Usacfc 2009

[MyrddinsPrecint]

In the process of rewriting my resume, I stumbled across the fact that USACFC.org is down, and then realized I haven't heard more than vague rumors about the event this year- something about the host school pulling out from under the club, and it being held at a "resort"?

Of course, given how many times Smith almost pulled out before the event was actually held, I take this with a grain of salt.

So, someone, anyone, spill. What's going on?

[Cookeit]

I'll let erooMynohtnA take this one...

[erooMynohtnA]

Wisconsin was kicked out of the gyms they (we) had reserved, so they needed somewhere else to host it. The Chulavista resort in the Wisconsin Dells offered the Wisconsin Dells Center.

The Wisconsin Dells are about an hour outside Madison, depending on how fast you drive. From what I've heard it sounds really nice (unbelievable, really), but I'm not the person in charge of coordination, so we'll see. Allegedly, they're trying to impress because they want to attract future business.

I'll try to get someone with more information to swing by. I am puzzled by why there wasn't any discussion in the USACFC group.

[MyrddinsPrecint]

Originally Posted by erooMynohtnA

I'll try to get someone with more information to swing by. I am puzzled by why there wasn't any discussion in the USACFC group.

In my experience, half of the conversation happens in the yahoo group, and half of it happens in reply to other emails, usually the initial list is on an email from Jon Moss which isn't always complete or correct--- but then, neither is the Yahoo group, which seems to be invite only and (the last time I checked) hidden from search. It made it a challenge to get Smith's incoming president onto the list at all.


As those of you who are in the USACFC Facebook group will be well aware, the logo best associated with the USACFCs is curiously similar to that of the University of Florida..............


In any case, I can't imagine how this is being funded. Who's paying for use of the space? If it's the conference, how much to dues have to be increased? If it's Wisconsin, how are they going to fundraise it? Having gone through the torture myself, I'd love to at least offer advice about what went wrong during my turn so that new and exciting horrible things happen next time.

[erooMynohtnA]

I was told the space was being given free. I don't remember the reasons it was in their interest (hotel reservations, concessions, etc) well enough to comment on the specifics. I don't have the information to explain it to you fully enough that it doesn't just sound like a too-good-to-be-true scam. I can give you all the information I have on what they've offered and how much for, but I don't want to post it publically because it was given to me privately and I might not remember it completely.

[Superscribe]

Remember not to hire Ref's that are going to hit on the fencers while their trying to fence. Very frustrating. lol

Try to minimize the number of stairs a fencer has to go through before reaching the strip.

Designated locations for various schools of appropriate size is VERY appreciated.

I'm no longer in college sooo.... yeah.

[erooMynohtnA]

Originally Posted by Superscribe

Remember not to hire Ref's that are going to hit on the fencers while their trying to fence. Very frustrating. lol

1. She was hot.
2. No guarantees.

Try to minimize the number of stairs a fencer has to go through before reaching the strip.

I think it's all ground level.

Designated locations for various schools of appropriate size is VERY appreciated.

I'm no longer in college sooo.... yeah.

I don't know about the areas.

[MyrddinsPrecint]

Originally Posted by Superscribe

Remember not to hire Ref's that are going to hit on the fencers while their trying to fence. Very frustrating. lol

Try to minimize the number of stairs a fencer has to go through before reaching the strip.

Designated locations for various schools of appropriate size is VERY appreciated.

I'm no longer in college sooo.... yeah.

As I said immediately after the event, if someone was flirting with you to the point where it was inappropriate, you should let the assigning or hiring ref know. Or let someone know who would let at least one of those people know. There were enough refs, and enough new untested refs there, that those people can't possibly know every single one of them well. If, as further suggested in the thread, you were kidding or making some other joke, I kind of wish you wouldn't.

The schools with particularly large gyms are the ones that make a larger investment in athletics--- so either the schools have NCAA fencing, or the NCAA sports get even more priority. The event really just has to either get smaller, find a magical format that doesn't exist, or find some other solution. Having an outside venue might help. Then again, it might not.

[mrbiggs]

Originally Posted by erooMynohtnA

I was told the space was being given free. I don't remember the reasons it was in their interest (hotel reservations, concessions, etc) well enough to comment on the specifics. I don't have the information to explain it to you fully enough that it doesn't just sound like a too-good-to-be-true scam. I can give you all the information I have on what they've offered and how much for, but I don't want to post it publically because it was given to me privately and I might not remember it completely.

Do you know when the details of this are going to be posted?

[erooMynohtnA]

Hopefully tonight, I have e-mailed the parties who possess the information.

[DJ Apostrophe]

Everyone pack your bathing suits...

The billboards I saw driving through The Dells this summer proclaimed it as the "Waterpark Capital of the world." (Many of them are indoors as well).

Sadly, I won't be able to go... I'll be running an SYC that weekend.

-w

[erooMynohtnA]

Ryan Petty, the Wisconsin student coordinating the USACFCs read the thread and sent me this:

"We are getting the venue for free since everyone is required to book through chula vista (it doesnt mean you have to actually stay there, you just have to book through their system and they get a comission so one can still stay at a cheaper hotel). There are NO stairs, repeat NONE at the venue, it is one giant open space able to fit an entire football field. The floor will be a sport floor with very good traction. There will be limitless tables and chairs and TRASH CANS EVERYWHERE. If we need more of anything, chula vista will get it for us right away. They have been remarkably accommodating for us and were very excited about the idea of eventually hosting a NAC when we told them about what NACs are."

Also, yes, the Dells is like one giant water park. Particularly if you're staying at the Chulavista bring a swimming suit. They do have an indoor waterpark.

[Superscribe]

Unbelievable. I am so ridiculously jealous. On the other hand, I'm really glad u wisc is puttin on such a great show. Club fencers certainly deserve it.

Mp, let me apologize for making light of something you obviously feel strong about. I really was joking both times I made mention to it.

At this time, my inner guyness is unsure whether or not it's a good idea to wish for an attractive yet sensitive and intelligent ref with a solid moral compass to make a pass at you in at a tourney soon... But I will anyway. I hope you take it the right way.

[MyrddinsPrecint]

Originally Posted by Superscribe

Mp, let me apologize for making light of something you obviously feel strong about. I really was joking both times I made mention to it.

At this time, my inner guyness is unsure whether or not it's a good idea to wish for an attractive yet sensitive and intelligent ref with a solid moral compass to make a pass at you in at a tourney soon... But I will anyway. I hope you take it the right way.

It is, admittedly, a topic that I'm particularly sensitive about because there is someone who regularly attends USACFCs who has had incredibly inappropriate contact with me and others, and seems to not ever be punished. This is actually partially my fault- during once incident, I was so shocked and busy I didn't think to card the individual, incidents since then have been less severe.

Also, he seems better able to avoid me since I let his boss know to keep him away from me, or I would forcibly remove his testicles.

Would that I had carded him when first appropriate. I kick myself over that one pretty regularly, even considering mitigating circumstances.



Usually when refs make passes at me, they're not my ref at the time :P. I also don't think I've been hit on by hot girl refs. Pity.

[bigdawg2121]

Originally Posted by erooMynohtnA

Ryan Petty, the Wisconsin student coordinating the USACFCs read the thread and sent me this:

"We are getting the venue for free since everyone is required to book through chula vista (it doesnt mean you have to actually stay there, you just have to book through their system and they get a comission so one can still stay at a cheaper hotel). There are NO stairs, repeat NONE at the venue, it is one giant open space able to fit an entire football field. The floor will be a sport floor with very good traction. There will be limitless tables and chairs and TRASH CANS EVERYWHERE. If we need more of anything, chula vista will get it for us right away. They have been remarkably accommodating for us and were very excited about the idea of eventually hosting a NAC when we told them about what NACs are."

Also, yes, the Dells is like one giant water park. Particularly if you're staying at the Chulavista bring a swimming suit. They do have an indoor waterpark.

Soooo, someone want to hire me for this event? It would totally make up for my service a few years ago at Clemson for the world's biggest cluster**** of a tournament. My eyes bled for hours so that you could have a championship; throw me a bone, PLEASE!!!

[KShan5[PrFC]]

Originally Posted by bigdawg2121

Soooo, someone want to hire me for this event? It would totally make up for my service a few years ago at Clemson for the world's biggest cluster**** of a tournament. My eyes bled for hours so that you could have a championship; throw me a bone, PLEASE!!!

haha you driving to Wisconsin?

[DJ Apostrophe]

Originally Posted by erooMynohtnA

Ryan Petty, the Wisconsin student coordinating the USACFCs read the thread and sent me this:

"We are getting the venue for free since everyone is required to book through chula vista (it doesnt mean you have to actually stay there, you just have to book through their system and they get a comission so one can still stay at a cheaper hotel). There are NO stairs, repeat NONE at the venue, it is one giant open space able to fit an entire football field. The floor will be a sport floor with very good traction. There will be limitless tables and chairs and TRASH CANS EVERYWHERE. If we need more of anything, chula vista will get it for us right away. They have been remarkably accommodating for us and were very excited about the idea of eventually hosting a NAC when we told them about what NACs are."

Also, yes, the Dells is like one giant water park. Particularly if you're staying at the Chulavista bring a swimming suit. They do have an indoor waterpark.

That sounds like an awesome deal.

I wish you guys the best of luck.

That is probably the best venue situation USACFCs could ever hope for. Assuming it goes well, I think the conference would be well served to hold the event there on a fairly regular basis (even as often as every other year), until they can shrink the size of the tournament to something manageable in a smaller space.

And I think it would be awesome for the USFA to hold an event there some time. Ryan should have the people he is talking to at chulavista get in touch with Ashley Razo, as she is the one who could make that happen.

-w

[seak]

Not to throw a wet rag on the situation, but it will be more expensive for many of the students and clubs who are attending. Apparently, a few schools have already backed out.

That being said if someone wants to fly me there, I can ref

[MyrddinsPrecint]

Originally Posted by seak

Not to throw a wet rag on the situation, but it will be more expensive for many of the students and clubs who are attending. Apparently, a few schools have already backed out.

There are two issues with the event that have to change:

1. The event is too big. Just about every school involved either doesn't have a gym big enough, or can't get their school to give it to them.

2. The event can't support itself- it's run at a loss something like 5 years in a row.

Now, if it were just the first issue, some scheme with regional qualifiers might end up working out eventually. There would be problems, but they might be able to be fixed eventually.

But given that we also have issue #2.......


Look, I've been in the fundraising side. I know how much it sucks. With a small team, while you don't have as many to pay for, you also don't have the ideas, and you can not pull off the big events (Look at Nationals itself-- We managed to get everything done due to our close relationships with area schools.) But if the event doesn't make the money it spends, the event will not continue. And the economics is easy--- If too many people will pay the amount currently asked for, you have to raise the price. Then the demand will fall.

Of course, charging more for a larger space in which the conference doesn't get the money isn't the way to do it.............

[Wafath]

MP,

Frankly, the modest fee increases implemented this year were long over due. I don't think the difference between $500 (total for 2 gender + dues) vs $575 change who does and does not attend. The cost in fees is often less than 10% of the total cost to teams attending from any distance.

I strongly feel that the host should break even on the event _before_ additional revenue sources like concessions & swag are taken into account. I can't say that my viewpoint is universal, but some motion in that direction has been done.

With 30 teams attending, give or take a few, only modest fee changes are needed to cover losses.

As far as facility size, I felt that the 2007 & 2008 facilities were big enough. Certainly, there were some issues, but size of competition area wasn't the biggest problem by a long stretch. Regardless, we have known since IU that we were long past the point where every member school could host this event. I believe we will soon reach a point where there are only a couple of schools in any given region that could theoretically host the event, and the championship will rotate among those schools.

We are getting the 2009 facility for a relative bargain, but it is not free. (TANSTAAFL) The cost, still low, has been written into the hotel fee. Teams will be spending more this year than they would have if it was at the University. Some schools have backed out because of this. I also expect to see some schools sending smaller teams due to travel costs.

At the same time, it is naively optimistic to believe that we would get the same number of schools traveling to Wisconsin that we would have to the middle of the MFC, the North-East, Mid-Atlantic, or South-East.

(Obviously all we need to do to keep the event a manageable size is to hold it in places just a little further than the average team is willing to travel. )

There are 34 schools who have paid dues. Of those, 11 have paid entry fees as well. 35 attended the 2008 event. This will be the first year that the event has shrunk. Meaning and implications for this factoid is left as an exercise for the reader.

W