I, for one, welcome your new Fencing Overlords - 28 Aug 13

I can't say 'thank you!' enough to everyone who has had helped with things, including providing suggestions and supportive comments for the upcoming club transition.  This is especially true of Dave and Tanya Yeager and Scott Young.  These three have been putting some enormous time and energy into ensuring that fencing continues as seamlessly as possible after I leave.  You. Guys. ROCK!

Now for upcoming changes:

In September, the club will transfer to their control.  Practices will be on Monday and Thursday evenings from 7:00 to 9:00 at IWFC and will be open to fencers of all levels.  (Note: No fencing this Monday, September 2, due to Labor Day.)  I'll be there as much as I can until midmonth to help with things but they'll be the Official Voice of Fencing Awesomeness as of September 1.

There are many other changes under way, including searching for a new location.  A new location means a new name so welcome to the Hampton Roads Fencing Club!  And what does any awesome fencing club need?  An awesome logo!  Submit your ideas for a new club logo to hrfencingclub@gmail.com or bring them to a club practice no later than September 9.  For a color palette, use the blue, white, and green of the Hampton Roads flag.  If you decide to add more colors, please remember that the more colors there are in a design, the more expensive it is to get done on shirts, patches, etc.

Some key notes to help this transition go smoothly:

* If you've left fencing equipment at the salle, make sure you either collect it or make arrangements for someone to pick it up for you in the immediate future.

* Make sure your account is paid up.  It will make it much easier on us all!

* I will not be doing a club equipment order in September after all.  I have to stop trying to Do All the Things!!! or I'll never get anything done!  If you have questions about ordering stuff yourself, just let me know and I'll help however I can.

* Continue to watch the usual places for updates and information.  We'll let you know via these channels as things change -- including if these channels change!

* Although the club swag sale started because I wanted that space back in my car, the sale is still on because now the PFC and IWFC tees, socks, water bottles, etc. are collector's items!  Really.  Honest.  Let me know what you want, either at club or via email, and it's yours if I have it!  Tees, socks, and water bottles are $10, patches and key chains are $1.

Tournament, articles, and photos - 20 Aug 13

This weekend is the annual Back to School Brawl in Charlottesville.  There will be unrated and C-and-under events in all three weapons as well as Y10 and Y12 foil.  Unfortunately, I won't be able to be there (life gets in the way of fencing, go figure) but I'll be on hand at club this week to help you make sure your equipment's ready to go.

Don't forget about equipment changes for tournaments!  If you're planning on going to a foil event, your mask's bib has to have that conductive covering now.  (Effective at the beginning of last season.)  You don't have to buy a whole new mask, you can buy a cover that just needs to be stitched into place and you're good to go!  (Well, that and a mask cord to connect the bib to the lamé.)  And epeeists, don't forget to change the wiring on your socket if you haven't already.  That went into effect at the beginning of the current season, August 1.

Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson recently fenced an Olympic medalist.  How did it go?  (Dang, not only did he used to be the 7th-ranked fencer in Great Britain, he's also a rated pilot -- as in 'he can pilot a Boeing 757' rated.  Cool!)

Thank you, everyone who came out to AJ Gator's last Saturday!  We had a great turnout and a fun afternoon.  And there are even a few photos as proof.

And lastly, a HUGE thank you to all of our Poquoson Fencing Club folks who have made the past five years there so great!  It was hard closing up for the last time Sunday but we had a lot of fun taking pictures and such beforehand so we did end on a happy note!  Stay tuned to PoquosonFencingClub.com for ongoing news and updates via your preferred means (see options at the top of the page if you haven't already) -- fencing may be coming to a location near you!

Odd and ends, Poquoson schedule - 14 Aug 13

The order/payment page on the IWFC site is behaving again!

The photos button on the club sites now points directly to our Flickr page and there's a new video button for our YouTube channel.  Go check them out!  Have some photos or videos you'd like to share?  Send them in and I'll post them for you!

Don't forget our get-together at AJ Gators in Carrollton this Saturday.  Everyone's welcome so Poquoson fencers, I hope to see you there too!  (It's only about twenty minutes away from the Primary School.)  And that also goes for fencers who haven't been able to come out and play for a while.

Speaking of Poquoson, I just heard from Parks and Rec yesterday that the school won't be available on August 25.  The following weekend is Labor Day then after that I'm under the gun for the move so I'm afraid this Sunday, August 18, is our last Poquoson fencing practice.  HOWEVER!  This does not mean it's the end of fencing for you, however!  Plans are under way for transitioning the parent club, IWFC, to new leadership so stay tuned!

Equipment orders are due tonight - 8 Aug 13

Don't forget to turn in your equipment order and payment to me tonight! Equipment should be in by Wednesday next week.

Social time! - 7 Aug 13

Let's get together and hang out for a while -- in air conditioning, no less! -- Saturday, August 17, at AJ Gator's in Carrollton from 2:00 to whenever. This is in the shopping center catty-corner from the Food Lion shopping center on 17/Bridge Road. Turn at the Bojangles stoplight and you're there. Everyone's welcome, current members, former members, families. The more the loude- I mean, merrier! Speaking of families, they have a 'kids eat free' special on Saturday afternoons (one kid per adult) so bonus. Leave the fencing gear in the car (hm, fencing in the parking lot?) but bring your happy and let's have fun!

The Virginia Division tournament schedule is up! - 6 Aug 13

The Virginia Division just published the 2013-14 tournament schedule so grab your calendars and start marking dates! I'll get these added to the club calendar in the next day or two.

Update: Hope to be there by 7:45

Hope to be there by 7:45 at the latest.

Oops! We're on but I'll be a little late

I just locked my keys in my car for the first time in years!   I'll be there as soon as I can get back into my car, dang it!

Changes - 1 Aug 13

As many of you know, my husband has been living overseas for almost two years while I've stayed here to keep coaching and running the clubs. Unfortunately, the stress has gotten to be too much for us so we've decided that I'm moving to Germany in September. Club practices will continue on their usual schedule at least through August but private lessons are off as I need that time for other things now. In the meanwhile, if anyone is interested in taking over the club, knowing it will likely go back to its 'one or two nights a week in a gym' status (which is the norm for most fencing clubs and is how we got started), please contact me ASAP. (Note: This is club practices only. All coaching I've been doing outside of the club practices is something else entirely.) I'll do everything I can to help transition the clubs smoothly, including going over the general lesson plan I use for classes and anything else you might need. Running just the club itself is pretty straight forward and can be done easily by one person but if two or more of you choose to work together, that works too!

As you can imagine, this was not an easy decision for either of us. Helping fencing grow and expand in Hampton Roads over the past ten years has been a wonderful experience and it's you who have made it so. I'll brag to anyone who will listen about what great people my fencers are and I mean every word of it. Thank you all so very much!

Note to those who have paid ahead and to those awaiting equipment buyback payments: These refunds and payments will be sent out as soon as possible. Your patience is appreciated as I ensure the normal operation of the club continues as seamlessly as possible during this time.

Swag sale, cooler temps, electrics at PFC, new photos location - 31 Jul 13

Swag sale! All club t-shirts, socks, and stainless steel water bottles currently in stock are on sale for $10! Keychains are $5 and stickers are $1. When it's gone, it's gone so don't let someone else beat you to that last one in your size!

Not a big fan of summer heat? In addition to enjoying the cooler temps this week at IWFC, come over to Poquoson practices on Sunday night and get an air conditioning fix that will turn your toes blue. Your dues entitle you to practices at both locations, after all! And I'm trying something that will enable Poquoson to use electrics so bring the good toys with you.

Photos for both clubs have been moved to our new Flickr page! There's still some organizing to do (not to mention captions/descriptions) but this will give us some more flexibility (and save me a lot of extra work) to share photos. Take a few minutes to look through them -- lots of familiar faces, some going back ten years! We've recently had some fencers coming back to club after being away for a while so if this inspires you to get your gear out too, go for it! Come out and play!

Next class, next order, online payments - 29 Jul 13

A huge THANK YOU goes out to James City County Parks and Rec and to the new fencers who participated in the fencing camps over the past two weeks. What fun! I have a couple of pictures I'll try to get posted soon but would love to see more. If you'd like to share some of the photos or videos you took at any of the camps, let me know and I'd be delighted to add them!

With drive back from the camps taking longer than anticipated ('cause I'm clueless about traffic some times), the IWFC beginner class was pushed back and will now start next Monday, August 5. To sign up, just send me an email with the fencers name(s) and age(s) and I'll add you to the list.

Equipment orders are due to me by 10 p.m. Thursday, August 8. As always Absolute is the vendor. You can pick up an order form at practice or download it here. Payment is due at the time you place the order.

And the online payment pages have finally been updated. Well, one of them. The IWFC page is out of order for the time being but the one on PFC's site (see link) works for either club. I'll let you know when the IWFC order page is sorted out. Thanks for your patience!

Schedule notes for this week - 14 July 13

There will be no youth fencing or private lessons this week due to fencing camps.

Also, there will be no club practice Tuesday or Wednesday evening this week. Monday and Thursday practices are on as usual.

Summer Nationals results - 10 July 13

Congratulations to Rhiannon for having an absolutely great time at Summer Nats last week! She fenced in the Div II, Div III, and Junior women's foil events and of course, the first two events were back to back, June 28 and 29 -- that's right, no more than a night's sleep for a break between the events. But we already knew she was tough! In Div II (C and under), she used a solid performance in the pools to improve her seeding from 75 to 60 (out of 125 entrants). Winning her first DE match put her up against the 5th seed for the second round, which she also won quite nicely. Unfortunately her day ended in the third round but hey, that was a pretty darned good day of fencing, finishing 29th when all was said and done. Full Div II info, from initial seeding to final results, can be seen here.

The next morning saw her back on the strip for the Div III (D and under) women's foil. This time she went in with an initial seeding of 54 out of 136, which was bumped up to 28 after finishing second in her pool. Her first DE round went well but her day came to an end in the round of 64, alas, setting her in a final placing of 41. Not too shabby at all, considering she'd fenced a full event just the day prior! Full Div II info, from initial seeding to final results, can be seen here.

Then she had a week to rest, explore, and watch some really great fencing before her final event, the Junior (U19) women's foil. This was a tough event, with 170 entrants and no ratings restrictions. So seventy of her competitors were A- or B-rated, and nearly sixty of those fencers are on the national points list (think of it as a rating-within-a-rating for the top dogs). A solid performance in the pools brought her seeding from 149 up to 79, which gave her a bye in the first DE round. She was eliminated in the following round but she still finished ahead of several of the aforementioned A and B fencers! Pretty good showing for her first national outing! Full Div II info, from initial seeding to final results, can be seen here.

Full Summer Nationals event info and results.

Game on! - 7 July 13

Our regular fencing schedule resumes tonight!

Next update: Nationals results. Short version, woo hoo!

Schedule notes, important dates du jour - 26 Jun 13

My apologies for the late notice on this but there will be no fencing (private lessons or practices) from Sunday, June 30, through Thursday, July 4, at either IWFC or PFC. Have a great Fourth! (Or as they call it in the UK, Thanksgiving.*)

The next beginner class at IWFC will begin Monday, July 22, and run through Monday, August 12. Sessions are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings from 6:00 to 7:00. Fees and equipment information is here. Just email coach@iwfc.net to register and you're good to go!

There will not be a PFC class this summer. But if you have a youngster between the ages of 8 and 14, the PPR fencing camp is a great way for them to get a taste of fencing without the commitment to a full class. Sign up with Poquoson Parks and Rec before July 31!

The next equipment order will go in Wednesday, July 14. Visit Absolute Fencing Gear, fill out the order form and turn it in to me by 10 p.m. July 14. Payment can be made when you give me the form or you can pay online here.

The Commonwealth Games are July 20-21 in Manassas. This year Olympic saberist Tim Morehouse will be one of the guests. No, he can't fence in the saber event but it'd be fun if he were there to watch!

And just for fun, an IBM commercial from the '90s featuring a couple of fencers genteelly trash-talking.


* I kid!

Tournaments past and future - 23 Jun 13

June 15-16 was Richmond's Tune-Up Open, so-named because it's one of the last local event before Summer Nationals. We had three fencers in the open foil event, Scott, Rhiannon, and Bryce. Bryce and Rhiannon had tough pools with two of the eventual top five finishers apiece (and Scott had the other top-fiver) but there were some good matches all around. Unfortunately, IWFC's day was done in the round of 16 but hey, any day fencing is a good day! Full results can be seen here. Many thanks to you guys for looking out for each other while I was traveling. That's the sort of thing that makes IWFC/PFC such a great group!

Next up, Summer Nationals! Good luck, Rhiannon! Remember: the pointy end goes that-a-way!

Rate changes take effect 1 July 13 - 12 Jun 13

I've been putting this off for ages but it needs to happen and is long overdue. Effective July 1, monthly dues will increase to $25 per month plus $5 per additional family member and the floor fee will increase to $10 per visit. Lessons will be $20 for thirty minutes, $35 for an hour. Equipment rental and class fees remain the same. Note: If you have already paid dues past July 1, the current rate will stay in effect until the prepayment runs out. I'll have the PayPal buttons and info page on the websites updated as soon as possible to reflect the change.

Speaking of equipment rental, don't forget that the fee is due every month whether you fence or not! Individual reminders will be going out soon but feel free to drop me a note if you have questions about your rental balance.

WEATHER WARNING - 10 Jun 13

As you may have noticed, we have some severe weather in the area, including a tornado warning for parts of Suffolk and Chesapeake. Additionally, there is some extremely heavy rain in the area. It's been mostly localized but it's been intense at times so please pay extra attention to the weather in your area as well as for the route you'll be taking if you come to club tonight. Club is not cancelled but I am asking parents to stay rather than drop off their fencer then return for them later in the evening. To put it bluntly, this building is not one I want to ride out severe weather in and if I decide the weather warrants sending everyone home, I want all fencers to have an immediate ride home available. Thanks!

Schedule reminders - 8 Jun 13

Reminder the first: No fencing Sunday, June 9.

Reminder the second: No fencing -- classes, private lessons, or club -- from Tuesday, June 11, through Friday, June 14. Monday the 10th is as usual and the regular schedule kicks back in on Sunday the 16th.

Unrelated side note: If you're looking for an excuse to get out of town Sunday, it's the closing day of the Virginia Renaissance Faire at the Lake Anna Winery just west of Fredericksburg. Don't let the thought of afternoon showers scare you away! As our CEO says, 'When it rains, we shine!' Besides, it's supposed to be sunny most of the day anyway. Come play with us!

NO FENCING TONIGHT! - 4 Jun 13

Sorry for the late notice, folks, but I've got a meeting tonight that is going to prevent me from being able to hold tonight's novice practice or epee class. (At least it's a fencing-related meeting!)

USA Fencing board of directors and Hall of Fame voting now open - 23 May 13

If you're a voting (full) member of USA Fencing, you should have received a couple of emails about the 2013 BoD and 2014 HoF elections by now. One of the emails contains your username and password to use here to vote. Per today's email from USA Fencing, 'If you have not received your username and password and are eligible to vote, please contact VoteNet directly at 1.866.570.7699 or usfencing@votenet.com. You will need your USA Fencing member number and date of birth to verify your identity when you call.' You have until midnight MDT June 10 to place your vote.

Okay, that's all the 'how' stuff. Now how about the 'who'? Bios and photos of Board of Directors candidates can be found by clicking here. There is also more information from some of the candidates in this thread on Fencing.net. (Ignore the general shenanigans about ice cream et al. You know you can't have a completely serious conversation if there are more than three fencers in a room!) Nominees for the 2014 Hall of Fame class and info about them can be found here. The cool thing? The nominees and voting are broken down into three eras, going back to 1888. I found two different date breakdowns though, the one used on the previous link and the one listed here with the 2010 nominees. However you look at it, there's some pretty cool info out there!

Date notes: holidays, classes - 22 May 13

There will be no fencing Sunday, May 26, or Monday, May 27 due to the Memorial Day holiday.

Still looking for something to do this weekend? Come on out to the Virginia Renaissance Faire near Fredericksburg! This weekend is Military Appreciation weekend so active duty and retired service members get in free. For friends, family, and everyone else, it's just $9 (ages 5 and under are free). It's also Pirate Invasion weekend so grab your yo-ho-hos and cutlasses and come play!

The next beginning fencing class at IWFC starts Monday, June 3. General information about the class is here. Just email coach@iwfc.net to register.

The next intermediate fencing class at IWFC will be for saber and will start on Tuesday, June 4. General information about the class is here. Just email coach@iwfc.net to register. (Note: There will be no class the week of June 10. Instead, the last two classes will be July 2 and July 9.)

There will be no fencing from Tuesday, June 11, through Friday, June 14. The regular schedule will resume Sunday, June 16.

Richmond's annual Tune Up Open is June 15-16. In addition to the open foil, epee, and saber events, there will also be Y12 and Y14 foil and epee events. Although I will not be available on Saturday, I will be there Sunday. (At least until I have to head back to Poquoson!)

Weekend results and epee changes - 20 May 13

Congratulations go out to Rhiannon for taking second place in women's foil at last weekend's Division Championships up in Manassas! Way to go!

A bit ago, I gave some of our epeeists a heads-up about a change in a rule enforcement regarding epee wires at the socket. The FOC finally came out with an official announcement a few days ago. Enforcement will kick in on 1 August so you've got a couple of months to rearrange things. With any luck, you'll be able to just loosen one screw and holding the plastic socket to the metal holder and remove the other, slide the wires to the outside of the bracket, replace the removed screw, and tighten the loosened one. If you run into trouble or have any questions, catch me at club and we'll sort it out.

It's official! Plus 3 Olympic fencers take on 50 opponents - 14 May 13

Last night our mascot, the invisible turtle that keeps tripping people up, was officially named. The votes again came down to a tie, this time between Sheldon and Leopold. So I made an executive decision and flipped a coin to determine the winner. So without further ado, allow me to introduce our newly-named mascot, Sheldon!


Here he is, patrolling strip 2 during a recent evening of fencing.

Congratulations to Erin for suggesting the winning name!

In other silliness, what happens when a Japanese TV show pits three Olympic fencers against fifty opponents? Find out!

Quick Virginia Renaissance Faire note: directions!! - 10 May 13

The Virginia Renaissance Faire opens this weekend! But the roads off of I-95 have been extensively reworked over the past year. They're great now but if your GPS hasn't been updated lately, the faire recommends using Google Maps, Mapquest or similar to get directions to the Lake Anna Winery, 5621 Courthouse Rd, Spotsylvania. Hope to see you there!

And the winner is... - 8 May 13

And the winning name is ... undecided!

We had a three-way tie between Leopold, Meistro, and Sheldon. So voting's open again but this time for only these three names. Email your choice for our invisible turtle's name by midnight Sunday, May 12. Votes from the first round will not carry over into this round so don't forget to vote again!

Date reminders - 7 May 13

Looks like we survived May the Fourth and Revenge of the Sixth! So what's next?

Tuesday, 7 May (yes today):

• Epee class starts tonight. If you haven't registered yet, you can still show up tonight -- new epeeists will be accepted through Friday's class. Classes are Tuesday and Friday evenings from 7:30 to 8:30 for a total of eight sessions. The class fee is $60 and use of club epees is included.
• Votes for the club mascot's name are due by midnight tonight. Email your favorite name to coach@iwfc.net now!

Wednesday, 8 May

• Beginning fencing class starts. Classes are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings from 6:00 to 7:00 for a total of ten sessions. New fencers will be accepted through Friday, 9 May. The class fee is $60 and equipment can be either rented or purchased. (Sizing and ordering is taken care of as part of the first class.) Email coach@iwfc.net to register.

Friday, 10 May

• Equipment orders are due by 10 p.m. and can be turned in either at club or via email. As usual, the order will be placed through Absolute so grab an order form and head over to their website. Email or hand in your form and payment by the deadline and you're good to go! Equipment should be in hand by Wednesday next week.

Dates for classes and other cool things - 1 May 13

First, a BIG apology for being so late in getting the May class dates out! So here are May and June dates:

Epee class at IWFC: Starts 7 May and mets Monday and Tuesday evenings from 7:30 to 8:30 for a total of eight sessions. Fencers should have a good command of basic fencing skills. The class fee is $60 and includes use of club epees. Email coach@iwfc.net to register.

Beginning fencing class at IWFC: Starts 8 May and meets Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings from 6:00 to 7:00 for a total of ten sessions (no class on May 27, Memorial Day weekend). The class fee is $60 and equipment can be rented ($30 per month) or purchased (starting at $110). Fitting for equipment will be part of the first class. Email coach@iwfc.net to register.

Equipment order: The May equipment order will go in on Friday, 10 May. Orders are due to me by 10 p.m. and can be turned in at any club session or emailed to coach@iwfc.net. Visit Absolute and note important details like item numbers, sizes, and other options. Payment is due at the time the order is submitted.

No fencing at IWFC or PFC May 26 or 27: Happy Memorial Day weekend!

Beginning fencing class at IWFC: Starts June 3. Details as above.

June equipment order: The June equipment order will go in on Thursday, 6 June. Details as above.


And in non-fencing coolness, the Virginia Renaissance Faire starts Saturday, 11 May, and runs weekends through 9 June. It's at the Lake Anna Winery just west of Fredericksburg and admission is only $9. Click the link for info about special weekends including Scout Days, Shakespeare Weekend, and more! Listen to wonderful music, watch entertaining performers, learn how to drill with the militia or shoot a bow or do a country dance! There's also great food and drink (adult and otherwise), shopping, and so much more! If you have any questions, just let me know. And yes, I'll be there every Saturday as well as a couple of Sundays. Consider yourself warned!

Road warrior! - 28 Apr 13

Congratulations to Rhiannon the road warrior! This weekend she was at a D and under event up in Maryland. She swept her pool and was the top seed going into the DEs, finishing the day with a very strong 5th place out of 31 fencers. Way to go!

Turtle Time! - 24 Apr 13

I'm still working on photos and video from last weekend so to keep you occupied in the meanwhile, here's the list of proposed names for our invisible turtle. (And he/she has been on quite a tear lately -- even followed me to Williamsburg last weekend!):

• Leapold
• Meistro
• Mike
• Moriarty
• Piccolo
• Piccolo Mike
• Sheldon
• Terrance
• Timothy
• Toby
• Tripsy

Voting is open for the next two weeks so any time between now and May 7, you can email me which name you like the best. (And yes, all votes must be submitted by email. If you tell me at club, it doesn't count!) One vote per fencer but if your dues are paid up through the end of May as of the 7th, your vote is worth two points. If your account is not current or you're not a regular member, your vote is worth one point. After voting closes, I'll tally up the votes and let you know the official name of our invisible mascot!

W&M recap, full version - 22 Apr 13

What a great weekend!

First of all, a huge hats-off to the William and Mary fencing club. They did a really great job running the tournament and put a nice emphasis on the 'memorial' part of the event. Kudos!

Also, many, many thanks to everyone who came out to watch and to cheer on our fencers. It was wonderful having such a great crowd of family members and fellow fencers encouraging our competitors. Thank you!

And now on to the fencing.

As noted last night, Brady, Bryce, Mark, Rhiannon, and Scott fenced in Saturday's foil event. This gave us one fencer in every pool -- I love being kept busy like that! Everyone was smiling at the end of the pools and rightfully so. Bryce narrowly avoided being matched up against Scott in the first elimination round and did well for himself against the number 3 seed, scoring 7 good touches before being eliminated. The smile on his face said it all -- he did well for himself and knew it! Brady and Mark won their first DE matches but then found themselves paired up against the number 1 and number 4 seeds respectively. (Scott was the number 2 seed, just to give you an idea of how very nearly we had clubmates against each other early on!) Although they were both eliminated in the second round, they both went out fighting and were rightfully proud of themselves. Then in the third round, the round of eight, it happened: clubmate versus clubmate. Rhiannon went up against Scott in what was definitely the most exciting fencing of the day. Neither fencer held anything back and there was quite a crowd gathered by the end. Scott came out on top but she made him work hard for it and took home a shiny for eighth place as a result! Scott continued on to the finals where he was finally beaten by occasional IWFC visitor Seth Daily, finishing in second place.

Oh, and by the way, Scott also fenced saber, which started during the down time between foil pools and DEs, so he was just a little tired by then! But he wasn't too wiped out to win the saber competition, which also updated his C to this year. Congrats, Scott!

Sunday's epee event had Dean, Ed, and Scott (again!) showing the club colors. Dean met his personal competition goal despite being in a pool that was double-stripped, which means fencers didn't have the usual rest time between bouts. He was tired but he was happy! And he capped it off with an exciting DE, scoring 11 points and making it into the third period before finally being defeated. I don't know which of us had the bigger smile! Ed had a solid showing in pools, which left him in a good position going into DEs. He made it through the first couple of elimination rounds but the third round turned out to be the not-so-sweet sixteen when his day was ended by eventual tournament winner Matthew Peppe. Scott went 50/50 in his pool bouts, something about being tired from Saturday's fencing or something, go figure! His seeding resulted in his going up against the number 1 seed in the third DE round in a pretty exciting match. (Hopefully video will be forthcoming, I'll review it later today with any luck.) He won that match as well as the next one but was finally eliminated in the quarter finals, finishing the day in third.

Fantastic job, everyone! I heard so many great comments and compliments about you all weekend. Let's do it again soon!

Full results can be seen here. I'll post photos and video after I get a chance to look over them so keep an eye out for more posts! And if you have photos and videos to share, please let me know. I'd love to add them too!

W&M tourney recap, short version - 21 Apr 13

Short version: My feet are cold!

Translation: This weekend's competitors knocked my socks off!!

Brady, Bryce, Mark, Rhiannon, and Scott fenced on Saturday and all did extremely well for themselves, meeting and exceeding personal goals. On Sunday, Dean, Ed, and Scott continued in the same vein with more great fencing. I'm so tickled with everyone I can't see straight! A real recap will be posted tomorrow when I'm not too tired to think so stay tuned for more...

W&M tournament this weekend! - 17 Apr 13

This weekend is the Conomikes-Gutenberg Memorial Open in Williamsburg. The fee is $25 per event if you pre-register, $30 if you don't. Visit the link for directions and times. Remember, plan on arriving at least fifteen minutes ahead of close of registration. The event's usually large enough that they won't hold registration open if some pre-registered folks haven't shown up yet! That being said, if you hit a snag and are running late, call me and I'll let the bout committee know. They will sometimes hold registration for a few minutes if they know you're on the way. No guarantees though!

This is a pretty spectator-friendly venue -- the gym in the Student Recreation Center -- with plenty of room to move around and watch a lot of fencing so even if you aren't going to be competing, come on out and cheer on your clubmates! Take pictures! Have fun! I'll be on hand all of Saturday and most of Sunday and will be happy to answer questions.

Because this is the first time out in a while for some of you, here's a quick reminder/recap of what you need to do:

• Join/rejoin USA Fencing. Print out your confirmation and bring it with you to the tournament.
• Pre-register (sign up) for the tournament.
• Make sure your equipment is clean and in good condition.
• What equipment do you need? In addition to your usual mask, jacket, and glove, a minimum of:
  • Two working electric weapons (I'll be happy to help you check them at club Wednesday and Thursday night)
  • Two body cords
  • Lamé (foil and saber)
  • Two mask cords (foil and saber - I have some of these at the salle)
  • Foil masks must have a conductive bib (I have some of these at the salle too)
  • Plastron (underarm protector)
  • Fencing pants (no sweats, jeans, etc.)
  • Socks must come up to the bottom of your fencing pants

If you have any questions just let me know. I hope to see a whole pile of you there!

We're baaaaaack! - 8 Apr 13

Just a reminder that we're back on the regular schedule. And a reminder for those who don't like the winter cold or the summer heat: now's the time to come out and fence!

By the way, bunny fencing! - 2 Apr 13

By the way, courtesy of Cutting Edge Fencing's Facebook page, I give you bunny fencing! (Don't need to be on Facebook to see, no worries.)

Watch fencing tonight on ESPN U! - 2 Apr 13

Need a little something to help you through fencing withdrawal? Watch the NCAA fencing championships highlight show on ESPN U tonight at 8 p.m. Click on the link for more details from USA Fencing.

Big schedule note! - 20 Mar 13

First of all, huge apologies from me for not getting this out sooner. Between playing catch-up from being sick pretty much all of February and the short lead time on this, I'm much later announcing this than I'd like! So quickly, before something else pops up: There will be no fencing at PFC or IWFC from Sunday, March 24, through Thursday, April 4. Our regular schedules will resume on Friday, April 5. The schedule pages on the club websites have been updated accordingly.

Lost and found reminders - 19 Feb 13

Lost a watch? A watch was left at IWFC a little while back. If you've been having trouble telling what time it is lately, I might have your watch. Call 238-3111 or email to see if it's yours.

Check your equipment bag! A few weeks ago a PFC fencer packed two masks in their bag instead of one. Even if you KNOW you didn't pick up an extra mask by mistake, please check your bag anyway. One of your clubmates (and your coach) would greatly appreciate it!

Equipment orders are due tonight - 11 Feb 13

Reminder: All equipment orders are due by 10 p.m. tonight, 11 Feb. Orders can be either turned in at club or emailed to coach@iwfc.net. Payment is due at the time of the order and can be made in person or online. As usual, the vendor is Absolute. Equipment should be in hand no later than next Monday, may be in as early as this Thursday.

Poquoson class note - 10 Feb 13

After discussing it with PPR, we've decided to move back the next set of Poquoson classes to February 24. So if you've been meaning to sign up but never got around to it, you still have time! Just contact Poquoson Parks and Rec to sign up and you're good to go. (You must sign up through PPR for these classes. I cannot take registrations myself.) Note: This does not impact tonight's club session. Practice is on from 6:00 to 8:00 as usual. See you there!

Dates and reminders - 1 Feb 13

In calendar order, here we go:

Technically, yesterday was the deadline to submit names for our invisible turtle. But with the unexpected schedule disruptions, I'll accept suggestions through this Sunday, February 3! You can submit as many names as you'd like so email your list to me this weekend! I'll put my favorite names up to a vote and whoever submits the winning name will get one month of dues free.

Also, this Sunday is a Big Football Game so there will be no Poquoson fencing. We'll start back up on our regular schedule next Sunday, February 10.

The youth fencing class at the Peninsula YMCA starts Tuesday, February 5. The classes are from 5:15 to 6:00 and all equipment is provided. Contact Josh Williams or call 223-7925 to register your youngster. (Please note the class runs on a four-week cycle this year.)

A beginning fencing class starts Wednesday, February 6, at IWFC in Carrollton. The class fee is $60 and equipment can be either rented or purchased. See details here. Call 238-3111 or email to register.

The next beginning fencing class in Poquoson starts, Sunday, February 10. The class fee is $65 and equipment is $110 ($130). Visit Poquoson Parks and Rec for more details and to register. (I cannot take registrations at the first class, they must be done through PPR.)

The February equipment order will go in on Monday, February 11. Orders and payments are due to me by 10 p.m. that night, either online or in person at any club session before then. As usual, the vendor is Absolute.

Back on track! - 29 Jan 13

We're back on our regular schedule now. See you soon!

Monday cancellation - 28 Jan 13

Sorry folks, thought I'd at least be able to sit in a corner tonight so the salle could be opened but it ain't happening. Aiming for Tuesday to resume normal schedule now...

Poquoson schedule notes - 27 Jan 13

No Poquoson fencing tonight! Sorry for the short notice but I'm sick and am going to selfishly keep my germs and/or viruses to myself.

And no Poquoson next week - big football game and all that, have learned over the years!

So see you on the 10th!! Unless, of course, you decide to come out to one of the many IWFC sessions between now and then, hint hint.

Tournament! Richmond! This weekend! - 24 Jan 13

This weekend is the River City Rumble in Richmond. The event schedule is:

Saturday at 12:30pm: E & Under Senior Mixed Foil
Saturday at 2:30pm: C & Under Senior Mixed Saber
Saturday at 3:00pm: Y12 Mixed Epee

Sunday at 9:30am: C & Under Senior Mixed Foil
Sunday at 12:00pm: C & Under Senior Mixed Epee
Sunday at 2:00pm: Y12 Mixed Foil

Pre-registering is only $20; it's $30 if you just show up. As usual, pre-registration closes at midnight Friday (tomorrow) and check-in opens one hour before the start of the event.


The next Division tournament will be the JMU Open and Div III February 9-10 in Harrisonburg, VA. (Div III means C and under, remember.)

Poquoson fencers - check your bags! - 20 Jan 13

Hey Poquoson peeps, someone picked up an extra mask tonight. Check your bag and if you have it, let me know so I can tell the owner his mask has been located.

Of Time and Turtles - 14 Jan 13

If you're missing a watch, you might have left it at IWFC recently. Drop me a note and we'll see if it's yours!

It's time to be thinking about February classes! The next Poquoson classes start February 10 and will run through April 7 (intermediate class) or April 21 (beginner class) - there will be no class on March 31 (Easter Sunday). Although Poquoson Parks and Rec hasn't sent out the new catalog yet, I've been told they're ready to take registrations now so head on over to their website or call them at 868-3580 to sign up. Remember, after completing the beginner class, you should attend club practices for at least a month before you consider taking the intermediate class. This gives you time to get comfortable with all those new skills you learned in the first class so you can focus on the new stuff in the second class without trying to remember basics like 'hand goes first!'

The next beginner class at IWFC will start on February 6 and meet on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings from 6:00 to 7:00 through February 27. Email or call 238-3111 to register. Details, including fees and equipment information, can be seen here.

Have a youngster between the ages of 8 and 12 that wants to give fencing a try? The Peninsula Metropolitan YMCA is offering fencing on Tuesday evenings from 5:15 to 6:00. Sessions are eight weeks long with the next one starting February 5 and ending on March 26. Contact Josh Williams to register.

I know the last Poquoson class was crazy with the holidays and storms and everything else and some of you missed more than a few classes as a result. Whether you missed classes or not, if you want some catch-up work or would like some help with anything, come to club practices on Sunday evenings from 6:00 to 8:00. That's what it's for! We get you comfortable with whatever you'd like to work on.

And now for the turtles. Well, turtle. If you've been around me for any length of time, you know we have an invisible turtle that roams around IWFC, tripping up the unwary from time to time. And it's been known to hitch a ride with me over to Poquoson, too. (Showed up last night, in fact!) This invisible turtle has become our de fact club mascot and I've been saying for ages that it needs a name so let's do it to it with a little naming competition! I'll take suggestions through the end of January either in person (write them down, don't just tell me or I won't remember) or via email. And make sure you include your name so I know whom to credit. After January 31, I'll make a list of my favorite turtle names and put them up to the membership for a vote. Whoever submits the winning name gets one month of dues free! (Note: the submitter's names will not be included in the voting list, you'll just see the proposed turtle names. Other voting rules will be announced when the names are posted.) I've heard some great suggestions so far so make sure you write them down and turn them in!

2013 Hangover Classic Results - 6 Jan 13

The results for the 2013 Hangover Classic have been posted! In foil, Rhiannon fenced on both days with solid results, especially on Sunday when she made it far enough into the DEs to update her E rating to 2013! Scott also fenced in the mixed foil and finished 10th, narrowly missing updating his C. Dean, Ed, and Scott showed the club colors to fine effect, including Scott taking 6th. Well done, all!

Quick note for this weekend's competitors - 6 Jan 13

I'm afraid I can't be in Richmond today after all. Fence well and have fun!