Ok, so what would a history lesson be without a timeline, right? Well, here the dates that I believe mark significant dates in our organization. Now there will be many people that will email me over time that will add dates to this list and I will go through the volumes of diaries that I have to try and include exact dates where possible. If you have any questions you can PM me.
1980
a. Blake meets Sensei Nakamura in Troy, NY at the Legends bar and begins his path into Seido .
1982-
a. Blake meets John Chang at the RPI fencing club and decides to take up fencing to help with Seido training.
1984
a. Blake is one of three kids to earn the spot to go to the Empire State Games for scholastic foil.
1985-
a. Blake returns to Empire State Games for scholastic foil.
b. Blake decides to drop Seido training for exclusive fencing.
1986
a. Blake trains in sabre and goes the Games for open sabre.
b. Blake attends Siena College.
c. Blake receives his ROTC scholarship and is introduced to the Templars by the friars.
d. Airborne school, Ranger school test phase for cadets.
1987
a. Roger Z. starts the Siena College Fencing Club includes Fr. Dennis. The three essays are written.
b. The book is made and the Knights are born.
c. The friars explain why there is a ROTC Infantry Battalion detachment is on the Siena College campus.
1988 –
a. Ed Deiz from PR while doing his residency at Albany Medical Center joins the Siena Fencing Club and explains “real” fencing to Blake.
b. Blake wins divisionals in a leg cast. Damn basketball.
1989
a. Blake submits the “Fencing Club Business Plan” in his business class. Takes the martial arts industry and makes comparisons to the current fencing model or lack thereof.
b. The Knights agree to make the plan a reality upon graduation in 1990.
1990-
a. Iraq invades Kuwait.
b. Blake begins his stint with the US Military and develops his task, condition, standard method.
c. Blake graduates from Siena College.
1992
a. Blake moves to Florida and opens the first Knights of Siena Fencing Facility with Bill Becker. Finds out there is no business plan out there to help someone open a dedicated fencing facility.
b.Blake takes job with Alcatel and begins his enlightening trips to France.
c. Blake offers the business plan to the USFA (free) is turned down. Their response, why would we want it?
1993
a. Max Garrett gives Blake and his staff (Mary, Ceclia, Mike)the USFCA instructor exam. They all past and he asked Blake to continue with the program.
b. Alex B tests Blake at the Atlanta Open and passes him in all three weapons as a ref.
c. Blake marries and divorces Mary Mahon.
d. Blake wears the Sprint sponsored red and white uniform to US Nationals in Ft. Myers and is told to change uniforms or be black carded.
1994
a. Blake attends his first Div 1 NAC in San Franscico and comes in 10th earning his berth on the US Olympic Festival Team. Hands out the top ten reason that the USA needs a professional fencing league.
b. Blake moves to NY to make the first hub of fencing facility in Mechanicville NY out of an old 33,000 sq ft clothing factory (which incidentally was an old Masonic lodge). Transforms HB division.
c. Adam Devany and Eric Delarue take over FL and fails.
d. Rod Meagher and Brian Crowley help build the KOS empire.
e. Blake takes USFA provost exam under Bill Shipman and passes.
f. Micheal Wardle, Marvin Fine and Kathy Wardle start fencing.
g.Blake and team win US Olympic Festival Team Gold Medal considers move to NYC.
h. Meets Tom C. at the Pomme de Terre and gives him a copy of the fencing school business model.
i. Blake attends his first Sabre World Cup March 26-27 in NY. Vows next time he will make the cut and win his first DE.
1995
a. Blake wins the first Div 2 NAC in foil in Chicago.
b. Blake returns to the ESG and issues the HB vs. LI challenge (HB wins 2 years later).
c. Blake marries Tracy Worthing.
d. Jay Choi begins his fencing career.
e. Bernie D discovers KOS and comes back into the fencing world (was at a Judo tournament at RPI) after a very long absence. Learns the Task, Condition, Standard method.
f. Damian Meehan returns to fencing (yes there are two of them, the Godzilla brothers are back!)
g. Blake attends second Sabre World Cup in the NYAC and makes the cut and wins first DE against a german sabre fencer.
1996
a. KOS expands to open schools throughout upstate NY, Long Island, western NY and western MA.
b. The J.E.D.I. program is born with the students from LaSalle High School and Albany Academy for Boys/Girls
c. Alex Jefferies is the first outside instructor to be moved into the KOS organization to run a school. Carolynn Washburn follows shortly thereafter.
d. Multiple KOS clubs register at nationals and USFA changes team rules.
e. Blake competes in Div 1 S, F,E at nationals and the team events. Rules are changes for competing in multiple events on one day.
f. The PFL business model is developed off the PGA model and the spiral growth model is made with professional fencing subsidizing and growing grass roots fencing.
g. Erik Hanson joins the instructor staff (no not the CA epee fencer) leaves the family martial arts business. Later goes to Sacred Heart to coach first NCAA team in 1999.
h. KOS begins to hold summer camps and internships begin with the 18 dorm rooms in the main KOS hub. Hub concept is created.
i. The KOS JO bus brings 37 kids to JO's. J.R. Strauss plays the bagpipes on open day.
j. The dorms are built and the first KOS summer camps (boot camps) are held.
h. Tracy has the write the first "letter" 2/11
i. KOS hosts the first Attila Petschauer Sabre Open sponsored by Richard Markowitz, Blake wins it.
1997
a. Promotion for the PFL starts at NAC events throughout USA. 260 members sign.
b. KOS gains control of the NE section meets opposition in Boston.
c. USFA panel on conflict of interest is convened.
d. Mike Wardle becomes first KOS international fencer at Pan Am.
e. KOS Saratoga Springs opens Bruce Gillman moves up from LI
f. KOS Long Island opens with first instructor crack squad run by Justin Meehan.
1998
a. Superbowl weekend marks the first PFL event. Lauie Shong, Evans Gravel, and Al Carlay are the first gold medalist.
b. USFA bans PFL members from USFA events, ban is later lifted.
C. Mike Wardle wins the U16 sabre event at nationals.
d. USFA nationals in Austin required waiver signed to prove not a PRO.
e. PFL signed ABC deal fencing gets on network television.
f. April is the last PFL event in the USA.
g. Last PFL event is held in Montreal Canada.
h. KOS Troy becomes Beaches Sabre Club, KOS LI becomes FCLI.
1999-
a. First KOS facility opens in Charlotte, NC.
b. Blake wins NC divisionals, SE sectionals sabre and places third at Charlotte in Div 1A.
c. Tracy Blakeborough places third in Div 1A women’s epee.
d. The Heroes and Villains show is aired in Charlotte to promote fencing in new hub city to study effects on fencing growth. Television personalities were Fred Stone, Steve Zakely, James Kinney, Roger Rice, Blake, Steve Kamke, Bruce Juengst, and Ed Diez.
e. All NE clubs become autonomous.
d. Roger Rice moves to NC, creates first vacant school. NE schools remain open and going concern concept is a success.
e. Eric Hansen goes to Sacred Heart to coach NCAA team.
f. James Kinney, Brian Toomey, Todd Butcher, Ann Hamper leave Touche to train at KOS.
2000-
a. First PFL winner competes in the Olympics, Laurie Shong from Canada.
b. Andrew Wilson becomes first KOS fencer in SE to get national points.
c. David Burns is moved from TX to run a KOS school (left by Roger Rice).
d. Roger Rice quit. 1 jan 2000.
e. Merlin's Magic Brew (a coffee shop) is created.
2001 –
a. New business model is used to grow fencing in the SE. Allows for the formation of the Heresy.
b. Blake marries Karen Glazar.
c. The J.E.D.I. code is born.
2002
a. The Heresy occurs. CFC and CFA are created.
b. Brandon Blakeborough is born.
c. The Warzone experiment is started. The Ziechmanns are discovered.
d. Andrew Wilson wins SE sectionals MS
2003
a. The CMZ war.
b. The return of the J.E.D.I. program begins.
2004
a. The four horsemen are born. The angel's wept.
b. The Ziechmann brothers make final four in Sacramento and become the first KOS SE JEDI masters.
2005
a. Matt Parmer joins KOS from the Warzone to be the first pure instructor experiment.
b. The Warzone grows to 3 units.
c. KOS Morganton opens.
d. Mike O'Conner makes final 8 in foil at Miami Div 2/3 NAC
e. KOS Gastonia opens.
f. Summer Camps resume in the south.
2006
a. Mike O’ Connor wins divisional foil, and silver in sectionals foil U19.
b. KOS- NC wins the open sabre team event at nationals. The prophecy is fulfilled.
c. Bobby Ziechmann goes to NCAA championship in sabre as a freshman.
d. Kevin Ziechmann gets U19 epee points at nationals.
e. The Swordmaster Series televisions show is started and aired in multiple markets on cable.
f. NC board requests USFA panel, lead by Matt Cox against Blake panel fails.
g. KOS Greenville, Knoxville and Ft. Mill opens
h. Kudzu becomes the office plant of KOS
i. Mike O'Connor attends the Air Force Academy and it becomes a legacy school for KOS Sam Bartron is first.
2007 – KOS moves HQ to SC.
a. Kevin Z becomes first home student to make top 8 in Junior before NCAA U20 MS Denver JO.
b. Knoxville KOS is closed first exit plan based on performance standards is used.
c. The 3/2 scheduling systems is invented.
d. 18 fencers from 3 different divisions make up Denver JO's.
e. Ashlee Murphy (14) is first SC fencer to win a NAC. The NAC Atlanta event in D2WE. She is also the first female J.E.D.I. master ever.
f. Mike O'Connor, Kevin Ziechmann and Dan Sachs all meet at the NCAA championships at Drew University (where Dan BY graduated)
g. Kevin Ziechmann becomes the first dual A in the SE KOS
h. Blake comes out of retirement and makes the top 8 in sabre at SE sectionals. The return to Miami.
i. Kevin Ziechman decides to go join his brother at Chapel Hill.
j. Karen Blakeborough becomes the first national ref generated out of the SE system since the return.
h. Carlin MacNichol attends Drew University. It is now a legacy school.
i. SC fencers at Dallas NAC out perform NC fencers, a first.
j. CFC closes.
k. FCLI closes. Justin moves to the Louisana.
m. Kevin and Bobby make top 32 in Div 1 Richmond. SC out do NC.
n. return to HB (the uncle miles incident)
o. Cindy and Ken pass their instructor exams.
2008
a. 10th anniversary of the PFL (NYG win superbowl, ironic)
b. Blake competes in his last Div 1 sabre NAC in Atlanta (yea! vets)
c. JO come to Charlotte Ashlee Murphy makes the 8 in JWE (7th). Gabe defeats Kevin Ziechmann in JMS. One of 4 medals from the entire SE section. Two others are Dan B from HB and Brian C with BSC in sabre events(go figure).
d. Carlin MacNichol is named the the EWFC all star team as a freshman!
e. Kevin and Bobby Ziechmann make the NCAA championships in Ohio
f. Karen Blakeborough refs her first 8 at the JO's in Charlotte.
g. Karen Blakeborough is assigned as an FOC in the SE (we told you to read the good book didn't we)
h. KOS wins all three men's events at divisionals Gabe foil, sabre and Blake epee. Dr. Capps is now vp of division.
i. Kevin and Bobby go to Div 1 champs in Portland.
j. Eli wins the SE sectional men's junior sabre event!! We take 14 top eight finishes at least one in every weapon! The most of any club in the section!
k. KOS Gastonia is closed. Students are moved to Matthews location (For TB that is in Charlotte also)
l. The woodstock is sold the houses are cleaned out and sold thus the last part to NY is now truly gone. Pete's items were an unexpected surprise and now hold a place of honor in the schools.
m. Brian Fry wins the open sabre event at the first ever NC States Games fenicng event.
n. USOC takes over high proformance (Olympic) program from the USFA. PFL idea vindicated 10 years later. See USA Today and SI articles from June 2008
o. Beaches Sabre Club wins the Open Men's Sabre Team. Team members Danny, and the Cheney brothers. First HB gold since Mike Wardle.
p. The "HAT" idea is continued and is now a tradition.
q. Mike O becomes Air Force Academy Fencing Team Captain as a junior.
r. Brandon Blakeborough competes in his first fencing competiton, sabre of course.
s. Ashley finishing season 12th on the cadet points list. Highest female accomplishment at KOS.
t. First KOS boot camp is held in NC.
u. Jura and Dilworth Coffee join KOS.
v. Audrey gets accepted to Cornell Univ.
w. The YMCA systems joins the KOS family.
x. Hickory Day and Morganton Day join KOS.
2009
a. Charlie Creason decides to enroll in the instructor program.
b. The KOS GC grows. A gets hats.
c. Mario returns to fencing after 30 years from Italy and enrolls in the instructor program
d. Blake competes in his first mixed vet sabre event in Atlanta and places 8th. A new medal for the collection.
e. Bobby Z and Kevin Z place 13th and 21st respectively in the NCAA championships.
f. Erik Talbert joins assist. instructor program.
g. Gabe Green of Lancaster SC wins SC Divisional Epee and Foil. Christian (Hammy) Capps, of Greenville wins Sabre. Ashlee Murphy of Greenville wins Sabre. KOS wins 12 of 18 medals at the division event
h. Karen Blakeborough runs unopposed and is elected at the SC division chair.
i. Blake places third in NC foil and wins the NC epee (imagine that) at divisionals.
j. Blake divorces Karen Blakeborough and Liesel Ferrara returns after 21 year and now the answer to the one true question is answered.
k. Alex Jefferies passes away (8/8/09)at the fencing school in Troy. RIP my friend, tell Vidosa I said hello and have a drink for me.
l. Blake comes in 6th at nationals in vet sabre and finishes the season 5th on the point list.
m. Craig McElwrath, Nate Jones and Mario Moreno are knighted and join the ranks of recognized instructors. For the first time in the knighting ceremony those that have fallen are accounted for and named.
02-13-2007 11:11 PM