Cityview features DMFC

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

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

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

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

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

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.