|
Post by schlager7 on May 14, 2008 21:09:36 GMT -6
As we all know, the USFA has posted the national schedule for next season. It runs like this:
2008-2009 Dates Location* October 10-13, 2008 (Fri-Mon) Division II/Division III/Cadet Columbus, OH
November 7-10, 2008 (Fri-Mon) Junior/Cadet/Youth 14 St. Louis, MO
December 12-14, 2008 (Fri-Sun) Division I/Veteran Colorado Springs, CO
January 16-19, 2009 (Fri-Mon) Division I/Junior TBA
February 13-16, 2009 (Fri-Mon) Junior Olympic Championships Albuquerque, NM
February 27-March 2, 2009 (Fri-Mon) Division II/Division III/Veteran TBA - DATES FLEXIBLE
April 24-27, 2009 (Fri-Mon) Division I/Youth 14/12/10 Portland. OR
July 3-12, 2009 (Fri-Sun) Summer National Championships Gaylord Texan Resort, Dallas, TX Would anyone know when we might expect the SSCC Schedule for next season? I know this is early, but since the participating divisions must "black-out" the SSCC dates, the earlier the info arrives, the better. Individual clubs must plan and, as we all know, once we get too close to Nationals, nothing else will happen.
|
|
|
Post by DavidSierra on May 14, 2008 21:54:39 GMT -6
We're working on it right now.
South Texas will probably be in mid-late September.
North Texas will be November 1-2.
Gulf Coast is supposed to be early January.
Ark-La-Miss will be the last weekend in February.
There will be one more event designated - Oklahoma has decided not to have an event this next season, but the Commission felt it was important to have 5 tournaments. We're working out the details for having that event designated right now.
Expect more clarity at the end of next week.
|
|
|
Post by schlager7 on May 14, 2008 23:41:35 GMT -6
|
|
|
Post by fox on May 15, 2008 7:51:25 GMT -6
Gulf Coast is supposed to be early January. Out of curiosity, anyone know who the host is or where it will be held? Just curious...
|
|
|
Post by JEC on May 15, 2008 8:44:57 GMT -6
Is the Longhorn, the STX event? If not, it certainly is that caliber year in and year out.
What about the Bobcat or the Pouj?
|
|
|
Post by D on May 15, 2008 11:40:51 GMT -6
We are working on THE BOBCAT to be October 4th & 5th.
Just waiting for the people (Recreation Sports Dept.) to tell us we can have the building. Of course they are waiting for the school to come out with the classroom assignment schedule.
But like usual, they say its probably just fine, just waiting for the OK.
|
|
|
Post by Evelyn S on May 15, 2008 19:25:43 GMT -6
Feb 21-22 or Feb 28-March 1? Feb 28 - March 1 If the March Div 2/3/Vet NAC really is going to be that weekend, we may have a problem...
|
|
|
Post by DavidSierra on May 21, 2008 7:19:08 GMT -6
Is the Longhorn, the STX event? If not, it certainly is that caliber year in and year out. What about the Bobcat or the Pouj? [official statement] Your Division has designated Austin Fencers Club as the host for the SSCC event. Any questions regarding that choice should be directed to your division leadership. The SSCC Commission has no say over the initial designation of events by a division, so long as the basic requirements are met. [/official statement]
|
|
|
Post by DavidSierra on May 30, 2008 6:53:59 GMT -6
The following dates have been set for SSCC events in the new season.
September 20 and 21 - Austin, Texas hosted by Austin Fencers Club November 1 and 2 - Fort Worth, Texas hosted by Fencing Institute of Texas Sometime in early January - Houston, Texas hosted by Young Elites of Houston February 21 and 22 - Shreveport, Louisiana hosted by Rose Condon Memorial Scholarship Fund
The Oklahoma Division has not designated an event this season, but the SSCC Commission feels it is important to have a 5th event. Therefore, designation of the 5th event will be made by the SSCC Commission. Prospective LOC's are encouraged to download the Bid Form available on the Section Website (it will be up there later today), and submit it. Deadline for submissions is June 30th. A decision will be rendered by July 15th.
|
|
nemo
Blademaster
mobilis in mobili
Posts: 729
|
Post by nemo on May 30, 2008 8:37:00 GMT -6
Young Elites still exist? ?
|
|
|
Post by Aldo N on May 30, 2008 16:56:23 GMT -6
I, for one, am frankly surprised that the Oklahoma Division will not be holding an SSCC event. Is this in any way connected to Jerry Benson's run for USFA office? Will there still be a non-SSCC Oz Parsons Memorial? Did they mention why they choose not to participate this year?
|
|
|
Post by DavidSierra on May 31, 2008 9:44:55 GMT -6
Short answer: Because while members of the Oklahoma Division traveled to support the SSCC tournaments in other Divisions (as both competitors and referees), little reciprocity was shown by other divisions. The competitors at this year's Oz were mainly Oklahoma and NTX people. Very little participation from STX or Gulf Coast. A SWIFA event was held atop the Oz that drew many people away. The Oz ended up not being the kind of financial success to justify the amount of work it took to put people on, despite excellent referees, prizes and organization.
It has nothing to do with Jerry Benson's run for USFA office.
There may be a non-SSCC OZ Parsons Memorial.
|
|
|
Post by D on Jun 3, 2008 10:21:35 GMT -6
Id like to insert the information that 75% of SWIFA members dont even have usfa membership. And dont care to.
|
|
kb
Squire
Posts: 261
|
Post by kb on Jun 3, 2008 15:32:31 GMT -6
Id like to insert the information that 75% of SWIFA members dont even have usfa membership. And dont care to. Excellent! According to a quick look at the SW Section membership, there are 105 fencers with USFA membership showing a college as the primary club at present. With the statistics cited above we can assume there are 315 college fencers out there that don't care to have USFA membership-but someday may want one if they continue their fencing after college. Good news for the future of fencing. Y'all must have some killer tournaments with those numbers.
|
|
|
Post by fox on Jun 4, 2008 6:43:14 GMT -6
Short answer: Because while members of the Oklahoma Division traveled to support the SSCC tournaments in other Divisions (as both competitors and referees), little reciprocity was shown by other divisions. Sadly, I suspected that might be the case.
|
|
|
Post by LongBlade on Jun 4, 2008 11:09:50 GMT -6
Short answer: Because while members of the Oklahoma Division traveled to support the SSCC tournaments in other Divisions (as both competitors and referees), little reciprocity was shown by other divisions. The competitors at this year's Oz were mainly Oklahoma and NTX people. Very little participation from STX or Gulf Coast. A SWIFA event was held atop the Oz that drew many people away. The Oz ended up not being the kind of financial success to justify the amount of work it took to put people on, despite excellent referees, prizes and organization. To blame a SWIFA event for the low turn out at the Oz would just be wrong. SWIFA is designed to be a training ground for collegiate fencers and many of the members would never even experience a tournament were it not for the SWIFA competitions. Although there are a few very good fencers in SWIFA, the vast majority of them are relatively new or even raw beginners. A good number of them are not USFA members, many have to share club weapons and masks, and most don't have their own lames or jackets with their names on them. Also, many of the kids have to car pool or use a university van to make the trip. I spoke to quite a few of the kids and was told they didn't have the time or money to make a trip to Oklahoma. If the Oz has to rely on a lot of canon fodder beginners, then it wasn't much of a tournament anyway.
|
|
|
Post by D on Jun 4, 2008 11:44:11 GMT -6
Yea, much better explanation than I gave Kyle.
And I was being a little snippy when i said they don't want usfa membership. Its just that they don't wanna pay for something that they know they arn't gonna use.
I didn't event do tournaments really until i graduate from undergrad. The year i graduated is the year i got my first rating.
My main point in getting students to go to SWIFA is to expose them to a tournament environment (so they wont be so afraid of it in the future and more willing to go to them) and stress to them that they are probably not gonna suck, cause EVERYONE at SWIFA just pick up a weapon and learned how to hold it about a month ago just like they did.
College clubs have a very high turn over rate. ie alot of people show up for a couple of weeks never to be heard of again.
So yes, there are THAT many "fencers" (if you can call them that) with out USFA membership!
|
|
|
Post by S Simpson on Jun 4, 2008 12:25:04 GMT -6
I believe the reason for the complaint about SWIFA occuring on the same weekend as the Oz is not so much as pulling away students as potential competitors, as it is about pulling away the people that run, referee, sell, etc as potential competitors.
That being said, I do have to commend OK Div for supporting the rest of the section at tournaments. The other divisions should follow suit (perhaps note who attended your tournaments & repay the favor?).
I'm sure that with fuel prices as they are (& continuing to rise), tournament numbers will start to be much smaller, so it is more important that we support each other.
|
|
|
Post by D on Jun 4, 2008 13:15:28 GMT -6
I believe the reason for the complaint about SWIFA occuring on the same weekend as the Oz is not so much as pulling away students as potential competitors, as it is about pulling away the people that run, referee, sell, etc as potential competitors.. Um, yea we had to ask who was going up there and who wasn't the only director we had that was thinking about going to OK was Gary V. (everyone other single person directing said they weren’t gonna go anyway). So yea, sorry we probably took Gary from it. On the computer we had one of John Moreau's sons who doesn't fence anymore. So computer running wise we really don’t clash cause most people don’t know how to enter SWIFA data into the fencing time program anyway. That being said, I do have to commend OK Div for supporting the rest of the section at tournaments. The other divisions should follow suit (perhaps note who attended your tournaments & repay the favor?). I'm sure that with fuel prices as they are (& continuing to rise), tournament numbers will start to be much smaller, so it is more important that we support each other. I don't wanna get into the rest of this. I think people know how i feel about trying to change nature of humanity. I know that people in whatever they do, are trying to make the best out of their time, money, and enjoyment. I try to adjust myself to that reality weather it be for what i want or against it. (im not an optimist on or off strip) Im very much a vulcan from star trek in that manner.
|
|
|
Post by katyblades on Jun 4, 2008 16:08:10 GMT -6
The following dates have been set for SSCC events in the new season. September 20 and 21 - Austin, Texas hosted by Austin Fencers Club November 1 and 2 - Fort Worth, Texas hosted by Fencing Institute of Texas Sometime in early January - Houston, Texas hosted by Young Elites of Houston February 21 and 22 - Shreveport, Louisiana hosted by Rose Condon Memorial Scholarship Fund The Oklahoma Division has not designated an event this season, but the SSCC Commission feels it is important to have a 5th event. Therefore, designation of the 5th event will be made by the SSCC Commission. Prospective LOC's are encouraged to download the Bid Form available on the Section Website (it will be up there later today), and submit it. Deadline for submissions is June 30th. A decision will be rendered by July 15th. That is a short and ficticious answer. I quickly looked up the March 2007 Men's Epee event in the Gulf Coast Division from the Oklahoma division on askfred, 0 out of 35 askfred.net/Results/results.php?tournament_id=3166 and the Fall 2007 SSCC in the Gulf Coast Division, 2 out of 48 askfred.net/Results/results.php?tournament_id=3927. If they need the same support in the OKC SSCC then they probably received it just by guessing. If they need more referees from this division that is a crock. I ran an A1 almost A2 last Memorial Day and did not need any directors from any other club. Mauro does not need them, and Andrey does not need them. Grow your own and give them an opportunity. The only time it matters is the DEs. I help Gary V. test a director at an SSCC in Houston by throwing all kinds of dirty tricks such as testing my own blade, touching off strip, hitting past, etc. I then finally won 5 - 3, and didn't worry about the bout because DEs matter. The fencers need to be looked at as customers. Most of the top fencers in the Gulf Coast divsion are youth, with younger/older siblings and added travel burdens. They look at a road trip to Oklahoma as the same cost/issues as travel to a NAC. Which would you choose as a parent, no point opportunities versus point opportunities? In South Texas John M., Risto and many of the older fencers have nothing to prove by going to OKC. Olympics versus an SSCC? If you want to fence them go to their home base or pay them to come to you. If you want to draw those SWIFA fencers volunteer to hold the SWIFA the same day as the SSCC but later if they fence the SSCC. Provide equipment back up as needed. Then you will get a better attendance. There are other issues such as scheduling, (not on football game or big game weekends and test crunch weekends). To answer NEMO, the Young Elites only exists in this instance. I will shortly be officially protesting the Young Elites being able to host a divisional tournament. The Gulf Coast division tournament rules are that a club has to be a USFA club and have 10 USFA members or new clubs are given the goal of reaching that membership. This is not Young Elites first year. All the SSCC leadership complain that I do not obey the rules, and here is another clear rule violation. Let Louise hold the SSCC through a bid process. Let the other SSCC move to the next club for acceptance. The Gulf Coast Division leadership has submitted an improper club name for hosting this tournament and should reconsider. I do want Louise to host an SSCC next year, but not improperly.
|
|
|
Post by katyblades on Jun 4, 2008 16:10:33 GMT -6
To further clarify per the Section's web database Young Elites has currently zero members and zero classified members. This is from the link on the section site.
|
|
|
Post by D on Jun 4, 2008 18:21:30 GMT -6
The fencers need to be looked at as customers.......... If you want to fence them go to their home base or pay them to come to you. HEAR! HEAR! There are other issues such as scheduling, (not on football game or big game weekends and test crunch weekends). You can say that again!!! The main thing SWIFA can't clash with is tournaments at other universities! (Bobcat, Longhorn, Adelman, Heavy Metal, Pouj., Cougar Call To Arms., Sprull-Masters, Yorick) For example if UT is winning the SWIFA circuit and some decides to put a SWIFA on over a tournament hosted by UT! That would be plain unfair! Also you cant hold a SWIFA at a university with a BIG football following on the day of a home football game!! OMG!!! talk about no parking and traffic! (drunk talgaters)
|
|
|
Post by schlager7 on Jun 5, 2008 8:40:48 GMT -6
The Gulf Coast division tournament rules are that a club has to be a USFA club and have 10 USFA members or new clubs are given the goal of reaching that membership. I have to confess I have never liked that USFA rule about 10 members. First of all, if the USFA takes my club's money for club membership, we are a USFA club... or we demand a refund. If they recognize us enough to take our money, hey... More importantly, however, there are small clubs that have been around for quite some time who rarely have 10 USFA members in their club. The Spindletop Cavaliers in Beaumont have existed, unbroken, since 1985. It is a rare year more than 3 or 4 of their club members are USFA members. For recreational fencers, if they are not going to a tournament, there is no reason for them to add payment of USFA membership on top of any payment for club membership... or just the cost of buying their own gear for that matter (re: D's SWIFA-related posts). They have had a difficult enough time getting ONE tournament on the calendar most years. For 4 years or so, Kevin O'Neill and the Brazosport Fencing Extravaganza have held a delightful epee tournament in Lake Jackson. Yet most years only a handful of the BFE club members are USFA members and compete in tournaments around the area. The Galveston Fencing Club holds its own most years, but for the 10 USFA members who claim GFC, there are three times that number who are non-USFA club members. Yet, I am told that, while small, our tournaments have been enjoyable. At GFC we charge zero for lessons and no floor fees. You do not even have to join the club to fence. Yet we get a fair number of fencers who join the club and, of them, a few who also join the USFA. These groups exist to build interest, by introducing new students to fencing, by remaining a constant reminder in their communities of our art & science, and, occasionally, by adding the excitement of tournament within their communities. If your interest is in growing fencing, whether in Texas or the Gulf Coast Division, smacking down the only fencing outposts in Beaumont, Galveston and Lake Jackson seems a poor way to go about it.
|
|
|
Post by katyblades on Jun 5, 2008 8:55:56 GMT -6
John,
I never even mentioned those clubs.
1. Their coaches are registered in their clubs as USFA members. 2. When they reserve weekends they hold the events. 3. They have at least one USFA member usually, and if you look they have many more. 4. They are doing it as growing fencing.
Please don't use my words and turn them into something it is not. Those clubs are great for fencing, and actually should be entitled to more tournaments to help grow their clubs, (if they desire it). I don't want to force them to have more tournaments, only make that opportunity available to them.
The idea was that these clubs would not be phantom, and would actually have members and grow the sport. The idea behind Yound Elites is great. The concept should not be used to go around the rules.
|
|
|
Post by Aldo N on Jun 5, 2008 17:09:55 GMT -6
I think schlager7 was just commenting on the use of the 10-member rule.
I note he has not exactly been leaping to the defense of Young Elites.
|
|