Local Organizing Committee for the

Coupe de Monde (World Cup), Dallas, Texas June 19-22, 2009

2009 Summer National Championships, Gaylord Texas in Grapevine, Texas July 3-12, 2009

Click here to jump to the Summer Camp Page   Just need an application?   Click here for the Beginner/Intermediate Day Camps

The Fencing Institute of Texas is a school of Olympic sport fencing serving the Dallas and Fort Worth Metroplex area.   Our fencing school is centrally located in Farmers Branch, near Irving, Las Colinas, and Coppell.  FIT is easily accessible from Fort Worth and the Hurst, Euless, Bedford areas by I-183; from Keller, Southlake, Grapevine or Colleyville by I-114 or I-635 ; from Plano and North Dallas from I-635 or I-161 tollway and the 35E corridor; and from Arlington and areas south by I-360, Loop 12, or 35E.

We have a FREE introductory class each Friday evening, 7-8 PM for ages 6 and older.  Please arrive approximately 15 minutes prior to the class.   Wear tennis shoes and exercise clothing (preferably long pants without pockets).  We also do Fencing Parties for groups of 6-15 (more with prior approval).  Download our party contract by clicking here.  Click here for a map to our school.

FIT programs  are specially designed by world-class coaches with classical education and pedagogy. Students are challenged mentally, physically, and emotionally. The programs are designed to provide optimal learning in a fun atmosphere through rigorous conditioning, games of concentration, drills, private lessons, and bouting.   Our students learn:

• How to win and lose graciously.

• How to evaluate the cause and effect of their actions.

• How to overcome attitudes and fears to think strategically and solve problems quickly.

Fencing:  

•   Unites the young and the old.

•   Transcends cultures.

•   Teaches students to focus on goals.

•   Channels aggression into positive actions. 

FIT Fantastic Five ( Pictured from left to right)

• Volodymyr Yefimov
• Katalin Gasparin
• Hossam Mahmoud
• Rhonda Trietsch
• Janos Gasparin, Sr

FIT Fencing Masters received American Education reviews of their diplomas and areas of study.  Our Fencing Masters have bachelor degrees in Physical Education with an emphasis on sports medicine and sports psychology, and have Masters of Fencing degrees from their home university.  FIT Instructors and Assistant Instructors have completed, at a minimum, instruction through the US Fencing Coaches Association or the USFA Coaches College, or equivalent instruction.

FIT is a non-profit 501(c)(3) member club of the United States Fencing Association dedicated to enriching lives through the sport of fencing. We are a full range school, teaching all three Olympic weapons (foil, epee and sabre), and encouraging competitive team as well as recreational fencing for all ages!  

The FIT school is proud to have a dedicated, full-time armorer on staff to support the fencers' equipment needs. You do not need to be a Fencing Institute of Texas fencer to obtain services from the armourer.

Fencing Institute of Texas is a 509(c)(3) non-profit organization.  You may help our fencers and provide scholarship to students by donating through PayPal.  You can make a difference to a child's healthy development by donating here.  Just click on the secure PayPal Donate button below and follow the instructions.

Need a last minute gift idea?  Use this button from Pay Pal to purchase a gift certificate for tuition, lessons, or program fees.  Gift certificates redeemed for equipment  purchases will incur a $5.00 processing fee.

FIT was the Host Club and Local Organizer for:
2009 SUMMER NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Grapevine, TX 7/3/2009-7/12/2009 
2009 Coupe du Monde
Men's Sabre, Women's Sabre, Women's Foil World Cup
Dallas, TX 6/19/2009-6/22/2009
2007 NORTH AMERICAN CUP JUNIOR/CADET/YOUTH-14
Dallas, TX 11/9/2007-11/12/2007
2005 JUNIOR OLYMPIC CHAMPIONSHIPS
Arlington, TX 2/18/2005-2/21/2005
2004 NORTH AMERICAN CUP DIVISION II/III, and VETERANS
Arlington, TX 3/12/2004-3/15/2004
2003 NORTH AMERICAN CUP DIVISION II/III, and VETERANS
Arlington, TX 3/14/2003-3/17/2003
2001 NORTH AMERICAN CUP CADET and JUNIOR
Dallas, TX 11/9/2001-11/12/2001

My son hasn't fit in with any sport and hasn't been very athletic.   He now loves fencing, enjoys the people at FIT, and is showing promise athletically.  ~ML

Already a student at FIT? Join our FIT News Group on Yahoo (fenceintexas), enter your e-mail in the box to the right, or send us an e-mail asking to add you. (Note : this is a private, moderated e-mail group used for Club information only. Our club members use this list to establish car pools, trips to tournaments, and ask questions pertaining to the club. The club newsletter is also sent to members of this list in Adobe pdf format. To join, you will be asked to supply information about yourself so the group knows who you are. Once you do this, the moderator will add your name.)

Zain Shaito with Coach Volodymyr

Zain Shaito
Junior World Championships
~ Acireale, Italy  ~  April 6-14, 2008 ~

2008 WORLD CHAMPIONS!
Junior Men's Foil Team
Zain Shaito, Gerek Meinhardt, Nicholas Chinman

Zain Shaito creates the surge that allowes the USA to beat Italy 45-42!

"It was a great night for the US juniors. Two teams in the gold medal bouts...one very experienced, one in their first trip to the finals piste. Each handed their anchor a 4-point lead. One team's closer had been dominant in the early rounds, the other was struggling badly. The conclusion might have seemed foregone...but the way in which each team arrived at the 9th and final bout for gold would foreshadow the results.

Men's foilist Gerek Meinhardt was not having a good night, following last bout heroics against Russia earlier in the day. With an indicator of negative 10 through Gerek's first two matches against the pumped up Italian squad, the US went behind early. Teammates Zane Shaito and Nick Chinman refused to buckle, and continually scratched and scraped thier way back into the match, catching up to the Italian juggernaut, falling back behind, and then trading leads. Seventh bout, Shaito reels off 3 straight points to regain the lead, and then Chinman looks like a sabrist, with a handful of lightning attacks in prep to hand Gerek a 40-36 lead. Gerek had lost 7 points in his last bout...but no more. He outduels Minuto 5-4 for the win. The jubilant US team has to be shooed off the strip for the final salute." ~Captain Slo-Mo, www.Fencing.net

GoCityKids.com

FIT movies use Windows Media Player or Quicktime
FIT pics - slideshow of various photos click here
Lauren Marrs' view of the Houston Regional Youth Circuit click here
10 year old Sharon Hoefer's PowerPoint Show, "The Art of Fencing"  click here
Summer Camp at Austin College  click here
Mona's FIT Cheer click here