Fencing for beginners in Boulder this fall. Ages 7 to adult.
Twelve coached sessions take a complete beginner from a first grip on an epee, the fencing sword, to a real bout, which is one fencer against one with a real score. Every piece of club equipment is supplied.
The next cohort starts Tuesday, September 1 at 4:30 PM. No experience is needed, and every piece of club equipment is supplied.
What happens when you tap through
- The cohort runs twelve coached sessions over six weeks, on the same two evenings each week.
- Tapping through opens the Six-Week Challenge page, which asks you for nothing. The registration form after it asks for the name and age of the fencer and for your contact details.
- Every piece of club equipment is supplied, so there is nothing to buy before the first session.
- The Six-Week Challenge is a paid program. You see the price and the refund guarantee further down this page, and again on the next page before you enter any payment details.
The next cohort
12 coached sessions over 6 weeks, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:30 PM to 5:45 PM, starting Tuesday, September 1 and finishing Thursday, October 8.
Registration closes when the first session begins, because the curriculum builds from session one.
The cohort needs at least 4 registered fencers to run. If fewer than that register, it does not run and every payment is refunded in full.
- The cohort runs twelve coached sessions over six weeks, on the same two evenings each week.
- Tapping through opens the Six-Week Challenge page, which asks you for nothing. The registration form after it asks for the name and age of the fencer and for your contact details.
- Every piece of club equipment is supplied, so there is nothing to buy before the first session.
- The Six-Week Challenge is a paid program. You see the price and the refund guarantee further down this page, and again on the next page before you enter any payment details.
What six weeks does for your fencer
A first lesson covers epee footwork and bladework, a gear fitting, and often a first bout. The tactical work is what twelve sessions make room for: reading an opponent and deciding what to do about it before they move.
Every piece of gear supplied
Mask, jacket, glove, weapon, and body cord are ours for the full six weeks. Your fencer brings sneakers, athletic clothes, and a water bottle.
Twelve coached sessions
A curriculum that builds session on session, from grip and stance through footwork and blade work into the decisions behind them.
A coach assessment at session 8
Two thirds of the way in, a coach gives an honest read of where your fencer stands and what they are already good at.
A round-robin in week 5
Real bouts against the rest of the cohort, with real scores, before the six weeks are over.
A competitive bout by session 12
The whole curriculum builds toward it, starting from a first grip on the blade.
Epee, the weapon we actually train
NCF Boulder trains one weapon, so a beginner learns the same epee the competitive program runs on, from coaches who spend all their time on it.
What the parent gets
Signing a kid up for a new sport is a bet on a schedule, a pile of equipment, and a season you cannot see the end of. Six weeks is built to answer that before any of it is committed.
A real answer instead of a guess
A single trial lesson tells you whether your kid enjoyed an hour. Six weeks tells you whether the sport fits them, which is the question you were trying to answer.
Nothing to buy before day one
Fencing gear is expensive and easy to buy in the wrong size. We supply all of it. If your fencer carries on afterward, a coach fits their own kit before you spend anything.
One schedule to plan around
The cohort meets twice a week on the same two evenings for all six weeks, so it lands in the family calendar once and stays there.
A group that is a group
The cohort needs at least 4 registered fencers to run. Below that we do not run it and we refund every payment in full, so your fencer is never the only beginner in the room.
Who the cohort is for
Everybody in the group is starting at the same place, which is what makes it a comfortable way in.
Complete beginners, ages 7 and up
This is the entry point. The cohort is built for people who have never held a blade, so nobody in it is behind.
Teens and adults, in the same group
Adults train alongside youth fencers and the coach scales the work to each person. Plenty of parents start the same week their kid does.
Kids who think their way through a game
Fencing rewards reading an opponent over out-running one, so it lands with kids who like puzzles and with kids who have not found their sport in a gym.
What camp families say
These quotes come from parents whose fencers started at an NCF Boulder summer camp, and none of them is about the Six-Week Challenge.
After trying a lot of different activities, my son has finally found his sport. NCF is welcoming, fun, and challenging, which keeps him coming back. The coaches are fantastic, and he has made some great friends along the way. We are so happy to have found such a great fit for him.
We came in as a family completely new to fencing and had no idea what to expect. NCF welcomed us from day one. The coaching, the kindness from the other kids, and the spirit of the whole place made this a wonderful experience for our entire family. We are grateful to have found it.
Why families start here
Gary Copeland founded NCF Boulder in 1979 and still coaches on the floor. He is a USA Fencing Hall of Fame coach, and the program he built has produced 46 individual national champions.
A beginner cohort is taught by the same staff, on the same weapon, in the same room as the competitive program. That is the whole reason a first six weeks here is worth more than a first six weeks anywhere a beginner class is a side project.
Everything the six weeks includes
You register once and that covers the whole cohort.
- 12 coached sessions over 6 weeks. The cohort meets twice a week on the same two evenings, and the curriculum builds from session one.
- Every piece of club equipment. The mask, jacket, glove, weapon, and body cord come from the club for the whole six weeks, so there is nothing to buy before the first session.
- A coach assessment at session 8. Two thirds of the way in, a coach gives you an honest read of where your fencer stands.
- Real bouts with real scores before the six weeks are out. Your fencer fences a round-robin against the rest of the cohort in week 5 and a competitive bout by session 12.
- One cohort that starts together. Registration closes when the first session begins, because the curriculum builds from session one, so nobody joins three weeks in.
$368 covers all 12 sessions, with every piece of club equipment included.
Come to the first session before you decide. If it is not the right fit for your family, email challenge@ncfboulder.com before the second session starts and we refund it in full.
The Six-Week Challenge page states the full guarantee terms, including the minimum number of registered fencers the cohort needs to run, before anything is due.
What happens after you register
- 1 Your receipt arrives by email straight away, and that receipt is your proof of registration.
- 2 Someone at the club adds your fencer to the class roster by hand and emails you the details within one business day.
- 3 You put the six weeks in the family calendar once, and the cohort meets on the same two evenings each week.
- 4 At session one your fencer brings athletic clothes, sneakers, and a water bottle. We supply the mask, jacket, glove, weapon, and body cord.
Questions families ask before they start
Is fencing safe for a child?
Fencing is a non-contact sport: no tackling, no checking, and no body-to-body impact. A fencer scores by landing the tip of a flexible blade on the opponent, every bout is supervised, and the rules penalize dangerous play. Everyone on the floor wears a steel mesh mask, a jacket, and a glove for every minute of every session. NCF Boulder supplies the mask, jacket, glove, weapon, and body cord, and we inspect that gear and replace it as it wears. The coaching staff is SafeSport certified and background checked.
What if we miss a session?
You register once for the whole cohort, so missing a session does not cost you the place. The curriculum builds session on session, so tell a coach in advance when you can. Email info@ncfboulder.com or call 303.641.6557 and we will tell you what the missed session covered so your fencer can pick it back up.
Does my child need any equipment to start fencing?
No. NCF Boulder supplies the mask, jacket, glove, weapon, and body cord for the whole six weeks. Your fencer brings sneakers, athletic clothes, and a water bottle.
What age is the Six-Week Challenge for?
Ages 7 and up, including teens and adults. The cohort trains as one group and the coach scales the work to each fencer, so a 9 year old and a 40 year old both start where they are.
Does my child need to be athletic?
No. Fencing rewards strategy over strength, and the physical side develops as you train. Weeks 1 and 2 cover the grip, the stance, and how to move before anyone fences anyone. Everyone in the cohort starts on the same session one.
Which weapon will my child learn?
Epee. NCF Boulder is an epee club, so beginners learn the same weapon the competitive program trains in, on club blades.
What happens at the end of the six weeks?
A coach helps you decide what comes next. If you continue, what you paid for the Challenge credits toward a tier membership, and you have 30 days after graduation to decide. There is no pressure to continue.
What if we are not sure fencing is right for us?
Book a first lesson. It is complimentary, it runs about an hour, all equipment is provided, and it is how families find out whether fencing fits their kid.
NCF Boulder's record since 1979
47
Years
46
National Champions
800+
National Finalists
64
World/Pan Am Selections
Start this fall
The next Six-Week Challenge cohort starts Tuesday, September 1 at 4:30 PM and finishes Thursday, October 8. All club equipment is supplied, and no experience is needed.