Fencing.Net - Your Guide to Fencing & Fencing Equipment

Dee EffEll · 02-11-2004, 09:43 PM

Let's compile a list of things we'd like to have at a National Tournament. If you want, mark them as things you think the local organizing committee should do (LOC) or for things you think the tournament committee has to do (e.g. USFA).

This is an equal opportunity thread. All participants welcome. Be serious, be creative, be funny, be anecdotal.

If you don't want to read what some people have to say about what they'd like at a National Tournment, or what other people have had to say, feel free to move to another thread.

whtouche · 02-11-2004, 10:29 PM

A gold medal?

Peach · 02-11-2004, 11:02 PM

Seeding lists, pool sheets, and DE tables which are printed out in a large font so they can be read over the shoulders of the people who got there first (or, for those of us with presbyopia, read at all). (USFA)

KShan5[PrFC] · 02-11-2004, 11:39 PM

How about a projection on the wall instead?

Capt. Slo-mo · 02-11-2004, 11:52 PM

I want:

**more chairs in the venue
**more room around the exterior of the strips for gear and navigation
**many more areas where the tableaus are posted
**bigger font size on the tableaus so we can read them better
**more refs so fencers don't draw a ref who's been on his/her feet for 12 straight hours
**whirled peas

thyme_daniels · 02-11-2004, 11:57 PM

in a tournament i would like:
efficiency
good lighting
a temp that's not too hot/cold
cleanliness
well taped strips (i hate those plate things they had at the san jose nac. i slipped on the side several times.)
s good variety of vendors
access to water fountains
food nearby
and
wicked cool tshirts

Boo Boo · 02-12-2004, 06:05 AM

The past couple of years, our national championships have printed "timetables" (i.e. "check-in closes at", "pouules begin at", "L128 begins at", "L64 begins at"..... "L8 begins at", "L4 begins at", "grand finals"...etc.) for each weapon and pinned then to the wall. They have managed to pretty much keep to the timetables (at least for women's foil).

This makes so much difference: allows you to plan your warm-up, rest and eating much better throughout the day. Wish that more competitions in the UK would do that.

Boo

rory · 02-12-2004, 07:23 AM

Two things:
1) A nice floor surface, not concrete blocks.
2) Run the competition to time. Please.

Any British fencer who was at Slough last weekend will know what point 2 is about, and anyone who's ever done Bristol will get point 1.

Boo Boo · 02-12-2004, 08:16 AM

Know what you mean about Slough - WF had to be done in two waves. I was in the first wave, then had a bye into the L64 - so had about four hours in between my first round and my L64 fight (and I was one of the first L64 fights..!). It moved a bit quicker after that, although they did try to do the L64 on 4 pistes... I didn't finish fencing until about 8pm.

Bristol isn't too bad for WF - we tend to get put in the bowling green: the floor isn't too bad in there.

Boo

oiuyt · 01-18-2005, 02:44 PM

Ressurrecting a long-dead thread here, but....

BIG kudos to the LOC in Overland Park for the coaches lounge. One of the conference rooms (way off away from the fencing hall, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing). Nice relaxing environment (slightly darkish, quiet, classical music) with food (FOOD! For the COACHES!!!). Amazing just how how relaxing it was to move out of the constant stimulus of the fencing hall just for a few minutes. And the idea that organizers are looking out for the benefit of the coaches.

I'm rarely at national events in a coaching role (generally reffing), but if this became a routine part of what was provided it would make those occasions just that much better.

Again, thanks to the LOC, great idea.

-B :)

D+F+P=Hadouken! · 01-18-2005, 03:04 PM

Real time results posted on the website. I'm tired of waiting days to find out how my buddy's did at an event. I want it now! Lemme see what else.... photographers around to take my picture.... a fencing.net meet up booth is what I want most. I was going to do one at NAC A, and I had a banner ready, but I couldnt find a place to put it.... oh well. Someone do that.

demon_fencer · 01-18-2005, 03:33 PM

Winter NAC in Puerto Rico? Or maybe Miami?

Basically, someplace where the temperature was above freezing.

Zilverzmurfen · 01-18-2005, 03:43 PM

In addition to what everybody has already mentioned: Decent coffee!

mrbiggs · 01-18-2005, 03:51 PM

The main thing I want that's not present in most tournaments is alot of speed in between pools and DE's. It'd be awesome if the pools finished, and 5 minutes later, the rankings and DE's were up and started. That down time present in most tournaments really lengthens them, and I hate fencing, waiting two hours, then fencing again.

sreckiki · 01-18-2005, 03:55 PM

The whole results posted on fencing.net one hour after the end of each event! Ok, it's a bit too much so we're gonna let you sleep...

But the very next day seems to be reasonnable and will be really appreciate!

edew · 01-18-2005, 04:05 PM

Maybe your pool is done, but there may be other pools still finishing up. Or there is a second flight. It may actually be possible to run the DEs within 5 minutes, but there are other constraints, like strip availability, referee availability, and the like. And, some fencers do like to have that 20 minutes to catch a snack and rest up for the DEs.

Achilles · 01-18-2005, 04:18 PM

have english speaking refs,
medics
and everything else people listed

mrbiggs · 01-18-2005, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edew

Maybe your pool is done, but there may be other pools still finishing up. Or there is a second flight. It may actually be possible to run the DEs within 5 minutes, but there are other constraints, like strip availability, referee availability, and the like. And, some fencers do like to have that 20 minutes to catch a snack and rest up for the DEs.

Exactly my point. I don't think that fencers should get done with their last pool bout, wait 5 minutes, then hook in for the DE. I'm saying that because the pools finish at different times, and the DE's start at different times, and because refs and strips may not be availible, that they should be started as soon as possible because that 20 minutes is already built in.

One more thing, it'd be nice to have it posted somehow when you're going to fence. It's hard to judge whether or not you have time to digest after a pool or DE bout before your next one.

KShan5[PrFC] · 01-18-2005, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edew

Maybe your pool is done, but there may be other pools still finishing up. Or there is a second flight. It may actually be possible to run the DEs within 5 minutes, but there are other constraints, like strip availability, referee availability, and the like. And, some fencers do like to have that 20 minutes to catch a snack and rest up for the DEs.

I like a little lay off time. It gives me: a. time to rest. b. time to eat. c. time to catch up on how everyone else did in pools. d. time to eat. e. time to urinate. f. time to eat.

Anyways, I think a little down time is fine. ALthough i don't liek huge layovers, I have quickly realized it is just a part of running a lrge tournament.

achilleus · 01-18-2005, 04:50 PM

Better floors. Rubber or carpet over concrete just doesn't work.

And instead of just running out bouts as soon as possible, give the fencers estimated start times of the rounds.

For example, Pools start at 9, DE's will start after 11. This will give time for the pools to finish, the other event to start, and to get strips/refs assigned.

This way, your pool finishes early, and you know you have roughly an hour until the DE's are called. Rather than sitting there wondering how long it's all gonna take, you know how much time you have to relax, eat, cool off, study, do work, and start warming up again.

Obviously running exactly on time is nigh impossible, but the idea is to get an estimated time.