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Post by schlager7 on Apr 25, 2005 23:20:25 GMT -6
The Katy Blades have accepted the offer to serve as LOC for the Gulf Coast Division's entry in the 2005-2006 Southwest Sectional Circuit Cup. However, there are issues still to be resolved. The following arrived from SSCC Commissioner David Sierra:
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to Section IV.A of the SSCC Ops Manual and in light of the events occuring on the 26th and 27th of April, 2005, Katy Blades Fencing is not eligible to host an SSCC event for the 2005-2006 season.
This is an automatic result of the confliciting tournaments of that weekend (with Katy Blades Fencing hosting a tournament the same weekend as a previously scheduled SSCC event), and should not be considered either an intrusion into internal Gulf Coast Division affairs, or a judgement of the tournament hosting capabilities of Katy Blades Fencing.
Nor should it be construed to be disaproval of the participation of the Houston Sports Authority as a co-host of the event.
Katy Blades Fencing may apply for a waiver from the Southwest Section Executive Committee, however, since SSCC designations are due this Saturday, it will be difficult to convene a meeting of the Executive Committee in that time.
Please inform the SSCC Commissioner if Katy Blades Fencing would like to apply for a waiver, otherwise a different hosting entity will have to be chosen, in accordance with whatever processes the Gulf Coast Division feels are appropriate.
If Katy Blades chooses to apply for the waiver, please fill out the attached form, and email it back to the SSCC Commissioner, who will then forward it to the members of the Section Executive Committee. A vote will NOT be called without the full and complete waiver application. The Section Executive Committee will then vote to extend the waiver or deny the application. The decision of the Executive Committee is final.
Respectfully, David Sierra SSCC Commissioner
Application for Waiver of Section IV.A of the SSCC Ops Manual
Name of club applying for waiver: Contact person: Contact phone number: Contact E-mail: Please state, as you understand it, the reason for the automatic application of Section IV.A of the SSCC Ops Manual in this instance: Please state your reasons why a waiver should be extended: Please list what steps you intend to take in the future to prevent conflicts with other SSCC events: Briefly discuss your plans for the tournament you intend to hold if the waiver is granted. Include potential Bout and Technical Committee persons, Referee Cadre, potential time in the season you intend to hold the event, potential venue site, and other information of importance: Any other information you feel the Section Executive Committee should hear:
We trust these issues will be resolved soon.
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Post by Giorgio Bassa on Apr 26, 2005 8:50:40 GMT -6
The Katy Blades have accepted the offer to serve as LOC for the Gulf Coast Division's entry in the 2005-2006 Southwest Sectional Circuit Cup. However, there are issues still to be resolved. The following arrived from SSCC Commissioner David Sierra:To Whom It May Concern: Pursuant to Section IV.A of the SSCC Ops Manual and in light of the events occuring on the 26th and 27th of April, 2005, Katy Blades Fencing is not eligible to host an SSCC event for the 2005-2006 season. ........... What events occurred on April 26th (today) and 27th (tomorrow), 2005? Since this is obviously a misspelling, could the events be described to all so we can see what infraction occurred deserving such a drastic countermeasure. Any chance that the good deeds and efforts of an honest and dedicated person like Augie can go unpunished?
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Post by schlager7 on Apr 26, 2005 10:01:23 GMT -6
This just received from David Sierra:
Please note, there was a typographical error in the previous email. It now refers correctly to the 26th and 27th of FEBRUARY, 2005.
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Post by August Skopik on Apr 26, 2005 14:57:40 GMT -6
Please note that the Katy Blades Fencing Academy has applied for a waiver to be able to host the SSCC for the 2005 - 2006 season.
Application for Waiver of Section IV.A of the SSCC Ops Manual
April 26, 2005
Name of Club applying for waiver: Katy Blades Fencing Academy
Contact Person: August Skopik
Contact Phone Number: 281.703.5064
Contact Email: katyblades@sbcglobal.net
Please state, as you understand it, the reason for the automatic application of Section IV.A of the SSCC Ops Manual in this instance:
The reason the Katy Blades Fencing Academy has been turned down for hosting the SSCC for the 2005-2006 season is that on February 26th and 27th the Katy Blades Fencing Academy hosted a D and Under, (Div. III equivalent), tournament and youth competition on the date of the Rose Condon in Shreveport, LA that was a Southwest Section Circuit Cup event.
Please state your reasons why a waiver should be extended:
The purpose of the USFA, Southwest Section of the USFA and the Gulf Coast Division is to promote fencing. This includes selecting members to the United States Olympic team, and promoting the grass roots fencing from which these members eventually come from.
I hosted a local competition oriented towards fencers that were not traveling to the Rose Condon tournament, and was asked by two local coaches plus several fencers that were not traveling to add the D and Under, (Div. III equivalent), competition to the youth competitions currently scheduled. The fencers that fenced in this competition were not signed up for the Rose Condon, and would not have fenced in the Rose Condon if the Katy Blades Tournament was not scheduled. They would have fenced in their local clubs, or engaged in some other activity besides fencing. I emailed all of the competitors extending Terry Harkey’s offer of waived late fees to all fencers signed up via the askfred system.
Since that tournament, I was introduced to the Houston Sports Authority that is the group that has Reliant Stadium, Toyota Center, etc. in Houston and was responsible for bringing the NCAA championships to Houston. This group is very interested in working with fencing to bring NACs, Junior Olympics, National Championships and other events to Texas and Houston in the future. Oliver Luck, the CEO, was the CEO for NFL Europe and has made some very positive marketing statements and observations about increasing the visibility of fencing in the sports community. During the NCAA championships, fencing was advertised on the front page of the local newspaper in the fourth largest media market in the country. The Houston Sports Authority is very interested in helping fencing in promoting it through its media contacts, scheduling hotel contracts, etc. to help promote fencing. This goes far beyond any one club or the other. Fencing has been on the short list to be eliminated as an Olympic Sport as long as I have been involved, as far back as 1980. I remember the Olympic Festival in Houston in 1986 being given such a big boost to the sport when I was introduced to Colonel Miller of the FOC at a sold out arena in Houston. This is an opportunity for the fencing community in the Southwest Section to take the initiative in reaching national media markets in promoting fencing.
You can view some samples of what I have discussed with Mr. Luck in what was needed to promote this sport in the Gulf Coast Division discussion boards. This is exactly the NFL experience that was promoted at the Super Bowl hosted in Houston, and what the NCAA basketball tournament when it was held in Dallas.
I would be happy if other groups in Houston would work with the Houston Sports Authority in the same manner, but unfortunately a very select group in the Gulf Coast Division will work with Houston Sports Authority in a working relationship. I look forward to working with the Houston Sports Authority in other fencing related ventures.
Please list what steps you intend to take in the future to prevent conflicts with other SSCC events:
I will actively promote all SSCC events both within my club and within the division. The SSCC events are wonderful training tournaments for the best fencers in the section, and are an excellent training event. We need to make certain that the best fencers in the Section use these events as training events for the National and International events.
Briefly discuss your plans for the tournament you intend to hold if the waiver is granted. Include potential Bout and Technical Committee persons, Referee Cadre, potential time in the season you intend to hold the event, potential venue site, and other information of importance:
I plan to hold the tournament Jan. 28th – 29th if awarded, but the date of this event is very flexible based upon the needs of the Section. The potential venue sites are numerous. We have 6 high schools with large gymnasium complexes within 10 minutes of Katy that have allowed the Katy Blades to host competitions on their site. We have also been extended an invitation from Westchester Fencing Academy if a closer to downtown location is desired. There are several other sports facilities in the Katy area that have expressed an interest in hosting Katy Blade’s events that are multi-sport oriented such as the Life Time Fitness facility that is 110,000 square feet and scheduled to open in August.
Potential Bout and Technical Committee persons:
Bout Committee: Oscar Barrera, August Skopik, Andrey Geva, Akhnaten Spencer-El, Giorgio Bassa and Marty Wysocki. This Bout Committee also usually consists of one member of each division, so would be flexible in adding different people.
Technical Committee: Margaret Horscroft, Kathy Bone, Tom Bone, Terry Unrein, Ovy Waddoups, Deborah Reeve, Nancy Agler, Steve Moss and Cheryl Black. Several of these members are weapons control/armory specialists and the others have been trained on running an efficient USFA tournament both with and without the fencing software.
Referee Cadre: Andrey Geva, August Skopik, Sabina Bazarbayeva, Akhi Spencer-El, Erika Wilder, Delfina Perka, Kamilla Skladanowska, Thomasz Stusinski, Mauro Hamza, Oscar Barrera plus an FOC examiner for ratings increases and local rated officials that are attempting to improve their FOC ratings available from the USFA website.
Any other information you feel the Section Executive Committee should hear:
The Katy Blades Fencing Academy requests an open record on the voting on this issue. The fencing community deserves to see who voted for or against this waiver. I would be happy to discuss any further questions, and you can call me at 281.703.5064 or email me at katyblades@sbcglobal.net. Thank you.
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Post by schlager7 on Apr 26, 2005 15:29:49 GMT -6
Thanks, Augie.
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Post by schlager7 on May 5, 2005 8:51:42 GMT -6
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Post by August Skopik on May 5, 2005 14:42:57 GMT -6
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Post by August Skopik on May 5, 2005 14:45:00 GMT -6
I might as well post David Sierra's email dated 4/28/2005 at 12:17pm:
The voting of the SWS Executive Committee currently standing at 6 votes "NO" and 4 votes "YES," the SSCC Commissioner accepts the decision of the EC, as a total of 7 votes in the affirmative would have been required to carry the motion. The Gulf Coast Division is hereby requested to designate another fencing organization within its borders to be the LOC of its SSCC tournament for next season, using whatever policies and methods it deems acceptable.
Respectfully, David Sierra SSCC Commissioner
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