Coaches and Board

Daria was on the Canadian national team for 12 years, 2011 Pan Am games sliver medalist.
Daria is a long-standing member of the Lightning Fencing Club and has been working as a club coach for 17 years. She was a coach for the 2013 Canada Summer Games where she represented Manitoba and coached the athletes at the week long event in Sherbrooke, Quebec. Since 2013 she has been assisting Provincial Coach, Ayach Bounacha with the Provincial Squad program, and travelling across Canada and to the US when necessary.

Daria Jorquera Palmer

Head Coach

Maia is currently a coach at Lightening fencing club and has coached various community projects and camps over the past 8 years for kids, teens and adults. She is a former international competitor within the sport of fencing and has competed and placed in various events across Canada and the U.S. When she isn’t attending zoom university, you can usually find her in the gym coaching or at practice with Manitoba’s provincial fencing team!

Maia Bacchus

Senior Coach

I started my fencing journey here at lightning fencing club when I was 13, I am now 24 and have loved the sport ever since. I competed on the provincial fencing team a few years in, alongside some of the other great coaches at this club. These days I am an insurance broker and try and spend as much time as I can outside when I’m not working. We take pride in trying to provide a fun but constructive environment for our athletes to thrive and believe everyone should give fencing a try!

Lucas Hamlin

Senior Coach

Interim President

Murray MacBeth

Murray has been a member of our board for the past two years. Having fenced himself and having his children both fencing, he has a very good overall perspective of what is happening in the club.
Murray's extensive list of skills has come in handy while we have been navigating all the strange circumstances involved in the pandemic and we welcome him in his new role of interim president!

Treasurer

Adina Lakser

Hi everyone! I am Adina Lakser and I have just joined the LFC Board as
Treasurer. As my family has been involved with LFC for a number of years--my
son Noah is a foilist and my daughter Lilly fenced until a couple of years ago--I
look forward to getting more involved. My professional background includes
coordinating community-based projects to address health inequities and a home-
based relationship coaching business. In these positions, I have developed skills
in project management, including financial and budget management, which, I
believe will be useful in my new role. I look forward to working with the LFC
Board and the community of fencers and families.

Member At Large

Ainsley MacDougall

Member at large

Member At Large

Cynthia Crellin

Member at large

Sara Bacchus

Junior Coach

Holly Havelka

Junior Coach

Barry Thorlakson

Junior Coach

Roman Song

Junior Coach

Hayden Thiessen

Junior Coach

Noah Merz Lakser

Junior Coach