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Post by Joe Fencer on Dec 1, 2003 13:26:22 GMT -6
Well this particular board is dead, and for good reason. I've yet to see any of our fencers in the news for anything. We've had how many tournaments this fall?
The woman in Corpus Christi was written up TWICE by her local paper. What is it with Houston?
I mean, who does a fencer have to kill to get on the news in this burg?
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Post by Savien on Dec 1, 2003 13:32:30 GMT -6
Never ask that question near the U of H...
Well, that was ten years ago...
Never mind
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Post by schlager7 on Dec 1, 2003 19:41:22 GMT -6
That was not very nice.
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Post by Geezer on Dec 2, 2003 10:07:31 GMT -6
This is "the big city", sensitivity is numbed by overload, interest is trumped by the need to cope, and real sportsmen and football fans think fencing is spelled: La De Da.
Ask them.
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Post by Savien on Dec 8, 2003 13:46:14 GMT -6
On the other hand, fencing is so downright exotic to the average channel surfer, a local interest piece on fencing clubs might be something you could sell to a local channel.
The thing I always notice is that they cut to some really "cluttered" shot of 6-10 people free fencing in an open space (gym, etc) which is visually confusing.
Actual footage from the gold-silver bout of a tournament might catch more attention.
It's the kind of thing that has been done, but not well.
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Post by Geezer on Dec 8, 2003 15:41:19 GMT -6
I agree. I'm not the one to do it, but...shmoozing some good PR from a media photographer at a tournament's DE's could make us all look good, and show some exciting action to the public.
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Post by Geezer on Dec 9, 2003 8:11:17 GMT -6
Yo, Mergs!!! What's up??? Got snow?
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Post by Inigo Montoya on Dec 16, 2003 20:23:09 GMT -6
What would be killer is if some local news anchor (or their kid) took up fencing. You know there'd be spots on slow news days. As long as it's not Marvin Zindler
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Post by schlager7 on Dec 17, 2003 23:10:56 GMT -6
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Post by LC Foil on Dec 22, 2003 17:20:57 GMT -6
Saberbobcat -
I think you should be commended. A lot of people never think of fencing until some news articles crosses their path and they start thinking, "Hey, that could be fun!"
You keep a spotlight turned on fencing in your area. I'm sure those local write-ups will (or already have) brought you some new students. Keep it up.
You may look around in a few years and find your club is just one of three or four around Corpus Christi. It will all have started by staying with it and keeping in the public eye.
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Grace Haberzettle Saberbobcat
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Post by Grace Haberzettle Saberbobcat on Dec 24, 2003 0:36:19 GMT -6
LC Foil- Thanks for the thumbs up. You have no idea how hard it has been to get fencing started here! When I got back into fencing a year ago, I was so ill I truly thought I was going to die. I just wanted to fence Nationals before it happened. Then as I regained my health, a group of kids at the Middle School where I teach Language Arts got interested in fencing. We fenced for several months and eventually lost our original salle. At that point we struggled to even keep our fencers together. I then made the decision to make an earnest effort to continue the commitment I originally started. I've invested thousands of dollars and endless hours into trying to keep us afloat. It is so frustrating at times. I often wonder if it is worth it, but every time I step onto a strip, I remember why I am doing it. Fencing gave me the strength to fight for my life, when I thought I could fight no more. I am very lucky that one of my coaches from ATAC helps with the articles... The editors of the paper realize how hard I have worked to make fencing a reality in our community. I have known them since I was a kid, and I am very fortunate that they do such a great job for me with public relations. The Nueces County Record Star is actually a small paper in a small town next to Corpus (Robstown). They enjoy having articles about fencing and have requested that we keep them up to date on the latest news about Coastal Bend Fencing Society (my club). However, this past week the Corpus Christi Caller Times finally requested an interview with my two girls that made the Junior Olympics, so I am sure that we will do this after the New Year, too. Unltimately, it is my dream that Corpus Christi have several fencing clubs. Hopefully, newspapers will help that dream become a reality.
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Post by Kyle Maysel on Dec 26, 2003 15:05:48 GMT -6
I wrote and submitted the article to the Nueces County Star Record. They wrote over it for some reason and mixed in assorted bits and parts from previous articles I sent them. I did get Krista's age wrong. She's 15, about to turn 16. Sorry, Kris! www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=10676889&BRD=1157&PAG=461&dept_id=172078&rfi=6 I also send in articles for other clubs. I get a lot of press for my own club, ATAC, and the local university team (SWT, now Tx State) because the local paper always gets an article and pictures with prepared captions after every tournament. It worked that way back when I was in college at SWT in the '70s. It worked when I coached at Texas Tech in the '80s. It works now. It'd work if you got someone to film it for television, too. Maybe consider to invite the media to your practices and tournaments? The reporters don't know anything about fencing and they don't understand it. They are hesitant to cover what they don't understand. Assign someone to tag along with them and explain it to them. That's just how you get media attention.
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Post by Grace Haberzettle on Dec 31, 2003 23:02:22 GMT -6
Guess what? The Corpus Christi Caller-Times visited our salle this past Tuesday with a photojournalist and journalist! So- it appears that Coastal Bend Fencing Society will get even _more_ coverage. For those of you that get this paper, be prepared for something really special!!! I hope they use some of the amazing abstract photos that Tim Zielenbach took of my girls fencing sabre---- through the wire mesh of a fencing mask?!? Additionally, Ofelia Hunter did a great job asking all the right questions. WOW!!! And if you have not checked out our website, here's the address: coastalbendfencingsociety.com/index.htmlThanks, Mr. Trojanoski, for the idea about creating a new website! The timing was perfect!
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Post by Grace Haberzettle on Dec 31, 2003 23:04:27 GMT -6
Darn! That unhappy face keeps showing up in the wrong places! It should have been....
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Post by Grace Haberzettle on Jan 1, 2004 22:43:56 GMT -6
;D Actually, Krista was 14 and turned 15 this past weeks, so she unfortunately can not fence in Houston this weekend. Too bad! She has really improved over the past 6 months. AND... at the JO Qualifier we were told that Megan and Krista both qulaified for epee, too. BUT, the South Texas Division website states otherwise. Hmmm. I guess when you are a hot topic of conversation, things that are said about you are not always accurate.
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Post by Grace Haberzettle on Jan 6, 2004 22:19:28 GMT -6
Here's the article from the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. It ran this past Saturday and was on the front page of the local section. Check out the great abstract photography! www.caller.com/ccct/local_news/article/0,1641,CCCT_811_2550056,00.html Come on, guys! I know the Houston paper can do this, too.
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Post by Savien on Jan 13, 2004 7:46:59 GMT -6
You go, girl! Four articles since August!
I think Kyle had a goood handle on it when he described writing the articles for the papers. We ALL need to do that.
And how about BCFA in American Fencing?
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Post by Savien on Jan 19, 2004 7:31:23 GMT -6
Grace? [glow=red,2,300]ANOTHER[/glow] newspaper spot ? What's this, number 5?
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Post by Grace Haberzettle on Jan 19, 2004 9:13:29 GMT -6
5 is correct. Guess what else? Instead of having only 7 fencers that show up when they feel like it, 23 fenced last week. In fact, several others watched and eagerly took home paperwork for next week. This has all happened over the past few weeks. It will be interesting to see how many I have next Thursday. I may be forced to offer an adult class and open fencing on a different day of the week because our salle is very small, and I'm struggling to accomodate everyone in the little time and space we have (Only 3 strips for 3 hours). A year ago I was told, "Corpus Christi has resisted fencing for years". Maybe that era has come to an end.
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Post by Grace Haberzettle on Jan 19, 2004 9:48:11 GMT -6
Oh, I failed to mention that one of my new adult fencers suggested that we participate in the Bucaneer Days Parade in April and put on a sabre demonstration by the Columbus Ships during that week. I'm currently investigating these ideas, which are not ones I would have considered on my own. However, if it gets the word out that fencing is offered in our area, then it's worth considering.
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Post by schlager7 on Jan 25, 2004 10:05:13 GMT -6
Grace:
Absolutely. Go for it.
The Clear Lake Fencing Club used to give one or two fencing demos at a local shopping mall every year and we got results in classes and memberships. The thing is, there are SO many people who would like to take fencing who never know it is out there or even know to look, until a couple of masked, white-clad types appear clashing sabres in front of them.
You'll also find folks who fenced in college somewhere and moved to your area, never knowing fencing was available. This is where our club often finds "returning veterans." The ones who drifted away after college and started building families and careers. Now they are 30-something, 40-something and have the time to jump back in.
Make sure you have promotion literature and brochures on hand. You don't have to hard sell either. The guy that just quietly picks up a brochure and walks off will sometimes re-read the darned thing for months and then suddenly show up.
The main thing I would say is let them know fencing is FUN!
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Post by Grace Haberzettle on Feb 3, 2004 18:40:06 GMT -6
Coastal Bend Fencing Society has grown to the point that I must offer fencing two days a week instead of one. It looks like we will be meeting on Mondays and Thursdays. So, if any of you guys are in the Corpus area, come by and check us out!
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Post by Kyle Maysel on Feb 15, 2004 0:11:11 GMT -6
Guess what? Grace Haberzettle is in Cleveland, Ohio with her daughter Megan and another of her fencing ladies, Krista Stidham, for the Jr. Olympics. Do I smell another article for the Corpus area papers?
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Post by schlager7 on Feb 15, 2004 1:40:40 GMT -6
"sniff" "sniff"
Yep, that smells like newsprint to me. ;D
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Post by Giorgio Bassa on Feb 19, 2004 11:45:30 GMT -6
The Houston Chronicle, Feb 18, Sport section, page 10C, in the Sports notebook column, mentions Jonathan J. Bibb of Alliance Fencing Academy, earning 7th place medal (in a field of 177) in Cadet epee at the JO in Cleveland. Jonathan is the only fencer in the Gulfcoast TX division to bring home a medal from the JO this year. Congratulations to Jonathan and his coach Andrey Geva for putting the Division on the board!
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