What Should a Section Do?

[CadetVet]

Aside from running the Sectional Qualifiers (which can be a challenge, no doubt) what is your opinion as to what a section (and its officers) can and should do?

Thanks!

[JEC]

Develop Sectional circuits (youth, cadet, junior, senior, and veteran).

[InFerrumVeritas]

Develop Sectional circuits (youth, cadet, junior, senior, and veteran).

Yes. And Camps (more like a convention/conference?) with seminars on armory and reffing skills, cross training, etc. I think with things like this (which divisions are generally too small to do), it can increase proficiency and interest. It provides a resource to competitive and recreational fencers alike, which is important to the development of the sport as a focus on high-level events creates an eliteism which can be deterring to people new to the sport.

Attitudes like "if it's lower than a NAC, it doesn't matter" in the minds of those who coordinate things on the higher levels are damaging to the sport. While it is certainly more prestigeous (and should be) than a Novice tournament, the novice tournaments should be given focus for different reasons: to promote fencing and generate interest. Having non-competitive events organized on a sectional level will serve as annother way to do this, generating attention from the communities in which the events are hosted and providing a resource for fencers of varying levels.