Apply to USA Fencing Committees, Councils & Resource Groups (2026–27)

Published March 16, 2026

USA Fencing opened applications for its 2026–27 committees, councils and resource groups. If you have ever had an opinion about how tournaments are run, how coaches are supported, or how parents get information, this is the formal way to work on it.

Who can apply and by when

Applications are open to USA Fencing members age 18 and older. The deadline is July 10, 2026, and applications go through the official form on USA Fencing's announcement page. Questions go to committees@usafencing.org, and each group's charter is posted on the Committees page.

The groups accepting applications

USA Fencing listed the following committees, councils and resource groups: Audit; Budget; Election; Nominating; Ethics; Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging; Grievance and Discipline; Tournament; Veterans; U.S. SEMI; Hall of Fame; International Relations; Coaches; Division Resource Group; Paralympic Development Resource Group; Sports Medicine Resource Group; Sports Performance Resource Group; Data Science Resource Group; and the Parents Council.

That list spans nearly every part of the sport a family touches — the Tournament committee shapes how national events run, the Coaches committee shapes coaching standards, and the Parents Council is the direct channel for the questions parents actually ask.

Terms and expectations

Terms are two years under a 2024 Board policy. Members should expect regular meetings, and attendance requirements apply. This is real volunteer work with a calendar attached, not a line for a resume.

Review and appointment

A Committee Selection Task Force reviews applications, and the Board makes appointments at its annual meeting in September.

What you need to have in place

Within 30 days of accepting an appointment, a volunteer must have current USA Fencing membership with +CheckEd, +Coach or a Coach membership; a current background check; current SafeSport training; and a completed Conflict of Interest form. Sitting members must reapply unless their term expires in 2027.

Why saber parents and coaches should consider it

Saber families often feel policy decisions as logistics: which weekend a regional lands on, what a competitive membership costs, how referees are assigned. Committee seats are where those details get argued before they become a calendar. A parent who has driven to eight events in a season knows things a national office cannot see from Colorado Springs, and the Parents Council exists for exactly that knowledge.

Coaches have a parallel path through the Coaches committee and the Sports Performance and Sports Medicine resource groups, where curriculum, athlete health and development pathways are discussed.

First, get the membership basics right

Every appointment starts with an active membership in good standing, plus a background check and SafeSport. If you are not sure which membership category you or your fencer currently hold, our USA Fencing membership guide explains each tier and what it allows.

Train with Saber Nation in Bethesda

Saber Nation is a saber-only club at 4701 Sangamore Road, Suite LL2, Bethesda, MD 20816, with group lessons Monday and Wednesday, 4:45 PM to 6:15 PM, and Saturday, 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM. If your family is new to the sport, book a trial class through our contact page. For the rest of our national coverage, see the USA Fencing news hub.

Source: USA Fencing, "Shape the Future of Fencing: Apply to USA Fencing's Committees, Councils and Resource Groups for 2026–27," March 16, 2026 — https://www.usafencing.org/news/2026/march/16/shape-the-future-of-fencing-apply-to-usa-fencing-s-committees-councils-and-resource-groups-for-2026-27

Training options

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