Meet the Coaches: Head and assistant fencing
Amanda Levitt
BEND, DON’T BREAK. Head coach Bakhyt Abdikulov works with a fencer at an afternoon practice. Mr. Abdikulov has been coaching for nearly 25 years, internationally and in the United States.
January 19, 2018
Bakhyt Abdikulov
Mr. Abdikulov is a former World Cup Champion and Olympian. Besides coaching at U-High, he is head coach at the Fencing Center of Chicago.
When did you start fencing?
When I was 14 years old.
How did you become a coach?
Because I wanted to.
When did you become a coach?
I started in 1993.
What do you love about being a coach?
Producing good fencers.
What are your goals for the U-High team this year?
To see improvement because we have lots of beginners and I would like to get 4 medals: Clemente [Figueroa], Jacob [Shkrob], Tiangang Huang, and Zoe [Dervin].
What do you do when you’re not coaching?
I coach all day.
Who is your favorite artist and why?
Stevie Wonder, I love his songs.
How do you motivate the team?
With practice and giving interesting things, encouraging, convincing, and getting them good results.
Lawrence Shelven
Mr. Shelven is a 2017 Dartmouth graduate and a fencing instructor at Hyde Park Fencing.
When did you start fencing?
In freshman year of high school.
When did you become a coach?
I just started this season.
What do you love about being a coach?
Sharing all the things I’ve learned through my years of fencing and seeing people catching on.
What are your goals for the U-High team this year?
To get a lot of people to go to tournaments, to do well, and to have people enjoy the sport and have confidence.
What do you do when you’re not coaching?
I have a job at a restaurant and another coaching job, and volunteer at a homeless ministry, and I hangout with my roommates.
Who is your favorite artist and why?
Chance the Rapper, because he has a very particular style of music but it touches on a lot of issues.
How do you motivate the team?
By being hard but understanding since I’ve been a student as well. Have them know that you start as a beginner and work your way up.
Carrington • Dec 2, 2021 at 8:11 am
I loved the interview with Bakhyt Abdikulov: I was one of his students from 1998-2004, came to appreciate his dry humor as well as his tremendous skill. I hope U-High’s team has persevered through the late unpleasantness.