Dayn DeRose

Instructor of judo, jujitsu, fencing, kenpo, and sambo

Martial Arts:

Dayn DeRose B.A., M.A., has been a senior instructor at South Mountain Martial Arts for since 1997. He previously taught Judo and Karate for Sensei Mamoru Shimamoto (Kodokan 8th dan; Koshiki karatedo 8th dan), at his school in South Orange, New Jersey, for almost 20 years. He is ranked to teaching levels of Black Belt in Judo (4th dan; Kodokan, USJF); Ju Jitsu (7th dan; USJJO; Head Coach for the US team to the 2023 JJIF World Championships in Ulanbaatar, Mongolia), Karate/Kempo (Karatedo 6th dan, after Heading the U.S. Delegation for Koshiki Karatedo in 2 World Championships; Kempo 8th dan (awarded by the Nippon Shobukai Zen Do, in Tokyo), and in Sambo (FIAS Master of Sambo. 1st Degree; AASF Honored Master of Sport; 1995). In the 1980’s, Dayn competed in Sambo tournaments, Winning Medals at the national and Pan-American level. He has been on the national Sambo coaching staff over many years and organizational changes, coaching a number of Nation and World Medalists in Sambo and Combat Sambo. He was the coach of the 2014 U.S. World Combat Sambo Team; Head of US Delegation for the 2017 Jr. World Championships; One of two internationally certified Sambo referees from the U.S.

Fencing:

For 20 years, Dayn was the Head Coach for Drew University’s Men’s and Women’s Fencing teams . He was credited with making his time at Drew the most successful period in the Fencing program’s history, including Drew’s first qualification for the NCAA National Finals, after which Drew qualified 8 more times, hosting the tournament in 2002 and in 2007. During that time Drew won the MACFA Conference Championships Over-all title 4 times and EWFC Conference Championships Over-all Title 6 straight years in a row. He was awarded MACFA Conference Coach of the Year for 2000 and multiple EWFC Coach of the Year awards. While Northeast Vice President of the US Fencing Coaches Association, he held several of the most successful Coaches’ training and certification clinics in that organization’s history. Previously, he was the Millburn High School Head fencing Coach, and he was responsible for the formation and development of the Millburn High School Boy‘s Varsity Fencing Team, which he brought to Championship level within 5 years. Under Dayn’s direction, Millburn captured its first state Epee championship in 1989 and produced a number of national level fencers in the under 20 age division, notably 1996 Olympian and Pan-Am champion Tamir Bloom.

Dayn returned to Collegiate Varsity Fencing in 2022, as Head Coach for Lafayette College. During his tenure, Lafayette Fencing has its historic best season record, each successive year, notably a 2024-22025 Men’s Season record of 22-11.