School & Mission

Academy

Northwest Fencing Academy is a school dedicated to the practice of Traditional Italian Fencing, Historical Swordplay, and Medieval Martial Arts.  Founded in 1997, the Academy provides organized professional instruction and complete training programs in foil, épeé and sabre fencing, as well as the medieval arts of sword & shield, longsword, and polearms (collectively known as Armizare).  The Academy combines the traditional European apprenticeship model, modern physical education practices, and careful research and scholarship of fencing and martial arts in a comprehensive, balanced curriculum.  We are a modern school of traditional European fencing and martial arts.

Mission

Our mission is to research, interpret and give new life to the martial arts traditions of Europe, and to provide students with the highest quality training in these arts, including the practice of them as combat sports. Research is the careful and complete study of the arts and their historical context from primary sources (original manuscripts and historical documents) and secondary sources (modern academic research). Interpretation is the art of taking words and images from the past and developing a complete instructional system for teaching the arts those words and images represent. Giving them new life means giving them relevance for the modern age: as a recreational martial art, as a combat sport, as a basis for modern needs of self-defense. Providing students with high quality training means assisting students in the development of a complete base of technical, tactical and strategic skills for a lifetime of enjoyment, physical fitness and appreciation of these arts.

Values

We work to make a positive difference in the lives of children, youth, adults, and our community in general, through the study of Historical European Martial Arts.  We specifically prohibit discriminatory or harassing behavior based on race, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnic or religious background, or ability, and we will respond quickly and seriously to all forms of harassment.

We create a physical environment where everyone can learn to respect one another; our martial arts school promotes a safe, caring, orderly and supportive training space, where our students are assisted in achieving their highest potential in physical fitness, increased coordination, flexibility and endurance, and mental clarity and focus.

We train hard in an atmosphere of friendship, fellowship, and mutual respect. We’re willing to get sweaty, tired, bumped and bruised in our training, but no one should ever be injured and we always treat our training partners with the utmost respect. Practicing full contact martial arts and martial sports with others is a privilege that carries the responsibility of safeguarding one’s training partners.

In our children’s and youth classes we strive to instill the martial arts values in a caring and fun environment that will empower them to successfully move into society with increased confidence, determination, self-esteem and unwavering spirit, but also with thoughtfulness & humanity.

We welcome you to join our community!

Facility

The school is located at 436 Charnelton Street in Eugene, Oregon. We practice in a modern, clean and well-lighted studio equipped with restrooms and changing rooms. Our 1200 square foot sprung hardwood floor absorbs shock and provides a supremely comfortable surface for fencing and swordsmanship, and 1.5 inch thick martial arts mats give the cushioning needed for grappling, wrestling and throwing. Our lobby is fitted with comfortable chairs for guests or family of students to use during class – and guests are welcome to bring a chair to the training floor to observe classes.