Every new fencer in the United States starts as U, unrated. Ratings run from E, the lowest letter, up to A, the highest, and they are earned by placing well at USA Fencing tournaments, separately in each weapon. For teens and adults, the simplest way to a first E is to win a rated open event of at least six fencers. Divisional and regional youth events award ratings only when the field is strong enough, so many young fencers stay U for some time, which is normal. Nobody needs a rating to start competing.
Everything below comes from USA Fencing's Athlete Handbook for the 2026-27 season and its web pages, read on October 16, 2026; the sources are listed at the end. Rules change from season to season, so check the current handbook before a tournament.
What the letters mean
- A, B, C, D, E: ratings, A the highest. A fencer has one in each weapon they compete in, so a sabre fencer can be a D in sabre and U in foil.
- U: unclassified, the rating of everyone who has not earned a letter yet.
- The number after the letter is the year the rating was earned or last earned again: A23 is an A from 2023, C25 a C from 2025.
A rating is valid for four seasons. If it is not earned again by then, it drops one letter, effective August 1, the start of the fencing season. USA Fencing's own example: a B earned in 2020 (B20) and not renewed became a C24 on August 1, 2024.
Ratings are used to seed tournaments, and some national events are open only to certain ratings.
How a beginner earns a first rating
What an event can award depends on how many fencers enter it and what ratings they already hold. USA Fencing sorts events into groups; the first three look like this:
| Group | Who must enter | Ratings awarded |
|---|---|---|
| E1 | At least 6 fencers, no rated fencers needed | 1st place: E |
| D1 | At least 15 fencers, 4 of them rated E or higher, 2 of those in the top 8 | 1st: D; 2nd to 4th: E |
| C1 | At least 15 fencers, including 2 C, 2 D and 2 E or higher; the 2 C and 2 D (or higher) in the top 8 | 1st: C; 2nd to 4th: D; 5th to 8th: E |
So in open events a beginner's first E usually comes from winning a small event, or from finishing near the top of a bigger one. A few more rules matter:
- An event awards ratings only if USA Fencing rates it, and a local tournament must have at least one rated referee to do so.
- Divisional and regional youth events must meet at least the C1 group to award ratings. That is one reason many young fencers stay U for a while.
- Senior, or "open", events are for teens and adults: in the 2026-27 season, Divisions I, II and III are open to fencers born in 2013 or earlier.
- A fencer who is not eligible for an event by age or rating cannot earn a rating in it.
Which USA Fencing membership a tournament needs
To fence in a USA Fencing tournament, a fencer needs a USA Fencing membership. The handbook says an Access membership is enough for sanctioned local tournaments, including division qualifiers, and a Competitive membership is needed for regional and national tournaments. For the 2026-27 season, Access costs $34 and Competitive $109; the membership year runs from August 1 to July 31. Parents can join for free with a Parent membership, which does not let them compete.
This membership is separate from anything you pay a club, and each tournament charges its own entry fee on top. How much fencing costs puts these next to our club's prices.
Age groups for 2026-27
Youth and junior events are grouped by birth year, not by exact age. For the 2026-27 season, up to and including the February 2027 national event, USA Fencing lists:
| Category | Birth years |
|---|---|
| Youth 8 | 2018 to 2020 |
| Youth 10 | 2016 to 2019 |
| Youth 12 | 2014 to 2017 |
| Youth 14 | 2012 to 2015 |
| Cadet | 2010 to 2013 |
| Junior | 2007 to 2013 |
| Senior divisions | 2013 or earlier |
| Veteran | 1987 or earlier |
The groups overlap, so many fencers can enter two age categories. After the February event the Cadet and Junior years move on by one. Ratings matter in the senior divisions: Division III is for fencers rated D or lower, Division II for C or lower, and Division I for fencers rated C or better. Adults who start late can compete too, in the senior divisions and, if born in 1987 or earlier, in Veteran events; starting fencing as an adult covers our Wednesday class.
Your first class is free. Call Coach Pasha to choose a class.
Call (408) 592-1244 Or leave your numberLocal, regional and national events
- Local tournaments are run by clubs and by USA Fencing's divisions, the local branches. Your division lists them; this is where most fencers start.
- Regional tournaments come in circuits with their own abbreviations. The Regional Youth Circuit (RYC) and the Super Youth Circuit (SYC) hold Youth 10, 12 and 14 events. The Regional Junior/Cadet Circuit (RJCC) is for juniors and cadets, and the Regional Open Circuit (ROC) for the senior divisions and veterans. Regional results count toward qualifying for national events.
- National events include the North American Cups (NACs), the Junior Olympics and the National Championships, each with its own qualifying rules.
What a first tournament is like
Most tournaments start with pools: small groups in which everyone fences everyone, with bouts to 5 touches and at most 3 minutes. The pool results seed the direct elimination round, a bracket in which the loser of each bout is out. Direct elimination bouts go to 15 touches, or to 10 in Youth 10 and Veteran events, unless the time runs out first; in sabre there is a one-minute break when one fencer reaches 8 touches (5 in those shorter bouts) or after 3 minutes, whichever comes first.
Tournament bouts are scored electrically, so a sabre fencer needs a conductive jacket called a lamé, a body cord and a mask made for electric sabre, and tournament kit has its own safety rules. What a beginner needs, and what to buy later describes that gear.
When is a beginner ready to compete?
There is no rule about it, and many fencers never compete at all and enjoy the sport just the same. A first tournament is easier once a fencer knows the rules of right of way, can fence a bout without stopping to think about footwork, and wants to try. Ask the coach: he sees your child fence every week.
At our club, fencers who want to compete can join Elite, competitive training four times a week for ages 7 to 11 and 12 to 18, at $275 a month plus the $500 annual membership every member pays. It is open to join, and the way in is the same as for everyone, a free first class. Which group is right for my child? lists every group, and for teens thinking further ahead, fencing and college has the NCAA numbers.
Call Coach Pasha at (408) 592-1244. If he is on the strip, leave a voicemail: he calls back within 24 hours. Or leave your number and he calls you.
Where these rules come from
- USA Fencing, Athlete Handbook 2026-27 (linked from the Rules and Compliance page; version of October 1, 2026): ratings, section 2.1; types of competitions, section 2.2; senior events, section 2.12; membership, chapter 1; the rating chart and tournament formats, in the appendices.
- USA Fencing, Age and Rating Eligibility, 2026-27 tables.
- USA Fencing, Rating Chart.
- USA Fencing, Membership (membership types, the Parent membership) and 2026-27 membership fees (May 20, 2026).
