Age groups and when one can (legally) compete, again

[oiuyt]

Happened to notice the results for the recent RYC held in Houston.

http://askfred.net/Results/results.p...nament_id=1833

A Y8 event?!?!!!!!

USFA policy says that no fencer younger than 7 years old may compete in USFA competition at any level. Not sure that 5-year-old Bennett Somera (10th of 13 in Y8MxF) or 6-year-old Foringer Davis (13th of 13 in Y8MxF) qualify by that standard.

-B

[Poulet]

A couple other quirks:
http://askfred.net/Results/results.p...nament_id=1200

A Y-12 fencer in an open competition (Will Spear)...

and

The kid who is 11th on the Y-12 men's saber pointstandings was born in 1992 - a year too old for the category.

[Mr Epee]

Maybe it wasn't a USFA event?

Could have just been a demonstration event... like how WS was contested in prior to becoming an official event.

No ratings. No Insurance.

[Frank Pratt]

Originally Posted by poulet

A couple other quirks:
http://askfred.net/Results/results.p...nament_id=1200

A Y-12 fencer in an open competition (Will Spear)...

and

The kid who is 11th on the Y-12 men's saber pointstandings was born in 1992 - a year too old for the category.

I think tournament organizers are still adjusting the this new / not-so-new rule. I've seen plenty of tournament on FRED that explicitly state that fencers under the age of 13 are prohibited from competing in Open events. If the USFA wants to enforce this rule, they need to start invalidating results (and all new classifications) for any Open competition that has one or more fencers under the age of 13.

As for the Y8 event, it could theoretically have been be unsanctioned, though a unsanctioned event at a RYC would be iffy, at best. Furthermore, the "more Info" section on FRED did not mention that the Y8 event would be unsanctioned.

[lindajdunn]

It's also possible that the birth year is simply listed incorrectly. Typos can happen.

[teacup]

The birth year of 2000 looks pretty clear.

[FencingKitten]

If the USFA wants to enforce this rule, they need to start invalidating results (and all new classifications) for any Open competition that has one or more fencers under the age of 13.

I agree with this line of thought, as long as there is a way (I don't actually know yet and plan to discuss it with our section secretary this weekend) to invalidate *events* and not *tournaments.* I envision a problem when a WS event, at 1300hrs on Sunday, is invalidated because of a 12 year old ME fencer from 0800hrs on Saturday slipped through the cracks, just because they're in the same tournament. The winner of that WS event had no opportunity to protest the little ME's inclusion, you know?

[keropie]

Originally Posted by FencingKitten

I agree with this line of thought, as long as there is a way (I don't actually know yet and plan to discuss it with our section secretary this weekend) to invalidate *events* and not *tournaments.* I envision a problem when a WS event, at 1300hrs on Sunday, is invalidated because of a 12 year old ME fencer from 0800hrs on Saturday slipped through the cracks, just because they're in the same tournament. The winner of that WS event had no opportunity to protest the little ME's inclusion, you know?

Well, hopefully the USFA can figure something out, because a rule with no teeth isn't much of a rule (which is why almost all Americans drive between 2-10 mph over the speed limit).

[Schiavona]

So, how young can someone be and join the USFA?

[Mauler]

Originally Posted by Schiavona

So, how young can someone be and join the USFA?

I have yet to hear any claim of an unborn fetus being granted a membership, but it's only a matter of time considering how enthusiastic young soon-to-be-parents can be sometimes.

After all, there are stories of full-term mommies going SCUBA diving, skydiving, whatnot, in order to get the little one into the family hobby at an early age! (haven't heard one about bunge cord jumping yet, thank goodness)

Not sure about fencing community, but having handled large volumes of administrative paperwork from general populace in the past, I know it's not so uncommon to come across a mistake of someone writing their birthyear as the current year (i.e. paperwork is filled out 4/01/06 and birthdate is 8/01/06).

[KD5MDK]

Also, they might be trying to lock in the lifetime membership at an lower rate.

[DHCJr]

Originally Posted by keropie

Well, hopefully the USFA can figure something out, because a rule with no teeth isn't much of a rule (which is why almost all Americans drive between 2-10 mph over the speed limit).

Obviously, you've never driven the I-15 up to Vegas. I am one of the few who follow that. I stay in the right hand lane and I have been passed by 18-wheelers whose speed limit is 15MPH slower than cars. It's more like 20 to 30 for most on the I-15 and even they probably get passed.

[keropie]

Originally Posted by DHCJr

Obviously, you've never driven the I-15 up to Vegas. I am one of the few who follow that. I stay in the right hand lane and I have been passed by 18-wheelers whose speed limit is 15MPH slower than cars. It's more like 20 to 30 for most on the I-15 and even they probably get passed.

Well, the 2-10 was the conservative guess I remember leaving New Orleans after the Crescent City Open one year and setting my cruise control @ 100 mph (speed limit, btw, was not 90mph), and getting passed plenty. I normally probably am between 10-30mph over the speed limit, depending on the road, time, etc.

edit: Though they have rules with teeth for speeds like that, it's more a matter of a) not being caught, or b) the police not caring, or c) everyone else doing it so the police are less likely to single you out

[u r the spoon]

i had a similar experience on a new orleans trip as well.

in atlanta, drivers drive an average of 25mph over the speed limit. thats a stat that i heard 4 or so years ago, though i can't verify who amassed the info about it. considering that i usually drive 15 over and that there are plenty of seniors that actually drive the speed limit, there are more than a few people flying.

strangely enough, some georgia tech students did a mini film where they coordinated drivers to block all lanes of I75-85 south into the city on a friday at rush hour doing 55 mph. there were some angry drivers out there. the traffic in front of them cleared for miles.

[oiuyt]

Originally Posted by u r the spoon

strangely enough, some georgia tech students did a mini film where they coordinated drivers to block all lanes of I75-85 south into the city on a friday at rush hour doing 55 mph. there were some angry drivers out there. the traffic in front of them cleared for miles.

A few years ago there was a somewhat similar story based in Toronto (? some Canadian city anyway). Automated radar detectors had been set up that could issue speeding citations without the need for police officers -- one just got the ticket in the mail a few days later. A local group decided to prove a point and coordinated people to cover all lanes of traffic driving at the speed limit, snarling traffic during rush hour and demonstrating that the roads were not designed for traffic to actually flow at that slow a speed with the volume typically seen. The machines were removed.

-B

[Poulet]

Originally Posted by u r the spoon

strangely enough, some georgia tech students did a mini film where they coordinated drivers to block all lanes of I75-85 south into the city on a friday at rush hour doing 55 mph. there were some angry drivers out there. the traffic in front of them cleared for miles.

The best part of that video was the guy who tried to pass them on the right and broke off his side mirror on a car parked in the shoulder.

[seak]

I have long thought that if anyone wanted to shut down DC all they would need is 4 grandparent types (and their buickes) from florida, who were all told that their exits were in different lanes

[rac]

Originally Posted by seak

I have long thought that if anyone wanted to shut down DC all they would need is 4 grandparent types (and their buickes) from florida, who were all told that their exits were in different lanes

Hey seak, I'm from Florida and we resemble that remark!

[notalent]

Greetings Mauler,
Some years ago a mom to be was fencing foil into here 7th month : shock : I also recal that a new mom had her kid in the usfa a few weeks after birth, I believe this was on a family membership.

Originally Posted by Mauler

I have yet to hear any claim of an unborn fetus being granted a membership, but it's only a matter of time considering how enthusiastic young soon-to-be-parents can be sometimes.

[mrbiggs]

Originally Posted by oiuyt

5-year-old Bennett Somera (10th of 13 in Y8MxF)

Who is, to my knowledge, the first person born in the new millenium to fence in a USFA tournament.