Altius Fencing Academy | Club Policies

At Altius, we believe that elite performance is built on a foundation of clarity, respect, and mutual accountability. The following policies are designed to protect our training environment and ensure that every fencer has the structure they need to reach their highest potential. By adhering to these standards, fencers and families help us maintain a culture that is Process Driven, prioritizes the Team Always, and ensures Excellence is Pursued in every session.

1. Financial Policy

  • Billing Cycle: All tuition is processed via Auto-Pay only on the 3rd of every month.

  • Cancellations: We require 15 days’ written notice prior to the billing date to cancel or pause monthly dues.

  • Privilege of Membership: Membership and facility access are privileges. Altius staff reserves the right to revoke membership or access at any point for conduct or safety violations.

2. Class Policy

  • Punctuality: Fencers should arrive early enough to be fully geared up so that classes can start promptly.

  • Required Attire: Long pants and an underarm protector (plastron) are mandatory for all training. Chest protectors are required for all female athletes.

  • Equipment Readiness: Altius does not house an on-site armory. Fencers are responsible for bringing working gear; class time will not be used for equipment repair.

  • Filming: To protect the training environment, spectators must refrain from filming sessions or lessons without explicit consent from the staff and those being filmed.

3. Lesson Policy

  • The 10-Minute Rule: If a fencer is more than 10 minutes late to a private lesson, the session is forfeited and charged in full.

  • Cancellations: Individual lessons must be canceled at least 24 hours in advance to avoid being charged the full lesson fee.

4. Competition Policy

  • Eligibility: Tournament coaching is reserved for fencers with an active monthly membership, who take regular lessons, and list Altius as their primary club.

  • Coaching Fees: As stated in the Academy waiver, there is no option to opt-out of coaching services at events where Altius is providing coaching.

  • Sideline Coaching: Parents should refrain from "sideline coaching" to allow the fencer to remain focused on the coach’s technical and tactical leadership.

  • Competition Coaching: Fencers representing Altius Fencing Academy as their primary club competing domestically should not be strip-coached by other clubs or coaches outside the academy without written approval.

5. SafeSport & Safety

  • Indoor Pickup: All fencers under the age of 13 must be picked up from inside the building. Fencers in this age group are not permitted to wait outside or in the parking lot.

  • MAAPP: Altius strictly adheres to SafeSport. Parents are encouraged to review the Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies (MAAPP) to help maintain a safe environment.

6. Values

We value safety and adhere to the standards of excellence found in our Fencer and Family Agreement. Our culture is built upon our core mantra:

Process Driven | Team Always | Excellence Pursued

  • Process Driven: We play the long game, commit to the work, and aren’t reactive to single results

  • Team Always: We know that no one person is bigger than the team. We take care of and support each other at events, practice, and otherwise

  • Excellence Pursued: We hold ourselves to a higher standard and refuse to settle for "good enough" in our training or our character