Round Table Instructors

Jake McDonald

Jake McDonald has been studying martial arts all his life. From the age of 5, his father taught him boxing with elements of isshinryu karate. Jake then went on to learn Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and submission wrestling during high school. Hungry for more knowledge, he continued to learn and work with his college wrestling club. However, it was in college that he got his first taste of swords. As a martial artist and a theatre student, he went into stage combat. Successful but unsatisfied with choreographed fighting, Jake searched for new avenues of martial arts. After years of independently studying various western martial arts, such as pankration and folk wrestling, he started training German Longsword under Jeremy Pace while living in Oklahoma City. After moving back to Maryland, he has brought his passion for historical fencing with him. Jake loves western martial arts, but he also has a passion for instructing. He prides himself in being able to communicate techniques to people with all levels of experience.

While learning and teaching are his focus, Jake has also competed in tournaments. His accomplishments are as follows:

Kings Cup 2024: Fourth Place Longsword

HEMATHLON (Athens, Greeces) 2023: Second Place Rapier

HEMATHLON (Athens, Greeces) 2023: Third Place Longsword

Geselle Fechten 2022: Fourth Place Longsword

Geselle Fechten 2022: Second Place Heavyweight Dagger

Lord Baltimore’s Challenge 2022: Fourth Place Sidesword

Geselle Fechten 2019: Third Place Longsword

Wrath-Point 2018: Third Place Longsword

Geselle Fechten 2017: First Place Wrestling

Geselle Fechten 2017: Second Place Sword and Buckler

Geselle Fechten 2017: Third Place Longsword

Geselle Fechten 2017: Triathlon Winner

Baton Rouge Open 2017: Third Place Longsword

Baton Rouge Open 2017: Second Place Sword and Buckler

Spring Tournament Cymbrogi 2017: First Place Ringen

Spring Tournament Cymbrogi 2017: Second Place Side Sword

Spring Tournament Cymbrogi 2017: Fourth Place Longsword

Weird Open (Austin,TX) 2017: Third Place Sword and Buckler

Weird Open (Austin, TX) 2017: Sixth Place Longsword

Kevin Rezac

With over 15 years of experience, Kevin Rezac brings his knowledge and passion for fencing to the table. He began sport fencing as a teenager in 2006 with a focus primarily in Saber. In college he assisted in founding the college fencing club, acting as instructor and vice president and eventually president. In 2016 he immersed himself in Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) and, at the end of 2018, joined what would eventually become Round Table Historical Fencing. Outside of fencing Kevin has a heart for details in learning as much as he can about history and historical martial arts, covering topics such as military & general history, strategy, horsemanship, and weaponry. He looks forward to sharing his knowledge and experience as well as learning side by side with his fellow Round Table members.

Matt Walston-Jenkins

Matt has been involved in martial arts for most of his life, beginning with Olympic-style Tae Kwon Do in his childhood and early teen years before discovering HEMA at the age of 17 and never looking back. While he began his fencing career with the Kunst Des Fechtens tradition of longsword fencing, in 2021 his primary focus pivoted to the British tradition of baskethilt broadsword fencing as practiced by the Stage Gladiators— 18th century working class prizefighters who fought with sharp swords on stage for money and for glory. He also more recently began studying the medieval system of English Longsword fencing according to the Ledall manuscript dated to the mid-1500s. His approach to historical fencing places a strong emphasis on historical research and interpretation, which he blends with a modern understanding of pedagogy and class structure in his approach to teaching and coaching. His accomplishments within the sport come in the form of over 15 tournament medals across various weapon categories and rulesets, and over 20 essays written analyzing the four major Stage Gladiator broadsword treatises from the 18th century. While he enjoys competing and getting to test his interpretations in tournaments, his real passion derives from studying the theory, history, and application of the art of fencing, and imparting that knowledge onto others.