CFFA update for November 26th

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
CFFA update for November 26th
Herman would like you to get orders for December (read Christmas and Hanukkah) in by December 6th.  It may take a couple of orders to get it all in as this usually ends up beyond the means of the club credit card, so we will get one order in and paid for before making the next one.  Or we may need to ask for some of the order payment up front to keep room cleared.
This is the last week where everything is normal before practices start dropping out before the holidays.
Topsail will be starting their next set of classes, beginner and more advanced, this Friday.  Camp Lejeune will be back in business Friday as well.
This Saturday, December
2nd, is our next adult event.  Open foil, Open epee, E and under sabre.  Per usual, right now the numbers are low. 
Get signed up now if you are planning on fencing.  At the moment, we only need two referees, so if it all blows up around Wednesday, it may be hard to find others.

For younger (not yet adult fencers), Apex Fencing Academy is having Y10/Y12 combined events this Saturday.  Check askfred for particulars.

No Wednesday night practice with UNCW from the 6th until after New Year’s as they will be in finals and then gone.  Wednesday night classes will still meet.

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 and Ashley 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.

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.

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 November 20

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
CFFA update for November 20
We had three people go up to the JO qualifiers in Durham on Sunday.  All three came home with medals and qualified.  Oliver Galbraith won bronze in Junior Men’s foil, then won the gold in Junior Men’s epee, qualifying in both.  Will Golder was 5th in Junior Men’s foil, which just missed qualifying; but followed that up with the gold in Cadet Men’s foil, so qualified for that.  Nicole Milewski took a bronze in Junior Women’s epee which qualified her for that and the Cadet Women’s epee.  Congratulations to all.
This week will be a bit short due to Thanksgiving.  No afterschool or
evening practice on Wednesday or Thursday.  I am planning to have
homeschool practice on Wednesday.  It will start at 1 pm so I can have some time with the advanced fencers.  It can run until people tire out as there is no school at St. Mary.

No Topsail or Camp Lejeune practice
on Friday.  I plan to have Saturday practice at 10 am so you can all work off the Thanksgiving feasting.

Mid-South is having their annual Black Friday event on the 24th.  All three weapons, split by gender.

December 2nd is our next adult event.  Open foil, Open epee, E and under sabre.  Get signed up on askfred.  Per usual, right now the numbers are low.  Get signed up now if you are planning on fencing.

For younger (not yet adult fencers), Apex Fencing Academy is having Y10/Y12 combined events that Saturday.

December 9th is the next NCFL meet.  I believe it is going to be at Chapel Hill.  We can start planning who is going, leave times etc.

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.

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.  The epee, particularly, has a long history of being a solid event.

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.

I am thinking of having a one day camp either in December on the 27th or 28th, 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.  Let me know which day works better.

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

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
Saturday practice
The JO qualifiers have been moved to a one day event on Sunday.  Today is the last day to sign up for the regular fees on askfred.net.  Since my Saturday is now free, I will be in to the club about 10 am for anyone who would like to come practice.

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 November 12

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
CFFA update for November 12
We held our Veteran’s Day event at Tileston yesterday.  In the Open foil, Oliver Galbraith prevailed over Daniel Freeman of Apex.  Luke Kinney of Columbia Fencer’s Club and Brandon DeBord from UNCW tied for the third places.  Oliver also won the epee, this time over Ryan Miller from New Bern.  Luke Kinney was again a bronze medalist, this time joined by Lars Hansen of All-American.  Eli Nathan of UNCW and Daniel Freeman both earned D17s.  Lars repeated his third place performance in the E and under foil.  He was joined by Will Ross of UNCW and both won their E17s.  Josh White of New Bern earned their second silver of the day, but he was bested by Brandon DeBord who won his D17.  Thanks to Zemi Lawrence for managing/observing.  Brendan McConville, Donny Zelinski, and Josh White refereed; while Herman Smith armored. 

Meanwhile, in Kansas City, Nicole Milewski was competing at the NAC.  In the Junior (ages 13 -19) Friday, she went 4-2 in her pool, beating an A and a B.  She lost to an A rated sophomore from the University of Notre Dame’s varsity in her DE.  (Nicole is in the eighth grade) and wound up a respectable 84/194.  On Saturday, in Y-14, she again went 4-2 in the pool, won her first DE, but lost the second and tied for 27/94.  Sunday didn’t quite go as well in the Cadet.  She just missed the cut, coming in 146/172.

Practice will be back to normal this week. 

Next weekend is the Division qualifiers for JOs in Durham at Research Triangle Fencing.  The actual JOs are in Memphis over the President’s Day weekend.  The last day to sign up for the regular fees is the 16th.  Also, they may combine it down to a one day event if the numbers are small enough.  Check askfred.net to see what is up.

Next week will be a bit short due to Thanksgiving.  No afterschool or evening practice on Wednesday or Thursday.  I am planning to have homeschool practice on Wednesday.  No Topsail or Camp Lejeune practice on Friday.  I may have Saturday practice in Wilmington if there is interest.

Mid-South is having their annual Black Friday event on the 24th.  All three weapons, split by gender.

December 2nd is our next adult event.  Open foil, Open epee, E and under sabre.  Get signed up on askfred.

December 9th is the next NCFL meet.  Location yet to be decided.

December 16th is the next Homeschool League meet.  It should be at Oak Ridge.

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 November 5 update

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
CFFA November 5 update
Yesterday we held the 1st NCFL meet of the season.  We had teams from Hoggard, Chapel Hill, Orange, and Research Triangle High Schools fence in the A division.  Epiphany Brought a number of B Division foil and epee teams who unfortunately had very few people to fence.  Hoggard did well, the men went undefeated.  Will Golder was undefeated individually.  The Hoggard women also did well going 2-1.  Thanks to Herman Smith for armoring the event.  Also thanks to Ryan Hightower for the refereeing help.
Monday,
November 6th will mark the start of the next evening beginner class at
6:30 pm.  The next afterschool beginner class will start on that Monday
and Tuesday.  A homeschool beginner class will start on Wednesday,
November 8th at 1:30 pm.

On
Thursday, November 9, at 4 pm at CFCC’s Union Station, Cuccalorus will
be screening “Under the Mask,” Alex
Hoelscher’s film about Erica Julien’s journey to last year’s World
Veteran Championships.  Tickets are $10.  Afterschool is cancelled for
that day as I would like to go and see the film and support Alex and
Erica.  It would be great to have a large contingent of fencers there. 
Afterwards there is a gathering for the film makers and film goers at
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.  Therefore, evening practices will also be
cancelled.

Topsail
has no school on Friday, November 10th, so no practice.  Most of the
Camp Lejeune fencers also have plans for that date, so no practice on
board the base this Friday either.

Our
next event will be on Veteran’s Day, November 11th.  Current numbers
are 16 in the open epee which is a B1 event.  It needs two more As or Bs to become an A event.  Foil has 5 in the open foil, and 7 in the E and under foil.  The E and under needs 8 bodies, with 2 being Es to give it a shot to give away a D.  We have at least 4-5 foilists who could bring the numbers up to the point where it would be close enough to draw in the other fencers need, but it needs to happen soon.

The
JO qualifiers are November 18-19 at Research Triangle.  More info is on
askfrred.  The actual JOs are in Memphis over President’s Day weekend.  Only 2 CFFA fencers are currently signed up.
 
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

foil

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
foil
I have someone looking to buy an old foil for a Halloween costume.  I can put you in touch with the person if you are interested.

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 October 29

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
CFFA update for October 29
Don and Joseph Evans represented the Southeastern Cardinals at the homeschool meet in New Bern yesterday.  They were the only B fencers, so they ended up fencing against the A teams.  They both got some touches although they were giving up 3-5 years of age and up to a couple of feet (one of the fencers was 6’5″) to their opponents.  The next homeschool meet is the 16th of December at Oak Ridge.
Mostly a regular week of practice this week.  We will need to get the overheads back up on Tuesday, October 31.  This homeschool beginner class will finish on Wednesday.

Camp Lejeune’s next beginner class will start at 7 pm on Friday, November 3rd.

November
4th is the first NCFL meet of the year and we are hosting it.  As
always help refereeing, setting up, armoring, managing is appreciated.  I
am not certain what the number
of teams will be yet, but it looks a little down from previous years. 
Starts at 10 am and finishes as soon as we can get done.  If you are not
part of an official high school fencing club, or are still in middle
school,
there are B division teams.  There will certainly be B division teams
in foil, and hopefully epee.  Start letting me know if you are
interested.  Looks like Hoggard will have a men’s team.  Right now we have no one fencing as a B team, which is unheard of for us.  This is an opportunity for those in middle school and up to fence a competition for free.  We will assist with equipment (underarm protectors and knickers, weapons, etc.)

For
those of you who would rather fence than referee, Charlotte is holding
Women’s epee, and Open epee events that day.  The open epee should be an A.

Also, there is a Vet event
in Richmond where the epee should be an A event.  Right now it is an exact A1 (2 As, 2 Bs, and 15 fencers).  The epee is on Sunday, so you can help with the NCFL and still go fence.

Charleston,
SC, is holding epee events.  Their open might also reach B status, (needs a D and some bodies) plus
they have Y14 epee and other unsanctioned events.  See askfred.net for
further details.

Don’t forget to reset your clocks next Sunday.

Monday,
November 6th will mark the start of the next evening beginner class at
6:30 pm.  The next afterschool beginner class will start on that Monday
and Tuesday.  A homeschool beginner class will start on Wednesday,
November 8th at 1:30 pm.

On
Thursday, November 9, at 4 pm at CFCC’s Union Station, Cuccalorus will
be screening “Under the Mask,” Alex
Hoelscher’s film about Erica Julien’s journey to last year’s World
Veteran Championships.  Tickets are $10.  Afterschool is cancelled for
that day as I would like to go and see the film and support Alex and
Erica.  It would be great to have a large contingent of fencers there. 
Afterwards there is a gathering for the film makers and film goers at
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.  Therefore, evening practices will also be
cancelled.

Topsail
has no school on Friday, November 10th, so no practice.  Most of the
Camp Lejeune fencers also have plans for that date, so no practice on
board the base that Friday either.

Our
next event will be on Veteran’s Day, November 11th.  Current numbers
are 11 open epee, 3 open foil, and 6 E and under foil.  This leaves us looking at exactly the bad spot we were in for the last event.  Currently, not enough to hire referees beyond what we have now, but it may still balloon as there are no other events in the area. Some local referees will probably be attending the youth NAC in Kansas City, so we may have trouble getting referees if this gets big at the last minute.   Figuring that
there will be some local press surrounding Erica and Cuccalorus, I would
love to invite the press, but I cannot do so with those numbers.  We
will also be holding the “official” fencing celebration for Erica at
Satellite after the event ends.  GET SIGNED UP NOW!  We will need a better idea of our actual numbers by Sunday, November 5th, to make decision about referees, awards, advertising, etc.  Even earlier would be better.

The
JO qualifiers are November 18-19 at Research Triangle.  More info is on
askfrred.  The actual JOs are in Memphis over President’s Day weekend.  Only 2 CFFA fencers are currently signed up.
 
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 October 23rd

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
CFFA update for October 23rd
KIm Phillips tied for 3rd yesterday at the Tiger Open at Clemson.  This was in a field of 68 sabre fencers, so he had a long day.

A lot of things going on, so we will have some alterations to the schedule for the next few weeks.

St.
Mary’s Fall Festival is October 27th, so we will be shut down a bit
this week.  On Tuesday night we will be pulling the overheads down after practice, so they will not be in the way of the Haunted House. We will have the homeschool practice as our last event on
Webesday.  No afterschool or evening practice Wednesday or Thursday.

I have a demo scheduled with the YWCA at 4 pm on Wednesday.  If you might be interested in helping, let me know.  We will meet out there.

Class on board Camp Lejeune Friday will end this beginner session.  There will also be class at Topsail Friday.

October 28th is the Ryder Cup sabre event at Mid-South.  Cadet, Junior, and Senior sabre events.  I don’t see any of our fencers signed up.  The Div 1A should be at least a B1 event.

Also
the 28th is the first homeschool tournament of the year, up at New
Bern.  If you are interested in fencing for the homeschjool league, you
need to sign up with the Southeastern Cardinals and let me know.  It looks like they will be playing the A League age rules closer to what the other sports are.  That means our team may end up being a B for this one.

We will need to get the overheads back up on Tuesday, October 31.

Camp Lejeune’s next beginner class will start at 7 pm on Friday, November 3rd.

November
4th is the first NCFL meet of the year and we are hosting it.  As
always help refereeing, setting up, armoring, managing is appreciated.  I am not certain what the number
of teams will be yet, but it looks a little down from previous years. 
Starts at 10 am and finishes as soon as we can get done.  If you are not
part of an official high school fencing club, or are still in middle school,
there are B division teams.  There will certainly be B division teams
in foil, and hopefully epee.  Start letting me know if you are
interested.  You do need a full uniform, but we can lend you what you
need.  Looks like Hoggard will have a team.  Ashley maybe.  There are certainly enough other foil fencers that we can put together a B team or two.

For
those of you who would rather fence than referee, Charlotte is holding
Women’s epee, and Open epee events that day.  The open epee might get to an A.

Also, there is a Vet event
in Richmond where the epee might get to a B or A event.

Charleston, SC, is holding epee events.  Their open might also reach B status, plus they have Y14 and other unsanctioned events.  See askfred.net for further details.

Monday,
November 6th will mark the start of the next evening beginner class at
6:30 pm.  The next afterschool beginner class will start on that Monday
and Tuesday.  A homeschool beginner class will start on Wednesday,
November 8th at 1:30 pm.

On Thursday, November 9, at 4 pm at CFCC’s Union Station, Cuccalorus will be screening “Under the Mask,” Alex
Hoelscher’s film about Erica Julien’s journey to last year’s World
Veteran Championships.  Tickets are $10.  Afterschool is cancelled for that day as I would like to go and see the film and support Alex and Erica.  It would be great to have a large contingent of fencers there.  Afterwards there is a gathering for the film makers and film goers at Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.  Therefore, evening practices will also be cancelled.

Topsail has no school on Friday, November 10th, so no practice.  Most of the Camp Lejeune fencers also have plans for that date, so no practice on board the base that Friday either.

Our
next event will be on Veteran’s Day, November 11th.  Current numbers
are 9 open epee, 2 open foil, and 4 E and under foil.  Figuring that there will be some local press surrounding Erica and Cuccalorus, I would love to invite the press, but I cannot do so with those numbers.  We will also be holding the “official” fencing celebration for Erica at Satellite after the event ends.  GET SIGNED UP NOW!

The
JO qualifiers are November 18-19 at Research Triangle.  More info is on
askfrred.  The actual JOs are in Memphis over President’s Day weekend.  Only 2 CFFA fencers are currently signed up.
 
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