Require USFA Membership for Beginners?

[oiuyt]

I'm still hoping for examples of whether YOUR club does/doesn't require USFA membership for complete beginners who just want to try fencing.

I don't currently belong to a club. All four clubs (in four different divisions) to which I have belonged at various times require US Fencing membership. At least one of them had beginners classes which did not require membership (either in the club or US Fencing). For a different one of the four the membership requirement was as of about 2 months into the season, so beginners could get at least that much time prior to joining.

-B

[VorpalCat]

I'm still hoping for examples of whether YOUR club does/doesn't require USFA membership for complete beginners who just want to try fencing.

I do not require USFA membership in either of my clubs. I encourage it and talk it up on a regular basis, however.

[Cold-Sabre]

To throw food to the fire, I have to add the rhetorical question, does your waiver include a questionnaire regarding physical condition at the beginning of taking lessons/participating at the club?

I have two private school students who take lessons at home, before we started; I asked the parents with the students there (each time with the kids separately) if there were any pre-existing physical conditions that I should know about. In the case of the girl, she had experienced a growth spurt when she hit 12, a month earlier and has tendonitis as well as extreme stiffness before beginning exercise. Having this information; One, documents there is a physical condition that I as coach need to be aware of; Two, changes the approach I take when giving lessons; Three, narrows or widens what the student can and can’t do UNTIL CLEARED BY THE DOCTORS (Don’t go against doctor’s orders no matter how “good” someone feels).

If you have ever joined a gym, health program or group physical activity, you’ll notice these types of questions being asked. At the same time, you need to ask yourself, “Should this person be fencing” or “Should this person bring a doctors note allowing them to participate.”