Head Coach
Stephen Koepfer

Stephen's first introduction to martial arts was Shotokan at the age of eight (1976). Since that time, Stephen has also been awarded a black belt in Tae Kwon Do (1993) and spent five years training and competing in San Shou (1994 – 1998), culminating with a finish as a finalist in the 1997 United World Championships. Stephen has also gathered competition experience in Tae Kwon Do, Kung-Fu, mixed martial arts, sambo, and grappling. In 1997 Stephen began coaching; serving as corner man and cut man for many amateur fighters. In 1999 he began training Combat Sambo training under Alexander Barakov, which he continues to teach today at his club, New York Combat Sambo. Stephen has had the pleasure of training with Igor Kurinnoy at Borec and Sambo 70 in Moscow. Additionally, Stephen has taught at the FKE training facility and Military Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in St. Petersburg. Stephen regularly offers national and international seminars; has coached his team to wins Sport, Freestyle, and Combat Sambo; Submission Grappling; and Mixed Martial Arts. In 2008, Stephen was a US Team Coach for the 2008 FIAS World Sambo Championships. He was awarded his Master of Sport of Russia (Combat Sambo) in February, 2009. Stephen has written for Bodyguard Magazine, Ultimate Grappling Magazine and the Journal of Asian Martial Arts. He has served as an assistant producer for “Inside Martial Arts” and technical advisor for the “Human Weapon” (History Channel) and “Dhani Tackles the Globe” (Travel Channel). Aside from his martial arts background, Stephen is a NY State Licensed Massage Therapist, earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the School of Visual Arts and a Master's Degree in Creative Arts Therapy from Hofstra University.

Assistant Coach for Wrestling
Tyga Maclin

Tyga started wrestling in 10th grade at Mt. Vernon High School in Mt. Vernon, NY in 1993. His first year wrestling, he quickly realized that there was more to wrestling than what he saw on T.V. as he finished with a 14-10 record. His second year he quickly turned that around with a 29-3 record, 3 consecutive tournament championships, became divisional champion and became co-captain of the team. He accredits this to the training he received at NY Athletic Club under coach Sonny Greenhalgh (World Freestyle Champion from Iran), Hamid Kermanshah, Florian Ghinea (2x Romanian National Freestyle champion and 2x Division 3 national champion at Montclair State). In his senior year, he posted a 33-2 record, became divisional champion again and finished 2nd in the Section 1 championships. After graduating high school, in the summer of 1996, he competed for the first time in freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. He won 3 freestyle tournaments, went 7-0 on the East Coast Wrestling Tour camp where he had one of his most memorable moments defeating a high school Freestyle national champion in Florida. He also qualified for the high school Greco-Roman National championships. He went on to wrestle at Hunter College under coach Bob Guadenzi in 1996. He achieved All-State at the NY State championships in his sophomore year in college. Due to financial and family commitments, he had to stop wrestling for his last two years of college but continued to train at NY Athletic club with many great wrestlers. He wishes to pass his love for wrestling onto others. Tyga currently is expanding his love for grappling and training in Sambo under Stephen Koepfer.

Striking Coach
Miguel Rivera

Miguel rivera has a long and respected history in NY area Muay Thai as both a fighter and coach. Miguel has worked with NYCS in the past and we are pleased to have him join the staff at NY Combat Sambo.