CFFA update for May 15

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
CFFA update for May 15
Yesterday was the Skirmish at Jack’s Island, hosted by Salle New Bern.  We had a number of fencers participating, refereeing, and just showing up to be supportive.  It was actually held outside this year and, hopefully, none of you have the sunburn to prove it.  The event was an A1, won by Andrew Fullmer of NCFDP, Shane Mason of Charlotte was 2nd, our Oliver Galbraith was third, tied with Stephen Kmiec of ECU.  Thanks to New Bern for a good tournament and a great lunch.
This week of practice should be regular. This Friday will be the start of a new session at Camp Lejeune.  Over the week, anyone wanting to help us get some electric foils up and running for the youth event and just general fencing is appreciated.
May
21st will be our last youth event of the year and the swords will be
awarded.  Foil at 10 am, sabre at 1:30 pm, and epee at 3:30 pm.  We may have some people down from Jacksonville, so as always, volunteer referees are appreciated.

Charlotte is having an adult epee event that day.  It has some As and Bs and could become a well rated tournament.

Spotsylvania,
Virginia, is doing a Vet event that day.  Epee is an A2, foil a C1,
and sabre as yet unclear.  Erica Julien and Erik Graf are signed up so
with a few more vets we could be a presence.
The week before Memorial Day will be the last week for homeschool fencing and afterschool fencing for this academic year.

Our

next event is the Stab-a-thon on May 28th.  Open foil, open epee, and
an E and under sabre.  Get signed up.  It is the Memorial Day weekend
and we can attract people looking for some time at the beach if it looks
like we will have a good event.  Epee is an A1, but our foil
and sabre fencers need to get signed up.  The foil only has 7 and sabre only has 5 entries.  The foil has enough higher ranked fencers that with one more ranked fencer and enough bodies it could be a C1.  That would allow a couple of unrated fencers to slip into the 7th and 8th places and still earn an E.  But we have to get to 15 for it to happen.  The sabre needs one more fencer to get it to an E1.  Then, all you have to do is beat Alex to get an E.

Our next beginner class will start on Monday, June 6th, at 6:30 pm.
The Powerade State Games registrations are up.  You can check askfred for an approximate entry list.  However, the actual entry is done on pag.ncsports.org under fencing. The event is only about 2 hours away in Raleigh this year.  Events are split as Y-12, Women’s, and Men’s.  They give awards within that for cadet, junior, and vet; as well as the overall results.
This summer, I would like to have sessions for the 12 and under set on Tuesday and Thursday, starting at 6:30 pm.  This will give the fencer of that age group a chance to keep up with things over the summer.  Once my beginner class is finished in early June, I can give you more hands on instructions.    Costs would be $35 per month or the $5 per session floor fee.
With the response I have gotten from people about summer camps, the schedule looks a bit more set.
Beginner camp  July 11-15
Advanced sabre camp   July 18-22
Advanced foil camp    July 25-29
?          August 1-5
Advanced epee camp 8-12
The Olympics start on the 5th , so we will see what works best for the first week in August.

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

summer camps

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
summer camps
Of course just as soon as I write the note, I get information from the other side of things.  LOL 
Barring anything new coming up, I should be able to do a full week of epee camp for the August 8-12.
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

summer camps

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
summer camps
Some things have come up regarding the scheduling of the camps and I want to try to be flexible for as many people as possible.
Right now the camps are scheduled as:
Beginner camp  July 11-15
Advanced Sabre camp     July  18-22
Advanced foil camp   July 25-29
Advanced epee camp  August 1-5
The beginner camp and foil camp are going to stay where they are.  However I haven’t gotten much feedback for sabre and epee.  The epeeists who have responded have had something come up for that week, but cannot do the week of sabre camp either.
I believe I will have some UNCW responsibilities the week of August 8-12, but I am going to try to put together an abbreviated epee camp for that week, probably four days instead of five.
That leaves me still sitting with what to do with the sabre camp and epee camp as scheduled.  So I need to hear from sabre and epee fencers who are interested in camps.  The options (though I am open to other options as well) are:
1)  Leave everything where it is and just add the extra week.
2)  Switch the weeks of the epee and sabre camps.  Epee would become July 18-22 and sabre would be August 1-5, and add the extra epee camp.
3)  If I don’t have any of one or the other (epee or sabre) move the camp which has people to the more popular week and maybe offer a second week of a beginner camp, plus the later week of abbreviated epee camp.
Please let me know pretty quickly what works best for you if you are interested in a camp.  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 May 8

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
CFFA update for May 8
If you haven’t already, please update me about the ballet for those who had already expressed an interest.  They want to know the number of chaperones as well.  I am still trying to get a timing from them for what they want.  I’ll bring a DVD to show what I am thinking of Tuesday night.  If someone at Lejeune can bring a DVD player I will bring it there as well.
Two updates for equipment from Kathy Walters, good and bad.  First, the bad.  If you fence foil or sabre, you will need to have straight white or transparent head cords for next season.  The curled ones will be okay for our practice, but not sanctioned competitions.  The good is for epeeists.  You can now put your wires back through the holes when attaching them to the socket, effective immediately.
We had four fencers at Divisionals.  Nicole Milewski took the silver in Y-14 women’s epee and qualifies for Nationals.  Oliver Galbraith won the Men’s foil, qualifying for Div. II.  Erica Julien qualified for the Vet’s women’s epee.  Robert Thomas qualified for Div III epee and Vet’s epee.  Congratulations to all.
Practice should be regular on Tuesday and Thursday.  Homeschool practice on Wednesday.  Afterschool and Camp Lejeune per regular.
Apex
is holding a bunch of unsanctioned events on May 14th.  Open women’s
foil and epee, open mixed foil and epee, Y-10 mixed foil, and Y-12 mixed
foil and epee.  These are unsanctioned, so all you need is the standard
non-competitive USA Fencing membership.  A really good event for those
looking to move up from our youth events or early career older fencers
looking for a less intense competition.

May

14th is also the Skirmish at Jack’s Island at New Bern.  This is an
epee only outdoor event.  This year it will be held at the church in New
Bern regardless of the weather; outdoors if nice, running inside if
rainy.  As and Bs get to fence for free, so it should be a strong
event.  Right now it needs an A to be an A
event.  New Bern always provides a really good free lunch after/during
the event.  I am going up in some capacity if anyone needs a ride.


May
21st will be our last youth event of the year and the swords will be
awarded.  Foil at 10 am, sabre at 1:30 pm, and epee at 3:30 pm.

Charlotte is having an adult epee event that day.  It has some As and Bs and could become a well rated tournament.

Spotsylvania,
Virginia, is doing a Vet event that day.  Epee will be an A, foil a C,
and sabre as yet unclear.  Erica Julien and Erik Graf are signed up so
with a few more vets we could be a presence.

Our

next event is the Stab-a-thon on May 28th.  Open foil, open epee, and
an E and under sabre.  Get signed up.  It is the Memorial day weekend
and we can attract people looking for some time at the beach if it looks
like we will have a good event.  Epee sign ups are solid, but our foil
and sabre fencers need to get signed up.  At this point it will pretty
much be you fencing yourselves unless we can get some more foilists and
sabrists involved.


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 May 1

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
CFFA update for May 1
Oliver Galbraith went to the RJCC in Apex.  In an A2 epee he had a solid first round, won his first DE, and then ran into one of the Bogert boys, finishing 13th.  In the B1 foil he got through his first pool and ran into Charles Chow for his first DE, finishing 17th.
This Tuesday, May 3rd, will be the starting date for our next set of Tuesday/Thursday beginner classes.  UNCW is done with practice for the academic year, and no one else was showing up, so let’s shut down Wednesday night practice for the summer.  Everything else should be per usual.
As it is the first week of the month, get your equipment orders to Herman or I by Thursday.

May
7-8 is the Division Div II/III and Y-14 qualifiers in Burlington. 
Preregistration ended April 30th.  I will be going up and attending the Division Meeting.  If anyone else would like to attend, let me know.

Apex
is holding a bunch of unsanctioned events on May 14th.  Open women’s
foil and epee, open mixed foil and epee, Y-10 mixed foil, and Y-12 mixed
foil and epee.  These are unsanctioned, so all you need is the standard
non-competitive USA Fencing membership.  A really good event for those
looking to move up from our youth events or early career older fencers
looking for a less intense competition.

May
14th is also the Skirmish at Jack’s Island at New Bern.  This is an
epee only outdoor event.  This year it will be held at the church in New
Bern regardless of the weather; outdoors if nice, running inside if
rainy.  As and Bs get to fence for free, so it should be a strong
event.  Right now it needs an A and a couple of bodies to be an A event.  New Bern always provides a really good free lunch after/during
the event.  I am going up in some capacity if anyone needs a ride.

May 21st will be our last youth event of the year and the swords will be awarded.  Foil at 10 am, sabre at 1:30 pm, and epee at 3:30 pm.

Charlotte is having an adult epee event that day.

Spotsylvania,
Virginia, is doing a Vet event that day.  Epee will be an A, foil a C,
and sabre as yet unclear.  Erica Julien and Erik Graf are signed up so
with a few more vets we could be a presence.

Our
next event is the Stab-a-thon on May 28th.  Open foil, open epee, and
an E and under sabre.  Get signed up.  It is the Memorial day weekend
and we can attract people looking for some time at the beach if it looks
like we will have a good event.  Epee sign ups are solid, but our foil and sabre fencers need to get signed up.  At this point it will pretty much be you fencing yourselves unless we can get some more foilists and sabrists involved.

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 April 24

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
CFFA update for April 24
I’ve heard from about 10 people as far as doing the performance with the ballet.  I’d like to have a couple more before I tell them we are in.  Because the performance is on a Friday night, it would cause the cancellation of Camp Lejeune fencing on that date.  (June 10th) There would need to be a little bit of rehearsal because we can’t just turn you totally loose on stage with the fencers around, etc.  It is fencing, so none of you would be required to dance.
We held an under 12 event yesterday.  Foil featured the usual suspects.  Will Golder was first, Nicole Milewski second.  Luke Jessup of Salle New Bern tied for third with Zack Saxberg.  For the 9 and under crowd, Jaden Scott won gold, Amelia Alexander silver, and Joseph Evans bronze.  Elina Grooman was the only person who showed up for sabre, so we didn’t have a competiton.  She must have scared all the boys away. In epee it was Nicole first, Abbey Campbell of Salle New Bern second, and Jacob Powers third.  Thanks to everyone who helped and all the parents.
Current top 5 in sword points:
Boys                                                    Girls
Golder  50                                            Milewski    54
Jessup  31                                           Artz, Isabelle  22
Evans, Don  29                                     Artz, Caroline  15
Donnely  28                                         Childs  13
Saxberg  20                                         Alexander 12
Regular week of practice this week.  We can have a Saturday practice if there is interest, let me know.
April
30/May 1 is an RJCC at Apex.  This is a regional competition solely for
Y-16 and Y-19 events.  Most of the men’s events look like they will be A
competitions.  The women’s events will be strong although probably not
that strong.  Entry fees have gone up.  It looks like Oliver is our only participant.

May 3rd will be the starting date for our next set of Tuesday/Thursday beginner classes.

May
7-8 is the Division Div II/III and Y-14 qualifiers in Burlington. 
Preregistration ends April 30th.  All the events look to be small at the
moment.  Good to attend even if you won’t be going to Dallas.

Apex
is holding a bunch of unsanctioned events on May 14th.  Open women’s
foil and epee, open mixed foil and epee, Y-10 mixed foil, and Y-12 mixed
foil and epee.  These are unsanctioned, so all you need is the standard
non-competitive USA Fencing membership.  A really good event for those
looking to move up from our youth events or early career older fencers
looking for a less intense competition.

May
14th is also the Skirmish at Jack’s Island at New Bern.  This is an
epee only outdoor event.  This year it will be held at the church in New
Bern regardless of the weather; outdoors if nice, running inside if
rainy.  As and Bs get to fence for free, so it should be a strong
event.  New Bern always provides a really good free lunch after/during
the event.  I am going up in some capacity if anyone needs a ride.
May 21st will be our last youth event of the year and the swords will be awarded.
Charlotte is having an adult epee event that day.
Spotsylvania, Virginia, is doing a Vet event that day.  Epee may be an A, foil a C, and sabre as yet unclear.  Erica Julien and Erik Graf are signed up so with a few more vets we could be a presence.
Our next event is the Stab-a-thon on May 28th.  Open foil, open epee, and an E and under sabre.  Get signed up.  It is the Memorial day weekend and we can attract people looking for some time at the beach if it looks like we will have a good 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

Opportunity to work with community

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
Opportunity to work with community
We have been asked about the possibility of providing fencers to appear on stage at a performance of Swan Lake put on by the Wilmington Ballet Company.  This would entail being at their performance at 7 pm on Friday June 10th, a dress rehearsal from 4-5 on June 6th, and possibly one other performance.
I don’t have the timing for the piece yet, (it is just one section of music, we won’t be on the whole ballet), but it would mean us taking some time to plan out what we are doing.  We might be doing some things as a total group, in smaller groups or duos, or both.  We might have some of our more precise fencers doing things in the aisles.  But it will take some work.  The fencers can be of any age.  We would be in full uniforms, meaning loaning out knickers, etc. if you don’t have them.  We will be under masks when actually fencing for safety reasons.
In return, the club will get a spot on the Ballet Company’s website, an ad in the program for the event, and the opportunity to put some fencers in the lobby prior to the performance.  That makes this a good way to get a lot of public exposure for us.
If you would be interested, and can commit to it, please let me know ASAP so I can see if we have the numbers to make this work for both parties.
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 April 17

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
CFFA update for April 17
We held our April Armageddon event yesterday.  In the epee, which was an A event and very top heavy, Andrew Fullmer of NCFDP won, Isaac Erbele of DCFC was second, Shane Mason of Charlotte was 3rd, tied with Oliver Galbraith of CFFA.  Oliver won the open foil, with Wilma Jackson of Apex second. Kyler Schoonmaker of CFFA, in his first tournament for USA Fencing, took 3rd; tied with Robert Thomas, also of CFFA.  In the E and under foil, Josh White of Salle New Bern won and earned his E2016, Ms. Jackson was again second, Kyler was again 3rd, tied with yours truly.  Thanks to everyone for the help setting up, refereeing, and cleaning up.
Should be a regular week of practice this week.  For Jacksonville, people can let me know if there is something special they would like to work on.  I was thinking about teaching better refereeing or armoring.  If I don’t get much response, I will work with everyone in their matches.
April
23rd will be the next youth event.  Foil at 10, Sabre at 1:30, epee at
3:30.  $5 per event, Trophies to the top 3 places, medals to the top 3
nine and unders.  Volunteer foil refs extremely welcome.

Charlotte is also holding adult events that day.  It looks like their epee will be a B, it could become an A if they get another A rated fencer.

April
30/May 1 is an RJCC at Apex.  This is a regional competition solely for
Y-16 and Y-19 events.  Most of the men’s events look like they will be A
competitions.  The women’s events will be strong although probably not
that strong.  Entry fees have gone up.  It looks like Oliver is our only participant.
May 3rd will be starting date for our next set of beginner classes.

May
7-8 is the Division Div II/III and Y-14 qualifiers in Burlington. 
Preregistration ends April 30th.  All the events look to be small at the
moment.  Good to attend even if you won’t be going to Dallas.

Apex
is holding a bunch of unsanctioned events on May 14th.  Open women’s
foil and epee, open mixed foil and epee, Y-10 mixed foil, and Y-12 mixed
foil and epee.  These are unsanctioned, so all you need is the standard
non-competitive USA Fencing membership.  A really good event for those
looking to move up from our youth events or early career older fencers
looking for a less intense competition.

May
14th is also the Skirmish at Jack’s Island at New Bern.  This is an
epee only outdoor event.  This year it will be held at the church in New
Bern regardless of the weather; outdoors if nice, running inside if
rainy.  As and Bs get to fence for free, so it should be a strong
event.  New Bern always provides a really good free lunch after/during
the 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

last NAC update

Gregory Spahr Coaches Communication
last NAC update
Sorry this has taken a little while, but I am catching up from being away for the last two weekends.
Sure signs of the apocalypse: cats and dogs running wild in the streets, atonal music, Herman Smith making the top 10 at a NAC.  You’re safe, he only came in 11th.  In the Vet 50 epee pool he went 4-2, only losing to the person who won the entire event and the person who came in 10th.  He won his first couple of DEs and then lost to the person who finished 8th.  He came in ahead of a number of As and Bs.
Robert Thomas and Scott Butler both had tough pools in a very top heavy Vet 40 epee event.  Robert lost his first DE while Scott won his first one and then lost to the eventual winner, coming in 16th.
Erica Julien rounded out our NAC adventure, fencing in the Vet combined women’s epee.  She was almost certainly the oldest competitor.  She won one of her pool bouts and then lost 5-10 to a 6′ 2″ women who won a bronze at the World Championship for Veterans last year.
Last reminder about tomorrow’s tournament.  Epee seems pretty certain to be an A1 (to start) and might reach an A2.  Open foil needs bodies to be a C.  I would really like to get two more E and under foilists so there is at least the chance that someone will walk away with an E in that 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