Fall 2025: New at Cardinal Fencing Academy

Dear Fencing Friends and Families!

I hope your summer is going well! Ours definitely is, we had the pleasure to introduce over 50 kids to the sport so far and more to come in the next two weeks! Please enjoy the Good Morning Washington segment on us and this photo album from our Beginner Camps.

We would love to see you in the Fall of 2025!

New at CFA for the 2025-2026 season. First day is Wednesday, September 3.

• Prices reduced and restructured. Group C (Travel team) rolled into Groups A/B for a single pricelist for all of CFA. Click here for the 2025-2026 Pricelist.

• Overview of how our academy works updated. Please click here to read this carefully. Starting this year we require private lessons in order to join our Core classes.

• New Make Up Policy. Each fencer is entitled to one make-up private lesson per month, which must be scheduled by the end of the following month. Additional missed lessons can only be rescheduled with at least 48 hours' notice, otherwise, they are forfeited. Lessons missed due to the coach's absence are always eligible for make-up. Any group class can be made up with any other age appropriate class.

• New Discount Structure. No discounts for a single fencer. A 2% discount is offered for each fencer in a family, with an additional 2% discount available for prepaying the entire season. The maximum possible family discount is 6% without prepayment and 8% with prepayment. Parents are not charged for membership, and no membership charges are applied off-season.

• No refunds for any prepayments or 12 month contracts unless a major life event occurs as described here or moving over 30 miles away from CFA.

• New Parents' Class. It's a pleasure to see the parents take interest in their kids' sport! This discounted Parents' class in on Mondays at 7pm. Any beginner/recreational adult is welcome to join at an additional $50/month CFA membership fee.

• Season commitment decisions due August 8. Monthly plans available for purchase August 1. Season prepayments due September 3 by check only. Please click here to fill out our lesson slot and contract survey. We're trying some AI assistance to sort out the weekly slots so please read the directions carefully, syntax matters. All requests will be verified personally of course and we do offer enrollment year long, this applies mostly to our travel team.

Stay tuned for updates on tournaments, a pre-season potluck, new spirit wear, and exciting new coaches!

We look forward to the future! Thanks everyone for your interest. Let's aim for the stars and beyond! Feel free to reach out with questions, and we highly recommend joining our group chat.

Happy fencing!

Head Coach and CFA Founder

Ilya V. Lobanenkov

CFA Manager

Sofia Iva

PS: This year we made the finals of Washington Parents’ Best of List in Sport and Recreation Camps. We have won Best Fencing Program multiple times, but this year it is a much broader category. Please take a moment to vote for us!