NAC advice, Overland Park KS help?

[WJM]

Hey all, some of you know me, others don't. I have a couple of questions about this season's NAC's. I'm a fencer who was hurt in my middle/late teens, spent about 9 years or so as an assistant coach then head coach to my current club. For some reason, I decided to get back into competition last season, and after 8 months, went from a U rated epeeist to my current rating of B02. I'm going to fence the NAC's this season, and I was wondering:

#1: any special advice national or former national fencers have that someone who has been to (coached) NAC's but not fenced in them wouldn't know?

#2: how does one GET to Overland Park KS? what airport do you fly to? do you have to rent a car to get to the hotel/venue from there? Why do we have to go to kansas? (kidding)

-Will Mego

[Mo]

Will:

About going to the NACs...mostly, you'll just have to go to a few and scope them out as you fence. It's nice because vendors are at hand for those pesky equipment test failures. The adult meets, though, can have large numbers, multiple flights of pools and long delays, so bring your patience.

Overland Park is a suburb of Kansas City, so you'd fly into the Kansas City, Missouri main airport. Overland Park is on the west side of the mighty Missouri River in the Dorothy-esque state of Kansas.

Little known story: In the 1800's as Kansas City was beginning to grow, they held a referendum on the official name of the new city. Possum Trot and Kansas City were the two top contenders. Alas, Possum Trot lost out by just a handful of votes...but is still remembered fondly during the Possum Trot festival every year.

If our experience is any guide, bring one of your kids to coach you during the bouts. It's good for you, good for them!

The Other Mo