NO afterschool fencing January 8th

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
NO afterschool fencing January 8th
New
Hanover schools remain closed today, which means that St. Mary Catholic
school is also closed.  Therefore no afterschool fencing today.

For
beginners, the first day is mainly about getting signed in and an
introduction to the history of fencing with a little bit of beginning
footwork.  We’ll repeat the first class tomorrow (as is the usual
practice) if that works for you.  If not we will get people signed up,
then just dive into the footwork, getting equipment, and moving on
during Wednesday and Thursday’s classes.  If classes are cancelled
tomorrow, we will just start with the regular first class on Wednesday
and Thursday.

Please contact me if you have any questions.

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 January 4

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
CFFA update for January 4
I decided to go ahead and put out the weekly update early because of all the things (not) happening.
No practice at Wilmington this evening.  No practice at Topsail or Camp Lejeune tomorrow.  We are also cancelling the Old Man Winter tournament on Saturday.  About half the field is from at least two hours away and many of those people are up the coast where it sounds like they got hit worse than we did.
At this point it looks like we will be able to get up and running next week. January
8th the next afterschool beginner class starts and afterschool fencing
will resume.  January 9th is the next evening beginner class (a
Tuesday/Thursday one).  January 10th will start the next homeschool
beginner class and finish up the one we cancelled from this week.

Right now I am planning to stay for Wednesday evening practice on the 10th even if UNCW is not there yet.

There should be fencing at Topsail and Camp Lejeune.  We will pick up where we left off and add a week at the end so we can cover everything.

January
13 is the date for the next NCFL meet.  Chapel Hill high has offered to host on that date.  We can start looking into who is going and how we can get there.

January
20 is the next homeschool event and we will be hosting it.  Start time
is 1:30 pm.  We could actually hold a morning practice as I doubt the
homeschoolers will be arriving early.

For adults, Mid-South is having a women’s sabre and a Vet combined sabre event.  Richmond is hosting the Hangover Open.  Usually the Hangover has solid B or A rated events.

Sunday, January 21st will be a make up date for an NCFL meet and will be held at Apex.

January
27th is supposed to be the NCFL State team championship.  You are
supposed to have attended two events to be eligible, so there needs to
be at least one more or a decision as to how we allow people to enter.

Again, for adults Charlotte has an Open epee event and a U foil event on the 27th.

Sunday,
January 28th, is an unrated, split by gender event up at All-American
in Fayetteville.  Lots of spaces for women, only two for men.  Men’s is listed as sanctioned, the women’s is not.  See
askfred for details.

All
of our events for next spring are on askfred, including the Lynn Krupey
Memorial Iron Maiden (March 24).  This is still the only 3 weapon event

exclusively for women in the state, so it would be good to get our
people signed up
soon to draw other women.  There is no reason the epee can’t be an A and
the foil and sabre at least have some kind of rating, but all you of
the female persuasion need to get signed up early to attract other
fencers.


I
am currently planning to be away to the Junior Olympics in Memphis over
the President’s Day weekend if all our fencers get signed up.  The club
has cancelled the event we had scheduled for that day.  (February 17) 
Donny Zelinski, the coach at New Bern, has offered to run a youth event
at our club.  He would need the help of some parents to make it
possible.  Let me know if you can help, even if it is just keeping
everyone organized, hooking up fencers during the events in which your
children might be participating, etc.  I would probably try to truncate
the schedule a bit because he would be driving two hours just to do this
for us, and we never seem to have sabre fencers.  A few people have
contacted me about being willing to help, so this should happen.  We may actually use this date as a make up for the Old Man Winter.  I will keep you posted.
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

No practice tonight

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
No practice tonight
No practice this evening due to the refreezing threat.  Stay home and stay safe.

We will make a decision about the appropriately named Old Man Winter tournament once we see where travel stands tomorrow.

Information about Hampstead and Jacksonville is appreciated so I can make decisions about them, but currently leaning toward cancelling from what I have heard.  Obviously will cancel at Topsail if Pender County has no school.

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 December 31

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
CFFA update for December 31
Thanks to everyone who has been helping with getting the club jackets laundered.
There seems to be enough interest, so I will be in Tuesday night for practice.  I will probably show up about 6:30 pm.
Homeschool
practice will start back up Wednesday, January 3rd.  The consensus is
for a 1 pm start time for the more advanced fencers with a 1:30 start
for beginners for the rest of this academic year.

I haven’t heard from the UNCW fencers, so I don’t know when Wednesday evening practices will start back up.

Practice will happen Thursday night, January 4.

Topsail and Camp Lejeune practices will resume on January 5.

The
Old Man Winter tournament is the first Saturday of the year, January
6th.  It will have Open foil, Open epee, and veteran (40+) epee.  Still
need fencers to get signed up.  At this point really small and not top
heavy, so a good event for those who want something a little less
threatening as a first or early in your career event.  Epee needs some bodies to have a reasonable rating.  Foil and Veteran’s epee are wide open.  We are again at that point of how many refs do we hire and not knowing how many we need.  Please get signed up on askfred ASAP if you are definitely going to be there.

January
8th the next afterschool beginner class starts and afterschool fencing
will resume.  January 9th is the next evening beginner class (a
Tuesday/Thursday one).  January 10th will start the next homeschool
beginner class.

Right now I am planning to stay for Wednesday evening practice on the 10th even if UNCW is not there yet.

January
13 is the date for the next NCFL meet, but that may change.  I will
keep people informed.  I am also not certain where and when the make up
event will be.  If there is no NCFL meet that day, I will try to put a kid’s tournament together.  It may be on really short notice, just FYI.

January 20 is the next homeschool event and we will be hosting it.  Start time is 1:30 pm.  We could actually hold a morning practice as I doubt the homeschoolers will be arriving early.

Sunday, January 21st is being mentioned as a possible make up date for an NCFL meet and would be held at Apex.

January
27th is supposed to be the NCFL State team championship.  You are
supposed to have attended two events to be eligible, so there needs to
be at least one more or a decision as to how we allow people to enter.

Sunday,
January 28th, is an unrated, split by gender event up at All-American
in Fayetteville.  Lots of spaces for women, only two for men.  Men’s is listed as sanctioned, the women’s is not.  See
askfred for details.

All
of our events for next spring are on askfred, including the Lynn Krupey
Memorial Iron Maiden (March 24).  This is still the only 3 weapon event

exclusively for women in the state, so it would be good to get our
people signed up
soon to draw other women.  There is no reason the epee can’t be an A and
the foil and sabre at least have some kind of rating, but all you of
the female persuasion need to get signed up early to attract other
fencers.


I
am currently planning to be away to the Junior Olympics in Memphis over
the President’s Day weekend if all our fencers get signed up.  The club
has cancelled the event we had scheduled for that day.  (February 17) 
Donny Zelinski, the coach at New Bern, has offered to run a youth event
at our club.  He would need the help of some parents to make it
possible.  Let me know if you can help, even if it is just keeping
everyone organized, hooking up fencers during the events in which your
children might be patricipating, etc.  I would probably try to truncate
the schedule a bit because he would be driving two hours just to do this
for us, and we never seem to have sabre fencers.  A few people have contacted me about being willing to help, so this should happen.

I need to start planning for camp dates now.  The US
Summer Nationals end July 7th in St. Louis with Y10 and Y12 events. 
Since we don’t currently have anyone competing nationally in those age
groups, I could probably start camps as early as July 9th.  UNCW starts
back up Wednesday, August 22nd, but I may have training the week
before.  So basically, I am looking at the weeks of:

July 9-13
July 16-20
July 23-27
July 30-August 3
August 6-10
August 13-17  (Outside possibility)

Usually
I try to do a beginner camp first, so they can then do advanced camps
if they like it.  Then there is a week of an advanced camp for each
weapon.  Sometimes when I have an extra week I have done a half day
beginner camp, but I am also open to other possibilities, or just taking
that week off.  So, if you have a preference for a week for a camp, let
me know what works or does not work, and the child(ren) and weapon(s)
involved.  Right now I am hoping to keep the camps at $195 for the week.

I haven’t actually heard from anyone as far as what weeks are best.  Pretty soon I will need to just guess at what will work for people and I usually preclude someone by how I do it.  So please give me some guidance.

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 December 24

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
CFFA update for December 24
First, a Merry Christmas, or whatever holiday is appropriate, to everyone out there.  My gift to you is a really long note, so please read it all.
Wrightsville Beach Magazine will be doing an article on fencing for their February edition.  They will be stopping by the clinic on Thursday (12/28) to take some photographs.  If you don’t want your child to be in the photos, please contact me or tell me Thursday morning.  Or if you are an adult attending and don’t want to be a part, also tell me.
Otherwise a light week with the holidays.  No Tuesday night practice, so you will need to wait a little longer to try out all the gear that arrived on Monday.
RTF
(Research Triangle Fencing) is holding a foil/sabre camp December
27-30.  These are basically the Duke coaches, so it will be a solid,
more advanced camp.  See askfred for details.

The 28th seemed to be better for most of the people who replied concerning a one day camp from 9-5.  Cost would be $20 for the whole day.  The idea is to
work with people to improve their fencing, possibly getting them ready
for competitions.  All weapons would be welcome.  The further idea would
be to let parents drop youngsters off and have some personal time over
the vacation.  Or for older fencers to leave the kids/grandkids at home
and have some fencing time.  You (the children) would need to bring a lunch. 

I will then hang around for evening practice.

No one has really said anything, so let me know if people would like to practice next Saturday morning.

Be warned, after New Year’s everything starts back up quickly and keeps roaring on until about April.

Also, let me know if people would like to practice the evening of January 2nd. (Tuesday)

Homeschool practice will start back up Wednesday, January 3rd.  The consensus is for a 1 pm start time for the more advanced fencers with a 1:30 start for beginners for the rest of this academic year.

I haven’t heard from the UNCW fencers, so I don’t know when Wednesday evening practices will start back up.

Practice will happen Thursday night, January 4.

Topsail and Camp Lejeune practices will resume on January 5.

The
Old Man Winter tournament is the first Saturday of the year, January
6th.  It will have Open foil, Open epee, and veteran (40+) epee.  Still need fencers to get signed up.  At this point really small and not top heavy, so a good event for those who want something a little less threatening as a first or early in your career event.

January 8th the next afterschool beginner class starts and afterschool fencing will resume.  January 9th is the next evening beginner class (a Tuesday/Thursday one).  January 10th will start the next homeschool beginner class.

January
13 is the date for the next NCFL meet, but that may change.  I will
keep people informed.  I am also not certain where and when the make up
event will be.  If there is no NCFL meet that day, I will try to put a kid’s tournament together.

January 20 is the next homeschool event and we will be hosting it.  Start time is 1:30 pm.

Sunday, January 21st is being mentioned as a possible make up date for an NCFL meet and would be held at Apex.

January 27th is supposed to be the NCFL State team championship.  You are supposed to have attended two events to be eligible, so there needs to be at least one more or a decision as to how we allow people to enter.

Sunday, January 28th, is an unrated, split by gender event up at All-American in Fayetteville.  Lots of spaces for women, only two for men.  See askfred for details.

All
of our events for next spring are on askfred, including the Lynn Krupey
Memorial Iron Maiden (March 24).  This is still the only 3 weapon event
exclusively for women in the state, so it would be good to get our
people signed up
soon to draw other women.  There is no reason the epee can’t be an A and the foil and sabre at least have some kind of rating, but all you of the female persuasion need to get signed up early to attract other fencers.

There are a few issues where I can use parents, fencers, or other interested parties to help.

First, we need to do some laundry over the break.  Most of our jackets cannot be put in the dryer and so need a while to line dry.  This is one of the few times during the year where we can give them that time without shorting ourselves for practice.  Let me know if you can take a load or so.  We would divvy them out after the clinic on the 28th and need them back by the homeschool practice on the 3rd.

I am currently planning to be away to the Junior Olympics in Memphis over the President’s Day weekend if all our fencers get signed up.  The club has cancelled the event we had scheduled for that day.  (February 17)  Donny Zelinski, the coach at New Bern, has offered to run a youth event at our club.  He would need the help of some parents to make it possible.  Let me know if you can help, even if it is just keeping everyone organized, hooking up fencers during the events in which your children might be paricipating, etc.  I would probably try to truncate the schedule a bit because he would be driving two hours just to do this for us, and we never seem to have sabre fencers.

Lastly, February 24th is the NCFL State Individual Championship in Greensboro.  I will be there refereeing.  It is also the date of Parent Magazine’s local Camp Expo from 10 am – 3 pm at the Mayfaire Town Center.  Obviously, I can’t be at both.  Are there any parents with a child(ren) who have attended the camps who would be willing to represent the club at Expo in exchange for a free entrance to this year’s camp?  I also may need help with a website listing or an ad in the actual magazine for the same consideration.

Of course that means I need to start planning for camp dates now.  The US Summer Nationals end July 7th in St. Louis with Y10 and Y12 events.  Since we don’t currently have anyone competing nationally in those age groups, I could probably start camps as early as July 9th.  UNCW starts back up Wednesday, August 22nd, but I may have training the week before.  So basically, I am looking at the weeks of:

July 9-13
July 16-20
July 23-27
July 30-August 3
August 6-10
August 13-17  (Outside possibility)

Usually I try to do a beginner camp first, so they can then do advanced camps if they like it.  Then there is a week of an advanced camp for each weapon.  Sometimes when I have an extra week I have done a half day beginner camp, but I am also open to other possibilities, or just taking that week off.  So, if you have a preference for a week for a camp, let me know what works or does not work, and the child(ren) and weapon(s) involved.  Right now I am hoping to keep the camps at $195 for the week.

I think that is it.

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 December 17

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
CFFA update for December 17
Today’s lesson is a cautionary tale, for everyone.  We had the team of Kyler Schoonmaker, Rayne Schoonmaker, and Liam Coyle attend the homeschool meet at Oak Ridge yesterday.  I was refereeing a different match, and to be honest, the fencers were not paying the amount of attention that they should have been to each others’ fencing as they were a team.  They were fencing Twin City and were a bit behind, but it might not have been insurmountable.  They then fenced a person out of order.  They believe the referee called the names incorrectly, but, as they were not paying attention, no one noticed that a person was fencing the same fencer again, or that someone had fenced three times before someone else had fenced two times.  When the error was caught, the referee consulted the other coaches and we all remembered the rule as basically a black card and the team loses the match.  However, as I was looking up the rule to be able to report it to all of you, I discovered in the rule book that the rule has changed.  It is now that once the error is discovered, you annul the touches in the encounter where the error was committed and any subsequent encounters which have been fenced, and resume the match from the point of the error.  I apologize to the guys for not being up on the most current rules.  However, this is just another reason that more of you need to be out there getting more involved with the world of fencing.  The club is just getting too big for me to be the guy who coaches, and the guy who takes people to all the different meets, and then the guy who tries to then find time to attend the latest referee clinic.  As I have been telling people, not counting the next two holiday Saturdays, my first free Saturday is March 31st, the day before Easter.  That doesn’t count the dates when I am already double booked, meaning I have to choose between going to an NCFL meet or helping a fencer(s) at at a USA Fencing meet, etc.  Just another indication that we need more fencers who can referee, or armor, or run the bout committee table, or help set up a tournament by hiring referees, or getting trophies, or even coaching.  But, again, my apologies to Kyler, Rayne, and Liam,
Anyway, the guys were much more interested in their next match and they defeated Oak Ridge 45-43.  Considering that this was Rayne’s first ever team match and Liam’s first ever match period, that is quite an accomplishment.  It did require some heroics by Kyler, as I believe the score going into the last encounter had him behind 40-30 or 40-29.  When we get our full A team for a meet we should be in good shape.
This holiday week will look like this:  Monday, the afterschool and evening classes will meet.  We will finish the evening class.  Tuesday, afterschool will finish for the year and there will be evening practice.   The last
homeschool practice for the year will be on Wednesday, the 20th, and I will be in for a 1:00 pm start for the advanced fencers.  No other classes Wednesday.  I was
planning on coming in on Thursday evening, the 21st for practice.  Brendan would like to end practice a little early which would allow the “adult” fencers to go out for some holiday cheer.

RTF
(Research Triangle Fencing) is holding a foil/sabre camp December
27-30.  These are basically the Duke coaches, so it will be a solid,
more advanced camp.  See askfred for details.

The 28th seemed to be better for most of the people who replied concerning a one day camp from 9-5.  Cost would be $20 for the whole day.  The idea is to
work with people to improve their fencing, possibly getting them ready
for competitions.  All weapons would be welcome.  The further idea would
be to let parents drop youngsters off and have some personal time over
the vacation.  Or for older fencers to leave the kids/grandkids at home
and have some fencing time.  You would need to bring a lunch. 

I would then hang around for evening practice if there seems to be interest.

Be warned, after New Year’s everything starts back up quickly and keeps roaring on until about April.

The
Old Man Winter tournament is the first Saturday of the year, January
6th.  It will have Open foil, Open epee, and veteran (40+) epee.  Start
getting signed up.  At the moment, only two CFFA fencers are signed up.  Neither of them are the Veteran fencers this event is supposedly held for.

January 13 is the date for the next NCFL meet, but that may change.  I will keep people informed.  I am also not certain where and when the make up event will be.

January 20 is the next homeschool event and we will be hosting it.  Start time is 1:30 pm.

All
of our events for next spring are on askfred, including the Lynn Krupey
Memorial Iron Maiden.  This is still the only 3 weapon event
exclusively for women in the state, so it would be good to get our
people signed up
soon to draw other women.  Leslie Marx is already entered in the women’s
epee.  Leslie is an Olympian, two time US National Champion, Pan
American games gold medalist, and current world Vet 50-59 World
Champion.  This is your chance to fence someone of that caliber.  Of
course, a little practice wouldn’t hurt.  Right now there is only CFFA fencer signed up.  In epee, we could get to an A1 event, but we need to provide some bodies and ranks.  Where are Erica (Erica??!!??), Kenyatta, Christi, Nora, Laurie, Kaitlyn, Bracey, Summer, Marissa, and Lydia?  In foil, where are Nora, Emma Graf, Laurie, Callie, Catherine, Lauren, Taylor, Alex, Hannah, and even Nicole?  In sabre where are Bea, Elina, Erica, Alex and all the other UNCW women who are playing with sabres?  This could become an annually huge event, but we have to show that our women will support it.

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 December 11

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
CFFA update for December 11
The NCFL meet in Chapel Hill was cancelled due to weather.  I will keep everyone informed as to the make up date.
Kim Phillips and Erica Julien have been participating in the NAC in Portland.  KIm took 6th in the Vet combined sabre and 2nd in the Vet 40-49 sabre.  He was taken out by the winner in both cases.  In the Div I sabre he had a solid 3-3 pool round.  He lost his first DE to the person who eventually finished 8th.
Erica has been fighting bronchitis and pneumonia, but has been fencing anyway.  I don’t know whether to hold her up as a model of dedication or a “Kids, don’t try this at home.” moment.  She finished 7th in Vet 70+ epee and pulled an upset in her first DE to get to the 8th place medal in the Vet 70+ sabre.  She is scheduled to fence the Vet combined today.
Practice is pretty regular this week, except no Wednesday night practice with UNCW.
I will be at 1 pm for the homeschool practice.  December 15th will be the final classes for the year at Topsail and Camp Lejeune. 

December
16th is the next Homeschool League meet.  It will be at Oak Ridge.  It
will start about 1:30 pm, so we will plan to leave so we get there about
1 pm.  Let me know who is going so we can plan carpooling, etc.  If you
don’t have knickers, underarm protectors, etc. we will need to get you
fitted on Wednesday or at some other practice.

December
16-17th will also be the Harry Rulnick tournament in Fayetteville. 
Saturday is unsanctioned mixed Y10 and Y12 foil.  Sunday will be
sanctioned foil, split by gender and a mixed epee event.  This year all
of the events are for unrated fencers.  This makes them very good events
for those of you who feel you are stuck being a U and want a reasonable
opportunity to earn that E.  It also makes it a good event for those of
you looking for that first USA Fencing competition.  If you are
interested let me know so we can get you set up.  Plus sign up on
askfred so they know you are coming.  Currently the Women’s foil is at 6, the Men’s foil at 8, and the Mixed epee at 6; so they all should be giving away an E.

Mid-South
is sort of reversing the order that weekend for sabre.  They have
Unrated opens for men and women, plus a U19 event on Saturday, then
unsanctioned events for younger fencers on Sunday.  The Men’s event has enough people for an E1.  The U19 event cannot be ranked to give away a rating, but has 9 Us in it at the moment.

The
Monday/Wednesday evening class will finish on Monday, the 18th.  The
afterschool classes will finish on Tuesday, the 19th.  The last
homeschool practice for the year will be on Wednesday, the 20th.  I was
planning on coming in on Thursday evening, the 21st for practice.

RTF
(Research Triangle Fencing) is holding a foil/sabre camp December
27-30.  These are basically the Duke coaches, so it will be a solid,
more advanced camp.  See askfred for details.

The 28th seemed to be better for most of the people who replied concerning a one day camp from 9-5.  Cost would be $20 for the whole day.  The idea is to
work with people to improve their fencing, possibly getting them ready
for competitions.  All weapons would be welcome.  The further idea would
be to let parents drop youngsters off and have some personal time over
the vacation.  Or for older fencers to leave the kids/grandkids at home
and have some fencing time.  You would need to bring a lunch. 

I would then hang around for evening practice if there seems to be interest.

Be warned, after New Year’s everything starts back up quickly and keeps roaring on until about April.

The
Old Man Winter tournament is the first Saturday of the year, January
6th.  It will have Open foil, Open epee, and veteran (40+) epee.  Start
getting signed up.  Very few people are entered at the moment.

All
of our events for next spring are on askfred, including the Lynn Krupey
Memorial Iron Maiden.  This is still the only 3 weapon event
exclusively for women in the state, so it would be good to get our people signed up
soon to draw other women.  Leslie Marx is already entered in the women’s epee.  Leslie is an Olympian, two time US National Champion, Pan American games gold medalist, and current world Vet 50-59 World Champion.  This is your chance to fence someone of that caliber.  Of course, a little practice wouldn’t hurt.

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

orders, Ryan Miller

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
orders, Ryan Miller
Just a reminder that orders for this month are due by tomorrow, especially if you want to get them in by the holidays.  Contact Herman or me if you have questions.

Also, Ryan Miller is planning on coming down for practice Thursday if you want a different foil/epee person to fence.

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 December 3

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
CFFA update for December 3
A small event yesterday, but it did allow a couple of people to earn/re-earn ratings.  In the open foil Kyler Schoonmaker from the homeschool fencing class earned his E17 by defeating Will Golder, also of CFFA.  Another homeschool fencer, Phil Nazzaro and Seth Garrison  of UNCW (for about another week) tied for 3rd.  The epee was small, just 12 fencers and had a number of surprises.  In the final Daniel Freeman of Apex defeated CFFA’s Oliver Galbraith.  Seth took home another 3rd along with Kenyatta Sanford of CFFA.  In the E and under sabre Kenyatta earned another bronze which she shared with John Rea of the Wilmington Fencing Club.  Seth moved up to a silver, but lost to Erik Graf, who re-earned his E17.  We had a few WFC fencers and it is good to see their people getting back into competition.  Thanks to Paul and Herman for reffing, Brendan for getting the medals, and Clayton Olson for observing.
No
Wednesday night practice with UNCW from this Wednesday until after New Year’s
as they will be in finals and then gone.  Wednesday night classes will
still meet.  Everything else will be meeting.

December
9th is the next NCFL meet.  It is going to be at Chapel
Hill.  We need to start planning who is going, leave times etc.  I need
to hear from Hoggard so I know what I need to bring or get
people in to try on equipment.

December 15th will be the final classes for the year at Topsail and Camp Lejeune. 

December
16th is the next Homeschool League meet.  It will be at Oak Ridge.  It
will start about 1:30 pm, so we will plan to leave so we get there about
1 pm.  Let me know who is going so we can plan carpooling, etc.  If you
don’t have knickers, underarm protectors, etc. we will need to get you
fitted.

December
16-17th will also be the Harry Rulnick tournament in Fayetteville. 
Saturday is unsanctioned mixed Y10 and Y12 foil.  Sunday will be
sanctioned foil, split by gender and a mixed epee event.  This year all
of the events are for unrated fencers.  This makes them very good events
for those of you who feel you are stuck being a U and want a reasonable
opportunity to earn that E.  It also makes it a good event for those of
you looking for that first USA Fencing competition.  If you are
interested let me know so we can get you set up.  Plus sign up on
askfred so they know you are coming.

Mid-South is sort of reversing the order that weekend for sabre.  They have Unrated opens for men and women, plus a U19 event on Saturday, then unsanctioned events for younger fencers on Sunday.

The
Monday/Wednesday evening class will finish on Monday, the 18th.  The
afterschool classes will finish on Tuesday, the 19th.  The last
homeschool practice for the year will be on Wednesday, the 20th.  I was
planning on coming in on Thursday evening, the 21st for practice.

RTF
(Research Triangle Fencing) is holding a foil/sabre camp December
27-30.  These are basically the Duke coaches, so it will be a solid,
more advanced camp.  See askfred for details.

The 28th seemed to be better for most of the people who replied concerning a one day camp from 9-5.  Cost would be $20 for the whole day.  The idea is to
work with people to improve their fencing, possibly getting them ready
for competitions.  All weapons would be welcome.  The further idea would
be to let parents drop youngsters off and have some personal time over
the vacation.  Or for older fencers to leave the kids/grandkids at home
and have some fencing time.  You would need to bring a lunch. 

I would then hang around for evening practice if there seems to be interest.

Be warned, after New Year’s everything starts back up quickly and keeps roaring on until about April.

The Old Man Winter tournament is the first Saturday of the year, January 6th.  It will have Open foil, Open epee, and veteran (40+) epee.  Start getting signed up.

All of our events for next spring are on askfred, including the Lynn Krupey Memorial Iron Maiden.  This is still the only 3 weapon event exclusively for women, so it would be good to get our people signed up soon to draw other women.

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