Author: Gregory Spahr

CFFA update for July 9

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
CFFA update for July 9
Robert Thomas finished up our fencers at Nationals by competing in the Div III Men’s epee.  He made the cut, but lost his first DE.
Thanks to Herman Smith, Mike Kinney, Erica Julien, Omar Childers, and Kim Phillips for putting everything back to rights yesterday.  They also felted the bottom of many things so we won’t scratch the floor.  Still a couple of things to finish, but we are close enough to get back to fencing.  You should come in and see what the place looks like in pristine condition for two reasons:  One, hopefully the clouds don’t open up like they did after the last painting (or a couple of Fridays ago) and wash away all the work; and Two, it may help people to clean up after themselves if they make a mess.
We will get practice back to normal this week.  The Monday/Wednesday class will finish up.  If someone would like to fence the newest graduate ( in foil), you can show up Wednesday about 7:00 pm.  On Tuesday and Thursday at 6:30 pm younger fencers can show up, 7:30 pm for the older members.  Friday night will be practice on board Camp Lejeune.  Saturday will have a practice starting at 10 am.
The beginning fencing camp starts Monday, July 17th, at 9 am and runs through Friday.  If you know anyone interested, have them contact me or they can just show up at that time.
The New Bern people will be coming back down on Saturday, July 22.  It would be excellent to have a large crowd with whom they could fence.

Early
next season is starting to shape up.  The first weekend (August 5-6) is
an RJCC (Regional Junior Cadet Circuit) event in Greensboro.  Numbers are approximately what they have been.  You need to be registered and paid through askfred by July 30 or there is an additional $200 surcharge.

The following week is Mid-South’s Big Blue.  Epee is now an
A.  Sabre will be at least a B and should be an A.  Right now foil is 1 C and the rest Us.

pax vobiscum,

 
Greg Spahr
Head Coach
Cape Fear Fencing Association

“The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, but that’s the way to bet.” Damon Runyon

Nationals/practice/getting res/arted

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
Nationals/practice/getting res/arted
Yesterday Robert Thomas competed in the Div II men’s epee.  He made the cut, but lost a close first DE.  Today he is our last Nationals competitor, going in the Div. III Men’s epee.

Practice later this morning about 10 am.

On Thursday, Herman Smith, Mike Kinney, Paul Perkins and I retouched the painting and put down the first coat of lacquer.  A second crew, I am not certain who was on it, came in a couple of hours later and put down a second coat.

For the first part of practice a lot of us will be bringing back out the furniture, overheads, putting up what we took down, etc.

pax vobiscum,
 
Greg Spahr
Head Coach
Cape Fear Fencing Association

“The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, but that’s the way to bet.” Damon Runyon

Nationals/painting update

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
Nationals/painting update
First, Erica did indeed make the National team.  That qualifies her for the Vet Pan American games in a couple of weeks in St. Thomas and the Vet World Championships in Slovenia in October.

Today, Robert Thomas fenced the first of his three events, the Vet 40-49 epee.  He had a decent first round and won his first DE to end up 14th out of the 33 fencers.  Some other North Carolina results of note – Sean Bates of Queen City won the Men’s Vet 40-49 sabre and Carl Badger of Mid-South tied for 3rd in the 60-69 Vet men’s sabre.

Thanks to Allison Brown, Erik Graf, Josh and Jesse Harvey, as well as Herman, Isaac, and Bobby the dark blue is finished.  I think we are good for tomorrow and putting the lacquer down.  However if you want to jump in, the second shift will be working starting about 5 pm.

Then we will let it sit and Saturday will be putting all of the furniture back out, rehanging the overheads, reattaching the sword holders, and maybe a little fencing.

Of course, after all this work has been put in, we do expect people to clean up after themselves and help keep the floor as pristine as possible.

pax vobiscum,
 
Greg Spahr
Head Coach
Cape Fear Fencing Association

“The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, but that’s the way to bet.” Damon Runyon

painting/nationals

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
painting/nationals
The hardest parts are done.  Thanks to Isaac, Bobby, Mike, Herman, and Brendan showing up again; and Omar Childers also helping out; the light blue is down.  Bobby also rehung the doors and Mike fixed the booth benches so you won’t have that awkward teeter totter effect when you sit down.

Tomorrow about 4 pm we will start on the dark blue.  If people can make it in then it would be great.  This job is easier, but the work is front loaded.  We have to pull up the  tape that is down now and retape to paint the strips.  The actual painting is the easy part.  Thursday will be just putting a couple coats of lacquer.  I will let you know tyhe start time.

At Nationals, Erica Julien has fenced the last two days.  Unfortunately she lost her first DE on both days, finishing 7th in sabre and 6th in epee.  She is an alternate to the World Championships in sabre and waiting to hear if she made the epee team.

pax vobiscum,
 
Greg Spahr
Head Coach
Cape Fear Fencing Association

“The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, but that’s the way to bet.” Damon Runyon

CFFA painting update

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
CFFA painting update
Today we got everything moved, sanded, cleaned and a layer of lacquer put down.  Plus we repainted all of the support posts.  Unfortunately we had to cover the tiger stripes as none of us were artistic enough to redo them.  Mike Kinney also repaired the metallic post.

Thanks to Mary and Andrew Whitehead, Isaac Faleschini, Bobby Babson, Alex Hoelscher, Walker Golder, Mike Kinney, Donny Zelinski, Brendan McConville, and Herman Smith.  (And anyone I forgot.)

It looks like the schedule for painting tomorrow will start at 4 pm.  We want to get the light blue painted on to the floor.  If you cannot show up until later, still feel free to stop by.  This is probably the most work intensive day there is.  This is the opportunity for younger fencers to come in and go home looking like Yondu (you can explain that to your parents).  It is also the chance for you to work with the “Usual Gang of Idiots” (your parents can explain that one to you).

Plus Erica fences sabre at Nationals.

pax vobiscum,
 
Greg Spahr
Head Coach
Cape Fear Fencing Association

“The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, but that’s the way to bet.” Damon Runyon

CFFA update for July 1

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
CFFA update for July 1
The first update from the Nationals.  Oliver Galbraith fenced in the men’s Div 1-A foil this afternoon.  He went 1-5 in pools and, unfortunately, didn’t make the opening cut, finishing at number 124.  He did move up about a dozen positions over his initial seeding and came in ahead of a number of B rated fencers.  Next up is Erica Julien, fencing sabre on Monday.

Tomorrow (Sunday) at 10 am we will start resurfacing the floor.  Help is always appreciated.  The current plan is moving items off the floor, sanding, sweeping and mopping, and getting down a layer of lacquer tomorrow.  Painting the light blue on Monday (Time TBA).  Letting everything dry on Tuesday.  It is the 4th, anyway.  Painting the dark blue on Wednesday.  Lacquering on Thursday.  That gives us Friday as an extra day and we hope to be back up and running on Saturday.  No practice in Wilmington until we get finished.

July 7 starts the next beginner class on board Camp Lejeune.

The New Bern people will be coming back down on Saturday, July 22.

Early
next season is starting to shape up.  The first weekend (August 5-6) is
an RJCC (Regional Junior Cadet Circuit) event in Greensboro.  That
means that this event will give regional points for the southeast US,
but being this early in the season will probably attract fencers from
all over the country in the cadet and junior age groups.  Cadet is ages
13-16 and junior is ages 13-19.  This particular one is only foil and
epee.  This makes it an excellent event for those of you in those age
groups who are looking to move up from local events.  There are also
mixed adult foil and epee, but although they will probably be strong
events will not give regional points.  Right now the adult epee looks
like it will be an A and the foil has 1 fencer.  Both sexes for cadet
and the junior women’s event have a few fencers.  The junior men’s epee
looks to become an A and the junior men’s foil might become a B.

The following week is Mid-South’s Big Blue.  Epee will almost certainly be an
A.  Sabre will be at least a B and should be an A.  Right now foil is 1 C and the rest Us.

pax vobiscum,
 
Greg Spahr
Head Coach
Cape Fear Fencing Association

“The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, but that’s the way to bet.” Damon Runyon

Saturday practice/painting schedule

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
Saturday practice/painting schedule
This is the update to what will be happening over the next week as far as the club being open and our painting schedule.

We will have Saturday practice this Saturday starting at 10am.  We may also try to get a few things done so we can start the serious painting on Sunday.  (moving stuff off the floor)

Painting will start in earnest on Sunday about 10 am.  You may have to walk a bit as that is the in the middle of a service at St. Mary.  Looking at starting with prepping the floor and putting down a layer of lacquer.  Once that dries then moving on to the light blue.  We will see how far we get.  We will continue painting on Monday, time TBA. 

No practice and no painting scheduled for the 4th of July at the moment.

Wednesday and Thursday should be finishing the trim (strips) and more lacquering.  Thursday practice will be dependent on where we are, and I will let everyone know.

Should be done for certain in time to have a Saturday practice on July 8th.  The more help, the more certain that will be.

If you want to help, be sure to wear older clothes and shoes.  I don’t care how careful you are, you will get paint somewhere.

pax vobiscum,
 
Greg Spahr
Head Coach
Cape Fear Fencing Association

“The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, but that’s the way to bet.” Damon Runyon

CFFA update for 6/24

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
CFFA update for 6/24
We
are looking at redoing the floor this summer.  To have it ready for
camps we will use the week of July 4th.  Volunteers who want to
paint or help with lacquering once painted are welcome.  We may try to
do about 1/2 at a time so we can keep fencing.  Hopefully we will not
have a cloudburst before the lacquer and paint are set this time. We will get the dates set and I will let people know when.

The
other volunteer task that we can use some help with is that it is that
time of year to try and get through all the jackets and wash them.  Most
jackets can be machine washed, but then need to line dry.  If you are
willing to help and can get them back quickly, let us know.

This week Tuesday/Thursday
practice for the younger set at 6:30 pm with adults to follow. 
July 7 starts the next beginner class up on board Camp Lejeune.

Getting
closer to the camps, so please let me know if you are coming (if you
haven’t already).  It helps me to plan for numbers and also to tailor
the camp to the level of those who will be attending.

Beginner Camp July 17-21
Advanced Foil  July 24-28  Looks like it will be experienced but a touch younger fencers
Advanced Epee  July 31-August 4  Experienced and older set, mostly
Advanced Sabre  August 7-11   ???

The New Bern people will be coming back down on Saturday, July 22.

Early
next season is starting to shape up.  The first weekend (August 5-6) is
an RJCC (Regional Junior Cadet Circuit) event in Greensboro.  That
means that this event will give regional points for the southeast US,
but being this early in the season will probably attract fencers from
all over the country in the cadet and junior age groups.  Cadet is ages
13-16 and junior is ages 13-19.  This particular one is only foil and
epee.  This makes it an excellent event for those of you in those age
groups who are looking to move up from local events.  There are also
mixed adult foil and epee, but although they will probably be strong
events will not give regional points.  Right now the adult epee looks like it will be an A and the foil has 0 fencers.  Both sexes for cadet and the junior women’s event have a few fencers.  The junior men’s epee looks to become an A and the junior men’s foil might become a B.

The
next week is Mid-South’s Big Blue.  Epee will almost certainly be an
A.  Sabre will be at least a B and should be an A.  Right now foil is
all Us.

pax vobiscum,
 
Greg Spahr
Head Coach
Cape Fear Fencing Association

“The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, but that’s the way to bet.” Damon Runyon

Couple of things

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
Couple of things
Just a reminder, the people from Salle New Bern will be in for practice tomorrow.  It would be nice to have a crowd for them to compete against.  For those of you who show up fashionably late, they tend to show up on time.  I will be in by 10 am to open.

I have also received a communication form an exchange student program.  They are trying to find a place for a 16 year old female Italian sabre fencer who also speaks English and some German.  I did a quick google search and the group appears to be legit.  If anyone is interested in hosting, please let me know and I will get you the information.

pax vobiscum,
 
Greg Spahr
Head Coach
Cape Fear Fencing Association

“The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, but that’s the way to bet.” Damon Runyon