Strange problems in fencing organizations?

[PeterGustafsson]

Hi!


We have all heard about the all-too-common types of problems within fencing organizations, but this thread is intended to be dedicated to problems which are something else than the garden variety. Do share your stories!

I will start. Just after the recent team championships, our regional fencing federation (one out of 5 in the country) had their yearly meeting. I was not there, but my club chairman reported later to me. Anyway, our problem is something uncommon - a budget surplus that is just sitting there.

Those tasked with getting in money have appearently been a bit too sucessful in their job; to the extent that not enough emphasis has been placed on wisely spending the dough that is being raked in. Now, we have more money than expected just sitting in an account, where it is not doing much good. Steps will be taken to counter this - the regional organization will spend some significant money on ref training.

It could have been worse though; we do note that we belong to a national fencing organization which has a webpages which works like clockwork. Furthermore, it has quite few internal personal conflicts, and those that we have involve people who have the good sense to do their best (and generally succeed in doing so) to behave in a professional, non-acrimonious manner when close to their adversaries. As an added bonus, the allocation of big competitions does not cause discord, big clubs will on a fairly regular basis help out smaller clubs so that the latter can organize big comps.

So, what kid of unusual problems have you had in your fencing organizations?


Have a nice time!

Peter Gustafsson

[Mr.MightyMouse]

Well I took Miami over VT today - that was not only strange, but idiotic and wasteful as well.


Miami (FL) 47, Virginia Tech 65

[ejemyr]

Great!

Next time you'll organize foil ref training, I'll travel down from Stockholm to your part of the country. And I'll bring some clubmates, since it sounds like your regional board can sponsor the train faire )

Seriously, if we have money anywhere, our country needs to select young dedicated talent and fund them... have you seen our epee ranking lately

(We're talking about the country of Harmenberg, Edling, von Essen...)

[jjefferies]

I will start. Just after the recent team championships, our regional fencing federation (one out of 5 in the country) had their yearly meeting. I was not there, but my club chairman reported later to me. Anyway, our problem is something uncommon - a budget surplus that is just sitting there.
Peter Gustafsson

Not sure why this is considered unusual. My Division, much lower than a regional section, has been sitting on over USD $10,000. for some years. The money is from the Division's share of USFA membership dues. As to costs the Division is organized to not have any. The Division mandated tournaments are self supporting and run by the clubs. Local tournaments come under the BayCup. So far all the money has generated is jokes.

Personally I think it ought to be doled out to the clubs based on how many USFA members they have. Other proposals for additional director training have pretty much fallen flat.

[seven6ty]

Ummm, too much $ is definitely not a problem!

[AndrewH]

Well in my division, some people don't like the people who are in power. So through a series of lawsuits, they've delayed the elections repeatedly, managing to keep those people in power. Go figure?

[Grasshopper]

Yes, that is all fine and dandy, but do the rivers run with chocolate? No? Then I'm not going.

[Rockstar44]

Anyway, our problem is something uncommon - a budget surplus that is just sitting there.

My Division, much lower than a regional section, has been sitting on over USD $10,000. for some years.

And, this is a problem how?

[Tomas N]

And, this is a problem how?

Our division is also sitting on a fairly large surplus. I think it's a problem because it means that we are generating too much revenue, either from charging clubs to host USFA tournaments or from the USFA membership dues. That money could be better spent elsewhere. As non-profits, our purpose in life is not to horde up money, but rather to spend it wisely in promoting the sport.

Tomas

[Philistine]

And, this is a problem how?

I think the "problem" is both in what to do with the money, and to decide what's happening that you're ending up with an "unnecessary" surplus in the first place.

In a non-fencing context, a board I was on (a local "friends of the library") had a several thousand dollar surplus at one point. The problem was--it's too much money to do something in the ordinary course (like throw a party, buy a piece of equipment, etc.) but not really enough to do anything particularly useful (update systems, capital improvements, etc.) so there can be a lot of back and forth on what to actually do with it, with no particularly clear way to go as best.

I agree, though, as problems go, it's one of the better ones to have....

--Philistine

[BoutAfrica]

Your posts are all boring.

The president of our country dissapeared for a long time and is now apprently the head coach of the Russian men's Epee team. He only just resigned. FML

[edew]

Not sure why this is considered unusual. My Division, much lower than a regional section, has been sitting on over USD $10,000. for some years. The money is from the Division's share of USFA membership dues. As to costs the Division is organized to not have any. The Division mandated tournaments are self supporting and run by the clubs. Local tournaments come under the BayCup. So far all the money has generated is jokes.

Personally I think it ought to be doled out to the clubs based on how many USFA members they have. Other proposals for additional director training have pretty much fallen flat.

Actually, the money was from the 84 Olympics. We haven't used it because no one can decide what is the best use of the money. Now, since the money hasn't really grown, it's not that valuable ($10K isn't so much as to make a good dent on something and it's so little as to just spend it for one season's prizes or something).

[jjefferies]

Actually, the money was from the 84 Olympics. We haven't used it because no one can decide what is the best use of the money. Now, since the money hasn't really grown, it's not that valuable ($10K isn't so much as to make a good dent on something and it's so little as to just spend it for one season's prizes or something).

Ouch! we've had it under the mattress since '84? If we continue to leave it under there it might be enough to finance a dinner out for the Exec Board in another year!