Northwest Fencing Center

What Northwest Fencing Center does

Northwest Fencing Center (NWFC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit fencing training facility headquartered in Tigard, Oregon, specializing in foil and epee. Founded in 1972 (originally as Salle Auriol Fencing Club), NWFC serves fencers across all age groups from 7 to 70+, including youth beginners, adult recreational and competitive athletes, women and girls (via the Athena Project), and parafencing athletes. The organization operates from a 20,000+ square foot, purpose-built facility opened in 2022, featuring 21 competition-standard strips, cushioned flooring, a full on-site equipment armory, viewing areas, and conference space.

The core product portfolio spans group classes (Youth, Adult/Teen, Competitive), 4-week intro sessions, private 20-minute lessons with certified coaches, multi-day summer camps (including Pre-Nationals, Advanced, International Coaches, and Athena Project women's camps), recurring open bouting for experienced fencers, and US Fencing-sanctioned tournaments (RYCs, SYCs, ROCs, including the Cascade Clash SYC). Support services include the NWFC Pro Shop (via Squad Locker), the Armory (weapon maintenance), the Financial Aid Program (up to 50% off fees, processed through VeriFyle and reviewed by independent accountants), and Kids Birthday Parties plus corporate team-building events. Coaching bench is led by Head Coach Simon Abram and includes Fencing Masters Ioana Doltu and Patricio Moreno, with Olympic-level coaching credentials represented historically through Cody Mattern.

Revenue is generated through annual memberships ($250–$1,500/year across Senior, Parent-Plus, Individual, and Family tiers), recurring class fees, private lessons, summer and specialty camp registrations, tournament hosting, and tax-deductible donations processed via Humanitru. The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer at a single physical site, with enrollment through the Training Scheduler (ScheduleFencing) portal and tournament registration through AskFRED. Community-driven growth is reinforced through outreach to schools and homeschool groups, athlete alumni profiles, and Olympic/World Championship alumni marketing.

Name

Northwest Fencing Center

Legal name

Northwest Fencing Center

Website

https://nwfencing.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Northwest Fencing Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit fencing facility in Tigard, Oregon, offering foil and epee classes, summer camps, private lessons, and tournaments for fencers of all ages, with financial aid and women-focused programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fencing Training Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Elite Performance Training Centers (High-Performance/Pro Prep) (MPAKAJAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Competition & Tournament Team Training (HSADADAJ), Strength & Conditioning / Athletic Performance Training (HSADAEAB)

Keywords

• Fencing instruction
• Foil classes
• Epee training
• Fencing camps
• Competitive fencing

Headquarters

HQ city

Tigard

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual and monthly membership fees providing access to open bouting, training facilities, and class enrollment.
2. Class Fees: Group fencing classes for youth, teens, and adults at various skill levels including beginner, intermediate, and competitive tracks.
3. Private Lessons: One-on-one instruction with certified fencing coaches in 20-minute blocks.
4. Summer Camps: Multi-day intensive training camps for various age groups and skill levels, including specialized programs like Athena Project women's camps and Pre-Nationals camps.
5. Donations: Tax-deductible donations from community members supporting Financial Aid Program and facility operations. NWFC is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Northwest Fencing Center is a non-profit fencing training facility specializing in foil and epee instruction. It delivers group classes, private lessons, multi-day summer camps, intro sessions, open bouting practice, and hosted tournaments, supported by an annual membership program, a financial aid initiative, and the women-only Athena Project. All instruction and training is delivered on-site at a purpose-built 20,000+ sq. ft. facility in Tigard, Oregon with 21 competition-standard strips.

Product overview

Northwest Fencing Center is a non-profit fencing training facility offering a comprehensive suite of programs built around group instruction, private lessons, and competitive opportunities. The core service portfolio centers on fencing Classes (youth, adult, competitive) and Summer Camps for all skill levels, supplemented by Private Lessons, Tournaments (RYCs, SYCs, ROCs), Intro Sessions for beginners, and Open Bouting. Specialty programs include the Athena Project (women-only training initiative), Team Building Events, and Kids Birthday Parties. Ancillary services include Membership management, the NWFC Pro Shop (equipment and branded merchandise via Squad Locker), Financial Aid Program (grants up to 50% off fees), and The Armory (weapon repair facility). The facility operates under a Training Scheduler platform for class registration and the AskFRED system for tournament registration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fencing Classes Group instruction sessions in foil and epee for fencers of all ages and skill levels, including Youth Beginner, Youth Intermediate, Adult/Teen classes, and Competitive programs. Class enrollment is managed through the Training Scheduler portal.
• Summer Camps Intensive multi-day fencing programs for all ages and skill levels, including Youth Summer Camps, Advanced Camps, Pre-Nationals Camps, and specialty camps such as the women's-only Athena Project camp and the International Coaches Training Camp.
• Private Lessons One-on-one 20-minute instructional sessions with certified fencing coaches, providing personalized technical, tactical, and strategic training tailored to individual fencer development.
• Tournaments Organized fencing competitions including Regional Youth Circuits (RYCs), Super Youth Circuits (SYC), Regional Open Circuits (ROCs), and national-level events. NWFC hosts the Cascade Clash SYC and has hosted the USA Fencing Summer Nationals.
• Intro Sessions 4-week introductory programs for athletes with no fencing experience covering basics of footwork and fencing vocabulary. Offered separately for kids (ages 7-12) and adults/teens (ages 13+).
• Open Bouting Weekly unstructured practice time for experienced fencers to spar and practice against club members, including specialty sessions such as Seated Fencing for wheelchair fencers.
• Membership Program Annual membership providing access to the Training Scheduler, open bouting, and various membership tiers including Individual Unlimited Bouting ($900/year), Family ($1,500/year), Parent-Plus ($250/year), and Senior ($250/year for ages 65+) memberships.
• Athena Project Women-only fencing initiative supporting athlete development, plus leadership and professional development of women and girls as fencers, referees, and future coaches. Includes training days, weekend camps, and week-long intensive programs. The inaugural camp attracted over 50 registrations across ages 10-70.
• Financial Aid Program Grant and scholarship program providing up to 50% discount on class and lesson fees for approved athletes of all ages. Based on financial need documentation reviewed by independent accountants using the VeriFyle secure document sharing service.
• NWFC Pro Shop Equipment sales and ordering service offering equipment lists, team warmups, and NWFC branded club gear through the Squad Locker platform. Includes uniform stenciling via Marx Enterprises.
• Team Building Events Custom team building experiences led by NWFC coaches featuring warm-up games and fencing activities suitable for guests of all ages.
• Kids Birthday Parties Fencing-themed birthday celebration experiences hosted at the NWFC facility with coach-led activities.
• The Armory On-site equipment repair facility open to all members for maintaining and repairing fencing weapons and equipment, including weapon maintenance tools and workspace.

Quantifiable outcome

• Produced multiple Olympians, national champions, and world team members
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• W FencingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 November 2023Collaboration for women and girls summer camp combined with women-only coaches college. This partnership led to a 3-weapon camp for female athletes and coaches, supporting the Athena Project initiative.
• Marx EnterprisesminorOthersRecommended stenciling service for fencers to have last names added to uniforms per USA Fencing requirements. Owned by NWFC member and Board President Bob Marx.
• Partner HotelsminorOthersRecommended accommodations for traveling fencers attending camps and tournaments at NWFC. Listed on tournament information pages.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• USA Fencing: National governing body for the sport, sanctioning tournaments (including events NWFC hosts) and certifying coaches. Comparable as the broader institutional umbrella under which NWFC operates and qualifies athletes.

Direct peers

• Fencers Club: Historic New York fencing club with a strong Olympic and national-team pipeline, offering classes, memberships, and tournaments. Comparable to NWFC in producing elite fencers while operating a multi-level community program.
• Manhattan Fencing Center: Long-established NYC fencing club offering classes, camps, and private lessons across multiple weapons. Comparable as a multi-decade, community-rooted fencing training center with both beginner and competitive programs.
• Academy of Fencing Masters: Bay Area fencing center offering youth and adult classes, camps, private lessons, and competitive training. Comparable in operating as a large, multi-strip facility serving both beginners and elite fencers on the West Coast.
• Salle Mauro Fencing: San Jose-based fencing club with a strong competitive track record, offering youth and adult programs. Comparable to NWFC in producing national-level athletes while running community classes.

Others

• Marx Enterprises: Stenciling service connected to NWFC through Board President Bob Marx, supplying USA Fencing-compliant uniform personalization. Included as an ecosystem/adjacent vendor rather than a competitor.

Regional players

• DC Fencers Club: Mid-Atlantic fencing club providing group classes, private instruction, and tournament hosting. Comparable as a multi-program community fencing center serving a major regional metro.
• LA International Fencing Center: Large Los Angeles fencing club running classes, camps, and competitions across weapons. Comparable as a Southern California counterpart to NWFC's regional hub status in the Pacific Northwest.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@northwestfencingcenter6351
• Facebookfacebook.com/NWFencing
• Instagraminstagram.com/nwfencing
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/northwest-fencing-center

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 Northwest Fencing Center