CFFA update for October 23

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
CFFA update for October 23
We held the second youth event of the year yesterday.  Just about 2nd verse same as the first.  In the 12 and under foil it was: 1st  Nicole Milewski  CFFA, 2nd  Don Evans   CFFA, 3rd  (tie)  Jaden Scott    CFFA  & Rayne Schoonmaker  CFFA.  For the 9 and under foil the results were: Gold   Lexi Williams   CFFA, Silver  Luke Martin   Salle New Bern, Bronze  Everett Martin  Salle New Bern.  We only had one sabre fencer show up so there was no sabre competition.  For the 12 and under epee the results were 1st   Nicole Milewski  CFFA, and 2nd  Cooper Sells   CFFA.  Thanks to Kyler Schoonmaker and Samantha Milewski for the refereeing help.

Here are the top people for the current sword points:

Boys                                                        Girls
Evans, Don    19                                        Milewski    27
Scott            17                                       Williams     13
Martin, Luke   12                                       Campbell     3
Schoonmaker  10                                       Huggins      2
Maroules          7                                      Grooman     2
Kundrat           6
Evans, Joseph   5

Practice should be back to normal this week.  We will need to get the overheads back up Tuesday.  Practice at Camp Lejeune Friday.
The
JO qualifiers are now up on askfred.  They will be next weekend and the location has been changed to Kestrel Heights High School.  The actual event is in Kansas City next year on
President’s Day weekend.  Not real close, but not too far away.  Today is the entry deadline before fees go up.  Right now only Oliver, Will, and
Samantha are entered.  The junior events are on Saturday and the cadet
events are on Sunday.  If you qualify for the junior event and are
eligible for the cadet, you are automatically qualified and do not have
to fence Sunday.  Most of our 13-19 year old fencers should be going
just for the experience.  Most
of the events are really small.
The 29th is an adult event in Williamsburg,  Their epee is shaping up as an A2.

The week of October 31st will begin the next afterschool class.  The next homeschool session will begin on the 2nd of November.

November 1st is when I have to have rosters in for our homeschool league team. No one has told me they are definitely in yet.

We
will be hosting the first NCFL meet of the season on November 5th. 
This tends to be a huge event and we can use help.  The A division is
comprised of official high school teams or clubs and will have divisions
for men’s foil, women’s foil, and mixed epee this year.  The B division
has junior high and up fencers and they compete as mixed foil teams. 
It can be B teams from the high schools, junior high teams, or fencers
can compete under a club banner.  Any of our fencers attending a public
school (junior high and up) can compete.  Let me know if you need gear
as everyone must compete in a complete uniform.  I am assuming a local team from Hoggard and a New Hanover women’s foil team.

For
adults who want to compete rather than help referee, etc.,  ECU is
having their fall event on the 5th.  It has foil, epee, and a C and
under epee.  Very few people are signed up.

November’s beginner class will start on Monday, the 7th.

Our
next event will be November 12th.  It has an open epee that is well on
its way to being a B.  The open foil only has two fencers.  The E and
under foil has 0.  To all the foil people, this is the day you
should be fencing.  You can come in and do foil in the morning in what
could be a large event like our last one, or at the very least do the E
and under where no one will be an absolute dominant fencer.  If we can
get 15 people, with 4 of them being Es, someone will earn a D.  At the
very least 6 people lets someone earn/re-earn an E.

November
13th will be a homeschool league scrimmage in Winston Salem.  Let me
know if you are interested so we can start making uniform and travel
plans.
The following people are whom I see as entered for the December NAC in Richmond,  If I missed someone, let me know so I can be there for you.  Joe Mc, Erica, Ricki, Herman, Paul, Kim, and Samantha.

pax vobiscum,

 
Greg Spahr
Head Coach
Cape Fear Fencing Association

“The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, but that’s the way to bet.” Damon Runyon

Last Day to enter December NAC

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
Last Day to enter December NAC
Today is the last day to get entered into the December NAC in Richmond, December 2-5, before the triple fees kick in.  It has:

Div 1   must be a C or better  (Just epee & sabre, no Div I foil)
Div 1-A  anyone can enter
Vets combined   all over 40
Vets aged  40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+

Please let me know if you are entered so I can plan.  Thanks.

pax vobiscum,
 
Greg Spahr
Head Coach
Cape Fear Fencing Association

“The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, but that’s the way to bet.” Damon Runyon

CFFA update for October 16

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
CFFA update for October 16
Erica finished up her time at the World Championships by competing on the Women’s Vet combined team.  It is a bit of a hybrid competition.  It uses the relay system for teams, however it takes one fencer from the 50-59 age group, one from the 60-69 age group, and one from the 70+ age group.  Each fencer only fences someone from their age group. They fence two rounds so the event goes to thirty.  Another peculiarity is that you can fence the same fencer twice.  Teams generally have two sets of veterans and can sub in if needed.  The US defeated Great Britain in pools with Erica sitting out.  The US lost to Germany by 1 touch with Erica in.  Erica was only behind her German counterpart by one touch over two matches even though the German woman had won the bronze medal in the championships the day before.  Then, just to prove that event manipulation does not only occur in North Carolina, the organizers decided to violate the seeding order.  As the seeding turned out, the US would have faced Great Britain again in the first DE round with the winner facing Germany.  France, Finland, and Hungary; the teams in the other pool, faced a similar situation.  The organizers decided to have the US fence Hungary and France fence Great Britain instead of following the correct seeding order.  With Erica sitting this one out, the Hungarians took advantage of the situation and defeated the Americans by one touch.  This left the US out of the medals in 5th place.  Of course discussions/complaints followed, but in the end the results of the event manipulation were allowed to stand.
October 19th is the last day to enter the December NAC in Richmond before fees triple.  Please let me know who all is going so I can make plans to be there.
About time to order again, so get requests to Herman or me by Thursday.
St.
Mary’s Fall Festival is Friday night, October 21.  Our space
traditionally becomes the Haunted House for the event.  We will take the
overheads down after Tuesday’s practice.  Homeschool fencing will meet
on Wednesday, October 19, but there will be no afterschool or evening
fencing for either Wednesday or Thursday.
There will be fencing at Camp Lejeune on Friday night.

October 22nd is an epee event in Charlotte for Y-14, women’s and open events.  The open looks to make it up to be a B event.
Mid-South is having a sabre RJCC on the 22nd.  The women’s sabre events (cadet and junior) both look to be C events.

October
22nd will also be our next youth event.  It is earlier than I
would have liked, but the schedule from that date until January is
extremely crowded.  I will truncate the classes now in
progress so that those youngsters will be ready to participate.
That
means that the foil could be very large.  Any help with refereeing is
appreciated.  Foil at 10 am, sabre at 1:30 pm, and epee at 3:30 pm.

The
JO qualifiers are now up on askfred.  They will be on the weekend of
the 29-30 and the times are set.  They will be held at Research Triangle Academy.  The actual event is in Kansas City next year on
President’s Day weekend.  Not real close, but not too far away.  Entry deadline before the fees go up is 10/23.  Right now only Oliver and Samantha are entered.  The junior events are on Saturday and the cadet events are on Sunday.  If you qualify for the junior event and are eligible for the cadet, you are automatically qualified and do not have to fence Sunday.  Most of our 13-19 year old fencers should be going just for the experience.  Although there is still a week to enter most of the events are really small.  Only 6 in the junior men’s foil and epee and only 4 in the cadet events.  (Logan, Kyler, Phil, Will, Kent, Harry, etc.)  Only 3 in junior women’s foil and 2 in cadet.  (Bea, Kirin)    NOBODY in either women’s sabre Reaghan.
The week of October 31st will begin the next afterschool class.  The next homeschool session will begin on the 2nd.
November 1st is when I have to have rosters in for our homeschool league team.

We
will be hosting the first NCFL meet of the season on November 5th. 
This tends to be a huge event and we can use help.  The A division is
comprised of official high school teams or clubs and will have divisions
for men’s foil, women’s foil, and mixed epee this year.  The B division
has junior high and up fencers and they compete as mixed foil teams. 
It can be B teams from the high schools, junior high teams, or fencers
can compete under a club banner.  Any of our fencers attending a public
school (junior high and up) can compete.  Let me know if you need gear
as everyone must compete in a complete uniform.  I am assuming a local team from Hoggard and a New Hanover women’s foil team.
For adults who want to compete rather than help referee, etc.  ECU is having their fall event on the 5th.  It has foil, epee, and a C and under epee.  No one signed up yet.
November’s beginner class will start on Monday, the 7th.
Our next event will be November 12th.  It has an open epee that is well on its way to being a B.  The open foil only has two fencers.  The E and under foil has 0.  To all the following people, this is the day you should be fencing.  You can come in and do foil in the morning in what could be a large event like our last one, or at the very least do the E and under where no one will be an absolute dominant fencer.  If we can get 15 people, with 4 of them being Es, someone will earn a D.  At the very least 6 people lets someone earn/re-earn an E.  Here goes – Logan, Kyler, Will, Harry, Bea, Kirin, Reaghan, Stephanie, Phil.  Get Nora and Robert in to have a couple of those Es.  From UNCW  Bracy, left and right hand Catherines, Connor, Taylor, Will, Alex, Hannah, Jasmine, and a bunch of you for whom this would be the perfect first USA Fencing tournament.  All those people show up and we just about have our D tournament before anyone shows up from outside.
November 13th will be a homeschool league scrimmage in Winston Salem.  Let me know if you are interested so we can start making uniform and travel plans.

pax vobiscum,

 
 
Greg Spahr
Head Coach
Cape Fear Fencing Association

“The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, but that’s the way to bet.” Damon Runyon

practice?

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
practice?

Already
getting questions as to if there will be a 10:00 am practice tomorrow
since the tournament is cancelled.  What are people up for?

pax vobiscum,
Greg Spahr
Head Coach
Cape Fear Fencing Association

“The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, but that’s the way to bet.” Damon Runyon

Up, up, and Away cancelled

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
Up, up, and Away cancelled
We are cancelling tomorrows event.  Too many people were finding it a hardship to get to Wilmington because of road closures, which brought our number down precipitously.  Rather than have people travel in dangerous conditions, or travel to find a very small event, (and that includes our local people) we think it is just better to regroup and prepare for the November event.

pax vobiscum,
 
Greg Spahr
Head Coach
Cape Fear Fencing Association

“The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, but that’s the way to bet.” Damon Runyon

Erica

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
Erica
At the World Championships Erica went 3-3 in her pool.  She lost her first DE 9-10 and finished 17th.  Very proud of her.

pax vobiscum,
 
Greg Spahr
Head Coach
Cape Fear Fencing Association

“The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, but that’s the way to bet.” Damon Runyon

CFFA update for October 8

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
CFFA update for October 8
I hope everyone is safe and dry inside somewhere.  I thought I should go ahead and send this out in case the power goes down later.
Div 1-A has been added to the NAC in Richmond for December.  Therefore the events that our people may be interested in are:
Fri.  Dec 2   Div 1 ME  Div 1A MF  Vet MS  Vet WE
Sat.  Dec 3  Div 1-A ME  MS Vet Combined  WE Vet Combined  WS Vet 70
Sun.  Dec 4  ME Vet  MF Vet Combined  MS Div 1-A  WS Vet Combined
Mon.  Dec 4   ME Vet Combined  MS Div 1  WE Div !-A
For Div 1 you must be at least a C to enter.  For Div 1-A you can have any rating.  The entry deadline before the fees triple is October 19.
Regular week of practice this week.
Erica Julien will be competing at the World Championships in Germany on October 12th.  I will keep you posted as to her results.

Our
next event is Saturday, October 15th, Open foil, Open epee, and a D and
under epee.  Right now we are in exactly the same quandary as we were for the last event.  We have 10 in the epee, 6 in the D & under epee, and 5 in the foil.  We have no idea how many referees we will need.  Patrick Lausi and Robert Mones have both pulled out, probably because it didn’t look to be worth the drive up.  Please sign up well ahead of time if you are coming.

St.
Mary’s Fall Festival is Friday night, October 21.  Our space
traditionally becomes the Haunted House for the event.  We will take the
overheads down after Tuesday’s practice.  Homeschool fencing will meet
on Wednesday, October 19, but there will be no afterschool or evening
fencing for either Wednesday or Thursday.

October 22nd is an epee event in Charlotte for Y-14, women’s and open events.

October
22nd will also be our next youth event.  It is earlier than I
would have liked, but the schedule from that date until January is
extremely crowded.  I will truncate the classes now in
progress so that those youngsters will be ready to participate.
That means that the foil could be very large.  Any help with refereeing is appreciated.  Foil at 10 am, sabre at 1:30 pm, and epee at 3:30 pm.

The
JO qualifiers are now up on askfred.  They will be on the weekend of
the 29-30 and the times are set.  The division is still looking to lock
down a location.  The actual event is in Kansas City next year on
President’s Day weekend.  Not real close, but not too far away.  Entry deadline before the fees go up is 10/23.

We
will be hosting the first NCFL meet of the season on November 5th. 
This tends to be a huge event and we can use help.  The A division is
comprised of official high school teams or clubs and will have divisions
for men’s foil, women’s foil, and mixed epee this year.  The B division
has junior high and up fencers and they compete as mixed foil teams. 
It can be B teams from the high schools, junior high teams, or fencers
can compete under a club banner.  Any of our fencers attending a public
school (junior high and up) can compete.  Let me know if you need gear
as everyone must compete in a complete uniform.

pax vobiscum,

 
Greg Spahr
Head Coach
Cape Fear Fencing Association

“The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, but that’s the way to bet.” Damon Runyon

Hurricane Matthew

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
Hurricane Matthew
With the current speed and projections for Matthew, I don’t see any problem having Thursday practices.

I am also planning for practice up at Camp Lejeune although that is a bit more tenuous and I will contact the Jacksonville people if I cancel it.

Donny has cancelled Salle New Bern’s event on Saturday.

pax vobiscum,
 
Greg Spahr
Head Coach
Cape Fear Fencing Association

“The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, but that’s the way to bet.” Damon Runyon

CFFA update for October 2

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
CFFA update for October 2
Last request for people who might be interested in helping with the WHQR pledge drive.  The Sunday (October 16th) times ( 7-10 am, 10 am – 1 pm) are about all that is left.  Please let me know if anyone is interested ASAP so we can secure a time.
This will happen the weekend after Erica competes in the Worlds so we should have plenty of good news to put out over the air waves.
We have a new B in epee.  Ricki Richards took 2nd at the Bell Tower Classic in Chapel Hill to earn it.  In his semi-final he defeated Justine De Grasse, a B from Canada (who had just taken out Andrew Fullmer) 15-8.  This was the best I have ever seen him fence.  Samantha Milewski also fenced well, winning her first DE handily before losing to the number 2 seed.  Also, following up on a former area fencer (UNCW), Connor Costa won the foil event and earned his A.
We also had good results with Nicole MIlewski at the Regional Youth Circuit in Richmond.  First Nicole took 7th in the Y-14 competition.  Then she was undefeated in her pool in Y-12, taking 2nd.  She only lost to the young woman who won both the Y-12 and Y-14 competitions and that score was 12-15.
Our next Tuesday/Thursday beginner class starts on the 4th at 6:30 pm and will run for 6 weeks.
No Wednesday night UNCW practice as they will be on Fall Break.

The next beginner class at Camp Lejeune will start on Friday, October 7th, at 7 pm (1900) and runs for 8 sessions.

October

8th is Salle New Bern’s Joseph Cadole Memorial event.  It will be an
unsanctioned adult E foil (meaning no ratings can be earned) and and an
unsanctioned Y-12/under 12 event.   I will give the
appropriate sword points for any of our Y-12/under 12 foilists who want
to go.  I am assuming that all the foil fencers from New Bern who competed yesterday will be there. 
Let me know if any of our young fencers are going so I can make certain you have equipment.  Also, I will be
going up, probably to referee, so I can take people if they need a ride.  So far no one is signed up for either event.


Erica Julien will be competing at the World Championships in Germany on October 12th.  I will keep you posted as to her results.

Our
next event is Saturday, October 15th, Open foil, Open epee, and a D and
under epee.  That means if we can find 4 D epee fencers, 4 E epee
fencers, and fill out a field of 25, that someone can walk away with a C
without having to defeat any Cs.  Right now the open epee will almost certainly be at least a B, the D and under epee and the open foil both need bodies at this point.  Please
get signed up as soon as you are certain you can be there.
St. Mary’s Fall Festival is Friday night, October 21.  Our space traditionally becomes the Haunted House for the event.  We will take the overheads down after Tuesday’s practice.  Homeschool fencing will meet on Wednesday, October19, but there will be no afterschool or evening fencing for either Wednesday or Thursday.

October 22nd is an epee event in Charlotte for Y-14, women’s and open events.

October
22nd will also probably be our next youth event.  It is earlier than I
would have liked, but the schedule from that date until January is
extremely crowded.  I will try to truncate the the classes now in progress so that those youngsters will be ready to participate.
The JO qualifiers are now up on askfred.  They will be on the weekend of the 29-30 and the times are set.  The division is still looking to lock down a location.  The actual event is in Kansas City next year on President’s Day weekend.  Not real close, but not too far away.
We will be hosting the first NCFL meet of the season on November 5th.  This tends to be a huge event and we can use help.  The A division is comprised of official high school teams or clubs and will have divisions for men’s foil, women’s foil, and mixed epee this year.  The B division has junior high and up fencers and they compete as mixed foil teams.  It can be B teams from the high schools, junior high teams, or fencers can compete under a club banner.  Any of our fencers attending a public school (junior high and up) can compete.  Let me know if you need gear as everyone must compete in a complete uniform.

pax vobiscum,

 
Greg Spahr
Head Coach
Cape Fear Fencing Association

“The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, but that’s the way to bet.” Damon Runyon

WHQR Pledge Drive

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
WHQR Pledge Drive
Right now it looks like Sunday, October 16 7 am – 10 am, is the best choice.  If I can get a couple more people I will try to sign us up for that.  Spots are filling up fairly quickly, so please let me know if you are interested and available.

pax vobiscum,
 
Greg Spahr
Head Coach
Cape Fear Fencing Association

“The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, but that’s the way to bet.” Damon Runyon