Local news paper gives Fencing class front page.

[erik_blank]

I have never been one to beat my own drum or self promote myself (despite all the bad puns and "advice" in the games section here), but here goes....

Please help, I'm getting a sprained shoulder from patting myself on the back and need someone else to take over.
Our local paper did a really nice piece on my fencing class (a non-credit course at the local university) and I just have to put it out here.

http://www.indianagazette.com/articl...b164286414.txt

In addition the really did a nice job on the University Faculity Advisor for the University club as well as a brief piece on the club itself.

http://online.indianagazette.com/art...y/10006533.txt

http://www.indianagazette.com/articl...4665749277.txt

The reporter really did a nice job and worked with us to try to get everything "right" in her article... and much to my shock the article was front page this Monday. (What can I say, Mondays are REALLY boring around Indiana PA?)

Anyway, I was really blown away and wanted to share this with folks here.

[Empty Wallet]

Really well done. Nice stories, nice photos.

Congratulations

[telkanuru]

So, there was absolutely nothing going on in your town, and they had to fill in the gap. eh?

[erik_blank]

So, there was absolutely nothing going on in your town, and they had to fill in the gap. eh?

What can I say, I guess the University just couldnot get enough riots going to kill the story...

[Beloit Fencer of Old]

Nice story, Erik!

[Lady Quindecim]

When fencing classes are the most newsworthy headlines, that is a _good_ day in my book.
[edit: But that is assuming: "Cure for all the world's problems" would be in the "yesterday's" news section first]

[matt9476]

That's great that your club got so much publicity. Surely that will attract some new recruits for you, which is always good.

As a sports reporter, I'm surprised the stories are so LONG. The main article is just shy of 1,500 words (45 inches in my publishing system), and the sidebar on the professor is nearly 900 (25 inches). I would question the editor about that, but that's just my perspective.
So, is the female fencer you're poking in the photo Michele or someone else? The story says she is the only lefty, but your "target" is clearly right handed.

[erik_blank]

That's great that your club got so much publicity. Surely that will attract some new recruits for you, which is always good.

As a sports reporter, I'm surprised the stories are so LONG. The main article is just shy of 1,500 words (45 inches in my publishing system), and the sidebar on the professor is nearly 900 (25 inches). I would question the editor about that, but that's just my perspective.
So, is the female fencer you're poking in the photo Michele or someone else? The story says she is the only lefty, but your "target" is clearly right handed.

Yeah, I was pretty shocked at just how much space was given to this "Feature" article - Don't get me wrong, i'm really happy about it - but I was really shocked when I saw it on the front page and taking up so much room. Indiana PA IS a pretty small community (with the University in secession, it doubles in population to about 25,000) so I guess that the editor is looking for anything local to grab the eye of our residents.
Unfortunately my club is really university centered, and I do not really envision being able to actually open up a stand alone club anytime in the near future, so while it is great publicity for the club, I am not sure that we can really take advantage of it. It may generate interest in the next intro to fencing course next semester and possibly actually get some people in the intermediate course, but I always feel a bit guilty holding these classes since there is nothing local that people can then go to to continue in the sport. At the end of the course I always mention the very good clubs in Pittsburgh, but it is almost an hour one way to get there from here, and some of these people are comming in from even further east. (I supose that I could recommend someplace to the east, but I am just not very familiar with their clubs so I feel a bit hesitant in doing so.)

As for the fencer in the shot, no, it is not Michelle, I think that it is either Michelles daughter courtney or one of the club members that occasionally attended the class. You CAN see Michelle in the background attacking another student.