CFFA update for July 15

We are fast approaching August 1st, so USA Fencing memberships and club dues are about ready to be due.  You can do USA Fencing memberships through Membership on their website.  Double check your membership, if you just became a member in the last couple of months, you should be good for next season – August 1, 2018 to July 31, 2019.  Those of you who get the adult competitive membership, please email Herman or me with a copy of the receipt.  To get our club insurance through USA Fencing, we need to have at least 10 adult competitive members and list their names and ID numbers.  If you are on the fence about competing, get the non-competitive as you can upgrade it throughout the season.  Of course, some people get the competitive membership to spur them on to compete.

Long term club dues are also available to be paid for August 1st.  We give you a free month if you do a six month set ($175 vs $210) or two free months if you do the year long membership.  ($350 vs $420).  Both are good for the club, we need the infusion of cash to pay for our Club USA Fencing Membership and insurance in August.  When the second set of 6 month dues arrives in February, it sets us up for the second half of the year.  Of course, paying the $35 per month is perfectly acceptable.

We had a fun beginner camp with seven fencers last week.  I am certain you will begin seeing some of them.  Up this week is our main advanced foil camp, the 23rd – 27th will be advanced epee camp, with July 30 – August 3rd being a second advanced foil camp (the same as the first one for those who cannot make that week.)

Regular Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday practice this week.  I’ll be at Camp Lejeune Friday night.

Here is the full National event schedule for next season:  (I am only listing events in which I believe our fencers might be interested.)

October 12-15  Milwaukee, WI   Div I, Div II, Cadet

November 9-12  Kansas City, MO   Junior, Cadet, Y-14

December 14-17  Cincinnati, OH  Div I, Div II, Vet Combined, Vet Age, Sr Team

January 4-7  Charlotte, NC  Div I, Junior, Senior Team

February 15 -18  Denver, CO  JOs  (Junior, Cadet)

March 1-4  Cleveland, OH  Y-14, Y-12, Y10, Div II

April 12-15  Salt lake City, UT  Div I championship, Vet Comb. Vet Age, Div II,                                             Div III

June 28 – July 7  Columbus, OH  Summer Nationals  (Everything)

To translate the events  Div I – C rating or better

                                  Div II – C rating or under

                                  Div III – D rating or under

                                  Senior – Age 13 and up

                                  Junior – Age 13-19

                                  Cadet – Age 13-16

                                  Y-14 – Age 11-14

                                  Y-12 – Age  9-12

                                  Y-10 – Age 7-10

On the age related events it depends on when your birthday falls.  We can look it up if you are interested.  Some of them require that you qualify before hand (JOs, many of the Summer National events).  I will keep you apprised.

I should be able to make Cincinnati, Charlotte, and Columbus.  The other ones will depend on a confluence of my UNCW schedule, local events, how many people are going. dates and times of their events, etc.

Obviously, for many of you, Charlotte should be a point of concentration.  If you are a C, B, or A; this will be your chance to see how you measure up against the best in the country.  If you are 13-19, this would be the perfect opportunity to take a shot at a National level event.  I will tell you now that the results for both may be brutal and scary.  However, you will learn a lot about improvements you need to make and get a feeling for what USA Fencing is like on its bigger stages.

pax vobiscum,