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Slacker · 05-12-2008, 05:02 PM

How do you go about scheduling tournaments? Do you have to check with other clubs so you're not hosting a meet the same day they are? Is it first to nab the date is the winner? How do you find directors? As far as I know the only ones rated directors sign up for a sectionals and nationals. Just curious...

ACrimsonRapier · 05-13-2008, 04:19 AM

Check askfred and see what the other clubs are doing, so it's not on a conflicting date. If you're planning very far in advanced, check past tournaments to see if there are any other big, annual tournaments around the same time so you don't accidently schedule for the same day.

Ask around for directors in your area. They usually get paid. If you can't get rated directors, lots of tournaments self-direct. Not my favorite, but it's pretty common and I imagine it's prefered in smaller tournaments where the club wont be making much money, anyway, and paying for directors would eat up what little profit the club IS making.

SJCFU#2 · 05-13-2008, 06:57 AM

First thing to do (assuming you are looking at running a USFA sanctioned event) is to check with your division since they are the ones who will sanction the event.

Different divisions take different approaches toward how to run tournaments (in some cases the division runs everything and the host club is essentially paid for use of their space, in other the host club pretty much does everything and the division takes a percentage of the entry fee, plus just about everything in between).

Slacker · 05-13-2008, 07:57 AM

Unfortunately there seems to be some lack of cooperation between the clubs in the immediate area. I don't really know how to work around that. And I certainly cannot blame Chicagoland fencers to wanting to travel here if they have a choice of salles closeby.

SJCFU#2 · 05-13-2008, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slacker

Unfortunately there seems to be some lack of cooperation between the clubs in the immediate area. I don't really know how to work around that.

All the more reason to go over the heads of people running individual clubs and work through the division (bearing in mind that the people running the division are likely to also be running clubs, in which case your best bet may be to infiltrate their ranks by taking a more active part in running the division).

ACrimsonRapier · 05-13-2008, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slacker

Unfortunately there seems to be some lack of cooperation between the clubs in the immediate area. I don't really know how to work around that. And I certainly cannot blame Chicagoland fencers to wanting to travel here if they have a choice of salles closeby.

Being from Chicago (and coming back home from college today. woohoo!) I'm sure traveling isn't that big of a problem. I think the major problem is that Wisconsin (and really, Chicago also) has pretty low quality fencing. If you look through the Wisconsin events very few of them have a high number of fencers registered . . . and there are very few high rated individuals in Wisconsin.

For example, in the WFA tournament coming up on the 17th and 18th there's only 27 people registered for foil and epee, combined and for both men and women, and a lone saber. There definitely wont be a saber competition. The two women's events are under 6 people so there's not even an E rating there. If the mixed foil event was a possible C1 or C2 I'd consider going, but because it doesn't look like it has any hope of being one, I'm not going to spend two hours driving, plus gas, plus entry fee, to earn an E.

I talked to one of the guys who coaches there and he said he wanted to make a tournament every month, which I think is a great idea. However, people actually need to attend and register for the event from around the area before people from Chicago take the time to come out--and that goes for foil, epee, and sabre. For foil I think Wisconsin has like . . . one A and no Bs? Less than a handful of Cs? There's no incentive for people from Chicago to come out and play when the event, if you're lucky, is going to be a C2. It's tough starting from scratch.

My advice would be to do your best to get the clubs around there to cooperate so you can throw some tournaments with at least some decent numbers. Try to get some more C fencers, and then send them to Chicago to earn their Bs. You should strive to make more tournaments like the Turkey Meet. Maybe contact the people who run that tournament and ask them what they do?

Slacker · 05-15-2008, 08:09 AM

Thanks for your input.
So, you're implying that the primary reason for attending a tournament is to earn a rating, not to have fun, or practice your moves or spend time with fellow fencers... an interesting concept. (I guess I must truly be a veteran fencer.)

campb1pr · 05-15-2008, 09:12 AM

Are you talking about a USFA sanctioned event? If so, then you need to find out the process that your division uses to sanction events. Here in Virginia, we have a scheduling process that is run by a committee of the division officers and a rep from each club involved. There are also various requirements that the division has for clubs to be able to host events. This would be the first step, then run with the others.

If not, then disregard...

Slacker · 05-15-2008, 02:00 PM

Yes, these tournaments are sanctioned USFA events. To our knowledge there is no protocol from the division on setting up the events. After committing to our club participation once a month for a year we posted the entire season schedule at the beginning of the fencing year (after summer nationals) on askfred. We scheduled around dates of other tourneys in Chicago and divisionals. Yes, I suppose I could get more involved with the divison, but how, and what kind of time committment are we talking? Frankly, I'd rather spend that time fencing or directing, not mediating.

Slacker · 05-15-2008, 02:01 PM

What sort of requirements would the Virginia division have for clubs to host a meet?

ACrimsonRapier · 05-15-2008, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slacker

Thanks for your input.
So, you're implying that the primary reason for attending a tournament is to earn a rating, not to have fun, or practice your moves or spend time with fellow fencers... an interesting concept. (I guess I must truly be a veteran fencer.)

It's not all about the rating. I do want to have fun at tournaments, but the chase of a rating and the challenege is half of the fun. 1. From who is registered, there wont be much of a challenge. 2. There are so few people registered at such low rankings, I can have the same amount of fun at my own club on Saturday with the people I like to spend time with, and still practice my moves. No offense, but Wisconsin doesn't have a fencer that's going to give me a better work out than Peter Habala. 3. The drive has to be worth it, considering the time and money spent.

I really wouldn't mind going out for fun if it wasn't such a horrible long drive.

Richard Struck is registered and I wouldn't mind having a rematch against him now that my leg's healed.

Also, I realize I have an odd outlook at fencing. o.O I guess it's from fencing in California where rankings mean a lot to people, and Div 2s and 3s are practically beneath a lot of the clubs. It's sad, but true. :X