Jerry Benson, elected to the USFA Board of Directors by the Southwest Section, has this information to pass on. In an effort to clarify the age threshold for competitions, he has checked with the National Office (again) and issued this statement for the benefit of both parents and organizers.

"According to the National Office, the youngest age for a child to be able to compete in a recognized USFA competition is 7 years old (by Jan. 1 of that season). The only recognized age levels of competitions are contained in official USFA documents, the youngest age group being Y10. The ages for competing in older events are also clear. A fencer who is currently (current as of the entry deadline for that tournament) listed in a National age group point standing may may enter the next older age category of competition, even if that fencer is younger than allowed by the age bracket. To fence an open event (an 'open' event always requires being 13 years old by Jan. 1 of that season), an underage fencer must be on the Junior National Rolling Points Standing.

"If these age rules are not followed, the competition is not sanctioned by the USFA, and therefore it is neither covered by insurance nor capable of receiving ratings. If members don't feel they understand what the restrictions are, they should contact the current Youth Development Committee chair or the National Office."

[Webmaster's notes: The USFA Operations Manual (available on the old but apparently not the new USFA Web site) and the Athlete Handbook are official USFA documents which describe the age levels. The Youth Development Committee is described on the committees page of the USFA Web site. The National Office is also described on the USFA Web site. NRPS lists are in the "National Rankings" section of the USFA Web site, but are often available faster on the USFA international Programs Web site,]