Mikhail Shimshovich

				Position: Assistant Coach Experience: 15 seasons Alma Mater: Kiev Physical Education College `71

Mikhail Shimshovich will begin his 16th season as an assistant coach with the St. John's fencing program. Shimshovich helped coach the team to a third place finish in the 2011 NCAA Championships, extending the stretch of finishing sixth or better to 16 straight years.

Shimshovich is a five-time gold medalist in the Ukrainian Senior National Championships and a former member of the U.S.S.R. National Team. Shimshovich has also received Ukraine's Distinguished Fencing Coach honors.

From 1992-95, Shimshovich was the head coach of the Ukrainian fencing team in Kiev, Ukraine. He evaluated and recruited the best fencers from the Ukraine to train and compete in national, international and Olympic competitions. He created custom tailored training programs for each fencer based on their respective abilities. Shimshovich prepared former U.S.S.R. and Ukrainian National Team members for World Championships and Olympic Games.

Since 1998 he has produced a number of U.S. national champions and medalists in all age groups. Many collegiate students that have learned from his tutelage have won World University Games and NCAA Championship medals. He is also the International level Fencing Director representing the U.S. National fencing team. Shimshovich has coached children, as well as junior and senior men and women who wish to compete on the local and national levels of the USFA. He focuses on teaching advanced techniques and strategies for winning national and international competitions. Many of his students have been on the USFA National Point Standing List and have been USFA medalists.

From 1967-71, Shimshovich attended Kiev Physical Education College in Kiev, Ukraine, where he graduated with a bachelor of arts in fencing training. He obtained a master's degree in physical education from Kiev in 1975 and served as the fencing coach for his alma mater from 1987-90.