Summer Nationals USFA Fencing Club Forum

[Timacheff]

Are you a club owner or manager? We haven’t had this forum for a few years, and it’s back by popular demand! In the past, we had some very insightful and spirited discussions.

When: Monday, July 7 from 7pm to 9pm

Where: In a room at the San Jose Convention Center (TBD – will be announced on Fencing.net and at nationals, posted around the venue)

Who: Fencing club owners, managers, head coaches, or anyone involved in running a club

Here’s your chance to learn, debate, discuss, and share your fencing club management experience. We’ll cover a variety of topics:

- Marketing, PR, and sales
- Business practices & policies
- Membership issues
- For-profit or not-for-profit?
- Liability & legal issues
- Financial issues
- Working with the USFA
- Customer service and working with the public
- Tips on running tournaments, camps, clinics, classes, lessons, and open fencing
- Equipment concerns
- Other ways to make money with a fencing club

We welcome you to speak out and voice your opinion at this event. Rant and rave about anything club-related that you’d like to get off your chest, and hear what everyone else has to say. This is the only event of its kind, and it’s a unique opportunity to mingle with others who can relate to what you do.

Contact: Questions? Contact Serge Timacheff (serge@fencingphotos.com)

Also: Come to the après-forum event, sponsored by Fencing.net and FencingPhotos.com! We’ll be giving out free drink tickets plus a few other goodies at the forum, and then we’ll all meet at 9:45 at a nearby watering hole for a social hour.

[catwood1]

That sounds awesome. I'l definitly be there.

[oiuyt]

Originally Posted by Timacheff

Where: In a room at the San Jose Convention Center (TBD – will be announced on Fencing.net and at nationals, posted around the venue)

USFA Website says Room D.

-B

[fencerX]

Originally Posted by Timacheff

Here’s your chance to learn, debate, discuss, and share your fencing club management experience. We’ll cover a variety of topics:

- Marketing, PR, and sales
- Business practices & policies
- Membership issues
- For-profit or not-for-profit?
- Liability & legal issues
- Financial issues
- Working with the USFA
- Customer service and working with the public
- Tips on running tournaments, camps, clinics, classes, lessons, and open fencing
- Equipment concerns
- Other ways to make money with a fencing club

We welcome you to speak out and voice your opinion at this event. Rant and rave about anything club-related that you’d like to get off your chest, and hear what everyone else has to say.

Hmnn.

11+ complex topics promised in two hours plus an invitation for everyone to discuss, rant and rave as well. Might as well add "time management" to the list of bullet points!

[Timacheff]

Originally Posted by fencerX

Hmnn.

11+ complex topics promised in two hours plus an invitation for everyone to discuss, rant and rave as well. Might as well add "time management" to the list of bullet points!

Your point is well taken. Naturally, in two hours we don't have time to get into depth into each one of these topics and that wasn't meant to be an agenda. These are the types of topics we either discuss in more depth, or at least touch upon. We will have an agenda that is broader, and we will facilitate the discussion so that we don't get too bogged-down in any one topic.

[oiuyt]

Serge-

What format is planned? In the past we've had both panel discussions (with a very open format to questions and discussions from the floor) and more free-form round-table discussions. And probably others, those are just the two formats I remember club forums I've attended using (well, and the one where only three people were present, including the organizer).

If there's a panel, who are the anticipated members?

-B

[Timacheff]

I would like to have a couple of people on a mini-panel, although they will be facilitating and providing some examples and priming the proverbial pump more than giving extensive examples and/or presentations. So far, Evan Ranes has agreed to be on the panel and I'm looking for one or two more folks.

In the past we've had pretty good attendance at the events I've moderated, and the discussions have been quite varied and lively. I like them to be more interactive than one-sided; however, that said, they still need to be moderated so that we don't get off onto tangents.

I would be interested in hearing from people who would be willing/interested in being on the panel (obviously who have experience in running a club).

Thanks

[nylebuss]

So I was wondering is there anyway this Forum can be recorded and posted as a podcast for interested parties who can't make it to Summer Nationals?