Mid-South Fencers’ Club has offered the exciting, dynamic Olympic, historical and Paralympic sport of fencing for people ages 7 and up in the heart of North Carolina since 2007.
Mid-South quickly earned a reputation of being one of the best places to fence and train in the United States, and has been highly ranked among USA Fencing member clubs since 2014.
Shortly after forming, we found ourselves nationally known as that club from North Carolina. How we interact in the fencing world, being athlete- and family-centered, stands out. We seek innovative programming to meet family needs and in 2020 found ourselves quickly adapting to a global pandemic, ultimately forcing us to adapt our training. We have moved from our location of seven years on Morgan and Gregson Streets, to another downtown Durham sport facility, the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
Our work within our community motivates us forward out of this pandemic. In 2018, Mid-South became a USA Fencing Club of Distinction in the category of Diversity and Women’s Programming. Head Coach Jen Oldham and Team Manager, Cathleen Randall, have been instrumental in the founding of WFencing, a grassroots professional national organization working to build professional equity between women and men and to increase the quality of sport fencing experiences for all.
During our pandemic, the club leadership has taken the time to revision itself. We like being nationally and internationally competitive, but how can we better support all of Durham in having access to these benefits of sport fencing participation? Doing a self-check is where we are today in our pivot.
Whether you are looking to learn some sport basics or to train for a competitive goal, we are here to challenge, inspire, and support you in a fun and dynamic sport. We are glad you are here. Welcome!