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Getting Started

En garde, Future Fencers! We are the Southwest Florida Fencing Academy, and we are so excited you are interested in joining our club. Whether you are new to the sport, or new to our club, we have something for every level and ages 8-99. 

Our Location

The club is at 4210 Fowler Street #9, Fort Myers FL 33901. We are located right near the Lighting Strikes Bowling Ally. To get to us, you will pull into a plaza with a fish store to the left and a car shop to the right. It is an industrail plaza and the car shops use the parking lot as storage for their "projects". So please don't mind the mess. We are situated to the far right of the parking lot. If you drive around the perimeter it is hard to miss us! Now is also a good time to mention that the Southwest Florida Fencing Academy is a non-profit organization, and in an effort to keep prices low so the sport can be as accessable as possible, this has been our location for 25+ years. So while it is not "pretty" on the outside, it has lots of love on the inside.

New to Fencing

Trying it out: 

We encourage you to come and take a free trial class with us before you join to see if this is something you or your child would like to commit to. Feel free to show up to any of the beginner foil classes that fit your schedule! We are so glad you are interested in joining us, and we look forward to sharing the joy of fencing with you. See you on the fencing strip!

What joining looks like: 

At our club, all beginners start by learning to fence foil. There are three fencing weapons, foil is the most popular in the world, and is a great introduction to fencing. Our beginners package is 12 classes. We understand that life happens, so the classes will be marked as you come, not consecutively. All classes within the purchased beginner package expire 12 months from date of purchase. The club provides all necessary gear for the beginner program on a first come basis and while supplies last. For safety and insurance purposes certain gear, such as fencing pants, are required to be worn. Should additional materials be necessary to complete your beginner program we will be happy to discuss prior to the purchase of the beginner package.

Steps to Join:

1) Come to the club and take your free intro class.

2) Sign up for a SportMember account beginner program Join Beginner Program - Click Here

3) Sign up for a USAF membership. The USA Fencing Association is the governing body that provides our clubs' liability insurance. Every fencer must be a USAF member to ensure the safety of our fencers and staff. Without a membership, you cannot fence. You can obtain a FREE 90-day trial from USA Fencing to use for your beginner program Here


Gear: 

If you would like to purchase your own gear before completing the beginners course, please consult your coach. They will be able to direct you to the best resources to do so. 

Returning to Fencing

Welcome back, whether you have taken a 3 month or a 30 year break, we are excited for you to get back into fencing! Everyone takes a "hiatus" as we like to say, so you are not alone. Since you are no beginner to the sport, often the beginners package is not best suited to your needs. Before you determine on your own which fencing time best suits you, please email us at [email protected] and we can assist you in picking the right class.

All fencers, regardless of weapon preference, are required to have a USAF membership. The USAF is the governing body that provides our clubs' liability insurance. Every fencer must be a USAF member to ensure the safety of our fencers and staff. Without a membership, you cannot fence. Access membership is $34 a year. 


To obtain/renew your USAF membership: Go straight to the USA Fencing Member Hub TODAY - Click Here

Depending on your weapon of choice, we offer different membership options: which can be found on the Pricing & Policies page.

Foil and Epee: 


If you are looking to take classes with instruction, you can get the Individual Membership- Classes & Open Fencing.

However, if you are not looking to take classes and are only interested in working independently and open fencing - you are better suited for the Individual Membership- Open Fencing Only option. You must have coach approval to enroll in the open fencing only program.

Depending on your skill level and availability you are more than welcome to join us as many times a week as suits your schedule. We would even encourage you to come to the beginners classes to help re-establish your basic technique depending on how long you have been away. 

Sabre:


We do not currently provide advanced formal instruction for Sabre. However, we are great friends with the Naples Fencing School, who has a wonderful contingency of advanced Sabre fencers. Feel free to reach out to them to see when they are getting together. Or if you want to stay with us we would love to have you and you are more than welcome to join us for open fencing and bring a friend to practice your Sabre techniques with.