About the club
A sabre club for children, teens and adults in Northwest Austin, part of a fencing community with two clubs in California.
One club, three cities
West Coast Fencing Academy has two clubs in California, in Arcadia and Tustin, and its newest one here in Austin, Texas, at 13581 Pond Springs Road. Its head coach is Pavel Bykov, an Olympian in men’s team sabre, whom parents call Coach Pasha.
Our coaches have spent their careers both competing and raising the next generation. What we aim for is excellence without pressure: a supportive room where a child can build confidence, make friends and grow at their own pace.
We teach sabre
Fencing has three weapons: foil, épée and sabre. Sabre is the one we teach. In sabre you score with the edge or the point of the blade, anywhere above the waist except the hands, and bouts move fast. It is the weapon Coach Pasha fenced at the Olympics.
Groups and levels
Group classes run on weekday evenings and Saturday morning, and private lessons are available for members and non-members. Where one slot holds two groups, they train side by side, each at its own level. An 18-year-old trains with the 12–18 group; the adult class is for 19 and over.
Kids
Saturday, 9:00–10:00 AM
Beginner
Beginners and experienced
Monday and Wednesday, 6:00–7:30 PM
Beginner | Experienced
Beginners and Elite
Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 6:30–8:30 PM
Beginner and Elite groups train side by side, each at its own level
Adults
Wednesday, 8:00–9:15 PM
Beginner | Experienced
Elite
Four times a week
Competitive training for fencers who want to compete. Open to join: start with a free class.
On Saturday, 1:30–3:30 PM, the salle is open for open fencing; it is not a trial class.
Safety and equipment
Every fencer trains in full protective equipment. For the free class we lend you a mask, jacket, glove and blade, and they stay free for your whole first month. After that, rent the kit for $40 a month or bring your own. For the first class, bring sneakers, athletic clothes, a towel and a water bottle.
What a beginner needs, and what to buy later · Is fencing safe for children?
Prices and membership
Your first class is free. There is nothing to pay for it, and the only paper is the registration and waiver form you sign before the class. Monthly classes start at $120 for the Saturday kids’ class and for adult beginners, and at $150 a month for beginners aged 7–18. Elite training, four times a week, is $275 a month. Every member also pays a $500 annual membership on top of the monthly price.
If you decide to continue after the free class, you sign the membership agreement and pay at your next class.
Visiting the salle
13581 Pond Springs Rd, Suite 308Austin, TX 78729 Get directions (opens Google Maps in a new tab)
Free parking is available. Look for the large West Coast Fencing Academy logo on our door, Suite 308.
Club hours: Monday to Friday 3–9 PM, Saturday 9 AM–6 PM. Sunday closed.
Parents are welcome to watch the free first class. After that, classes are for the fencers only.
Come try a class. It’s free.
Meet Coach Pasha and try sabre fencing on Pond Springs Road. Your first class is free, and we lend you the equipment free for your first month.
No payment details needed to book. Parents are welcome to watch the first class. If the coach is on the strip, leave a voicemail; he calls back within 24 hours.