Coaching Team

Brian Matliss

Brian has been one of the countries top coaches at both foil and epee for many years and is a British Academy of Fencing Coach and level 3 epee coach. He is also our Life President and he has coached numerous fencers to Olympic and international standard in addition to pentathletes and wheelchair fencers. Brian retired from the weekly running of the fencing club in April 2011 but continues to keep a close eye on the coaching team and programme.

Helen Kay

Helen is “The Boss” and is responsible for all aspects of running the club . She has fenced foil for over 30 years at International, National and County level and, for many years, was ranked number 2 in Great Britain. She has been coaching foil for 25 years to all ages and abilities and is a level 3 foil coach..

Simon Trevithick

Simon is responsible for developing and delivering the clubs junior and senior fencing programmes together with the clubs school and community' programmes. Prior to joining the club Simon lived and coached in China, where alongside his ‘proper’ job, delivered junior fencing programmes in local state and international private schools. Simon also delivers programmes for Mencap, and Special Olympics Great Britain. In 2018 Simon became British Fencing ‘Community Coach of the Year’.

Caitlin Chang

Caitlin started fencing at the age of seven after watching a demonstration of the sport on a school trip to the Royal Armouries. Since then, and under the guidance of Brian, she has travelled the world fencing for Great Britain (and more lately Jamaica), won many National and International epee titles at both junior and senior level and even carried the Olympic flame in 2012 through the streets of Harrogate. In January 2024 Caitlin won the Yorkshire epee title for a staggering tenth time and qualified as a Level 2 Epee coach. Needless to say she is the clubs most successful ever fencer and we are delighted that she is now a valuable and integral part of the club coaching staff

Jill Mooney

Jill is a fencing mum whos motto literally is “if you can’t beat them join them”. Having fenced nationally at both school and university, Jill brought her two sons down to the club for fencing lessons and finished up getting involved! Now the clubs welfare officer, she recently enrolled on the British Fencing Level 1 coaching course and passed with flying colours. Apart from managing all the paperwork she now helps out and assists the coaches with the delivery of junior group sessions. Jill was a founder member of the Wirral Fencing Club.