Instructors
Meet the instructors and coaches of Valour HEMA Academy
Chad McFarland - Head Provost
Founder of Valour Hema Academy -
Provost Chad McFarland began his HEMA journey in 1999 with the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) which was pretty much the only medieval / renaissance historical fighting available at the time. In the SCA he achieved the Order of the White Scarf - Kingdom of Northshield and became a Journeyman in the Kingdom of Lochac (Australia) Royal Guild of Defence.
In 2009 with $300 in registration fees, six students, and six of the cheapest steel Zen Warrior Armory swords plus a donation of gym time from Manager Bob Gingras (1959-2012), Chad started Valour Historical Fencing Club at Valour Community Centre in Winnipeg.
From those very humble beginnings Valour Historical Fencing Club grew into Valour HEMA Academy which has taught more than 100 people the fun of historical fencing.
Chad teaches primarily Italian rapier, but has been known to pick up just about any weapon shaped object and used it in one form of competition or another.
Currently, Chad is also spending his summers advancing in a new direction of HEMA with the start of Valour HEMA Academy's equestrian program; which is hoped will grow into a full program teaching equestrian mounted combat, mounted archery, and medieval mounted games.
Douglas Crighton - Provost
Doug has been fighting with longsword since the late 20th century. He currently heads the longsword program at Valour HEMA Academy with a specialization in teaching the "Il Fior di Battaglia" or "The Flower of Battle" by Fiore Dei Liberi, a late 14th century knight and fencing master.
Doug has fought in tournaments across North America for over 27 years and continues to compete and teach the art of the longsword with unmatched passion.
Marli Vlok - Journeywoman
(Provost - Sonoma State University Fencing Masters Certificate Program)
Marli is Valour HEMA Academy's newest instructor and brings a wealth of information from her many years of fencing practice. She is currently a student with the Sonoma State University - Fencing Masters Certificate Program where she recently passed her exams to become a certified provost under that program.
Marli will be teaching smallsword and sabre on Mondays with Valour HEMA Academy.
Her focus will be in the tradition of the Scuola Magistrale Militare di Scherma, founded in Rome in 1884 and has a living tradition into the modern day. Students will start by learning the foundations of the classical dueling sabre as well as classical foil as contextualized by Dr. William Gaugler (Maestro di Scherma).
Nicholas McConnell - Journeyman
Journeyman Nick McConnell started his historical fencing career in 2016 when he joined Valour HEMA Academy. A true all around fencer, Nick is equally comfortable learning and teaching rapier or longsword and holds the rank of journeyman in both weapons.
He has aquitted himself well in several large tournaments across Canada including being the current 2026 winner of the inaugural Valour Cup Tournament.
In May of 2026, Nick earned his Level 1 Instructor Certification in Longsword and Rapier through Academie Duello in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Nick is currently instructing advanced rapier and advanced longsword on Wednesdays.
Adrian Jones - Journeyman
Adrian joined Valour HEMA Academy in 2023 along with Marli Vlok. He is a lifelong fencer starting in elementary school with modern Olympic fencing in foil and epee until university.
In 2011 Adrian joined Academie Duello in Vancouver where he holds the rank of Free Scholar and learned 17th century Italian rapier, Bolognese sidesword, and Fiore's longsword.
In 2021 Adrian enrolled the Sonoma State University Fencing Masters Certificate program and in 2025 he certified as an instructor in foil fencing.
Adrian joined Valour HEMA Academy in 2023 and holds the rank of Journeyman in rapier and longsword. He currently teaches advanced rapier and is an assistant/substitute instructor for smallsword and sabre.
Brendan O'Rourke - Journeyman
Boar's Tooth HEMA - Brandon, MB
Brendan began his martial arts training in 2010, studying various disciplines, including Taekwondo and Karate, before transitioning to Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) in 2019 with Valour HEMA Academy.
Since joining Valour HEMA Academy in Winnipeg, Brendan has focused on the teachings of Fiore dei Liberi, specializing in longsword, dagger, and spear. In May of 2026 Brendan earned his Level 1 Instructor Certification in Longsword and Rapier through Academie Duello in Vancouver, British Columbia; and in June of 2026, he attained the rank of Journeyman with Valour HEMA Academy.
After relocating to Brandon, Manitoba, in 2022, Brendan recognized the absence of local HEMA schools. In 2025, he founded Boar's Tooth HEMA, a satellite school of Valour HEMA Academy, specializing in Fiore's longsword tradition.