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The Amateur Sports Act of 1978 specifically named the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) as the coordinating body for amateur athletic activity in the U.S. directly relating to international Olympic athletic competition. The Act included provisions for recognizing National Governing Bodies (NGBs) for the sports on the programs of the Olympic and Pan American Games.
The United States Fencing Association (USFA) is the recognized NGB for the sport of fencing in the United States. The USFA 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.
The USFA is affiliated with the Féderation Internationale d'Escrime (FIE), the international federation for fencing founded in Paris in 1913.
The USFA was incorporated as a non-profit corporation in Pennsylvania in 1964 and in Colorado in 1993 in compliance with the Amateur Sports Act and opened its national office at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. in August of 1982. Carla-Mae Richards was hired as the USFA's first full-time Executive Director in 1983 and served in that capacity until 1994.
A Strategic Planning Commission met in 1992 to charter a course for the USFA's future. A planning group then met in 1995 and re-examined the organization's mission and goals.
Mission: The mission of the USFA is to develop fencers to achieve international success and to administer and promote the sport in the USA.
Goals:
In keeping with its mission, the USFA sends teams to the World Championships, the World Under-20 Championships, the World Under-17 Championships, the Pan American Senior Championships and the Pan American Junior Championships. In addition, the USFA develops programs to assist its top athletes towards achieving international results.
The USFA selects teams to represent the U.S. at the Olympic Games, Pan American Games, and World University Games.
Domestically, USFA programs range from grassroots to coaching education.
USFA grassroots success in attracting young people is evident at the annual Junior Olympic Fencing Championships (JOs). The JOs continue to break records in the number of participants and the number of entries. The event started in 1972 with 100 fencers in four events. In 1996, the event attracted 1,240 fencers in 26 events over five age categories - Under-20, Under-17, Under-15, Under-13 and Under-11. The event became so large that it was restructured for 1997 and beyond. Only Under-20 and Under-17 events will be held.
The USFA also conducts the National Championships each year. This event, like the JOs, attracts more than 900 fencers annually. The Nationals began in 1892 and were held in New York City until 1939, when they were held in San Francisco and began moving to other cities. Today, they are held in locations across the U.S.
For the first time in 1997, a Division I National Championship, the highest level of championship, was held in the Spring to accomodate World Champi- onships team selection. An expanded Summer National Championships was held in early July to eliminate conflicts with the end of the school year.
National Championships Events
Youth-14, -12, -10
Division I, Division IA, II & III, Under-19, Under-16, Team (Open & Under-19): Men's Foil, Épée, Saber & Women's Foil, Épée, Saber
Veterans (40 & over): Events are held in various age categories for Men's Foil, Épée, Saber & Women's Foil, Épée, Saber.
The USFA issues classifications of A, B, C, D and E to its competitive fencers, with A being the highest level. Fencers may earn classifications through improved performance at high-level events. Division II national events are for fencers classified "C" and below, while Division III events are for "D" and below.
The North American Cups (NACs) are the USFA's key national-level competitions throughout the competitive season. Four are held for the Open category, while there are two each season for the Under-20, -17, -15, -13 and -11 age groups.
Fencers are not restricted to one age category - they may compete above their age category.
The USFA started a Division II and Division III NAC in 1995. This is intended to be a developmental event, not just for fencers but also for referees, armorers, and other official personnel.
The USFA compiles point standings, or national rankings, throughout the season for the Open, Under-20, Under-17, Youth-14, Youth-12 and Youth-10 categories. Fencers earn points based on placement at national events and certain international events. These standings are used to select U.S. teams.
The USFA began naming a National Team in 1989. Each year, the country's top fencers earn spots on the team, based on the national point standings.
The USFA has begun to designate National Training Centers for each of the five Olympic events. The Rochester Fencing Centre in Rochester, N.Y., run by National Women's Foil Coach Buckie Leach, is the training center for women's foil. Five regional training centers have been named for men's épée. National Training Centers will be named for men's foil, women's épée and men's saber at a later date.
The annual Coaches College is conducted each summer at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. The Coaches College began in 1983 as part of the USFA's coaching development program and has become the most prestigious fencing coach education program in the U.S. Coach participants in this program will become the USFA's nationwide leading developmental coaches.
Events for Veterans (over the age of 40) are now more common at both the national and international levels. In 1995, the U.S. hosted an international Veterans event in Florida.
The USFA now sponsors national wheelchair fencing competitions. For the first time in '96, the USFA selected a team to compete at the Paralympic Games and barely missed a medal, with a fourth-place finish by Terri Cecil-Ramsey (Louisville, Ky.).
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