Presidio Fencing Club provides training and practice in Olympic sport fencing to novice and experienced athletes, aged 10 to Adult. We are a member club of the Southern California Division of the United States Fencing Association. We operate under the umbrella of the Central Coast Fencing Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (tax ID# 820540198).
For insurance purposes, membership with the United States Fencing Association is required before joining any class. New fencers should opt for the "Non-competitive Membership," which is $15 and expires on July 31. Membership may be purchased by creating an account at USFencing.org.
As of February 2023, we train as a team, twice per week: Thursdays, 5:30 - 7:30 pm at the Veteran's Memorial Bldg on Cabrillo and Sundays from 12:30 - 3:00 pm at the Goleta Valley Boys and Girls Club on Hollister. Practices include fencers with a range of abilities, from beginner to advanced, and sometimes even the elite/Olympic level.
Thursday practices begin with warm-up exercises and footwork drills to improve strength, agility, and power, and to provide a foundation for tactics.
Footwork is usually followed by 30 minutes or so of blade work drills. Here we work in small groups and reinforce coach-led, technical actions with a weapon. Instruction is provided in epee (as opposed to foil and saber).
Thursday practices end with sparring, which is like a series of "pick-up games" on the electical scoring machines.
Occasionally, we address topics such as nutrition, goal setting, tournament mentality, and equipment maintenance. We also occasionally use practice time to hold mock-tournaments and prepare for competitions.
Sunday practices are geared entirely toward sparring. There is minimal drilling, except for introductory fencers between 1 and 2 pm.
Note that fencers must have their own gear to participate. See our equipment page for a list of what to buy. There may be some second-hand equipment available through our online swap meet.
Our Introductory classes are on Sundays from 1 - 2 pm at the Goleta Boys and Girls Club. Coach Tim works with small groups of new fencers to teach the basic footwork and blade work technique needed for participation in the Drills and Sparring classes. While fencing is fun, it is also difficult to experience in just a single class or two. We recommend at least four introductory classes. In between lessons, new students should practice the basic footwork and movements they have learned.
Due to the range of ages among club members, we ask that parents of younger athletes contact us before showing up. Students need be able to focus on the task at hand.
We only provide a minimal amount of equipment. Anyone wishing to continue beyond footwork should visit our equipment page for a list of what to buy.
Fees and Services |
Payment via Cash, Check, or Venmo (@presidiofencing)
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"Floor Fee" |
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Private and Semi-Private Lessons |
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Tournament Coaching |
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Armoring and Equipment Maintenance |
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Photo courtesy Doug Golupski