Des Moines Fencing Club

New Location for DMFC!

2011-05-17T23:40:00.003-05:00

The below is from a email which President and Head Coach Steve Behrends sent to the Des Moines Fencing CLub's membership. It explains the location and restrictions on our new facility in the Jazzercise studio in Normandy Plaza.
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Greetings, DMFC members! I'm happy to announce that we have a new practice facility! We will be joining the Jazzercise group in their facility starting on Monday night (5/23). All classes will move to this facility but keep the same times.

The facility is located in Normandy Plaza in West Des Moines, on the corner of E.P. True and Grand. The address is:

1978 Grand Ave, #47
West Des Moines, IA 50265

... The room is just to the left of the Goodwill store.

A few things to make note of:

1) We cannot be in the building before 6:50. If you arrive before then, please wait outside until the class in progress is finished
2) There is no water fountain in the room. Please feel free to bring your own sports bottles.
3) There is plenty of parking in front of the building as well as behind. The door in the rear has a sign for Jazzercise on it.

That's it for now. There will be more as we get into the space and settled in.

Getting the Most Out of Your Open Bouting

2011-05-17T08:50:00.001-05:00

Many fencers show up for open bouting nights, spend some time socializing, perhaps warm up lightly, then hook up to the strip and begin fencing whomever shows up. There is no real plan or method to their open bouting nights. They simply fence for fun and recreation. Although this type of bouting is fun and laid back (and has its place as we will see later), it does relatively little for a fencer's development and training when compared with a planned, and guided night of bouting practice. By planning and giving direction to their bouting nights a fencer can make sure they get the most personal development from the one to three hours they spend during a night of open bouting. Planned, specific, and disciplined practice during open bouting should improve fencing, and tournament results when compared the listless repeated fencing of recreational bouts.

Open bouting nights offer significantly less structure and guidance than a class or personal lesson with a coach. However, as they are the closest representation to competitive fencing one can get during regular practice, they are indispensable tools for improving one’s fencing. There are four types of bouts which a fencer should consider and specifically plan for during a night of open bouting. These are the Technical Bout, the Situational Bout, the Sharp Bout, and the Lax Bout. Each is important and the fencer should alter the ratio of these four types of bout as they move through the training cycle and approach high points in their competitive season. The fencer should try to figure out how many bouts they expect to fence during a night of practice and plan accordingly. The fencer should never get on the strip without knowing specifically what type of bout they are about to fence. This article will assume that a fencer fences 5-8 bouts in a night of practice, and has one “Important” competition at the end of each month. Obviously this will change and vary but it will give an idea of how to plan practices throughout the month and season.

The Technical Bout: During practice this should be the most common type of bout a fencer fences. In the technical bout the fencer is attempting to perform to perfection a very specific technique, or tactical option. This might be something like “Direct simple attack to high inside” or “Circle six beat, deceive one-two, hit high inside” or “Parry, riposte with advance-lunge”. It might also be described in more abstract tactical terms, e.g. “Hit in counter time”, “Avoid being hit by riposte to high outside”, etc. In a technical bout the score is completely irrelevant. The fencer must judge subjectively whether the bout was successful for them or not based on the action they are attempting to perform. During the technical bout the fencer should be attempting to set up the action so that it can succeed, search for correct timing and distance in a dynamic bouting situation, and perform the specific action with perfect surgical precision. These should be the only focus of this type of bout.

Because the opponent will eventually “get wise” to the action the fencer is attempting to perform it is necessary to mix in the chosen action with other tactical and technical options. This being said, the fencer in this bout should always return and attempt to set up and perform the chosen action. For example, if your goal is to perform “lateral four parry, direct simple riposte, high inside” you may score touches as a result of an attack, or a circle six parry, etc. However, if your goal is to “score four touches with the chosen action”, even if you win 5-0 but only pull of the chosen action correctly twice in those five touches, your bout was unsuccessful. Conversely, if you are attempting a complex, new, or difficult action your goal may be to pull of the chosen action only once. In this case even if you lose the bout 1-5 but pull of the action correctly that one time the bout was a success.

Technical bouts should be the focus of most practices. The fencer should always know exactly what action they are going to attempt, and know how many times they plan to pull it off during the bout when they step on the strip. These are variable based on the opponent, and the difficulty of the action. You may want to talk with the director of your bout to help keep you honest and hold you to your goals. This type of bout should be heaviest early in the month, especially with difficult actions. However, they should account for about half or more of your bouts in the evening regardless of the time during the season. Technical bouts for hard actions go at the beginning of the month and taper off as the competition approaches. Easier actions increase as the competition gets closer. Be aware of whether or not your opponent can handle the action you have chosen. If you are working on “second intention, feint-in-time, transfer seven, cede to prime hit” make sure your opponent can manage it.

The Situational Bout: This type of bout simulates external conditions to the fencer and teaches how to cope with the varying situations a fencer may encounter in a bout. This type of bout may take some agreement and discussion with the opponent beforehand. Playing out one fencer’s preferred situation and then the others may be a good way to compromise. These bouts help the fencer cope with and stay relaxed as the bout situation changes. Things you might simulate include, “One fencer starts three points ahead”, or “This fencer uses point-line and strong beats”, or “it is priority and the other fencer has right of way.” There are as many situations as there are bouts and every one of them is different. These bouts isolate specific sections of a competition and help the fencer practice for various contingencies.

Again these bouts take specific planning ahead of time. You opponent may not agree to play out your scenario. Again, the score of the bout may not be important. Perhaps the goal of the bout is to run out the clock, or maintain a lead of at least two points for the entire bout. These types of bouts can be used when the opponent is doing a technical bout. If you are especially bad at dealing with “feint-deceive” then doing a situational bout against someone practicing and simulating a fencer who loves to use this action will benefit both of you. Again work with your director to keep you honest and know what you are trying to achieve before you salute. These bouts are excellent at the beginning of the month right after a tournament where you fell prey to a bad situation, and at the end of the month where you know you will be fencing a specific hard opponent, or will be in a difficult situation. During these high points try for two to three situational bouts a night, and maybe one or two during a lull.

The Sharp Bout: Sharp bouts are where the rubber hits the road. These bouts are perfect simulations of pool or D.E. bouts and can be fenced against anyone. The object of a sharp bout is to win by the highest margin possible, in the least amount of time required to pull it off successfully. This does not mean rush the bout. However, you are attempting to win the bout 5-0 if possible. You must pay attention to your indicators and overall performance. If you find an action which is working keep doing it. If your opponent is powerless to stop you, keep going. If they are superior to you do everything to can to keep your score as high as possible and theirs as low as possible, even if you lose the bout. Practice sharp bouts against as wide a variety of opponents as possible. Fence sharp bouts with both superior and inferior opponents.

Sharp bouts should not be the main focus of your training. Fence at most one or two most nights. Two weeks before a tournament you should increase their ratio and fence several more if possible, but give yourself time to recover the week before the tournament.

The Lax Bout: If a fencer does not plan, or think about their training most of the bouts they fence at open practice are Lax bouts. A Lax bout is a laid back, slow paced bout which is fenced for fun and recreation. This type of bout makes a good warm up, or cool down and can be a well earned reward after a hard night of technical, sharp, and situational bouts. Lax bouts are about fun and keeping you fresh and excited about fencing. If all of fencing were a hard grind in practice fencers would quickly burn out. The score of these bouts is not important, though you should try and win if you can. You are not trying to do anything specific here, though you should focus on simple clean actions which let you practice your basics. Save the hard material for technical bouts.

Give yourself one or two lax bouts per night at most. The week before a tournament fence some technical bouts working on a basic action, some situational bouts if your know what to expect at the competition, and a few lax bouts. Lax bouts are to remind you why you enjoy and do the sport. They let your mind and body relax and so make good cool down bouts.

The key with Lax bouts is to name them as such and not let them take over your training. Know in advance how many you are going to fence and the rest should be a mix of technical, situational and sharp bouts.

Other Tips: In addition to planning your open bouting and using and naming the goals, types, and success conditions for each bout you fence you can also get the most out of your time by arriving early and warming up properly ahead of time. Socialize before practice starts and focus on your training during. Remember you are there to improve to the level you want to achieve. Use your time well and plan in advance. Know what you are going to do every time you get on the strip.

Alex Harms, Moniteur d’Armes
Fencing Coach
Des Moines Fencing Club

Crossroads Youth Classic, October 9-10

2010-09-14T23:56:00.002-05:00

This year, the Crossroads Youth Classic is scheduled for October 9 and 10, a few weeks earlier than past years. We're hosting it simultaneously with our Fall Fencing Fest, so there's fun for everyone!

Crossroads on AskFRED: http://askfred.net/Events/moreInfo.php?tournament_id=12312

Fall Fencing Fest on AskFRED: http://askfred.net/Events/moreInfo.php?tournament_id=12327

We're looking for rated referees for this weekend, so please pass the word along to your teammates. We can either pay regular honoraria plus reasonable hotel and mileage expenses. We can also waive Fall Fencing Fest registration fees for referees who wish to fence in that event and are willing to referee Crossroads events. If you're interested, or know someone who is, please let us know!

In past years, the Crossroads has been a Regional Youth Circuit tournament. We don't have the official word yet this year, but hope to have news on that front soon.

We look forward to seeing you!

- RJL

Summer Tactics Class, 2nd Session: Videos

2010-07-25T23:40:00.008-05:00

(Updated August 5, 2010)

For those of you in my second-session summer Tactics class, here are links to the videos you'll be asked to watch. For Week 1 (due Monday, August 9), watch any three bouts. (Note that some bouts may have more than one part -- if you pick the Varga vs. Vezzalli bout, be sure to watch all three parts!) For each bout, write down three things that strike you as interesting about the fencing.

You don't have to pick three bouts from one category, but if you've decided to specialize in a particular weapon, you might want to focus on your specialty.

Happy viewing! - RJL

Women's foil:

2009/07/14 World Cup, Plovdiv

Semifinal: Gabriella VARGA HUN vs Valentina VEZZALI ITA

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfVtwjqbIEE&feature=channel

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxAaB5RIVnA

Junior Fencing World Championships 2010 Baku Azerbaijan

Semifinal: Alice VOLPI (ITA) vs Anita BLAZE (FRA)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpBdnb-r3uI&feature=channel

Cadets Fencing World Championships 2010

Semifinal: Lee KIEFER (USA) vs Dora LUPKOVICS (HUN)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYzwFPw6Mb4

Men's Foil

Zhu vs Baldini- Foil - Antalya 09 – Finals

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbZ3yN8-pQ8

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dSsh89UcLU

Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FB3wYVZUa4Y

Junior Fencing World Championships 2010 Baku, Azerbaijan

Semi-Final: David WILLETTE (USA) vs Alaa El Din EL SAYED (EGY)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9YF3JJaqF8&feature=channel

Cadet Fencing World Championships 2010 Baku, Azerbaidjan
Mens Foil - Semi-Final 1
Alexander MASSIALAS (USA) vs Kirill LICHAGIN (RUS)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMdRMwIO6_M

Women's Epee

Junior Fencing World Championships 2010 Baku, Azerbaidjan

Gold Medal Match: Johanna BERGDAHL (SWE) vs Lauren REMBI (FRA)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFBM__4uc58

April 02, 2010 — Cadets Womens Epee Semi-Final 2: TATARAN Amalia (ROU) vs SANTUCCIO Alberta (ITA)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FK37GEoVnSQ&sns=em

2010 European Championships: Women's Epee Final PIEKARSKA (POL) vs. DUPLITZER (GER)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88corN79lCg

Men's Epee

2009 World Cup, Antalya

Finals: Avdeev VS Tagliariol

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfqLtc5_C6g

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTU1pk4-9tE&feature=related

Junior Fencing World Championships 2010 Baku, Azerbaijan

Semi-Final: SUN Qi (CHN) vs Nikita GLAZKOV (RUS)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZDeyh7oIv8

2010 US Fencing National Championships Div I Men's Epee Finals Mattern vs. Kelsey

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov7jKzLuFr8

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emvlKOHFnuo&feature=related

Women's Sabre:

Beijing 2008 - WSI - L4 - Jacobson USA v Velikaya RUS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSl7VREGBzc&feature=related

20090716 ws Plovdiv final KHARLAN Olga UKR vs DIATCHENKO Ekateri RUS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzTIgZRYXXk

June 2010: New York World Cup, GOLD Medal Bout - Benko HUN v Zagunis USA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9kxjxGY7eE

Men's Sabre

Beijing 2008 - MSI - GOLD - Zhong CHN v Lopez FRA

1 of 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIgQhBdc0eA&feature=related

2 of 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsOXjGWV_-Y&feature=related

Istanbul 2010 - L8 - Morehouse USA v Zalomir ROU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYuVhoTkpHw&feature=related

Junior Fencing World Championships 2010 Baku, Azerbaidjan
Semi-Final: Aron Szilagyi (HUN) vs Sebastian SCHRÖDTER (GER)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eU5tYRjayBk&feature=channel

Rocking Atlanta

2010-07-11T19:39:00.004-05:00

I would have posted more updates from Nationals, but the Omni Hotel charges $9.95 per day for internet access. I'm elsewhere using someone else's free access to make this post.

DMFC's experience at Nationals includes a third day of improvement. Today, Nile finished in the middle of the pack in Division 2 Men's Sabre, a good showing for his second tournament at this level. Kaley fenced in Division 2 Women's Epee, just twenty four hours after her triumph in the Division 3 event. She picked up where she left off, but ran out of gas and finished somewhere around 35th of 117.

Our two best-conditioned fencers, Kaley and Allison, were the two who had to fence on back-to-back days. Both had great first days, though. Everyone who has fenced has improved on their results from previous Nationals or NACs, and everyone has something to build on for the future.

Our two foilists, Abbey and Samantha, fence on Monday the 12th in the Division 3 Women's event. Both are first-time competitors at Nationals, though Samantha has a NAC under her belt. We're looking forward to seeing their debuts!

There is more to National Championships than just the fencing, of course. Several of us attended the USFA's Hall of Fame Reception, at which seven notables were inducted. We met Tim Morehouse, who spoke with our younger fencers for a while afterward. We scoped out the vendors, found some good bargains on some of the tables, and renewed acquaintances with fencing friends from across the country. When I get back, we'll have more to share with our teammates and friends about the wonderful experience. Suffice to say that this has been a great Nationals. Sure the results have been great, but the experience gained and the lessons learned have been even greater. We'll have a lot to digest when we get back, and a lot to apply when we return to practice.

- R. J. Lesch, proud to be a member of DMFC!

Chicoine Takes 6th at Nationals!

2010-07-10T22:23:00.006-05:00

Kaley Chicoine became the first Des Moines Fencing Club member to capture a medal at a U.S. National Fencing Championships! Kaley took 6th place (out of 130) in Division III Women's Epee on July 10 at Nationals in Atlanta. She won five of her six bouts in the pool round to earn the 24th seed in direct elimination, and then upset the ninth seed in the round of 32 en route to earning a place on the podium with the rest of the Final 8.

Chicoine, of St. Charles, IA, has been fencing for a little under two years, but took to epee rapidly and has moved up dramatically over the past six months, finishing the Heartland Circuit with a gold medal at the Kansas City Open in June. She is pictured here with Dulap, the DMFC Penguin. (Photo by Abbey Janecek.)

Other DMFC fencers have done well at these Nationals. Allison Crawford of Granger finished 23rd of 85 in Division III Women's Sabre on July 9, her highest national finish to date. Nile Engelhardt finished in the upper third in Division III Men's Sabre, and takes the strip for the Division II event tomorrow.

Allison Crawford, Heartland Circuit Women's Sabre Champ!

2010-06-17T22:23:00.003-05:00

Allison Crawford, DMFC member, captured the 2009-2010 Heartland Circuit women's sabre crown this season in impressive fashion. Allison took first in three of the six circuit tournaments, including the Kansas City Open on June 12.

Crawford, of Granger, Iowa , is the fourth DMFC member to win a Heartland Circuit championship, and the first circuit winner in women’s sabre.

In women’s epee, Sarah Timmons of the Iowa State University Fencing Club (formerly of Johnston High School ) captured first place in the season standings, with Des Moines Fencing Club members Kaley Chicoine and Sydney Royal finishing third and fourth, respectively.

Preston Kirkpatrick of Des Moines, the 2008-09 circuit champion in mixed saber, took third place this season.

Allison (at right in the photo) has been competing for four years, making sabre her primary weapon three years ago. She is gearing up for her second U.S. Summer Nationals next month. She will be traveling to Atlanta along with Kaley Chicoine (left) and Abbey Janecek (center).

Summer Nationals in Atlanta, July 4-13

2010-05-28T19:57:00.002-05:00

It's official! Six members of the Des Moines Fencing Club will be fencing in the U.S. Summer National Fencing Championships in Atlanta, Georgia, this summer:

Kaley Chicoine, Division II women's epee (July 11), Division III women's epee (July 12)

Allison Crawford, Division II women's sabre (July 10), Division III women's sabre (July 9)

Samantha Crawford, Division III women's foil (July 12)

Nile Engelhart, Division II men's sabre (July 11), Division III men's sabre (July 9)

Abbey Janecek, Division II women's foil (July 9), Division III women's foil (July 12)

Sydney Royal, Division III women's epee (July 10)

All qualified at divisional championships in April. Our two sabreurs are fencing in their second Nationals; the rest are going for the first time, though three have fenced in NACs before.

Congratulations to DMFC's Super Six! Watch this space for updates.

Summer Tactics Class: Videos

2010-05-02T22:21:00.009-05:00

(UPDATED May 7) For those of you in my summer Tactics classes, here are links to the videos you'll be asked to watch. For Week 1 (due Monday, May 10), watch your three videos (female epeeists watch the women's epee bouts, etc.) and for each bout, write down three things that strike you as interesting about the fencing.

Happy viewing! - RJL

Women's foil:

2009/07/14 World Cup, Plovdiv

Semifinal: Gabriella VARGA HUN vs Valentina VEZZALI ITA

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfVtwjqbIEE&feature=channel

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxAaB5RIVnA

Junior Fencing World Championships 2010 Baku Azerbaijan

Semifinal: Alice VOLPI (ITA) vs Anita BLAZE (FRA)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpBdnb-r3uI&feature=channel

Cadets Fencing World Championships 2010

Semifinal: Lee KIEFER (USA) vs Dora LUPKOVICS (HUN)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYzwFPw6Mb4

Men's Foil

Zhu vs Baldini- Foil - Antalya 09 – Finals

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbZ3yN8-pQ8

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dSsh89UcLU

Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FB3wYVZUa4Y

Cadets Fencing World Championships 2010 Baku, Azerbaidjan

Gold Medal Match: Edoardo LUPERI (ITA) vs Alexandre MASSIALAS (USA)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lo3jaM5q7yY

Junior Fencing World Championships 2010 Baku, Azerbaijan
Semi-Final: David WILLETTE (USA) vs Alaa El Din EL SAYED (EGY)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9YF3JJaqF8&feature=channel

Women's Epee

Junior Fencing World Championships 2010 Baku, Azerbaidjan

Gold Medal Match: Johanna BERGDAHL (SWE) vs Lauren REMBI (FRA)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFBM__4uc58

April 02, 2010 — Cadets Womens Epee Semi-Final 2: TATARAN Amalia (ROU) vs SANTUCCIO Alberta (ITA)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FK37GEoVnSQ&sns=em

NAC F, 2010: Kelly Hurley vs. Courtney Hurley
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tj3sEGTqi9c&feature=youtube_gdata

Men's Epee

2009 World Cup, Antalya

Finals: Avdeev VS Tagliariol

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfqLtc5_C6g

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTU1pk4-9tE&feature=related

Beijing 2008: Seth Kelsey USA vs Fabrice Jeannet FRA

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BJ-Uk7ADHU

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzHwiE0EfWI&feature=related

Junior Fencing World Championships 2010 Baku, Azerbaijan
Semi-Final: SUN Qi (CHN) vs Nikita GLAZKOV (RUS)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZDeyh7oIv8

Women's Sabre:

Beijing 2008 - WSI - L4 - Zagunis USA v Ward USA

1 of 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSA5H976dj8&feature=related

2 of 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tV6Oj61pznU&feature=related

Beijing 2008 - WSI - L4 - Jacobson USA v Velikaya RUS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSl7VREGBzc&feature=related

20090716 ws Plovdiv final KHARLAN Olga UKR vs DIATCHENKO Ekateri RUS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzTIgZRYXXk

Men's Sabre

Beijing 2008 - MSI - GOLD - Zhong CHN v Lopez FRA

1 of 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIgQhBdc0eA&feature=related

2 of 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsOXjGWV_-Y&feature=related

Istanbul 2010 - L8 - Morehouse USA v Zalomir ROU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYuVhoTkpHw&feature=related

Junior Fencing World Championships 2010 Baku, Azerbaidjan
Semi-Final: Aron Szilagyi (HUN) vs Sebastian SCHRÖDTER (GER)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eU5tYRjayBk&feature=channel

Tactics, Footwork and Execution

2009-11-04T07:53:00.007-06:00

FENCING ACTIONS - TERMINOLOGY, THEIR CLASSIFICATION AND APPLICATION IN COMPETITION

Those of you in the Monday night class from 8:00-9:00 with R.J. and I have been introduced to some new tactical concepts in the past couple of months. Some of these concepts have been things like the “Vocabulary of Footwork” mixing up speed, direction, and length with each step making it difficult to follow or predict what action you will perform next. Other items have included hand tempo, foot tempo, and taking over the attack as times to execute an attack to capitalize when your opponent is weakest and less able to defend themselves.

Thinking about tactics off of the strip, and practicing common tactical heuristics is a great way to augment your ability to think tactically on the strip and to help you set up scenarios which you can purposefully capitalize on to score points and eventually win the bout. Once your fencing has reached the point where you can reliably execute the physical motions of fencing, it is time to start thinking about tactics.

Zbigniew Czajkowski’s book, Understanding Fencing, is a great resource for tactical thought and methodically discusses tactics and how fencers purposefully prepare for tactical strikes. It also talks about Foreseen, Partially Foreseen, and Unforeseen responses from your opponent. By sticking to Foreseen, and Partially Foreseen actions you can predict how your opponent will respond to your actions (after a suitable period of recon) and set traps for them to play into. Here is a section from Czajkowski’s work.

Also, much of the material has come from information and systems created by David Littell on his website: Fencing-Always More to Learn. I recommend that you read through his website and take the time to consider it, and/or discuss it with your coach. I recommend all of the articles he has posted but the articles “Hungarian System”, “Foil Tactics”, and “Footwork Phrases” are of special interest. Also go to his video site and look at video numbers 6 and 7 for a look at some of the techniques we have been working on. The videos are great because you can see them over and over. You can also jump here to the Hungarian system in action.

Developing your tactical game will much improve your fencing and will help you land points when it’s easy and also make it more difficult for your opponent. Best of luck.

Stay well,

A. Harms

Heartland Circuit Champ

2009-11-03T14:03:00.003-06:00

With all the hoopla involved in the NAC A and the Crossroads Youth Classic, we forgot to acknowledge Preston Kirkpatrick, who took first place on the Heartland Circuit in mixed sabre for the 2008-09 season. Preston is pictured here with his father, Mike, upon receiving the traveling trophy at the HFA Open in Overland Park, on October 3. He'll get to retain the trophy throughout the 2009-10 season. Preston plans to eat his breakfast cereal from the bowl.

Preston is the third DMFC fencer to take top honors on the Heartland Circuit, joining David Bell (2006-07 mixed foil) and Bethany Dorin (2007-08 women's foil).

The HFA Open is the first of six tournaments in the Heartland Circuit, and Preston started his quest to repeat as circuit champ with a second place finish, behind Weston Halberstadt of KCFC. The two now lead in the points standings. The second tournament in the Circuit, the Sioux City Challenge, is on for November 15-16. It is followed by the Turkey Meet Open in Waukesha, WI, on November 22.

Youth fencing

2009-10-25T14:47:00.005-05:00

The 2009 Crossroads Youth Classic yesterday featured 65 fencers, representing eleven clubs from five states. Two observations:

Once again, DMFC's volunteers stepped up and did an excellent job. They were hampered by a couple of poor scheduling decisions (in particular, I should not have put Y12 foil and Y14 foil so close together) but pulled things off as best they could.

It was my honor to referee the Y14 foil final between William Wharton of Twin Cities Fencing Club and Ryan Zimmerman of Kanza Fencing Club. Both young men put on a clinic; the score was tight, the fencing smart and clean. My one regret was that I didn't think to record a video to share here.

Photos appear in DMFC's photo site. Enjoy!

- RJL

Fall Fencing for All

2009-10-20T16:25:00.002-05:00

The NAC has come and gone, but Iowa fencers have plenty of opportunities to cross blades over the next couple of months. Register now via AskFRED for upcoming local and regional tournaments.

Saturday, October 24: Crossroads Youth Classic, Clive IA. This is DMFC's annual youth tournament. About 70 fencers from all over the Midwest are signed up as I write this.
Sunday, October 25: Sadly, the Maverick Open in Omaha was cancelled, but fencers can go to St. Paul, Minnesota, for Oktoberfence 2009.

Saturday, October 31: ISU Cantaloupe Open, Ames IA. Guess what you win for first place? Always a fun time.

November 6-9: NAC B (Junior, Cadet, Y14). Kansas City. Two DMFC fencers are taking part: Preston Kirkpatrick in Junior Men's Sabre and Reid Wade in Y14 Men's Sabre.

November 14-15: Sioux City Challenge, Sioux City IA. A Heartland Circuit event.
November 15: Athos Youth Tournament 2009, Minneapolis MN. Includes Y10, Y12 and Y14 events in all three weapons.

November 22: Turkey Meet, Waukesha WI. A Heartland Circuit event.

December 5-6: KCFC Holiday Tournament, Overland Park, Kansas. Youth and open events, all three weapons. Something for everybody in this -- always a good experience.

"Now the Seats are All Empty ..."

2009-10-13T20:36:00.004-05:00

Now the seats are all empty
Let the roadies take the stage
Pack it up and tear it down
They're the first to come and last to leave
Working for that minimum wage
They'll set it up in another town...
- Jackson Browne, "The Load Out"

Day Four of the NAC A has followed the first three days into the history books. Congratulations to Sarah Timmons (pictured) of Iowa State University Fencing Club, who took seventh in Division III Women's Epee. The Iowa Division had two fencers on the podium this NAC. Gotta love it.

Will Des Moines host another NAC, ever? Word on the street is positive. We asked a lot of people point-blank what they thought of Des Moines as a venue. Everything said nice things to us. They might have been trying to spare our feelings, though. Whenever I was wandering through the crowd, though, on those occasions when I heard anyone say anything about the venue or the city, it was positive. (Steve overheard one person say, over the phone, "Well, I never thought I'd say this, but I'm in Iowa." As a transplant to this fine state, I've sometimes said similar things.)

Some of the online discussion (see fencing.net, for example) notes the decline in the number of fencers participating from last year to this year. Various culprits are named, but few seems to think it has anything to do with Des Moines; more people cite the economy, or the changes in the cadet event formats. Many people noted the difficulty of flying to and from Des Moines, since it's hard to get a direct flight unless you live in a hub city like Chicago or Denver. Common problem. Those of us who live here and have to do business travel feel your pain.

The event was blessed with a phenomenal corps of volunteers, headed by Local Organizing Committee chair Kevin Fitzpatrick. We delighted many of the USFA regulars by helping them get out of the venue by dinnertime on Thursday night, despite many of us having never set up metal strips before. We seemed to please on Monday afternoon as well, when it was time to load out; our fencers, parents and friends joined in and got everyone out in short order.

But the only time that seems too short

Is the time that we get to play ...

Some of us will see some of you next month in Kansas City. Peace.

- RJL

(Photo of Sarah Timmons by Kevin Powell.)

Purple on the Podium!

2009-10-11T22:03:00.006-05:00

Yep, that's a fencer in a DMFC jacket, accepting a medal at a NAC for the first time ever. Jim Musgrave took third place in the Division II Men's Epee competition at the North American Cup in Des Moines today! Jim did the home team proud. He becomes the first member of our club to medal at a NAC. Way to go, Jim!

Preston Kirkpatrick cracked the top 16 in Division III Men's Sabre as well, so today was a good day, results-wise, for DMFC.

The fourth and final day of competition, tomorrow, will feature Jim once again, this time in Division II Men's Foil. Five of his teammates will also participate in various events.

Some photos from the NAC are available on our photo site. Enjoy! We hope to post more in the next day or so.

- RJL

Day Two an artistic success

2009-10-11T11:22:00.000-05:00

We heard good things from our guests around the continent yesterday, as Day Two of the North American Cup A wrapped up. Our six fencers (three in their first NAC) handled themselves well. One fencer, a veteran of the youth circuit but fencing in a senior-level event for the first time, won her first bout! That was wonderful to see. Four of our more experienced fencers take the strip today for Day Three, and hoping one of them will crack the ceiling and win at least one direct elimination bout.

Words cannot express our gratitude to the dozens of volunteers who have chipped in to make this event run smoothly and brilliantly! DMFC is a wonderful club, and our friends and family members have done a wonderful job.

The Des Moines Register printed two photos in its Saturday edition, and featured additional photos in an online gallery (follow this link to view).

Children of the Corn?

2009-10-09T21:03:00.002-05:00

It was inevitable that one of the T-shirt designs for the North America Cup tournament in Des Moines would feature a sketch of a fencer in a cornfield. But then, what are the other choices? Des Moines is known for agriculture, insurance and state government. I suppose it could have featured a fencer slashing through stacks of insurance claim forms... Actually, it's a very nice design, and I'll certainly be wearing one soon.

Day One of the NAC today featured three men's events (Div II sabre, Div III foil and Cadet men's epee) and one women's event (Div II epee). DMFC's army of volunteers helped the USFA keep everything running smoothly, and we heard favorable comments about Hy-Vee Hall and downtown Des Moines in general. Two of our fencers participated in their first NAC today, and though both exited after their first direct elimination bout, they both handled themselves well.

Tomorrow, six DMFC fencers take the strip, in all three weapons. One will fence not only her first NAC, but her first senior-level tournament (though she's a three-year veteran of the youth circuit). Kicking it all off will be the mother of two DMFC fencers, who will perform the National Anthem.

More soon! -- RJL

Fence for Life program

2009-10-09T20:30:00.004-05:00

Yesterday, I wrote here how Steve and I helped the USFA hold its first Fence for Life program, demonstrating fencing for 250 young people from the Boys and Girls Club. Read the full story as it appears on the USFA website, and see photos from the event.

On the eve of the NAC

2009-10-08T20:22:00.003-05:00

For the first time ever, a North America Cup tournament is taking place in Des Moines. About twenty DMFC members spent the afternoon helping set up the venue for what promises to be a lively little shindig. Eleven of our members will be among the 900-plus athletes converging on Hy-Vee Hall, downtown, for four days of fencing.

Two years ago, when Scott of the Convention and Visitors Bureau first approached Steve with the idea of hosting a NAC, it was at once a thrilling and frightening prospect. We liked the idea of not having to drive twelve hours to get to a NAC, but we wondered whether we were capable of sustaining the effort of hosting such an event. Right now, it's hard to believe that the big day is almost upon us!

Steve and I also had the opportunity to demonstrate fencing today to a group of over 150 children at the Boys and Girls Club in Des Moines. I wish I'd had the sense to get a picture, but I didn't. It was a fun experience. Steve and I bouted foil, epee and sabre in succession; oddly, though we didn't keep score, I think I outpointed him in epee while he trounced me in sabre. The kids seemed to get into it, and were full of questions after the demonstration. It was a delight!

Tomorrow, four DMFC fencers will take the strip: two in Division II women's epee, and two in Division II men's sabre. Also in the works are Cadet men's epee and Division III men's foil. Stay tuned! -- RJL

World Championships in Antalya, Turkey

2009-10-04T20:14:00.003-05:00

The World Championships are in full swing in Antalya, Turkey. Fifteen years ago, when I resumed fencing, World Championships were something that happened far, far away, that we might read about months after the fact in American Fencing, and then only to the extent that we'd hear how the Americans did. If we wanted to know anything about the fencers from other lands, or see how the bouts were fenced, we had to know someone who was there and hope they'd gotten some decent videotape.

Now, thanks to the internet, we can follow Worlds almost as soon as they happen! We know NOW that Mariel Zagunis is the world women's sabre champ! We know that Kurt Getz finished sixth in men's foil. We know that Italy's fantastic female foilist, Valentina Vezzali, was defeated in the round of eight by fellow Italian Elisa Di Francisca, and that the score was 15-10. The video isn't available online as I write this, but it probably will be soon.

For those wishing to keep track, check these out:

* Universal Sports is covering Worlds, with video and standings as soon as they are available.

* Tim Morehouse's Blog. Morehouse is one of four Americans in the tableau de 64 in men's sabre, set to start just hours from now as I write this. He is posting updates as often as he can given the limitations imposed on internet access in Turkey. The updates are personal and entertaining.

* Official sites: The official Antalya site has an English version, and the FIE site has live results in French.

Gotta love it. Go USA! -- RJL

Max's Maxims

2009-09-06T13:16:00.004-05:00

Maxine Mitchell (1917-1991) was one of the top U.S. foilists in the 1950s: four-time women's foil national champion and three-time Olympian. Mary Huddleston, interviewing Mitchell many years ago, collected these thoughts from the champ.

MAX'S MAXIMS
* If you are winning, don't change your tactics.
* If you are losing ask yourself "WHY am I getting hit?"
* Each motion should have a purpose. Your feint must get a reaction from your opponent.
* If you want your opponent to attack, you don' t have to back up.
* Fence different opponents in different ways.
* Don't use the same tactics for everyone.
* To get something from fencing, you have to give something to it in terms of hard work.
* You meet many nice people and make many friends, BUT, just remember that fencing isn't everything!

Updated Calendar and "Built to Fence"

2009-08-14T19:53:00.003-05:00

Hi, everyone. Two things:

* Today's art was provided by young fencing fan Zack Qureshi. Enjoy!

* Below, I updated the post "Gearing up for 2009-10 Season" with current links to tournament signup pages on AskFRED.net. You'll note that the Fall Fencing Fest, one of our annual DMFC tournaments, is not on the list; we decided that with a NAC and an RYC in town in October, we'd be better off gearing up for those. There are two earlier opportunities to fence: the Hawkeye Open in Iowa City on September 26, and the HFA Open in Kansas City on October 3-4. We'll see you at those events!

- RJL

UPDATED 8 September: Gearing Up for 2009-10 Season

2009-08-01T15:08:00.006-05:00

The dust has barely settled from Nationals, yet it's time to start preparing for the 2009-10 season. Register now via AskFRED for upcoming local and regional tournaments. Iowa Division fencers also have two North America Cup events nearby: October 9-12 in Des Moines, and November 6-9 in Kansas City.
Some dates to watch. (Links are provided to registration pages, where known):

Monday, September 14: DMFC fall session begins.
Saturday, September 26: Hawkeye Open, Iowa City IA
October 3-4: HFA Fall Open, Kansas City. A Heartland Circuit event, which will include Y10 and Y12 foil and sabre (woo hoo!).
October 9-12: NAC A (DVII, DVIII, Cadet). Des Moines, IA. Register by August 24.
October 17-18: Remenyik Open, Evanston IL. A Regional Open Circuit event.
Saturday, October 24: Crossroads Youth Classic, Clive IA.
Saturday, October 31: ISU Cantaloupe Open, Ames IA.
November 6-9: NAC B (Junior, Cadet, Y14). Kansas City. Register by September 7.
November 14-15: Sioux City Challenge, Sioux City IA. A Heartland Circuit event.
November 15: Athos Youth Tournament 2009, Minneapolis MN.
November 22: Turkey Meet, Waukesha WI. A Heartland Circuit event.

Cityview features DMFC

2009-07-22T21:05:00.002-05:00

We had a visit from Cityview reporter Matt Miller last week, and his article is online here (at least for this week):

http://www.dmcityview.com/locker.shtml

Keep an eye out for the print copy, which ought to be available in the Des Moines metro area tomorrow.

- RJL

Cautionary Tales and Optimistic Forecasts

2009-07-14T07:04:00.003-05:00

At last, I'm home and can post again. My hotel's internet connection was out for the past four days (even the lobby PC couldn't connect after a while), so I haven't been able to post updates. However, to summarize:

* Bethany Dorin's 28th place finish (out of 133) in Division II women's foil was the high-water mark for DMFC at Summer Nationals. (For full results, go to the USFA results pages.) Bethany fenced well and, in her quiet and patient way, got it done!

* Allison made the cut in her second event, fencing better in Division II women's sabre than she did in Division III, and earning 48th place. The difference was experience and energy. (Congratulations, by the way, to Rachel Arkebauer, one of our friends at the Lincoln [NE] Fencing Club, who took the gold medal in the Div II women's sabre event.)

* Sarah Timmons, an alumnus of DMFC now fencing for Iowa State, took 39th (out of 113th) in Division II women's epee in her first National event. Way to go, Sarah!

* I missed the cut for direct elimination this year (in Vet-40 men's sabre) by one touch. Had I scored one more touch, in any of my bouts -- had I lost one bout by 5-2 instead of 5-1, for instance -- I would have made the cut. (Even better would have been to get that one more touch in one of the two bouts I lost 5-4, of course.)
As a fencer, I'm disappointed, but as a coach I'm delighted to serve as a cautionary tale for my students: in pools, every touch matters!

* One of the high points for me was my conversation with Maestro Dan DeChaine, one of the world's top armorers, who entertained me for over three hours with stories and perspectives from his career in fencing. That conversation deserves a separate post, so (pending his approval), I'll share that here in the near future.

I'm exhausted, but delighted and optimistic about DMFC's future on the national scene. Respect is earned in fencing. Our fencers earned a measure of respect from competitors this year, and can build on that during the upcoming season. More importantly, I think all of us from DMFC -- fencers, coaches and parents alike -- developed a higher level of respect and appreciation for the sport of fencing in the United States: for the talent and dedication needed to compete at the national level, and for the richness of the fencing experience.

- RJL

Five Fencers in Three Events in One Day

2009-07-09T22:10:00.003-05:00

The internet connection in my hotel room is dead, so I'm using the lobby computer. So, my time is limited and I can't postany photos. However, I can say that we had a big day today. Allison and Nile made their national tournament debuts; Allison fenced Div III women's sabre, while Nile teamed with me and Preston in the Men's Sabre Team event. Also, Bethany fenced in Div II women's foil.

Our men's sabre team lost its only match today, but we made them earn every touch. After a bystander predicted that this New York team would beat us 45-0, Preston and Nile staked us to a 10-5 lead. The other team came back to defeat us 45-28, but they won't forget us any time soon! Hee hee hee. Bethany made the round of 32 (out of 130+ competitors). Allison didn't make the cut in her event, but gets another chance on Sunday.

Tomorrow (Friday the 10th), Preston takes the strip for Div III men's sabre. If he is switched on the way he was today during the team event, he'll be unstoppable.

It's so great to be able to share the Nationals experience with other DMFC members and families.

- RJL

Reid on the Big Stage / Fencing Hall of Fame

2009-07-07T09:32:00.010-05:00

July 6 was a big day for us at the Summer National Championships here in Grapevine, Texas. So much has happened. I'll make it brief; post a comment if you want more detail.

* Reid Wade represented Iowa and DMFC in Y12 men's sabre. It was his first time at this level, and he fenced well and held his own. He insisted on practicing on the metal strips the day before, so we suited up and did a lesson, and he could get used to the different footing. I was impressed by his initiative.
His best bout of the day was his direct elimination bout. His pool bouts were solid, but not great results-wise, and apparently the other fencer's coach thought his fencer would have no trouble. So the coach (a well-known sabre fencer in his own right) went to coach another fencer. Reid won the first bout in the best-two-out-of-three format, and someone from the other fencer's club lost no time in getting his coach to the strip! With both of us coaches standing next to each other yelling and cheering our guys on, the second bout went to the other fencer, 5-3, and the last bout (if memory serves) went to la belle before the other fencer won. I have it on videotape and will check. Anyway, Reid lived up to his "Cardiac Kid" nickname, never giving up, fencing one touch at a time, and handling himself like a pro.

* We stayed to watch Division I men's sabre final (Cheney defeated Homer) and the Y12 men's sabre final. Quite frankly, the Y12 final was more fun to watch. It featured Calvin Liang of San Diego division versus Jonah Sheinberg of West-Rock division. Both fencers were universally described as great kids by everyone I spoke to, both were gracious in victory and defeat, and both fenced with joy and passion. It was an honor and a delight to watch that final.

* After calming down, we attended the USFA Hall of Fame Reception in the evening. Five new members were inducted. The highlight for me was the photo display created by Andy Shaw, whose Museum of American Fencing is an amazing thing. Two-time Olympic medallist Sada Jacobson spoke to the audience about two of her coaches who were being inducted, and we gained new appreciation for the richness of fencing history in this country. There's a tendency to think that US fencing history begins with our recent successes at the World and Olympic level over the past decade, but of course the roots of that success are deep.

A big day! I was delighted to experience it with Reid and Steve, as I was delighted to experience the events of the 4th with the Fitzpatricks. So proud of Jack and Reid, I could burst.

No DMFC fencers are on the strip today. I'm going to rest up in anticipation of the next three days. More to come...

Foil, Fitz and Fireworks on the 4th

2009-07-04T17:53:00.002-05:00

Jack Fitzpatrick got us started off at Summer Nationals today, fencing in Y12 men's foil. For his first Nationals, Jack fenced well and held his own. As soon as I can get the good pictures and video sorted out from the bad ones, I'll try to post some here.

The venue here in Grapevine is huge. 62 strips are set up, and with almost 190 fencers in Y12 MF, plus the Y12 women's foil, Y14 men's sabre and junior team foil, plus many others, all 62 stips were BUSY! It's the biggest fencing tournament in the world, they say, and I believe it.

More to come ... RJL

Another Nationals qualifer -- but not in the US

2009-07-01T21:04:00.003-05:00

We learned this week that another DMFC member has qualified for Nationals -- in Venezuela! Anson Tonelli, a DMFC member who is with his family in Merida this year, qualified for the 12-14 age group event (called "Infantil B"). I think that makes Anson the second DMFC fencer to have success overseas (Jennifer Semon fenced in college while at Cambridge).

We're delighted over here. Congratulations, Anson! Can't wait to hear about it when you return.

More than just our seven at Nationals

2009-06-27T09:34:00.006-05:00

In addition to the seven Des Moines Fencing Club fencers participating in Nationals next week, at least two DMFC alumni will also be there. Yuly Suvorov (Division 1A men's epee) and Sarah Timmons (Division II and III women's epee) represent the Iowa State University Fencing Club, and we knew 'em back when!

A recent USFA email reports 6,325 registrations for fencers at this year's Nationals. I don't know how many people are fencing more than one event, but my guess is that between 3,500 and 4,000 individual fencers are participating. Our guy Jack is in the second-largest single event; Y12 (age 12 and under) men's foil has 190 fencers registered. Seven days from now, that event takes the strip. If I can manage an internet connection, I'll write it up here.

- RJL

One week before Nationals, DMFC fencers are on FIRE!

2009-06-26T07:54:00.005-05:00

We have one week of practice left, and our doughty competitors looked pretty sharp last night. I'm probably most excited about watching our 12-and-under fencers in their first national competition. Jack kicks us off on the 4th in Y12 men's foil and Reid goes two days later in Y12 men's sabre.

We had a discussion the other night about preparing for a major tournament like this. Fencing on a metal strip in a huge convention hall while sixty other bouts are going on around you can be intimidating first time out. It can also be an exhilarating and educational experience. Last year when Preston and I went, we kept saying how much we'd love to be able to share the experience with folks back at the club. This year we'll have five people experiencing a national tournament for the first time (one has been to a NAC, which helps).

I can't shut up about it. I'll try to post updates here if I can. We will also bring back pictures and video.

The Fencer's Library

2009-06-17T21:50:00.003-05:00

During lessons the other night, we got to talking about the fencing books everyone ought to read. Fencing doesn't produce the athlete biographies or sport histories you find on the bookshelves for other sports; most fencing books are about how to fence, or how to coach. Here are several, though, which deal with the history of the sport and the characters who inhabit it.

Any to add?

* By the Sword, Richard Cohen. A good introduction to fencing history, though limited in some respects. Excellent portraits of Helene Meyer, Jerzy Pawlowski and other notable fencers of the twentieth century.

* The Secret History of the Sword: Adventures in Ancient Martial Arts, J. Christopher Amberger. Excellent research into the history of the sport. Amberger debunks a number of myths about fencing history, and tells an intriguing tale about participating in a mensur.

* Harnessing Anger, Peter Westbrook and Tej Hazarika. Autobiography of the six-time Olympian and thirteen-time U.S. national champion.

Press release: Seven Des Moines Fencers to Nationals

2009-06-16T09:50:00.002-05:00

A club-record seven members of the Des Moines Fencing Club will compete in the U.S. National Championships Fencing Tournament, to be held in Dallas, Texas, July 3-12, 2009.

All fencers qualified through tournaments held earlier in the season. Leading the charge will be Heartland Circuit champions Preston Kirkpatrick and Bethany Dorin. Kirkpatrick, of Des Moines, will compete in Division II men's sabre on July 8 and and Division III men's sabre on July 10. Dorin, of Pleasant Hill, will compete in Division II women's foil on July 9.

Also representing DMFC:

Jack Fitzpatrick of Des Moines, 12-and-under men's foil, July 4;
Reid Wade of Des Moines, 12-and-under men's sabre, July 6;
Allison Crawford of Granger, Division III women's sabre, July 9, and Division II women's sabre, July 12;
R. J. Lesch of Adel, veteran's men's sabre, July 12;
Nile Engelhardt of Waukee, who will join Kirkpatrick and Lesch in the men's sabre team event, July 9.

Ten Thousand Fencers!

2008-07-18T21:57:00.002-05:00

http://www.tenthousandfencers.com/

The goal is to get 10,000 people to try fencing. With the attention fencing will likely receive in the USA this fall during the Olympics, this is achievable. We of the DMFC typically have about 20 new fencers every four months, so we'll be doing our share!

~ R. J. Lesch

DMFC's Excellent Adventure

2008-06-01T12:45:00.011-05:00

I was having some rosy thoughts about the club last night, and thought I’d share them.

In some respects, this has been the most successful year in DMFC’s history:

most fencers attending Summer Nationals (three)
most fencers qualifying for Summer Nationals (fifteen)
most fencers attending a NAC (eight)
most fencers attending Regional Youth Circuit events (ten)
best attendance yet at our Crossroads Youth Classic in October
three top-eight finishers on the Heartland Circuit points lists, including our second Champ ever
… and our own Maestro!

Yet it feels as if our club’s best days are still ahead.

The club's membership is stable, with potential to grow if we can find the coaches to support that growth.
Our most competitive fencers are gaining experience and improving with every tournament.
It's an Olympic year, and that will likely boost interest in fencing. We saw a huge bump after the 2004 Olympics, and coverage of fencing at the 2008 Olympics is likely to be better than in past years.

Looking forward to 2008-09!

~ R. J. Lesch

USFA Elections: Ballots are in the mail

2008-05-10T18:16:00.002-05:00

USFA members will soon receive ballots in the mail for the upcoming national officer elections. All USFA members of age 18 and over can vote in the elections.

This year we have two slates from which to choose: the slate nominated by the USFA's nominating committee, and a challenger slate running collectively under the label "US Fencers for Change".

I'm not endorsing either slate here. However, if DMFC members have questions about the candidates, I wanted to make sure we have information available to help them cast an informed vote.

USFA Nominating Committee slate: I'd hoped to put links to information about this slate, but the only item I could find was this article on Fencing.Net from last December announcing the nominees. Two of the nominees are good folks who have been of great service to the Des Moines Fencing Club in the past.

US Fencers for Change slate: This slate's website gives the candidate biographies and platform.

Ballots were supposed to have been mailed on May 7, so we ought to be getting them in the mail soon. Study the slates, ask questions, and cast your vote.

~ R. J. Lesch

Fencing Gear for Sale!

2008-03-27T12:14:00.004-05:00

There is some fencing gear currently available for sale. Please see Jennifer at club if you are interested in either of these items or email her at jlsemon@mchsi.com

Dry foil, size 5. Great for practice! Hardly used! Originally purchased from American Fencers' Supply. German grip. Can be purchased new for $38 plus shipping, asking $25.

Dry epee, size 5. Great for practice! Hardly used! Also purchased from American Fencers' Supply. German grip. Can be purchased new for $54 plus shipping. Asking $35.

I purchased these dry weapons just before starting to fence at a club that only practiced on electric strips and just have never switched back to them. Dry weapons are great for practice so you don't wear out the wires, tips or blades on your electric weapons.

If you have gear you would like to part with, please provide us with the information and we will make periodic posts to the blog.

DMFC Photos on 3/17

2008-03-14T17:03:00.001-05:00

Monday night (3/17) we're going to take some club photos between 7:45 and 8:15. Please wear your whites for the photos! Dawn will be doing the honors for us. The youth will do photos after classes and the adults before classes begin.

Hope to see everyone there!

Updated: DMFC fencers at the NAC in Rosemont

2008-03-10T08:04:00.004-05:00

After four days of fencing at the NAC E in Rosemont, Illinois, here are the results for DMFC's fine cadre of fencers:

Friday:
Division III men's sabre: R. J. Lesch, 43 of 88; Preston Kirkpatrick, 50 of 88.

Saturday:
Division II men's sabre: Preston Kirkpatrick, 44 of 115
Division II women's epee: Sydney Royal, 82 of 114; Jennifer Semon, 83 of 114.
Division III women's foil: Bethany Dorin, 66 of 110; Dawn Tigas, 89 of 110.

Sunday:
Division II men's epee: Jim Musgrave, 20 of 119
Veterans men's sabre: R. J. Lesch, 19 of 49

Monday:
Division II men's foil: David Bell, 27 of 118; Jim Musgrave, 42 of 118.

Full results are available on the USFA website (www.usfencing.org).

Overall, I felt that we all fenced at or near the best of our abilities and handled ourselves well. I'll have some more specific comments later, and I hope the other fencers will add theirs. I also thought this was a well-run NAC.

~ R. J.

No Youth Hour Thursday

2008-03-05T19:57:00.009-06:00

Just a reminder that there will be no fencing from 7-8pm on Thursday, March 6th. There will be open fencing from 8-10pm that day. This is because most of the coaching staff will be in Rosemont, Illinois for the NAC. Wish us luck and we'll see you next week!

Eight to Rosemont

2008-02-27T22:42:00.003-06:00

Eight fencers from the Des Moines Fencing Club will fence in the North America Cup tournament in Rosemont, Illinois, from March 7-10, 2008. This is double our previous best for a NAC.

Granted the location has a lot to do with so many of us going. It still shows how far we've come as a club.

The Iowa Division is sending fourteen fencers in all, which has to be a record for the division.

~ R. J.

ISU F.R.O.S.T.Y. Open Results

2008-02-03T18:53:00.000-06:00

The ISU F.R.O.S.T.Y. Open was held on Saturday (2/2) at ISU. Congratulations to the Des Moines and Johnston fencers who participated. Our clubs posted some excellent results:

Mixed Foil:

2nd Jim Musgrave
6th Larry Stevens
6th Mark Walter

Mixed Epee:

3rd Ethan Nutter
5th Kevin Sullivan
8th Kevin Powell
12th Eric Everett

Mixed Saber:

3rd Preston Kirkpatrick
3rd RJ Lesch
12th Nile Engelhardt
13th Allison Crawford
15th Dawn Tigas
18th Samantha Crawford

Well done, everyone!

Steve

Upcoming Tournaments!

2008-01-30T21:44:00.000-06:00

There are some great tournaments coming up for both youth and adults!

The following is just a partial list. Many more tournaments are shown on AskFred.net

Ironman Epee, February 10th (St. Paul, MN, epee only)
Iowa Divisionals, February 23rd (Des Moines, IA - Events TBD)
Aramis Youth Tournament, March 9th (St. Paul, MN)
Minnesota Open, March 15-16th (St. Paul, MN)
Hawkeye Novice, March 29th (Iowa City, IA)
Midwest Sectionals, April 12-13th (St. Paul, MN - Adult and Y12 Events)
Capitol City RYC, April 12-13th (Lincoln, NE)

If you are interested in any of these tournaments, please let the coaching staff know. We may be able to have a coach there to work with you. In particular, we are hoping to have coaches available at both Midwest Sectionals and the RYC in Lincoln.

~ Jennifer ~

DMFC Closed President's Day (2/18)

2008-01-30T21:34:00.000-06:00

The Des Moines Fencing Club will not be holding practice on President's Day (2/18) due to the building being closed.

Steve

Icicle Invitational Results!

2008-01-28T14:46:00.000-06:00

Congratulations to the Des Moines Fencing Club members who took part in the Icicle Invitational in Lincoln, Nebraska this weekend. We had some great results!

Special congratulations go to Ben Dorin, who earned his E2008, and Preston Kirkpatrick, who earned his D2008.

Great job, Des Moines fencers!

Mixed Epee
Jennifer Semon – 30th
Sydney Royal – 34th

Mixed Foil
Jim Musgrave – 9th
Bethany Dorin – 10th
Ben Dorin – 11th (earned his E2008)
Dawn Tigas – 32nd

Mixed Sabre
Preston Kirkpatrick – 3rd (earned his D2008)
RJ Lesch – 9th
Allison Crawford – 15th
Dawn Tigas – 17th

Women’s Epee
Jennifer Semon – 6th
Sydney Royal – 7th

Women’s Foil
Bethany Dorin – 2nd
Dawn Tigas – 14th

Women’s Sabre
Dawn Tigas – 3rd

New blog!

2008-01-28T13:39:00.000-06:00

We've decided to try something new! We now have a Des Moines Fencing Club Blog! The board members and coaches will be using this blog to post interesting links, tips, articles, tournament announcements, results, just about anything you can think of!

Help us get started! Tell us what you want to see!

If you have any questions, as always, you can email the club at dmfc@mchsi.com!