Peter Westbrook

Peter Jonathan Westbrook (born April 16, 1952) is an American former sabre fencing national and Pan American Games champion, Olympic bronze medalist, and founder of the Peter Westbrook Foundation.

He founded the Peter Westbrook Foundation (PWF), a 501(c)(3) non-profit that uses fencing as a vehicle in developing life and academic skills of young people from under-served communities of New York City.

Westbrook's father, Ulysses, was a G.I. stationed in Japan during the Korean War when he met Mariko, a Japanese woman from a sheltered home.

Soon after their marriage they returned to the United States, traveling first to St. Louis, Missouri, and eventually settling in Newark, New Jersey, where Peter and his younger sister Vivian were born.

Peter's earliest memories are of frequent bouts of domestic violence.

Peter was 4 when his father left, leaving his mother to raise the family with no real skills or outside means of support.

Through a series of jobs, working in a factory and as a maid, she provided for her children.

Raising the children Catholic, Mariko bartered with priests at the local parochial school (St. Peters/Queen of Angels) in exchange for schooling for Peter and Vivian.

Harassed by the other children because of his mixed race and taught by his mother to "not cry, to work hard, to be ethical, and to fight to achieve our goals; And if we should survive the fight, she said, we should get up and fight some more," the young Westbrook became a very good fighter.

His fencing career started at fencing powerhouse Essex Catholic High School, only because of his mother's $5 bribe.

Mariko knew that fencing would keep Peter out of trouble and, if he had any ability, bring him into contact with people who would expose him to a different world than the one he had been born into.

Under the tutelage of Dr. Samuel D'ambola, a medical doctor and the founder of the Essex Catholic High School fencing program, his talent was discovered and nurtured.

Despite experiencing some incidents of racism, he excelled.

Recognizing his abilities, D'ambola started Westbrook with the sabre.

Used predominantly as a cutting and slashing weapon, he was thrilled to be training on a sword that childhood hero Zorro had also used.

I quickly became attached to sabre fencing ... [it] satisfied my constant need to be quick with everything I did.

Fencing was just like street boxing, only not as brutal.

And here was a kind of fighting that my mother not only allowed, but actually encouraged." [Harnessing Anger, pg 33]

By his senior year he was the best fencer for a high school team.

Westbrook didn't consider college until he received a recruitment call from New York University's Hugo Castello, the multi-championship-winning fencing coach for one of the best fencing programs in the country.

Under the tutelage of coaching greats like Hugo and James Castello, Westbrook's abilities entered a new level.

In addition to talented coaching, he would regularly spar with teammates like Steve Kaplan.

"NYU was like a tributary that lead out into the great ocean—you could get there from here."

[Harnessing Anger, page 41]

While at NYU Westbrook switched from the School of Education to the New York University Stern School of Business, falsely believing that working in an office would be easier than teaching having to "stand in front of a bunch of people and look them in the eyes and convey a message!"

[Harnessing Anger, page 42]

Westbrook credits therapist Mildred Klingman with helping him lose his fears and inhibitions and teaching him how to "read" people and communicate with them.

In 1972 he began training with Csaba Elthes, a Hungarian sabreur at the New York Fencers Club.

Physically and verbally abusive behavior led Westbrook to leave Csaba after one semester.

In 1973, he won the NCAA sabre championship.

Recognizing that his short time with Csaba has advanced his skill significantly, Westbrook returned to Csaba, who also realized that Westbrook, unlike other fencers, didn't require abuse in order to focus and learn because he was a very good listener.

In 1974 as a college senior, Westbrook placed first at the Amateur Fencers League of America's (now known as USA Fencing) National Championships, beating world-class fencers like Alex Orban and Paul Apostol.

Westbrook won the U.S. National Men's Sabre Championship 13 times (1974–'75, '79–'86, '88–'89 and '95).

Winning the Nationals made him an internationally recognized fencer.

In 1975, Westbrook won a silver team medal and a bronze individual medal at the Pan American Games in Mexico City.

In 1976, Westbrook attended his first Olympic Games.

During pre-competition sparring with another European fencer, Westbrook tore two ligaments.

In 1979, he won a silver team medal.

These wins were soon accompanied by his 1983 gold individual medal and silver team medal.

From 1987 to 1995, Westbrook won additional silver medals for individual performance (1987); two silver medals for team performance (1987, 1991) and gold medals for individual and team performances (1995).