We understand that you need to know more about our sport before allowing your child to participate.

It’s fun!
It inspires the imagination – it isn’t hard to imagine yourself as Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, or Jack Sparrow.

It’s for everybody
Unlike most other sports, there is no ideal body type for a fencer. How can that be? Winning at fencing is a combination of many things: the mind of a chess player (watching for your opponent’s openings), the face of a poker player (bluffing your opponent), the flexibility of a gymnast (good for lunging), the hand-eye coordination of a calligrapher (Zorro would not be able to Z without it), and the endurance of a marathoner (to win a tournament). No child or adult, for that matter, is going to come into fencing with all of these different attributes.

Respect
Each bout that your child fences starts in the same way: with a respectful salute of the sword to the opponent, to the referee, and to the audience. When fencing without referees, fencers are taught to acknowledge their opponents hits. At the end of the bout, there is a required handshake among opponents. Winning and losing gracefully is not only encouraged, it is expected, along with maintaining respect for the fencers and the referees.

Click here for our Code of conduct young fencers

Safety
Don’t worry, the swords aren’t sharp, and the kids aren’t really trying to stab each other. Fencers score points and win matches when the blunt tip of their sword merely touches their opponent. They also wear plenty of protective clothing- cool mesh masks and padded white vests that make them look like something out of a Star Wars movie.

 Age
The very best age for children to start fencing is somewhere between 7 and 10 years old. However, in a sport that sees athletes win Olympic medals and World Championships into their late thirties, it is possible to reach a very high standard beginning as a teenager or even at college.

And it’s important parents set the right tone:  Conduct for Parents

Please feel free to contact us or your club with any specific questions you may have

You can read our  Child Safeguarding Statement

We do have a Child Protection Policy

All involved in coaching, volunteering are subject to our vetting policy  and Our Code of Conduct for Coaches

We also have a policy covering Photography at youth events.