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Post by schlager7 on Sept 18, 2006 8:20:44 GMT -6
oiuyt at Fencing Net was good enough to post the results of the meeting with regard to the various motions. One that I found of interest follow:
7. Motion (Mr. Herman): That beginning with Summer Nationals in 2007, all fencers must qualify in their divisions to fence in Division II and Division III competitions; no automatic qualification paths will exist for Division II or Division III.
Rationale: The various routes to compete in Division II and III have multiplied over the years. Automatic qualification tends to diminish the level of competition at qualifiers, and to decrease the overall numbers of those who compete. In addition, when the automatic qualifiers do not compete, the skill level of those who do qualify tends to be lower, decreasing the skill level required to qualify for National Championships, while simultaneously increasing the size of the Summer National events.
When automatic qualifiers do not participate in the divisional qualifiers, this in turn decreases the financial return for these tournaments. By requiring that all fencers qualify locally, the division is empowered, making it a focal point on the qualification path. The quality of the divisional tournaments will increase, as will the number of competitors at local competitions. This in turn will provide increased opportunities for the development of novice fencers, referees, and competition administrators—and will result in a larger financial return to the division. By requiring that all fencers must qualify, division tournaments will be stronger, helping to build fencing at the local levels.
Motion passed. Vote was 6-6 with a tie-breaking vote cast by the President based on EC recommendation in favor.
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Post by schlager7 on Sept 18, 2006 8:35:37 GMT -6
I though this one was also interesting...
12. Motion (Mr. Kuver): The National office shall post on an accessible website the seeding of each tournament at an NAC or National Championships 12 days prior to the start of the tournament. This allows for a review and correction of any seeding issues before the tournament. Corrections would be emailed to the tournament officer responsible and updated. On the Tuesday prior to the start of the event the seeding will be closed and not changed.
Rationale: To avoid delays on tournament days due to seeding. This would relieve one of burdens on the people running the tournament on the day of the tournament. Seeding must be physically done at some time, if it is done early it would allow for review and correction. When it is left to the day of it allows for mistakes causing reseeding and delays. IF this is adopted there will be a learning curve to get athletes to check the website, however seeding once it is closed must never be changed.
will move to 2nd hearing item in Feb, referred for comment to Tournament Committee and National Office.
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Post by schlager7 on Sept 18, 2006 8:50:12 GMT -6
Further notes of BoD Meeting by oiuyt. I've done some editing. The enitre piece can be found on Fencing Net here: www.fencing.net/forums/thread25760-4.htmlAdditional comments from the meeting: Short presentation from Marketing Committee (Sunil Sabharwal) announcing that magazine would be completely reworked by the December issue. Magazine design/layout now taken over by Circone & Associates (USFA's PR firm). Will move to revenue neutral and eventually to revenue positive. Presentation changes will be piloted at 5 national events this season -- NAC B, NAC C, NAC D, JO's, NAC F. NAC B seen as a beta test. Sponsorship monies to be persued using inventory developed by Circone. Initial contacts have already been made, some positive response. Discussion of website, online membership, online entries. In process of migrating information from website into a new website that is stable and easier to navigate. Expected completion date 10/15/06. Additionally allows direct posting of information by office staff without intermediation of webmaster. Online membership system nearing completion. Scheduled to be operational concurrent with new website (10/15/06). Those are being referred to as "Phase I" (there is also a completed "Phase 0"). "Phase II": * Continuous web site improvement * Better integration with Registration/Membership * With easier maintainance, USFA can respond to constituent feedback * Web Membership/Registration integration with Core App * Reduce work for USFA staff * Immediate feedback for problems (eg can't register for a Div I NAC if your rating is U) * Completion Date: TBD - Q1 or Q2 2007. [note: this completion date was clarified to indicate that national event entries are expected to be operational in time for NAC D (Columbus). Doing so would indicate Q4 2006 at the latest as the registration deadline for that NAC occurs in December. When this was pointed out that target was reiterated] Phase III: * Replace core application * Create extensible, web-based core application * Retire AS/400 based, built in 1984 application * Tight integration with web registration * Tight integration with web site (ie specific member and tournament info available) * Completion Date: TBD Q3 or Q4 2007.
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Post by schlager7 on Sept 18, 2006 8:53:14 GMT -6
and, lastly, some more of Brad's notes... (bold & italics are my doing)
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Discussion of FIE meeting 9/9/06 Select pieces from the notes:
Discussion to separate cadet championships from junior world championships; make them zonal championships. Will not occur until at least 2009 and perhaps not at all.
2007 Cadet/Junior WC in Izmir, Turkey. Cannot move to another location in Turkey, Italy or GB will take Championships if they cannot be held in Turkey.
There will be a demonstration of wireless epee and foil in Torino (Wed., Oct. 4th). Clothing and weapons are not altered for the wireless system in these weapons.
Transparent mask for all weapons; desirable for media, IOC, and spectators.
Arbitrage: video replay on all four pistes * Athletes can request replay (but not watch it) 3 times during a DE bout, once during a 5-touch bout; referee and Arbitrage delegate watch together on delegate monitor; referee decision is final (even if change is made).* System will be used in Torino
Additional reports were submitted by the ED and Vet committee.
Vet committee report noted negative impact from the change to 80% promotion at Summer Nationals (note first-hearing item under new business), issues with financial surplus from 2005 Vet Worlds, and a brief recounting of the stellar results of USFA members in Bath England (10 medals, including 3 gold, great cohesiveness and team spirit, vociferous sideline support).
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Post by Parry Nine on Sept 18, 2006 9:05:00 GMT -6
So, this is for this active fencing season?
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Post by DavidSierra on Sept 18, 2006 9:43:28 GMT -6
Yes.
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Post by Aldo N on Sept 18, 2006 21:15:11 GMT -6
I wonder if this will increase the size of qualifiers by forcing those who would be auto-qualifiers to fence, or reduce it by discouraging those who had a chance until those who used to autoqualify became the competition?
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Post by Parry Nine on Sept 18, 2006 22:00:18 GMT -6
Duh...I realise I asked a stupid question once I sit down and actually READ what was on there... Sorry...
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Post by DavidSierra on Sept 19, 2006 10:09:35 GMT -6
I wonder if this will increase the size of qualifiers by forcing those who would be auto-qualifiers to fence, or reduce it by discouraging those who had a chance until those who used to autoqualify became the competition? My prediction is that its going to make the DivII and DivIII events larger, as Cadets who would have qualified for those by virtue of their qualification in that event need to fence.
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Post by schlager7 on Sept 21, 2006 8:10:42 GMT -6
I wonder if this will increase the size of qualifiers by forcing those who would be auto-qualifiers to fence, or reduce it by discouraging those who had a chance until those who used to autoqualify became the competition? My prediction is that its going to make the DivII and DivIII events larger, as Cadets who would have qualified for those by virtue of their qualification in that event need to fence. Once upon a time, what we now call "qualifiers" were generally known as Division Championships. I understand this was in the era before Div I/I-A/II/III. They were the qualifying path to nationals but also local championships. With the rise of automatically qualified fencers, attendance has dwindled at local events. This change and the increase in Div II & Div III participants may make them a "little" closer to being worthy of their old title.
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Post by DavidSierra on Sept 21, 2006 9:10:30 GMT -6
I agree schlager. The only thing I'm not entirely sold upon is weather or not there should be "trickledown" qualifiers from DivIA to DivII and DivIII (for fencers of the appropriate classification), the way Junior trickles down to Cadet.
Otherwise, its a real possibility that people could qualify for DivIA without qualifying for DivII and DivIII - which seems, on face value, a little strange - especially in specific weapons in certain divisions. Like, say North Texas Women's Sabre, where 4 of the top women in the Section would be battling it out for 3 DivII/DivIII qualification spots (if we get more than 12 women's sabre fencers at our qualifiers, I'll be shocked!), but yet, the odds of them all not qualifying for DivIA are infitesimally small (barring injury, etc). However, I may be slightly biased due to the fact that I coach two of them. But that doesn't automatically mean that its not a valid point. I still need to think on it.
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Post by schlager7 on Sept 28, 2006 13:58:45 GMT -6
excerpts from some of the F-Net discussion on the qualifying path changes...
oiuyt: While I opposed this motion, I do have to voice dissent with this characterization of it. The intent is not to reduce numbers in D2/3, but rather to encourage fencers to compete in the local (divisional) qualifiers for those events. This will have a side-effect of slightly reducing numbers in divisions that currently have a significant number of auto-quals fencing now, but nationally it has been observed that most people that are already qualified have not been competing in divisional qualifiers.
oso97: This means that fencers who qualify for, say in the Cadet (U16) category, do NOT also qualify for DivII/DivIII, as well as those who qualify for Juniors (U19) and DivIA? In addition, also the top 4 places from the previous DivII or DivIII national championships?
oiuyt: Correct. Side note: notice that the previous motion re: cadet JO's qualifiers to become auto-quals for Summer Nationals Y14 (if age-eligible) was defeated. At least this meeting was consistent in voting to reduce the number of auto-quals in both cases.
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