USA Fencing

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The 2022-2023 Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Awards recognized four fencing organizations striving to make a difference in their community. This year the ASPIRE Award was earned by the Denver Fencing Foundation.

The ASPIRE award honors fencing clubs for their commitment to creating access for Persons with disabilities to enjoy the sport of fencing. USA Fencing is passionate about advocating on behalf of athletes with disabilities (both visible and invisible), and this award seeks to inspire clubs to create safe and inclusive spaces for all disabled athletes. The Denver Fencing Foundation has been a picturesque example of exactly what the ASPIRE Award recognizes.

Shannon Jolly, Senior Manager of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging shared, “Nathan and his team at Denver Fencing Foundation are doing amazing things to help expand access to underrepresented populations. Fencing is for everyone and DFF is the perfect example of leveraging community partnerships to create safe and inclusive spaces for all to enjoy the sport.”

The foundation creates outreach programs that create opportunities for people with disabilities to learn how to fence. They have raised money and awareness to allow people with disabilities to train at the sport.

Denver Fencing Foundation (DFF) has covered entry fees and some of the travel costs for athletes. Specifically, they have covered costs for athletes who have Paralympic potential and their participation in the events has driven engagement for future events. DFF has also received $40,000 in disability grants from the City of Denver. The plan is to use the grant to help increase the amount of people with disabilities who have the opportunity to fence.

DFF has also created a program for the intellectually disabled, who the DFF feels is underrepresented in the fencing community and in their outreach. 

The foundation supported two coaches at the IWAS Wheelchair World Cup in Washington D.C. where they were able to take notes on training and fencing of all of the world teams who participated. To add to that, the foundation is already supporting the Paralympic development of Team USA by getting the new generation of USA athletes and coaches to domestic and international events. 

“Denver Fencing Foundation mission is fencing for all.  We are currently running programs with kids from underprivileged neighborhood schools and people with physical and developmental disabilities. We aspire to create access to fencing across the whole city,” says Nathan Anderson, Board Chair of the foundation.

The Denver Fencing Foundation believes strongly that they need to serve the whole disability community both physically and intellectually.