From Frascati to Home: A Mission of Enlightened Self-interest

When Johnny Davis OLY, the Academy Mentoring Lead for Growth and Development, mentioned that if we were serious about our Academy vision we had to go a learn from the best and head to Italy, I jumped at the opportunity. We needed to take our 'one day' vision and make meaningful 'day one' actions. As such in late October, Johnny and I travelled to Frascati Scherma in Italy, our purpose went far beyond the piste. The aim was not to learn about sword in hand skills or tactical development but rather their management system, their pathway, athlete journeys and recruitment. We went to learn, to understand, and ultimately, to share. This was a fact-finding mission guided by one principle: enlightened self-interest.

By learning from those who have built enduring success, we planned to strengthen not only our own Academy but the entire fencing community we serve. What benefits our athletes, our coaches, and our young fencers ultimately benefits everyone who steps onto a piste, here in Hertfordshire and beyond.

Learning from the Masters of Sustained Success

Frascati Scherma sits high in the hills overlooking Rome, a club whose story reads like the history of Italian fencing itself in a area situated not too dissimilar to our home St Albans is located to London. Ten of their athletes competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics, winning two silver medals, continuing a legacy that stretches back to 1976, when Stefano Simoncelli brought home their first Olympic medal.

The lessons we took away were clear:

1. A Community That Champions Its Own

Frascati’s strength isn’t just built on talent or facilities, it’s built on community values. The club is a family. Young fencers train alongside Olympic medallists. International athletes relocate there not just for the technical quality, but because of the feeling of belonging. Their culture of shared purpose fuels performance.

2. Structure, Pathway, and Purpose

Frascati’s pathway is precise and proven, from grassroots to world-class, each step is intentional. Fencers know where they stand and what’s next. Their purpose-built centre, designed specifically for fencing, provides a home where this structure thrives: space for focused training, recovery, and mentorship under the same roof.

3. Stability Through Support

One of the most distinctive aspects of the Italian system is how their top athletes can dedicate themselves to training full-time thanks to support from institutions like the police, army, and civil service. This partnership gives athletes both financial security and a sense of service beyond sport. It’s a model that ties personal ambition to national contribution, the essence of enlightened self-interest.

Bringing the Lessons Home

At Paul Davis Fencing Academy (PDFA), our goal has always been to create a strong sustainable business that's foundations are rooted in the philosophy 'its not just what you get, but who you become'. The structure of our organisation allows us to reinvest directly into people and programmes that uplift our community. Every decision is made with a dual focus: advancing performance and expanding opportunity.

Investing Back Into the Community

Inspired by what we saw in Frascati, we’ve doubled down on our own reinvestment strategy. From school outreach and community sessions to our new semi-professional athlete contracts, every initiative is designed to strengthen the ecosystem around fencing.

These new contracts worth £13,750 per athlete per year represent a significant step forward. They aim to remove financial barriers and give our top fencers the chance to train and compete at the highest level without sacrificing stability or education. It’s our version of the Frascati model, supporting athletes so they can give their best not only to the Academy but to Team GBR and the wider sport.

Shared Growth Through Shared Purpose

This is enlightened self-interest in practice: by building an environment where our athletes can thrive, we elevate everyone around them. The senior fencers who benefit from the contracts also mentor younger athletes, strengthening our pathway from foundation to elite. The business grows, the athletes grow, and the community grows with them.

A Vision for Sustainable Excellence

Our visit to Frascati reminded us that true success is never selfish. When one part of the system improves, the whole rises, as we say 'an individual success is a team triumph'. The Italian model shows how excellence and community can coexist and how, when aligned with purpose, they reinforce each other.

At the Academy, we are applying these lessons to create a sustainable, world-class fencing ecosystem here in Hertfordshire, one built on community, opportunity, and reinvestment.

Every medal, every personal best, every new young fencer picking up a sabre for the first time is part of something bigger: a cycle of giving back. We grow so that others can grow. We learn so that others can learn. We succeed so that the community can flourish.

That’s enlightened self-interest and that’s the spirit guiding the next chapter of Paul Davis Fencing Academy.

I would like to thank the following people who made our trip possible and welcomed us so warmly: Johnny Davis, President - Paolo Molinari, Coaches - Alessandro D'Alessio, Fabio Galli and Valerio Aspromonte.