How Small Can a Club Be?

[schlager7]

I've been working my way through the USFA Bylaws, Ops Manual and Rule Book trying to find if there is a minimum membership size for a USFA club without success.

How small can a club be?

[oso97]

Having recently went through this - you need a minimum of 10 USFA memberships.

[schlager7]

Thanks. Is that in the bylaws or what document? I just KNOW I'm going to be asked.

[gladius]

If what Oso97 writes is correct -- in meaning, NOT syntax -- then the Gulf Coast Division number of clubs recognised by the USFA would change from 17 down to 10. Among the "eliminated" the University of Houston, St. Thomas University, and Rice University Fencing Clubs, and 4 smaller clubs ranging from 0 to 6 members.

On the other side, the USFA cashed in their club membership dues. So what's the truth?

Interesting question and even more interesting answer...

[prototoast]

If what Oso97 writes is correct -- in meaning, NOT syntax -- then the Gulf Coast Division number of clubs recognised by the USFA would change from 17 down to 10. Among the "eliminated" the University of Houston, St. Thomas University, and Rice University Fencing Clubs, and 4 smaller clubs ranging from 0 to 6 members.

On the other side, the USFA cashed in their club membership dues. So what's the truth?

Interesting question and even more interesting answer...

Also, how does a club start. At the point the club wants to join the USFA, they need 10 members... but they can't have any members yet since they're not a usfa club. So, does the club application have to be sent in with 10 membership forms?

[Goofy]

All I found on the USFA web site was the following, from the minutes of the September 29, 1999, BoD meeting:

Secretary’s Note: The revised wording of the policy as approved is as follows:

Unless other arrangements are approved by the Executive Committee, to be eligible for Club Membership in the USFA, a club must meet the following criteria:

1.) The owners and/or principal officers of the club or fencing division of such club must be members of the USFA.
2.) All members of the coaching staff must be members of the USFA.
3.) Each Member Club must have a minimum of ten members of the USFA who have declared that club as their club.

Mr. Micahnik noted that there may be a timing issue involved. All individual members of a club will have to become (USFA) members before the club can apply for membership. Linda Dunn noted that this will serve as an excellent incentive for clubs to do early membership drives. It was further noted that the appeal process included is intended to address such discrepancies.

It seems that if a club has fewer than ten members it can still be considered a USFA club by appeal, otherwise the members (at least ten), owners, and coaches must be USFA members on application. The club enrollment form asks for a number of members, but does not require that membership forms be included with the club application; there must be a correlation that takes place at the USFA office after all forms are received. And, of course, one can be an active USFA member without being an active fencer, so those individuals would probably count towards the club total.

[swordsen]

Interesting I have signed up a club as a member of the USFA with just me as a memeber and hopes of more later. Never had any problem and they certainly took my money.

[CvilleFencer]

How many members does a club need for the USFA? 1 Person, and thats the one writting the Check. For all the attention the USFA pays to bread an butter average fencing in this country every single member of the USFA could also be his own club, assuming of course that they pay the extra fee. Also as noted by another, if they really did expect to have 10 competitive USFA members in a USFA club the number of fencing clubs in the country would drop by about half. If you want to be a USFA club just fill out the form and send it in.

Just out of curiosity, why do you want to be a USFA member club?

[swordsen]

Insurance. That is the big one for me. Also helps make the club look a little more official/professional when nervous parents walk in wondering about signing little whoever up for "sword fighting lessons".

[CvilleFencer]

Insurance. That is the big one for me. Also helps make the club look a little more official/professional when nervous parents walk in wondering about signing little whoever up for "sword fighting lessons".

Yeah, same here. I just wanted to make sure the person in question was not under the impression that he was going to get any real useful backing, advertising, how to become an NPO or fencing specific small business information or other useful stuff out of the USFA. At least I never have. Fencing.net and AskFred to me have been about a 1000 times more useful than the USFA, with the exception of insurance and the fact that to the uninitiated it seems to add a degree of security.

[prototoast]

How many members does a club need for the USFA? 1 Person, and thats the one writting the Check. For all the attention the USFA pays to bread an butter average fencing in this country every single member of the USFA could also be his own club, assuming of course that they pay the extra fee. Also as noted by another, if they really did expect to have 10 competitive USFA members in a USFA club the number of fencing clubs in the country would drop by about half. If you want to be a USFA club just fill out the form and send it in.

Just out of curiosity, why do you want to be a USFA member club?

I suspect the 10 person thing really only matters if you're trying to compete as a team at nationals.

[fencerbill]

I watched Team Hurley (Which I believe consists of father, mother, and two daughters) win the Women's Team Epee Championship. And how about Team Loomis.

[Tomas N]

Just takes one. I've registered our club for years when I was the only USFA member.

Tomas

[yeoldearmourer]

Ever though I don't fence any more team consite of 11 menbers which are family and one non family menber. Me and Janet are life menbers