Coach Honored For Fencing's Best Season Ever

It seems that everywhere head fencing coach Peter Brand travels, success follows. Championship titles, all-American finalists, NCAA qualifiers, and even Coach of the Year honors always accompany his name. Before coming to Harvard, the native Israeli led Brown to two women’s and one men’s championship titles, and he received the 1994-95 Northeast Collegiate Fencing Conference’s Coach of the Year award.

How then, one wonders, does a coach continually enter programs and develop them into nationally recognized teams?

It’s simple—he has a plan.

This year at the NCAA tournament, Brand was the first recipient of the Schreff Sword, given to the USFCA Outstanding Coach of the Year, an honor awarded based on the votes of the coaches in attendance at the NCAA tournament.

Harvard’s recent success has undoubtedly been attributed to the presence of Brand. A love for the sport and committed relationships with his athletes combine to create a positive training atmosphere for his fencers.

In the six years Brand has reined as Harvard’s head coach, the program has witnessed one national champion, two all-Americans, both men’s and women’s Ivy and IFA victories, and a sixth-place effort at the NCAA tournament, the highest finish in Crimson history.

Brand’s passion for the sport and his “five-year plan” proved to be a successful combination.

When he entered the program at the start of the 1999 season, he immediately focused on recruiting top fencers from around the nation. Prior to Brand’s arrival, Harvard’s recruiting had been neither highly emphasized nor carried through.

Yet Brand notes that recruiting was an important part of the plan and, in effect, has played a central role in the development of the program.

“I had a five-year plan which included, primarily, trying to do some recruiting, which was not a big priority here in the past,” Brand said. “I went out and looked for some great student athletes.”

David Jakus, a junior on the team, also notes the importance of recruiting in the past few years and its impact on the program.

“The only way you can be good in college fencing is by recruiting,” Jakus said. “He recognized that right away and does a good job recruiting.”

Brand pointed out other important benchmarks in his five-year plan, including winning the Ivy League title and the IFA title—both accomplished by the men’s and women’s squads this year—and attending the NCAA tournament.

In addition, he mentions the importance of bringing in strong assistant coaches that, like him, will work closely with the athletes to form a constructive atmosphere. He also credits the university, as well as the athletic department, as being very influential in his ability to shape and lead such a successful team.

More importantly though, he notes that the secret to his success is that he absolutely loves what he does.

“I think the main thing here is my love of the sport and the enthusiasm I bring in,” Brand said. “I think it’s infectious and it helps the athletes. Knowing that your coach cares not just about the sport but about you as a person helps their performance.”

Jackus notes another significant strength of Brand’s coaching style is his ability to apply the perfect degree of pressure on his athletes, in order for them to feel motivated rather than overwhelmed.

“He makes it clear that you have to work hard to get things done,” Jakus said. “He makes sure you’re in the right mindset without putting too much pressure on you.”

So it comes as no surprise that with such an impressive background, an amazing passion for the sport, and his strengths as a coach, that Brand received the 2005 Schreff Sword. Along with the award comes a great deal of respect from fellow colleagues, which Brand ultimately suggests is the most honorable aspect of receiving the hardware.

“I think having that respect is a great honor for me, especially because I know them all very well as individuals,” Brand said. “Having their recognition means a great deal to me.”

“I am thrilled to have been chosen as the first recipient of this wonderful USFCA award by my colleagues across the U.S.,” said Brand at a press release shortly after accepting the award.

Freshman Emily Cross says that the award has been a work in progress and is extremely deserved.

“It’s been a long time coming,” Cross said. “He’s been working hard to develop this team, and he’s always been very committed. I think he definitely deserves it, and he’s worked hard for it.

“I am glad that all of his hard work is being recognized,” she added.

“At this point we have arrived,” Brand said, referring to his original five-year plan. But Brand remains confident that although he has succeeded in his original goals, the progress of the team will not stop here.

His impact on the squad within the past six years has been astounding, as he has carried the once-mediocre program into a state of national recognition.

Jakus notes that Brand’s overall contribution to the team has been highly positive.

“He sets the tone perfectly for the team in terms of getting us motivated and reaching our full potential,” Jakus said. “He makes sure we can succeed at a top level.”

The fencers’ performances this year have validated Brand’s five-year plan, but why stop there? Now his old plan can be retired, clearing the way for another of his visions for the future.