Small, college club looking for advice on breaking into competition

[CarthageFencing]

We're a small club at a small college that is looking to get into competitions, but are looking for advice on how to do that. We've been around for six years now, have little experience with electric fencing and are student run and student taught rather than lead by a coach.

What we're looking for is advice on how to find competitions, how to approach clubs at other schools about having school on school matches and what gear besides electric swords and lames we would need.

Also etiquette we may have missed out on by fencing only in house and any other advice for breaking into the world of competition would be appreciated. And if it would help we can give information on how we've taught up to now, kept members and interest up and stayed around for as long as we have.

[Triton]

Contact the folks at the Wisconsin Division for starters: www.wifencing.org
Then to find competitions go to the Fencing Results and Events Database: www.askfred.net

I suggest you go to a few competitions in your area as a spectator first if you're wondering about etiquette. Or your could just blunder your way through it and hope folks point you in the right direction like I did. You're not too far geographically from the majority of fencing in Wisconsin. I'm sure most of the clubs in the Milwaukee area would welcome your visit if you want to see what goes on.

Good luck, and let me know if you need anything else.

[migopod]

What Triton Said.

Swing by Caliburn some time. It's not terribly far from Kenosha for an occasional visit

[LordShout]

Mike Garrison at Wisco Madison might have information about local collegiate events, his email and other info can be found at:

http://fencing.rso.wisc.edu/

The USACFC is a great experience, although I would recommend getting some significant amount of competitive practice before trying to attend.

http://usacfc.org/

The Midwest Fencing Conference is your geographic conference for collegiate fencing, they don't seem to have a general info website at the current time.

[axfv]

You're pretty lucky in that most of the midwestern events happen around your area. Our club has to drive 8 hours each way for all the events.

There's Burton Open at Northwestern on October 2nd. It's not a collegiate event per se (individuals only and requires USFA membership), but schools use it to start off their season: http://askfred.net/Events/moreInfo.p...ament_id=11831

As far as what equipment is necessary, here's a list:
Since you're only going to local competitions, I think any equipment will fit as long as you bought it from a fencing site.

All Weapons:
mask (insulated for foil and epee, conducting for sabre)
jacket
plastron
knickers
knee-high socks
glove for weapon hand
chest protector for women (optional for men)
two working body cords
two weapons

foil-specific:
lame vest
foils must be taped at the tip
note: USA events do not require a lame bib, so don't get the bib masks, unless you like giving more target area to your opponent.

sabre-specific:
lame jacket
appropriate mask
head cord
overglove or sabre glove

At least for collegiate team events, I think refs let you get away with having only 2 spare weapons for 3 people.

Before every competition, your fencers must go to get their masks tested. The armorer will check to ensure that the mesh is still intact. The test consists of poking the mask with a punch tester (available here: http://shop.fencing.net/Mask_Punch_Test_p/fwf93101.htm ) and if it goes through the mesh, your mask fails. Our club has one and we test our masks before traveling, but these things are pretty expensive.

Before each bout, the referee will perform a weight test on your point weapons. The spring in foil tips must raise a 500g weight. The spring in epee tips must raise 750g weight. You can buy a test weight here: http://shop.fencing.net/product_p/fdn-93300.htm Sabre doesn't have this test (no tip).

I don't fence epee, but they also have to pass the shim test, the tip must be raised enough to allow a slip of metal to be inserted between the tip and the barrel. You can buy shims here: http://shop.fencing.net/Epee_Test_Shims_p/fdn-93101.htm Other weapons don't have this requirement.

If you're new to fencing electric, your club needs to own a Test Box to make sure all the contacts work. This is used to test both the wiring of the weapons and body cords. Used for all 3 weapons. http://shop.fencing.net/product_p/afg-131013.htm

When you pass all the tests and get hooked up, you have to do a last test with your opponent to ensure both circuits are working correctly. For foil, you cover your face with your mask then poke your opponent's lame, your scoring light should go off. For epee, you cover your face with a mask then poke your opponent's guard, the light should NOT go off (the guard has to be insulated). For sabre, you both hold your mask out and hit each other's masks, the lights should go off (this is to ensure the head cords are working correctly).

Ideally, you want to know your club gear passes all these tests before you show up to compete.

[SJCFU#2]

Just to add a couple of items to AXFV's list of things to check regarding equipment:

Before the punch test, masks will undergo a visual inspection which looks for things like deep dents or irregularities in the mesh, loose stitching or holes in the bib and places where a point could get caught (such as a loose rubber strap around the perimeter of the mask). Be especially wary of old equipment that the school may have in storage somewhere - the rules for masks have changed over the last few decades and the old Santelli masks with snap-in bibs that used to be popular with clubs and schools are no longer legal for competition.

It's also possible that lames (including saber masks and overgloves) and body cords (including saber head cords) will be tested for continuity. Lames are allowed no more than 5 ohms resistance between any two points, while resistance from one end to the other of a body cord is supposed to be 1 ohm or less. While organizers often choose to skip these tests in order to expedite things, I have worked collegiate tournaments where full equipment inspections were required.

[CarthageFencing]

Migopod, we would totally be up for that. We'll definitely be in contact.

Wow, thank you everyone that has replied so far, we didn't expect so much information so quickly. Even if we can't get into any big tournaments this year we definitely have enough to go off of for next year. Thank you all again.

[RITFencing]

Check out the Remenyik Open in Chicago; it's a very strong event in all weapons and it's also well run and reffed. Even if your fencers don't do that well, they can have a look at what competitive fencing in the US looks like (particularly Men's Epee; very strong event last year.) You can also hit up the higher level refs there (look at anyone working in the top 8 or above for most events) and ask them about any help you need with RoW in foil and sabre.

http://askfred.net/Events/whoIsComin...ament_id=11832

Beyond that, see if you can get yourself a (good) coach, or if any of your fencers can get some coaching over the summer and winter breaks and then bring that info back.