Brooklyn Bridge Fencing Club Policies

Cancellation Policy

• All private lessons must be cancelled via email with at least 24 hours notice. Cancellations within 24 hours cannot be made up and you will be charged for that private lesson.

• Cancellations prior to 24 hours can be made up within your current package or following lesson packages. It is your responsibility to schedule a make-up via email.

• Make-ups cannot be rescheduled.

• Except for your first or last package, there is no pro-rating of packages. Private lessons will be pushed to following packages.

Billing Policy

• Unless other arrangements have been made, accounts will automatically be billed on the first of every month.

Refund Policy

• Monthly packages must be cancelled before the start of the next month

• Monthly packages cancelled after the 1st of the month are eligible for a 25% refund.

• Membership and registration fees are non-refundable.

Annual Membership Policy

Effective Sept. 1, 2024

Cost: $650
Duration: Sept. 1, 2024 - Aug. 31, 2025
All members who’s first purchase at the club is a Monthly Recurring Membership will receive up to a one (1) month grace period before having to pay the Annual Membership. The Annual Membership will be charged once on renewal of any monthly membership or lesson package.

Equipment Rental and Bag Storage Fees

Bag storage: $50 per month

Equipment Rental: $50 per month

Coaching Policy

Effective Jan. 1, 2023

For all new fencers starting lessons at BBFC:
A coach will be assigned to a fencer based on a coach’s availability at the lesson time chosen by the fencer or their parents.

For current fencers at BBFC who are already taking lessons with an assigned coach:
The coaching staff has the right to switch a fencer to another coach, if that coach feels the fencer would work better with another coach. If this situation arises, we will discuss the switch with the fencer and their parents, if applicable. If a coach-initiated switch occurs, the fencer will be grandfathered in at their current package.

Fencers may request a coaching switch, but we reserve the right to deny that request.

Only BBFC Coaches may coach at the club. Non-BBFC seen to be coaching will be asked to leave.

Tournament Coaching: If BBFC has designated a tournament for coaching, fencers may not opt out of tournament coaching. If a fencer opts out of tournament coaching, they will not be offered tournament coaching at any future tournaments.

Code of Conduct

Brooklyn Bridge Fencing Club (BBFC) is open to anyone interested in participating in the Olympic sport of fencing. However, participation at BBFC is a privilege, not a right. Along with this privilege come certain expectations of behavior by all fencers, guests, and staff in accordance with this Code of Conduct. 

  1. Respect the Club Environment: All members are expected to treat the facility, equipment, staff, and fellow members with respect, in a manner free from discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or neurotype. Any speech or behavior deemed inappropriate, offensive, or disruptive by staff will not be tolerated.

  2. Physical Safety - Fencers are expected to exercise control of their actions and demeanor at all times and to exercise good judgment by fencing appropriately for the age, size, and experience level of their opponents. 

  3. Immediate Suspension: If a member engages in any inappropriate, offensive, unsafe, or disruptive behavior, they may be subject to an immediate 24-hour suspension from the club. This decision is at the discretion of the staff and is non-negotiable.

  4. Compliance with Staff Instructions: Members must comply with any instructions given by staff. Failure to do so may result in further disciplinary action.

  5. Permanent Expulsion: If a member refuses to comply with a staff member’s instruction to leave the premises, the club reserves the right to expel that member permanently. In such cases, the club may also involve law enforcement to trespass the individual from the facility.

  6. Zero Tolerance Policy: The club maintains a zero-tolerance policy for any actions that threaten the safety, well-being, or enjoyment of its members and staff.

Fencers not participating in the prescribed fencing curriculum are not allowed to enter the fencing room.

Fencers not participating in the prescribed fencing curriculum are required to wait in the Club Lounge or leave the premises.

Only BBFC Coaches may coach at the club. Non-BBFC coaches seen to be coaching will be asked to leave the premises.

Video Recording - We do not allow recording of Intermediate/Competitive Fencing Classes or Intermediate/Competitive Private Lessons. You do not have our permission to videotape our coaches or a child other than your own.

Members are not allowed to access the roof of 68 Jay Street.

Tournament Conduct - Members attending tournaments represent BBFC to the wider fencing community. Members are bound by the rules of fencing and by the USFA and USOC codes of conduct regardless of whether it is a local, regional, national, or international competition. Any BBFC fencer who breeches the rules and/or codes of conduct of BBFC, USA Fencing, SafeSport, FenceSafe, or the USOPC is subject to disciplinary action up to and including expulsion.

Tournament Coaching: If BBFC has designated a tournament for coaching, fencers may not opt out of tournament coaching. If a fencer opts out of tournament coaching, they will not be offered tournament coaching at any future tournaments.

By participating in the Brooklyn Bridge Fencing Club, all members agree to adhere to this code of conduct.

Privacy Policy

This privacy policy has been compiled to better serve those who are concerned with how their ‘Personally Identifiable Information’ (PII) is being used online. PII, as described in US privacy law and information security, is information that can be used on its own or with other information to identify, contact, or locate a single person, or to identify an individual in context. Please read our privacy policy carefully to get a clear understanding of how we collect, use, protect or otherwise handle your Personally Identifiable Information in accordance with our website.

What personal information do we collect from the people that visit our blog, website or app?

When ordering or registering on our site, as appropriate, you may be asked to enter your name, email address, mailing address, phone number, credit card information or other details to help you with your experience.

When do we collect information?

We collect information from you when you fill out a form or enter information on our site.

We collect information from you when you buy a Service

How do we use your information?

We may use the information we collect from you when you register, make a purchase, sign up for our newsletter, respond to a survey or marketing communication, surf the website, or use certain other site features in the following ways:

• To quickly process your transactions.

• To follow up with them after correspondence (live chat, email or phone inquiries)

How do we protect your information?

Our website is scanned on a regular basis for security holes and known vulnerabilities in order to make your visit to our site as safe as possible.

We use regular Malware Scanning.

Your personal information is contained behind secured networks and is only accessible by a limited number of persons who have special access rights to such systems, and are required to keep the information confidential. In addition, all sensitive/credit information you supply is encrypted via Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology.

We implement a variety of security measures when a user places an order enters, submits, or accesses their information to maintain the safety of your personal information.

All transactions are processed through a gateway provider and are not stored or processed on our servers.

Do we use ‘cookies’?

We do not use cookies for tracking purposes

You can choose to have your computer warn you each time a cookie is being sent, or you can choose to turn off all cookies. You do this through your browser settings. Since browser is a little different, look at your browser’s Help Menu to learn the correct way to modify your cookies.

If you turn cookies off, Some of the features that make your site experience more efficient may not function properly.that make your site experience more efficient and may not function properly.

Third-party disclosure

We do not sell, trade, or otherwise transfer to outside parties your Personally Identifiable Information.

Third-party links

Occasionally, at our discretion, we may include or offer third-party products or services on our website. These third-party sites have separate and independent privacy policies. We therefore have no responsibility or liability for the content and activities of these linked sites. Nonetheless, we seek to protect the integrity of our site and welcome any feedback about these sites.

Google

Google’s advertising requirements can be summed up by Google’s Advertising Principles. They are put in place to provide a positive experience for users. https://support.google.com/adwordspolicy/answer/1316548?hl=en

We use Google AdSense Advertising on our website.

Google, as a third-party vendor, uses cookies to serve ads on our site. Google’s use of the DART cookie enables it to serve ads to our users based on previous visits to our site and other sites on the Internet. Users may opt-out of the use of the DART cookie by visiting the Google Ad and Content Network privacy policy.

We have implemented the following:

• Remarketing with Google AdSense

We, along with third-party vendors such as Google use first-party cookies (such as the Google Analytics cookies) and third-party cookies (such as the DoubleClick cookie) or other third-party identifiers together to compile data regarding user interactions with ad impressions and other ad service functions as they relate to our website.

Opting out:

Users can set preferences for how Google advertises to you using the Google Ad Settings page. Alternatively, you can opt out by visiting the Network Advertising Initiative Opt Out page or by using the Google Analytics Opt Out Browser add on.

California Online Privacy Protection Act

CalOPPA is the first state law in the nation to require commercial websites and online services to post a privacy policy. The law’s reach stretches well beyond California to require any person or company in the United States (and conceivably the world) that operates websites collecting Personally Identifiable Information from California consumers to post a conspicuous privacy policy on its website stating exactly the information being collected and those individuals or companies with whom it is being shared. – See more at: http://consumercal.org/california-online-privacy-protection-act-caloppa/#sthash.0FdRbT51.dpuf

According to CalOPPA, we agree to the following:

Users can visit our site anonymously.

Once this privacy policy is created, we will add a link to it on our home page or as a minimum, on the first significant page after entering our website.

Our Privacy Policy link includes the word ‘Privacy’ and can easily be found on the page specified above.

You will be notified of any Privacy Policy changes:

• On our Privacy Policy Page

Can change your personal information:

• By emailing us

• By calling us

How does our site handle Do Not Track signals?

We honor Do Not Track signals and Do Not Track, plant cookies, or use advertising when a Do Not Track (DNT) browser mechanism is in place.

Does our site allow third-party behavioral tracking?

It’s also important to note that we do not allow third-party behavioral tracking

COPPA (Children Online Privacy Protection Act)

When it comes to the collection of personal information from children under the age of 13 years old, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) puts parents in control. The Federal Trade Commission, United States’ consumer protection agency, enforces the COPPA Rule, which spells out what operators of websites and online services must do to protect children’s privacy and safety online.

We market to children under 13.

We do not collect information from children under 13

Do we let third-parties, including ad networks or plug-ins collect PII from children under 13? No

In order to remove your child’s information please contact the following personnel:

We adhere to the following COPPA tenants:

• Parents can review, delete, manage or refuse with whom their child’s information is shared through contacting us directly.

Fair Information Practices

The Fair Information Practices Principles form the backbone of privacy law in the United States and the concepts they include have played a significant role in the development of data protection laws around the globe. Understanding the Fair Information Practice Principles and how they should be implemented is critical to comply with the various privacy laws that protect personal information.

In order to be in line with Fair Information Practices we will take the following responsive action, should a data breach occur:

We will notify you via email

• Within 7 business days

We also agree to the Individual Redress Principle which requires that individuals have the right to legally pursue enforceable rights against data collectors and processors who fail to adhere to the law. This principle requires not only that individuals have enforceable rights against data users, but also that individuals have recourse to courts or government agencies to investigate and/or prosecute non-compliance by data processors.

USE OF IMAGES, NAME IDENTIFICATION: I authorize Brooklyn Bridge Fencing Club to use images of me and/or my child with and/or without identification for Brooklyn Bridge Fencing Club publicity, promotions, and advertising and release any and all claims and/or rights I and/or my child might have as a result. 

ASSUMPTION OF RISK: 
I understand that athletic activity involves physical exertion and risk of injury, and that the sport of fencing involves aggressive physical contact with other participants. I assume the risk of injury or other medical conditions arising as the result of my participation in any athletic activity in which I engage at Brooklyn Bridge Fencing Club. I understand that it is my responsibility to wear appropriate clothing to all training sessions. I understand that I am responsible for my own safety and for conducting myself in a safe manner at all times. 

WAIVER OF LIABILITY: 
I agree to indemnify and hold harmless, and hereby release, DJ Kellner, LLC d/b/a Brooklyn Bridge Fencing Club and its managers, coaches, instructors, members, guests and other participants, Chatov, LLC, and the United States Fencing Association from all claims, liability, demands, or actions of any kind in connection with my participation in any training session, program, tournament, or other activity that I may attend at Brooklyn Bridge Fencing Club, or any other athletic or training activities sponsored by Brooklyn Bridge Fencing Club on or off the club premises. This includes, but is not limited to, claims, liability, demands, or actions for personal injury or property, damage or loss. This agreement shall be binding on my personal representatives, heirs and assigns.