Bulletin for the Week of Sept. 14, 2009

1. Free tune-up sessions for returning fencers continue this week. All returning and experienced fencers are welcome to join in, even if you missed last week. 7-9 p.m. each night, Monday at Mary Hogan School, Tues and Thurs at Charlotte Central School, Wed at Bridge School. Full schedule, including beginner classes and Junior Team practices, starts next week.

Used equipment for sale:
Size 34 child's jacket, right hand front zip, cotton-looks about the right size for a 9-10 year old
Size 32 boys fencing knickers, nylon stretch from Blue Gauntlet-looks about the right size for a 12-14 year old. Previous owner's name is on leg, but you can cover with a white piece of cloth with your own name.
$10 each donation to VFA for the jacket and $5 for the knickers. Let me know if you are interested.
Small right handed glove, outgrown before it saw much use - ask Adrian Kelly in Charlotte or call him at 985-3235

2. Introducing the 2009-10 VFA Junior Team: these 12 fencers have chosen to really immerse themselves in fencing this season. In return for serving as my apprentices, training hard, competing often and helping the entire club get better, they receive free tuition and extra coaching from me. The program is open by invitation to experienced fencers (minimum 2 years instruction completed) ages 12-18 who pledge to practice 3 times a week while keeping up with their academic work. In many ways, this season is really a new chapter for the Jr Team program. We have the largest number of new team members compared to returning members that I can remember, and also the youngest average age. This will be the first Jr Team in the history of the program that is 50% female.

Returning team members:
David Parker
Ethan Yu
Meg Nixon
Chris Hogan

New team members:
Abby Yu (who isn't quite 12, but I'm pretending not to notice....after all, she has already passed the ref exam!)
Maddy Pomicter
Charlotte Treadwell
Ben Brisson
Zac Young
Caroline Jones
Olivia Hern
Ashton Alvarez

Please make a point of asking these fencers to fence with you often. It's good for them to practice with as many people as possible, and part of their responsibility to work with new club members.

3. Have you registered for the Fall Foliage Epic on Sept. 26 at UVM? Our traditional season starter is always a great tournament. This year we have added special events for unrated (U) foil and epee fencers, so it's a great chance to try for your first rating right away. Remember that to save $10 on your entry fees (and really help the tournament organizers), you must sign up on AskFred at least 5 days in advance. This tournament is open to all fencers born 1996 or before. Here is the link:
www.askfred.net/Events/whoIsComing.php?tournament_id=9277

Event Schedule:
10 a.m. Open Foil, U Epee
12 p.m. Open Sabre
2:30 p.m. Open Epee, U Foil
Please do not register for two events which start at the same time.

Rookie competitors: this would be a great chance to jump in and get involved right from the beginning of the season. The U events especially should be fun for you. Loaner electric gear (and protective equipment if you don't yet have your own) is available from the club. However, you need to be signed up on the AskFRED list no later than Monday, Sept. 21 so that I can pack and send gear for you. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to miss this one due to a gig in Massachussets. But there will be plenty of familiar faces from the club there to show you the ropes of tournament fencing. If you joined the USFA after April 1 last spring, your membership is good through the entire season. If you haven't joined yet, you will need to do it at the tournament or on-line beforehand. Let me know if you have any trouble figuring out how to use FRED or how to join the USFA.

Speaking of my absence...I need a Charlotte fencer or two to transport equipment there (pick it up the Thursday before) and a Middlebury fencer or two to bring it back in time for Monday practice. Please let me know if you can help.

4. Several fall tournament dates are now confirmed, and will be posted on AskFred soon if not already done.
Sat. Oct 17, Essex Middle School. WSC Open and Youth Series #1. Open foil, epee and sabre, Y12 foil (first tournament of the season for kids born 1997 or later), and Y14 epee (open to kids born 1995 or later).
Sat. Nov 14, Mary Hogan School, Middlebury. Green Mt Division Junior Olympic Qualifiers. Open to all GMD teenagers, born 1990-1996. Top 25% of the field is chosen to represent the Green Mt Division at the national Junior Olympics in Memphis in February.
Sun. Dec 6, Sharon Academy. Upper Valley Open and Youth Series #2

5. Hey ladies, anyone up for a road trip the weekend of Oct. 3? Below is information on a tournament in the Boston area for women age 30+. I went last year and enjoyed it. Fencing fun for a good cause...what's not to like?. I hope to go again this year. It would be great to bring along some of the Northern Horde this time. Let me know if you are interested (or just sign up on FRED). Here's the invitation from the host club:

"We hope you will be able to participate and support the 3nd Annual FENCE AGAINST BREAST CANCER event - a women¹s competitive fencing tournament taking place on October 3, 2009 in Arlington, Massachusetts. October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month which is an impetus for this event as was our desire to create a unique forum for adult women to fence competitively, develop camaraderie with their peers, and to support the work of the American Cancer Society in its efforts to find a cure for breast cancer. Trophies will be awarded to the top 8 finishers. Certificates will be given to all competitors. In addition we are pleased to announce the following fencing equipment vendors are sponsoring the tournament:
Leon Paul USA
Blue Gauntlet Fencing Gear
Zivkovic Modern Fencing Equipment
They have agreed to donate prizes.

ELIGIBILITY: for women born in 1979 or before
ENTRY FEE: FREE! Donations to Strides Against Breast Cancer/ACS are appreciated. (note: you can donate in advance or just do what I did and put the money you would normally spend on entry fees - or more - in their donation jar that day).

The tournament is not sanctioned. The New England Division, USFA will not sanction Charitable Events.
USFA Membership is not required. All USFA competition and safety rules will be enforced.
For more information email Michael Tarascio at tarascio@nefencing.com or go to http://www.fencing1.com.
To sign up, go to www.askfred.net/Events/whoIsComing.php?tournament_id=8422"