USA Fencing
Membership
Ours lets you train here. Theirs lets you enter a tournament.
They are not the same thing, and it catches people out.
The season runs August 1 to July 31.
Compare the tiersThe short version
Why you need one
Ours lets you train here. Theirs lets you enter a sanctioned tournament.
Which one to buy
Access covers a first competitive season. Competitive is for regional and above.
When to buy it
A fortnight before a first entry, not the night before — and mind the season dates.
When to buy it
The season runs from the first of August to the end of July, so a membership bought in June covers very little. Joining between April and June as a first-time member extends the membership through the following season, which is worth knowing if a fencer is starting in spring.
Buy it a fortnight before a first entry rather than the night before. A lapsed or missing membership is the commonest reason somebody cannot start on the day.
The tiers
What each one lets a fencer do, and what USA Fencing charges for it. The season runs August 1 to July 31.
- ParentFreeFree and non-competitive. For a parent who wants to be a member of the organisation their child competes in.On USA Fencing →
- Access$34The entry level, and the right one for a first season. Covers competing at local events, and volunteering at them as an official or armourer.On USA Fencing →
- Competitive$99Needed to enter regional, national and international events. Only worth buying once a fencer is actually travelling to them — Access covers a local season.On USA Fencing →
- Collegiate Competitive$55Competitive benefits at a reduced rate for NCAA varsity and collegiate club athletes.On USA Fencing →
- Coach$150For coaching roles. Requires background screening, SafeSport training and USA Fencing's coach education programme.On USA Fencing →
Fees are USA Fencing’s own and change each season — check theirs before buying. MFA cannot sell or renew a membership on anyone’s behalf.
“Fencing is so perfect an art that the regulations framing it do not interfere in the least with the fighter's will.”
Aldo NadiOn Fencing, 1943