Fencing Classes at The Olde Town Fencing Club

Beginner Classes

We teach classes through the Alexandria Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities. Classes meet one night a week for eight weeks. There are four sessions a year. When youth and adult classes are separate, the youth class is for ages 10-15 and the adult class is for anyone aged 16 and up. The classes are currently combined.

Register through Alexandria RPCA's webtrac site.. For insurance purposes, students are required to sign up for a non-competitive membership in USFA Fencing.

Classes are held from 7:00 to 8:00 PM on Wednesdays; click on link at top of page to find out when the next session starts.

We supply masks, jackets, and foils. Students should wear athletic shoes with non-marking soles and bring a glove. Students in the class do not pay club membership dues.

Competitive Fencers

Private lessons are available from our head coach, former Olympic fencer Jun Liang-Smith.

Information for Recreation-Class Students

• Membership in the US Fencing Association is required by our insurance company. Get a membership here. You'll receive a membership number in return; please bring that to class or email it to classes@oldetownfencing.org . Information you'll need:
  • Division: Virginia, based on Club
  • Primary Club: Olde Town Fencing (if they ask)
  • NCAA Affiliation: Do not write anything, even if you're in college.
  • Membership type: Access (the one that's only $30.00)
• The class has eight sessions. We will not meet on holidays.
• If weather (or some other event) closes the gym, the class will skip that week and resume the next. When we get news, we'll tweet it @OldeTownFencing, which you can read on the club's home page. The final authority is the front desk at the Rec Center. (703) 746-5552
• If you haven't registered for the class, please do so at the City's web site: http://alexandriava.gov/Recreation. You'll have to create an account. You don't have to live in the City.
• Wear court shoes with non-marking soles, and sweat pants or other exercise clothing. Shorts and jeans are not safe. Hoodies are bad because they make your chest bigger but don't make your arms longer, so the jackets don't fit as well.
• You'll need to bring a leather or canvas work glove, with a large cuff that goes over the sleeve of the fencing jacket. (You only need one, not a pair.)