Texas Fencing Academy

What Texas Fencing Academy does

Texas Fencing Academy (TFA) is a privately held fencing instruction academy founded in 1989 in Austin, Texas by Ray Parker and two-time Olympian Vincent Bradford. Operating from a 9,000 sq. ft. facility at 8227 N Lamar Blvd with 15 fully electrified metal strips, the academy delivers structured fencing instruction in Epee and Saber to participants ages 6 through adult, segmented across Minnows (ages 6-9), Recreational (~10+), Competitive, Adult Fencing, Open Fencing, Private Lessons, and Summer Camps. A resident mental strength and fitness coach extends the offering into sport psychology and conditioning. Pricing is subscription-based ($95-$250/month depending on program tier) with unit-priced private lessons ($40-$55), week-long summer camps at $375, and ancillary revenue from an on-site Pro Shop for equipment, repairs, and tournament fees.

The academy's technology stack centers on the TFA Pro v2 mobile application (built on Glide) for registration, scheduling, and payment processing, supported by Stripe and Lightspeed e-commerce integrations. A differentiating technical element is the patent-pending High Accuracy Trigger (HAT) modules integrated with BlazePod light-based reaction training, sold as a $55/month add-on and bundled into the Competitive Program. Customer acquisition is direct-to-consumer and event-driven, relying on free monthly introductory classes, summer camps as seasonal youth acquisition events, organic social media (Facebook, Instagram), word-of-mouth referrals, and tournament participation. Headquartered solely in Austin with no disclosed funding, no parent company, and no subsidiary structure, TFA operates as a bootstrapped, founder-led local services business with 35+ years of operating history and documented alumni placements at NCAA programs including Stanford, Columbia, UNC Chapel Hill, Duke, Penn State, Temple, Wesleyan, and the United States Air Force Academy.

Name

Texas Fencing Academy

Legal name

Texas Fencing Academy

Website

https://texasfencingacademy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Texas Fencing Academy is a privately held Austin-based fencing academy, founded in 1989, offering structured Epee and Saber instruction across youth, competitive, and adult programs from a 9,000 sq. ft. facility, with revenue from monthly subscriptions, private lessons, summer camps, and an on-site Pro Shop.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fencing Instruction and Training Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Single-Sport Skill Academies (Soccer, Basketball, Tennis, etc.) (MPAKAJAB)

Keywords

• Fencing instruction
• Fencing academy
• Sports training
• Youth athletics
• Competitive fencing

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Monthly Membership/Program Fees: Recurring monthly subscription fees for structured fencing programs including Minnows, Recreational, Competitive, Adult Fencing, and Open Fencing programs. Competitive program includes BlazePod training; other programs offer it as an add-on.
2. Private Lessons: One-on-one fencing instruction priced at $40 for assistant coaches and $55 for head coach. Lessons are 20-30 minutes, scheduled through the app, and paid monthly based on sessions taken.
3. Summer Camps: Week-long summer camps for youth ages 6-15 priced at $375 per camp. Extended stay available for $75/day. Family discounts offered for second members.
4. Equipment Sales and Services: On-site Pro Shop selling fencing equipment, offering repairs, and processing tournament fees. Revenue from equipment sales, repair services, and tournament registration fees.
5. BlazePod Training Add-on: Monthly add-on subscription for BlazePod reaction training at $55/month for Recreational, Adult, and Open Fencing members. Included at no additional cost in Competitive Program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Texas Fencing Academy provides structured fencing instruction in Epee and Saber for youth ages 6 through adult at its 9,000 sq. ft. Austin facility. The academy sells tiered monthly memberships (Minnows, Recreational, Competitive, Adult, Open Fencing), private lessons, summer camps, and an on-site Pro Shop for equipment sales and repairs. Registration and payment are managed through the proprietary TFA Pro v2 mobile app, with optional BlazePod reaction training using patent-pending HAT modules.

Product overview

Texas Fencing Academy offers a comprehensive suite of fencing instruction programs organized by age and competitive focus. The core offerings include age-specific youth programs (Minnows for ages 6-9, Recreational for ~10+), the Competitive Program for tournament athletes, and Adult/Open Fencing options. Supplementary services include Private Lessons, BlazePod Reaction Training (add-on), and Summer Camps. The academy operates the TFA Pro v2 registration app and an on-site Pro Shop. Programs are structured tiered by commitment level and include a free monthly introductory class.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Minnows Program (Ages 6-9) Age-appropriate fencing instruction for children ages 6-9 emphasizing balance, footwork, blade control, safety, and sportsmanship. Saturday classes with Epee (9:00-9:45am) and Saber (9:45-10:30am). Priced at $105/month.
• Recreational Program (Ages ~10+) Structured training for fencers ages 10+ seeking skill development and bouting without competition commitment. Includes footwork, blade work, tactical drills, and supervised fencing. Weekday instructor-led classes plus Saturday mixed training. Priced at $195/month.
• Competitive Program High-performance training for tournament-focused athletes preparing for local, regional, and national competition. Includes unlimited training access Mon-Thu evenings and Saturdays, open fencing, BlazePod Reaction Training with patent-pending HAT modules, performance tracking, and competition preparation. Priced at $250/month.
• Adult Fencing Program Structured instruction for adult beginners and returning fencers, integrating direct training with open bouting. Monday (Saber) and Tuesday (Epee) sessions begin with 30 minutes of instruction followed by open fencing. Priced at $120/month.
• Open Fencing Unstructured bouting time for teen and adult fencers in both Epee and Saber weapons in a supervised environment. Available Monday-Thursday evenings with weapon-specific scheduling. Priced at $95-$135/month.
• Private Lessons Focused, individualized instruction (20-30 minutes) for technical and tactical development in Epee and Saber. Priced at $40 for Assistant Coach and $55 for Head Coach, available to club members with priority for tournament-preparing competitors.
• Summer Camps 2026 Week-long summer camps for young athletes ages 6-15 combining athletic skill development, teamwork, and fencing instruction. Two sessions in June 2026 with age-appropriate activities and expert coaching in Epee and Saber. Priced at $375 per camp with optional extended stay at $75/day.
• Free Introductory Class (Monthly) Monthly free hands-on introduction to fencing with all equipment provided. Separate sessions for Ages 6-9 (Epee and Saber) and Ages 9+ and Adults. Requires registration via TFA app and liability waiver completion.
• TFA Pro v2 Mobile App Mobile registration application built on Glide platform for class registration, new fencer orientation scheduling, and payment processing. Accessed via QR code or direct link.
• On-site Pro Shop (Equipment and Repairs) On-site pro shop offering fencing gear and equipment purchases, repair services, tournament fees, special events, and donation options processed via the Lightspeed e-commerce platform.

Quantifiable outcome

• Alumni have competed at NCAA programs including Stanford, Columbia, UNC Chapel Hill, Duke, Temple, Penn State, Wesleyan, and United States Air Force Academy, with many earning All-American recognition.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Fencing Organizations (FIE, USFA, USFCA, South Texas Division)minorOthersTexas Fencing Academy operates within the ecosystem of national and international fencing governing bodies. TFA is affiliated with USFCA (provides coaching certification), USFA/South Texas Division (governs competitive events), and FIE (international federation). These relationships provide competition sanctioning, coaching credentials, and tournament infrastructure.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• LA International Fencing: Los Angeles fencing academy offering youth, adult, and competitive programs with a similar subscription structure and tournament-prep emphasis. Direct comparable in scale and program breadth.
• Manhattan Fencing Center: Long-established NYC fencing academy offering tiered youth and adult programs with a similar subscription-based, multi-program structure. Directly comparable operating model with comparable focus on competitive collegiate placement.
• Peter Westbrook Foundation: NYC fencing program founded by Olympic medalist Peter Westbrook, focused on youth development and competitive excellence. Comparable Olympic-pedigree leadership and youth pipeline focus to TFA.
• Fencers Club: Historic NYC fencing club with deep competitive pedigree and a tradition of producing collegiate and national-level fencers. Closely comparable mission and customer outcome (competitive success) to TFA.
• Alliance Fencing Academy: Houston-area fencing club providing youth, recreational, and competitive programs in the same Texas regional market as TFA. Closely comparable geography and customer base.
• Olympia Fencing Center: Cambridge, MA-based fencing club offering tiered youth and adult instruction with a similar subscription/membership approach. Comparable scale and program architecture to TFA.
• Northwest Fencing Center: Portland, OR-based fencing club offering structured youth, competitive, and adult programs with a similar multi-program, membership-based model. Comparable scale and target customer base to TFA.
• Academy of Fencing Masters: Bay Area fencing academy providing structured instruction across skill levels with strong competitive-program orientation. Comparable business model, customer segmentation, and outcome focus to TFA.

Emerging players

• iLoveKickboxing: Multi-location martial arts/fitness franchise built on a recurring subscription model with similar GTM mechanics (intro classes, tiered membership, add-ons). Useful comparable for recurring-revenue member-acquisition motion, though not a fencing peer.

Broad incumbents

• Life Time Fitness: National fitness operator offering membership-based access to athletic programming including niche sports instruction. Provides a reference point for scaling member-based sports/fitness instruction, though at a vastly broader scope than TFA.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/162765200409771
• Instagraminstagram.com/texasfencingacademy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/texas-fencing-academy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Texas Fencing Academy