THRUST AND CUT
Number 2009-11 24 November 2009
In This Issue
New Beginners Class
One Touch Epee
Gift Certificates
I Hit You - No You Didn't
Competition Results
Classical Rank Promotion
Quick Links
Holiday Schedule
 
THANKSGIVING: The Salle is closed on Thanksgiving day.  However, we will be open and operating on our normal schedule on Wednesday before and Thursday after Thanksgiving.
 
SUNDAY 29 NOVEMBER:  In addition to our normally scheduled activities, we will host a one touch single elimination dry epee tournament at 1:00 pm.  See the details below.
 
SATURDAY 5 DECEMBER:  Salle closed for our second Moniteur coach development workshop.
 
CHRISTMAS:  The Salle is closed on Christmas Day.  We will operate normally between Christmas and New Years.
 
CHRISTMAS EVE AND NEW YEARS EVE:  Please coordinate in advance to confirm lessons that would normally be scheduled on these days.
 
NEW YEARS:  We will fence our traditional Fence Until You Drop tournament on New Years Day.  This is a fun event - placings are determined by the number of bouts you fence.
 
THE DAY AFTER NEW YEARS:  We will host a dry tournament for female fencers of all ages.
 
... and then we will be back on our normal schedule. 
Next Beginners Class
Our next eight week Beginners starts on Monday, 7 December, at 7:00 pm.  This 8 week class includes 5 lessons with the foil, 1 with the sabre, 1 with the epee, and a class tournament.  If you know anyone who wants to learn how to fence, please encourage them to try our favorite sport. 
Sunday 29 November Open One Touch Epee
On Sunday, 29 November, we will host a One Touch Dry Epee tournament at 1:00 pm at the end of Open Fencing.  This event will be fenced single elimination to emulate the actual conditions of a duel - one hit and you would be wounded and unable to continue.  Our goal is to focus training on scoring the single decisive hit when it counts.  This is a Fence Dry! event - for those who do not have Fence Dry! membership, you can join at the door (annual fee is $10 and covers all Fence Dry! tournaments.  Tournament entry fee is $2.
Christmas Gift Certificates Available
Yes, once again this year we have Christmas gift certificates available - the ideal stocking stuffer for a Salle member for lessons or equipment.  And for someone who wants to learn to fence this is a wonderful thing to find on Christmas morning. 

I Hit You - No You Didn't

We fencers like to say that our sport maintains some of the remains of good manners from its early days.  We hope that is true, but it is easy to let that slide.  Nowhere is this more obvious than in the debate "I hit you - no you didn't."
 
This is a debate we should never have in the Salle.  It is one thing to stop and reconstruct the action to attempt to understand right of way and when a hit arrived.  However, there should never be an argument over whether someone has hit. 
 
As a fencer you have an immediate duty and obligation to acknowledge any hit that arrives on your body when you are fencing practice bouts or ladder competition bouts.  These bouts are training, and acknowledging that the opponent hit is part of helping your opponent develop his or her skills as a fencer.  We have a long tradition of working together to help our fellow fencers improve their skills.  Acknowledgment is part of that tradition. 
 
However, the obligation goes further.  If your opponent does not acknowledge a touch the presumption is that the touch did not arrive or arrived flat (in the point weapons).  Only the type of person we do not want in the Salle would fail to acknowledge a hit that they felt.  And even if you are not sure, you should acknowledge that you believe you may have been hit.  Let the other fencer decline the hit as not being well delivered.
 
When you point at the other fencer after an action, you are saying "I hit you."  That suggests, not very subtly, that he or she is a low life who would not acknowledge the hit.  And that really is an insult.  That may be acceptable behavior in clubs that assume their members are so driven by success that they are willing to cheat in practice bouts.  It is not acceptable behavior among friends who trust and want to help each other.  So acknowledge, don't point.    

Competition Results

21 November 2009 - Richmond Alphabet Fracas
 
... Heather Shacker placed 9th in Mixed Sabre, a D1 competition with 9 fencers.
 
14 November 2009 - Virginia Division Junior and Cadet Championships
 
... Claire Schlichtherle placed 9th in Womens Junior Foil, an E1 competition, in a field of 9 fencers.
 
14 November 2009 - Amelia Steel Rain or Shine Fence Dry! II 
 
...  Brett Colbert placed 2nd in Youth 17 Mixed Foil, in a field of 6 fencers.
...  Brooke Nancekivell placed 6th in Youth 17 Mixed Foil.
...  Abi Black placed 4th in Youth 13 Mixed Epee, in a field of 4 fencers.
...  Brandon Hiner placed 4th in Youth 13 Mixed Foil, in a field of 7 fencers.
...  David Dimmett placed 2nd in Youth 10 Mixed Foil, in a field of 5 fencers.
...  David Dimmett placed 3rd in Youth 10 Mixed Epee, in a field of 6 fencers.
...  Ian Garrabrant placed 4th in Youth 10 Mixed Epee.
...  Connor Speidell placed 5th in Youth 10 Mixed Epee.
...  Patrick Finley placed 6th in Youth 10 Mixed Epee.
Classical Rank Promotion
Congratulations to Terry Simmons for completing the requirements for Classical Foil Rank 4.