Will you change your USFA club affiliation this season?

[Sciurus-Rex]

As membership renewal is upon us, I thought it might be interesting to sample for those who plan to attach themselves to different clubs. For whatever reason -- moving to a new city, don't like the coach, peer pressure, anything.

[broncofencer]

Since I only recently moved to Florida and before that I fenced in Michigan at both a collegiate club and 2 other clubs after college do to moving. This will be my 4th club change in as many years. the club I will be fencing with is brand new starting this month so if all goes well I will be able to put the same club down next year as this year.

[Inquartata]

"Membership renewal"? Whazzat?

Oh, dear. I'm afraid you know what that means for this poll...

[Sciurus-Rex]

"Membership renewal"? Whazzat?

Oh, dear. I'm afraid you know what that means for this poll...

Yes. That a very, very small percentage of users -- i.e. YOU -- will be confused by the simple nature of the poll.

Easily remedied, though: Just for you, Inq, I placed a third Top Secret Hidden Poll Option(tm) somewhere on the page. Just keep looking for it. Spend as much time as you need.

Actually, you shouldn't post anything else until you find that secret button...

(Ssssh! No one bother Inquartata for a loooooong time. He's going to be busy.)

[Inquartata]

Actually, you shouldn't post anything else until you find that secret button...

I am a rugged individualist who plays by his own rules!

( Also a Life Member, who doesn't have to "renew" anything. )

[Sciurus-Rex]

Well, Mr. Smarty-Britches, if you read the poll box and my message carefully, you'll notice something very important:

Even though I begin the sentence with the clause, "As membership renewal is upon us," I don't actually make that a factor in the query itself, which is whether you'll remain attached to the same club.

So. (ahem) It doesn't really matter whether you renew or prance around in your frilly pink girdle with a lifetime membership card pinched between your cheeks -- when it comes time to compete and your name appears on the event seeding list, will you be identified with the same ol' club or a different one?

(And if you really wanted to poke a little fun at me, you could have picked up on my misspelling of "competiting.") +

[Ordway]

I won't be changing my club affiliation this year, but the kind of funny thing is that I'm only on my second club affiliation in 13 years of fencing! Until I moved out here to San Diego, I stuck to UMass even after I graduated and moved to Maryland. There was no club there that I felt part of enough to take as my club affiliation, and I decided to keep the UMass affiliation out of school pride instead of being "unattached."

So in January when I officially switched my affiliation to "Spartak" it felt kind of momentous somehow :-)

[MyrddinsPrecint]

the flaw i notice is that there's no option for becoming unattached...............

[KD5MDK]

Well, I'm graduating, so I have to change my club affiliation (I'm sure the USFA won't care too much, but if you represent the club you have to have all your tournament entries pre-cleared with RecSports and crap like that, so it's something of a welcome change.)

So, same practices, same coach, same friends, different set of letters.

[Sciurus-Rex]

the flaw i notice is that there's no option for becoming unattached...

As much as it pains me to admit so ... Yes, I forgot that option.

On the other hand, no one ever said I had to include every possible outcome. People who whine about how a poll question doesn't include such-and-such piddly little answer should be shot in the foot and sent to bed without dessert or bandages.

[swordwench]

I changed club affiliations this season. I still attend two clubs, but the final decision came down to this: who would I least want to face in a pool, fencers from Club "Y" or Club "Z"? Club Z? OK! Z's home, then! Yes, I selected that club as my primary to reduce the likelihood of facing certain defeat early in the day.

(Disclaimer: this pearl of wisdom actually came from the coach of "Z", though I wish I could take credit for it. It's pure evil genius. I guess it also means I still suck. )

[RebelFencer]

Making the official change from MTSUFC to NFA. Keeping my college team as my Secondary because...well, they fund me.

[Inquartata]

Well, Mr. Smarty-Britches,

That's Mr. Smarty KNICKERS, if you please. ( Yes, even with the British usage! )

I don't actually make that a factor in the query itself, which is whether you'll remain attached to the same club.

I have never been attached to the club where I fence.

Well, there was that one time that the floor was particularly sticky. But other than that...

prance around in your frilly pink girdle

If you ask me, this image sprang a little too readily to your imagination for comfort...

when it comes time to compete and your name appears on the event seeding list, will you be identified with the same ol' club or a different one?

Yes.

(And if you really wanted to poke a little fun at me, you could have picked up on my misspelling of "competiting.")

You've gotta throw back the minnows...

[Inquartata]

I moved out here to San Diego...to "Spartak"...

A-HA! A potential inside source!

Is the Bladerunner going to be run again this year? And if so, do you know when? It was a nice tournament in 2004, we might like to drive over again...

[great bowyer]

i do not know what i am going to do yet. the club i have been fencing at is very good, they have great coaches, and a very good facilities, but the epee is very weak and it takes an hour for me to get there. the club in my home town is closer, the fencers are about the same, but they have very poor coaches and facilities. maybe i might just see if i can find a better club, but i don't think it will be possible.

[Ordway]

A-HA! A potential inside source!

Is the Bladerunner going to be run again this year? And if so, do you know when? It was a nice tournament in 2004, we might like to drive over again...

Well, the "preliminary schedule" of the Pacific Coast Section lists Bladerunner for Sept. 11 of 2005. That's as much as I know about it - the San Diego division doesn't have the new schedule up yet. Actually, since I only really got going with fencing here in January (took a few months to get settled into the area after we moved here), most of the events on the PCS schedule are still a mystery to me

[Inquartata]

Thanks.

Only a little over a month away...better broach the subject of a road trip to my clubmates---if they ever come back from their various harings-off.

[Sciurus-Rex]

A larger percentage switching club affiliations than I would have expected. Lots of movement?

[Inquartata]

Lots of students graduating, very likely.

[RebelFencer]

Just found a better club. Heh, ever the opportunist.