Membership

2009-2010 Membership Guide

Registration/Types of Membership

Membership Registration and Privacy

Sanctioned Clubs

Note: In order to be insured by OFA third-person liability insurance, a member must be fencing at an OFA sanctioned event. Clubs that are not member clubs are not sanctioned and therefore are not eligible for insurance claims. It is each member's responsibility to ensure that insurance is available from another source if they are fencing at an unsanctioned venue or event. Members registered in non-member clubs will be recorded as UNA in Ontario. The CFF listing is not an indication of OFA club membership. For a list of OFA sanctioned clubs click here

Note: All Memberships include a $10 fee for a CFF license

Recreational (was Basic/Associate) $15

  • CFF license
  • Covers insurance ($5,000,000 third person liability) and registration for individuals
  • Includes , volunteers, club administrators and board members, school and community program participants, competitors in club competitions,  etc.

Competitive $65

  • Entry into all competitions held in Canada and USA
  • International competitions. (May need additional FIE license for some Levels)
  • Eligibility for funding (eg. Quest)
  • Eligibility for training programs
  • Eligibility for Ontario Elite Teams, Ontario Games, Canada Games, National Team programs

Important information regarding competitions here

Officials and Coaches $25

  • Included in Competitive Seasonal
  • Eligibility for all OFA and CFF Officials programs and NCCP Certification
  • All Ontario coaches and officials must be members

Club Registration $100

  • Each club may register as many as 20 Basic members free
  • Complimentary members must be registered by bulk submission
  • Eligibility for OFA grant programs
  • Sanctioning of program activities, including those outside of the usual venue (schools, recreation centres, demonstrations, etc.) and competitions

Registration

To register for an Individual Membership

CFF License, Ontario Fencing Association Coach, Official, Competitive, Recreational    click here

To check the status of your membership   click here

To register for a Club  Membership

  1. Enter all information on the Club Registration Form
  2. Please include all times for practices and events. Just for Fun training events and changes to sanctioned hours can be submitted later by email.  The OFA must be informed of all sanctioned activities in order for insurance to be active.
  3. The signature on the  form must be someone with signing authority for the club.
  4. To complete your club registration please mail  a cheque for $100 to :

Ontario Fencing Association                                                                                                                                           984 Main St. W.                                                                                                                                                            Hamilton, ON                                                                                                                                                                       L8S 1B2                                                                                     

 

 2009-2010 OFA/CFF Membership year runs from August 1, 2009 to July 31, 2010.

Note: Due to the change of CFF Membership Year, it was necessary for the OFA to sync our dates up with theirs. Anyone wanting to enter a point competition will have to respect this timing and update their membership for the 2009-2010 season.

However, if you paid a membership to the OFA in 2008-2009, it is still valid until September 30, this year only, for Associate and non-point events. 2009-2010 memberships will be valid until July 31, 2010, no matter when they are purchased. We regret any inconvenience this may cause.

Memberships become active when fees and applications are received by the club officer or on line

Q and A

I am a coach (official) but also a competitive athlete.

A Competitive Seasonal Membership will also cover your Coaching and Official roles. Be sure to include this information on your application. You will need only one CFF license.

Do I get a new CFF number every year?

A CFF number will be issued to you when you initially register for your license. You will keep this number for subsequent years. Use the same name version on your membership application and renewals as you use for all competition registrations and communication to the OFA and CFF. Using different variations could lead to the issuing of double CFF numbers which will be problematic for ranking. If you can’t remember which name you used, you can check your information at   click here

I am a volunteer at my club and help out occasionally. Why do I need a membership?

Clubs have the option of registering you as a complimentary member. Membership in the OFA shows a commitment and appreciation for a sport that gives us so much. It boosts our numbers to help us become eligible for increased grant money and makes us more attractive to sponsors. This is a way you can help the general fencing community as well as your club. Thank you for everything you do for fencing!

I am just starting to compete. What if I don’t like it?

There are many opportunities to compete at club competitions. These are informal, relaxed ways to get used to competition formats. If you enjoy this level, you can upgrade your membership to Competitive and participate in some "official" events for points. If you don't like competition after trying it out, it is perfectly acceptable to fence in your club, have fun, and enjoy the activity with your friends. Fencing is truly a lifelong sport. There are folks still fencing into their eighties and nineties.

Why do the participants in my club have to buy a CFF license if they don’t compete anywhere outside of my club?

According to the CFF Regulations with which we must comply, every participant in fencing in Canada must have a license. It will be the clubs’ responsibility to make sure that each member carries a license before their names are registered with the OFA. See the CFF website www.fencing.ca for more information on this License.

Where does my membership money go?

We depend on membership dollars to educate coaches and referees, plan programs, fund athlete programs and do the work of the organization. The Ontario Government is currently recognizing the importance of sport by increasing availability of funds but the amount of money granted depends heavily on membership numbers. Most programs are subsidized by membership dollars.

I just want to do the kid’s stuff. What membership do I need?

The Recreational (Basic Associate) membership will be enough for most Youth activities. There will be small user fees for camps and competitions. Those who wish to participate in our Ontario Games program will need a full Competitive Membership.

Benefits of Membership

Every participant in fencing benefits in some way from membership in the OFA.

  • $5,000,000 third person liability insurance coverage for all fencing related sanctioned activities
  • Trained and certified coaches
  • Trained and certified referees and officials
  • Club infrastructure
  • Athlete programs
  • Athlete funding
  • Canada Summer Games programs and participation
  • Ontario Summer Games programs and participation
  • Competition sanctioning (safely and fairly run events)
  • Competition structure
  • Rankings
  • New club access to equipment loans, consultation and fee discounts
  • Access to National Team programs
  • Camps for athletes and coaches
  • CFF License (must be a Provincial member)

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