endorsement)

  • Community Coaching General Principles

  • Current First and CPR

  • Mental Health First Aid

  • Specialises in Epee

  • Launched VDFC in 2011

  • Coaches at all three locations

  • Passionate about making fencing more accessible.

  • Has won medals Nationally and overseas

Karina Halys - Head Foil Coach

  • AFF Foil Coach Level 1

  • Registration to Work with Vulnerable People

  • Community Coaching General Principles

  • Current First and CPR

  • Mental Health First Aid

  • Specialises in Foil, also an excellent Epee coach

  • Joined VDFC in 2011

  • Coaches on Tuesdays and Saturdays

  • Our prised DT for all Tasmanian fencing tournaments.

  • Has won medals Nationally and overseas

Titia Bohlken: 

  • AFF Sabre Coach Level 1

  • Registration to Work with Vulnerable People

  • Community Coaching General Principles

  • Current First and CPR

  • Specialises in Sabre

  • Coaches at our Monday and Saturday clubs

  • Is in the running for ‘Cheekiest Coach’

Daniel Muller: 

  • AFF Foil Coach Level 1

  • Registration to Work with Vulnerable People

  • Community Coaching General Principles

  • Current First and CPR

  • Specialises in Foil

  • Coaches at all three sessions

  • Electronics wizard

Noah Clarke: 

  • Registration to Work with Vulnerable People

  • Runs advanced warm-up and footwork sessions

  • Tasmanian Representative

Tim Harvest: 

  • Registration to Work with Vulnerable People

  • Runs advanced warm-up and footwork sessions when Noah is away

  • Tasmanian Representative

  • Long-time referee at our tournaments.

Emil Kavic: 

  • Registration to Work with Vulnerable People

  • Current First Aid and CPR

  • Assistant-Coach for Sabre and Foil

  • Joined VDFC in 2021

  • Referees at our tournaments.

  • Also very cheeky.

Quincy Green Carlos: 

  • Junior Coach assisting with U12’s and beginner to intermediate members

  • Tasmanian Representative



Club Highlights:

  • Friendly and inclusive club with members aged 7 to 94+.

  • Weekly sessions in North Hobart (Mondays), Glenorchy (Tuesdays), and Huntingfield (Saturdays).

  • Tournaments, camps, courses, social events, and interstate trips.

  • Epee, Foil, and Sabre coaching.

  • Guest coaches include Magalie LeDu (2011), Garnet Alexander (c. 2012), Henry de Silva (2015), Nik Mihailescu (2019), and Ursula Menz (2023, 2024).

Achievements:

  • One OFC Epee Level 2 qualified coach.

  • One AFF accredited referee.

  • Four AFF Level 1 coaches; in Epee (1), Foil (2) and Sabre (1).

  • Four members won medals at the Australian Masters Games in Adelaide in 2023.Launched Monday sessions in North Hobart in 2023.

  • Launched a second location in Blackmans Bay in 2019, and moved to Tarremah Steiner School in 2020.

  • Three members won medals at national tournaments in 2018-2019.

  • Established the Tasmanian Fencing Association (TFA Inc) in 2018.

Community Engagement:

  • Promotion of fencing as an accessible sport for neurodiverse and LGBTQIA+ individuals.

  • Come and Try sessions at local events.

  • Regular sessions for schools and community groups.

  • Inaugural LGBTQIA+ and Women and Girls’ Learn to Fence courses in July 2021.





“Hell hath no fury like a woman with a sword!”

— Fencing T-shirt

 

THE TEAM

Avery Holderness-Roddam, Founder and Head Epee Coach (AFF accredited)

Karina Halys, Head Foil Coach and Epee Coach (AFF accredited)

Georgie Holderness-Roddam, Miracle worker, mascot-puppy sitter, equipment maintenance

Robert Holderness-Roddam, Fencing jacket washer

Titia Bohlken, Sabre Coach (AFF accredited), Referee (completing AFF accreditation)

Daniel Muller, Foil Coach (AFF accredited)

Emil Kavic, Assistant Foil Coach (working towards his accreditation)

Tim Harvest, Assistant Referee

Noah Clarke, Runs advanced Epee footwork training

Quincy Green Carlos, Junior Coach - assisting with U12’s, beginners, and intermediate fencers

Abi Yates VDFC artist

Finn McKenna VDFC Club logo and badge designer