Coach Catino Bio
Coach Matthew Catino has been working extensively in the sport of modern foil fencing for ten years. Matthew, a 1999 Guilford High School graduate, was a two-time individual high school state foil champion, leading the men’s foil team to back-to-back state titles. During his two years of fencing at GHS, Matthew was undefeated in high school competition, a feat never before accomplished in Connecticut. As a senior at GHS, Matthew began competing professionally and achieved a top ten ranking in both the Junior and Senior National Point Standings by the end of his high school career.

In the winter of 1999, Matthew was invited to attend the US Olympic Training Camp. As a freshman at Rutgers College, Matthew was a starter for the men’s foil team under the guidance of head coach and US Olympic Men’s Foil Coach Yefim Litvan. Matthew helped the Rutgers Fencing Team to a tenth place finish at NCAA Championships in the 2000 season, the team’s highest finish in four years. In the summer of 2000, Matthew represented the Metropolis Fencing Team at the US Olympic Trials in Austin, Texas. Coached by national team coach Mikhail Petin, the Metropolis Fencing Team won the gold medal.

Matthew began his coaching career as the youngest head coach of any sport at Guilford High School, taking over the Men and Women’s Fencing Teams at the age of 20. In his first year, Matthew produced four first-team all-state athletes, and captured the women’s foil team state championship. In his three years as Guilford head coach, Matthew taught 10 first-team all-state athletes, an individual state champion, an all-North Atlantic athlete, and earning two state team titles.

In 2001, Matthew established the ATS Fencing Center (AFC) in 2001, coaching athletes of all age and skill levels. As head coach and program director for the AFC, Matthew established the non-profit Shoreline Foundation’s youth development foil league. During his time at the AFC, Matthew coached the Our Lady of Mercy Fencing Team, and ran clinics and camps for Adams Middle School, Walsh Intermediate School, Tuttle School, Shelton High School, and others.