What Is USA Fencing?
We're the home of fencing in the United States — supporting newcomers, Olympians and Paralympians, and anyone who loves this wonderful sport.
The Amateur Sports Act of 1978 named the United States Olympic Committee (now the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, or USOPC) as the coordinating body for amateur athletic activity in the U.S. directly relating to international Olympic and Paralympic athletic competition.
The Act included provisions for recognizing National Governing Bodies (NGBs) for the sports on the programs of the Olympic, Paralympic and Pan American Games.
USA Fencing is the recognized NGB for the sport of fencing in the United States. But our history goes much farther back than that. USA Fencing was founded in 1891 as the Amateur Fencers League of America (AFLA) by a group of New York fencers seeking independence from the Amateur Athletic Union. The AFLA changed its name to the United States Fencing Association in 1981.
USA Fencing is affiliated with the Féderation Internationale d'Escrime (FIE), the international federation for fencing founded in Paris in 1913.
USA Fencing was incorporated as a nonprofit corporation in Pennsylvania in 1964 and in Colorado in 1993 in compliance with the Amateur Sports Act and opened its national office in Colorado Springs, Colo., in August of 1982. Today, we call Colorado Springs our home but have members of our staff living across the country.
Mission Statement
To grow and promote the sport of fencing in the United States, honor its rich traditions and achieve sustained competitive international excellence.
Vision
To inspire a lifetime enriched by fencing
Core Values
- Excellence
- Respect
- Teamwork
- Inclusion
- Passion
Diversity and Inclusion Statement
I. Background
As the landscape of the United States becomes more diverse, it is important for the participants and audience of USA Fencing to reflect those changes. USA Fencing is committed to increasing opportunities for participation through the creation of a Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Plan that includes policies, best practices, and programming that will position USA Fencing to increase athlete participation and our fan base.
II. Vision for Diversity and Inclusion
USA Fencing strives to increase the participation of all individuals regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, culture, religion, sexual orientation, gender expression, age or disability. We feel strongly that a diversity of thought, perspective and experience will be instrumental in growing the sport of fencing.
III. Definition of Diversity and Inclusion
USA Fencing defines Diversity & Inclusion as: Diversity is embracing any collective mixture of differences, similarities, and related tensions as we strive to develop more inclusive and high performing environments. Inclusion is creating and maintaining an environment in which contributions and strengths are recognized, optimized and valued in a way that generates opportunities for adaptability, problem solving, growth and ultimately increased success. USA Fencing hopes to increase participation in the sport of fencing from communities that have historically had low participation as athletes, staff or fans by proactively working towards a greater focus on D&I throughout all aspects of the organization.