What Is the Fencing Institute of Texas (FIT) Website?
Updated
fenceintexas.org is the website of the Fencing Institute of Texas (FIT), a non-profit fencing school in Carrollton that serves the Dallas–Fort Worth area. It offers foil and epee training from recreational through Olympic level, along with parafencing, Victorian (historical) fencing, home school programs, and off-campus PE instruction. The site is aimed at both newcomers who want to try the sport and experienced fencers looking for competitive training.
What the Club Offers
The site describes FIT as "Home of Past Olympians and Future Olympic Hopefuls" and presents itself as a place for beginners as well as competitive athletes. Its listed programs include:
- Foil and epee training — recreational through Olympic level
- Adaptive Sport / parafencing
- Victorian (historical) fencing
- Home School Programs
- Off-campus PE instruction for the DFW area
- Summer Camps
Programs are grouped by age and level, with named tracks such as:
| Program | Level | Age group |
|---|---|---|
| Musketeer | Beginners | 6–9 |
| Bronze | Beginners | 10–14 |
| Silver | Intermediate to advanced | 9–14 |
| Adult Fitness | Beginners to advanced | 15 and older |
The site also references NCAA teams, so competitive pathways appear to extend beyond youth recreation.
How to Start as a Beginner
FIT recommends that people who have never fenced before take a reduced-fee, 30-minute introductory lesson with a coach before joining a beginner class. The site states this lesson is not intended for people who have fenced previously.
Key details from the site:
- Lesson times: Mondays at 6:00 and 6:30 pm; Saturdays at 1:00 and 1:30 pm
- Registration: After signing up, you receive an email with instructions to schedule the lesson
- Requirement: A free Trial Membership with USA Fencing is needed for the introductory lesson; the form is on the USA Fencing website and should be brought to the lesson
- Scheduling window: Lessons can be booked within a 3-month period
- Refunds: The site states refunds are not given; if you cannot schedule within 3 months, you can email [email protected] before the intro membership ends to request an extension
- Late requests: Requests made after the intro lesson membership is canceled are neither refundable nor extendable
What Else Is on the Site
The navigation points to sections that suggest the site serves both prospective and current members:
- Intro Lesson — sign-up information for first-timers
- Student Area — a members' section
- FIT Coaches — coach information
- Downloads — documents and forms
- Athlete Development Model — the club's training pathway
- Gallery and Sponsor Page
- Contact Us — general inquiries, with [email protected] listed for intro lesson issues
Account features (sign in, create account, my account) appear on the site, indicating a member login area.
Who This Site Is For
The website is most useful if you are:
- A parent in the DFW area looking for a beginner fencing class for a child (ages 6–14 tracks are listed)
- An adult beginner or returning fencer interested in foil or epee
- A home school family seeking PE or sports instruction
- A fencer or family exploring competitive, Olympic-path, or parafencing options
If you are outside the Carrollton/DFW area, the site does not indicate remote or online instruction, so its programs appear to be in-person.