Cross Roads Fencing Center

Olympic Style Fencing in your Home Town!

A place for the Marlborough community and its neighbors to learn and practice the Olympic sport of Fencing.

The Cross Roads Fencing Center is offering Olympic Style Epee Fencing Lessons in Marlborough, MA. Click here for registration forms.

Class dates and times for 2008-09 are posted; Once & twice-weekly class Tuesdays & Thursdays meeting at Jericho Hill Lodge.

Open fencing night Tues Nov 25 at Jericho Hill Lodge. All students are welcome to come for both class times & fence all you can stand to!

Location change: Dec 2 & 4, classes will meet at the Hildreth School Gym, 99 Sawin St. in Marlboro.

News! Cross Roads Fencing takes Gold Medal and 5th place at Prise De Fer Y10 Event. Click here for full results.

Why Should I Fence?

It's a load of fun! Does fencing in the movies look cool? Fencing for real is even better. Imagine you're on the strip, a 3 foot sword in your hand, sizing up your opponent for a weak spot, pushing him back, and drawing him close. An extension of the arm, a quick advance forward, and the tip of your blade is pressed against your opponent while the scoring machine buzzes for your touch! Your fans go wild!

Having all this fun you may not notice fencing is great exercise too. Fencing improves coordination, balance, strength, flexibility, and conditioning. And you could be burning 400 calories an hour. (Your mileage may vary.)

Who can Fence? Everyone!

Fencers can start training as young as 8 years old (3rd grade). Boys and Girls, Men and Women, Young and Old, all are welcome. Classes are separated by age, which also serves to separate by size for training; ages 8-12, ages 13-16, and ages 17-adult. As skills improve, size becomes less important. A 5'4” person can overcome a 6'8” person with form and technique!

Classes will introduce students to the footwork, weapon, rules and traditions of Olympic style electric Epee fencing:

Warm ups/Stretching

Footwork/Conditioning

The Uniform

The Epee

Fencing Equipment

Safety!

Scoring

Attacking/Defending

Rules of the Strip

Tournaments

All equipment is provided in the beginner classes

Fencing is a life-long sport. At the 2007 USFA Summer National tournament, the youngest fencer was 6 and the oldest was 88. Any age is a good time to start. Competitions during the season let you fence against similar age & skill levels - Open events bring all experience levels together.

A special note for parents, once you see how much fun your kids are having, you may feel compelled to try the sport yourself!