How your free class works
Pick a time, leave your contact
Choose one of the beginner classes and tell us how to reach you. No payment information is needed.
Arrive 10 minutes early
Sneakers and athletic clothes, a towel and a water bottle.
We lend you the kit
Mask, jacket, glove and blade are provided for the class, and stay free for your whole first month.
Why fencing
A thinking sport at speed
Every bout is a fast argument: read the opponent, choose, move. Children learn to adapt under pressure and to think a step ahead.
Character, not just fitness
Fencing asks for discipline, independence and resilience. A child learns to handle winning and losing, and to keep going when it gets hard.
It can go far
Fencing is an NCAA-recognised college sport, and fencers here follow the path from a first class to local, regional and national tournaments.
Programs and ages
Group classes and private lessons, from complete beginners to competitive fencers.
Beginners
First footwork and first blade work, in a group of the same age. Everything is provided.
Beginners
The main beginner group: technique, bouts, and the first tournaments for those who want them.
Beginners
Teens starting from zero, with a route into the Elite group when they are ready.
Adult Beginners
One evening a week for adults who want to try it themselves. Gear is included, your own is welcome.
Elite · invitation only
Competitive fencers training three evenings a week. Fencers bring their own kit.
Schedule
The two beginner classes in bold frames are the ones you can book as a free trial.
Club hours: Mon–Fri 3–9 PM, Sat 9 AM–3 PM. Sunday closed.
Prices after the free class
Beginners
Adult Beginners
Elite
Private lessons and membership
Meet our head coach, Pavel Bykov
Parents here call him Coach Pasha. A former Olympic fencer and World and European champion, Pavel represented the Russian national team and placed fourth in the men's team sabre at the 2012 London Olympics, with team gold at the World and European Championships.
He went on to coach and then direct the Novosibirsk Olympic Reserve School of Fencing, where his athletes won national, European and world championship medals. He is a certified FIE referee and was trained by Boris Pisetsky and Christian Bauer. He has coached here in Austin for two years. He coaches on discipline, focus, confidence and individual growth, and he runs your child's first class himself.
Book my free classWhat parents say
“Coach Pasha is an experienced, capable, and effective coach. He makes practices both instructional and fun, engaging students of all ages. He works hard to bring out the best in his athletes while balancing that drive with patience and support for every skill level.”
“Fencing here is taught at a serious level!”
“Amazing coach and facilities!”
Questions parents ask
Is fencing safe for kids?
Every fencer trains in full protective equipment, a mask, jacket, glove and blade, and the club lends all of it for every class. Your child’s first class is run by head coach Pavel Bykov himself, and beginners train together in a supervised group.
What age can my child start?
From five. The groups are 5–6, 7–11 and 12–18, and there is an adult beginners class on Friday evenings.
Do we need equipment?
No. Mask, jacket, glove and blade are lent to you for the free class and stay free for your whole first month. Bring sneakers, athletic clothes, a towel and a water bottle.
Can parents watch?
Yes. Parents are welcome to watch the class.
Where we fence
13581 Pond Springs Rd, Suite 308Austin, TX 78729 (408) 592-1244 Get directions
There is parking by the club.
West Coast Fencing Academy, Austin
An established fencing community with two salles in California and its newest in Austin, Texas. Our coaches have spent their careers both competing and raising the next generation. Excellence without pressure: a supportive room where a child can build confidence, make friends and grow at their own pace.
Start your fencing journey, free
Come meet Coach Pasha, feel the atmosphere, and see why families choose West Coast Fencing Academy. Your first class is free, and the equipment stays free for your whole first month.