Cape Fear Fencing Association

Today’s lesson is a cautionary tale, for everyone.  We had the team of Kyler Schoonmaker, Rayne Schoonmaker, and Liam Coyle attend the homeschool meet at Oak Ridge yesterday.  I was refereeing a different match, and to be honest, the fencers were not paying the amount of attention that they should have been to each others’ fencing as they were a team.  They were fencing Twin City and were a bit behind, but it might not have been insurmountable.  They then fenced a person out of order.  They believe the referee called the names incorrectly, but, as they were not paying attention, no one noticed that a person was fencing the same fencer again, or that someone had fenced three times before someone else had fenced two times.  When the error was caught, the referee consulted the other coaches and we all remembered the rule as basically a black card and the team loses the match.  However, as I was looking up the rule to be able to report it to all of you, I discovered in the rule book that the rule has changed.  It is now that once the error is discovered, you annul the touches in the encounter where the error was committed and any subsequent encounters which have been fenced, and resume the match from the point of the error.  I apologize to the guys for not being up on the most current rules.  However, this is just another reason that more of you need to be out there getting more involved with the world of fencing.  The club is just getting too big for me to be the guy who coaches, and the guy who takes people to all the different meets, and then the guy who tries to then find time to attend the latest referee clinic.  As I have been telling people, not counting the next two holiday Saturdays, my first free Saturday is March 31st, the day before Easter.  That doesn’t count the dates when I am already double booked, meaning I have to choose between going to an NCFL meet or helping a fencer(s) at at a USA Fencing meet, etc.  Just another indication that we need more fencers who can referee, or armor, or run the bout committee table, or help set up a tournament by hiring referees, or getting trophies, or even coaching.  But, again, my apologies to Kyler, Rayne, and Liam,

Anyway, the guys were much more interested in their next match and they defeated Oak Ridge 45-43.  Considering that this was Rayne’s first ever team match and Liam’s first ever match period, that is quite an accomplishment.  It did require some heroics by Kyler, as I believe the score going into the last encounter had him behind 40-30 or 40-29.  When we get our full A team for a meet we should be in good shape.

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. 

 

The NCFL meet in Chapel Hill was cancelled due to weather.  I will keep everyone informed as to the make up date.

Kim Phillips and Erica Julien have been participating in the NAC in Portland.  KIm took 6th in the Vet combined sabre and 2nd in the Vet 40-49 sabre.  He was taken out by the winner in both cases.  In the Div I sabre he had a solid 3-3 pool round.  He lost his first DE to the person who eventually finished 8th.

Erica has been fighting bronchitis and pneumonia, but has been fencing anyway.  I don’t know whether to hold her up as a model of dedication or a “Kids, don’t try this at home.” moment.  She finished 7th in Vet 70+ epee and pulled an upset in her first DE to get to the 8th place medal in the Vet 70+ sabre.  She is scheduled to fence the Vet combined today.

Practice is pretty regular this week, except no Wednesday night practice with UNCW.

I will be at 1 pm for the homeschool practice.  December 15th will be the final classes for the year at Topsail and Camp Lejeune. 

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. 

 

 

A small event yesterday, but it did allow a couple of people to earn/re-earn ratings.  In the open foil Kyler Schoonmaker from the homeschool fencing class earned his E17 by defeating Will Golder, also of CFFA.  Another homeschool fencer, Phil Nazzaro and Seth Garrison  of UNCW (for about another week) tied for 3rd.  The epee was small, just 12 fencers and had a number of surprises.  In the final Daniel Freeman of Apex defeated CFFA’s Oliver Galbraith.  Seth took home another 3rd along with Kenyatta Sanford of CFFA.  In the E and under sabre Kenyatta earned another bronze which she shared with John Rea of the Wilmington Fencing Club.  Seth moved up to a silver, but lost to Erik Graf, who re-earned his E17.  We had a few WFC fencers and it is good to see their people getting back into competition.  Thanks to Paul and Herman for reffing, Brendan for getting the medals, and Clayton Olson for observing.

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. 

 

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.

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. 

 

 

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.

 

 

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.