USFA Board of Directors agenda

[Dee EffEll]

http://www.wwdfencing.org/WWD_docs/J...03_Agenda1.doc

[Philistine]

Thanks for the post.

Interesting discussions (which have been batted around here) on:

2. Motion (Linda Merritt): To disallow classification changes for age restricted events U17 and below at division and section level tournaments.

Rationale: Too many inexperienced youth athletes are obtaining classifications unsuitable to their actual fencing ability mostly because the number of fencers in an event allows for a classification change. (Linda Merritt was to work with Barbara Lynch and return at the July board meeting with addition information.)

and

MOTION #5: Tournament contracts shall not be entered into with venues that unreasonably restrict fencers from bringing in ordinary and customary food and drink nor venues that unreasonably restrict non-competitors’ access to the floor. It shall be considered inherently unreasonable for a venue either to restrict fencers from bringing in ordinary and customary food and drink nor venues that unreasonably restrict non-competitors’ access to the floor for reasons of profit. Restrictions may be imposed by a venue if they are (1) reasonably related to health and safety, or protection of the facility, (2) accompanied by accommodations to implement the fencers’ rights to food and drink, and to have a person of the competitor’s choosing who may act as a coach or attendant have access to the fencer’s strip, (3) are announced in all of the USFA materials announcing or promoting the tournament to USFA members, AND (4) are specifically approved by the Athletes Advisory Group.

Issue: Venue conditions are often fencer-unfriendly.

Discussion: A number of venues have restricted food and drink that may be brought in; access to the fencing floor, or both. Again, this creates unacceptable difficulty and expense for the fencing community.

With regard to food and drink, there are two issues. First, fencers are trained to bring the specific food and drink they need to tournaments. If they cannot bring it in, it may or may not be available from the venue's vendors. This can directly affect a fencer's performance. Second, even if the food and drink the fencer needs is available from venue vendors, it is typically extremely expensive. This, again, affects the fencers' abilities to compete in as many competitions as they should. Unacceptable venue practices have included: (1) all non-fencers (parents and coaches) being charged $10 to get into the venue; (2) restriction on food or beverages being brought into the venue; and (3) no one besides the athletes being permitted on the fencing floor.

All of these considerations can be summarized as follows: First, the USFA should not allow the fencers to be five- and ten-dollared to death by supplemental costs. Second, the sport belongs to the fencing community, not to venue directors, and tournaments should be run in a manner that recognizes that

and

MOTION #6: The entry deadline for national tournaments shall be 60 days before the first day of the tournament. Not later than 45 days before the event, the event schedule shall be posted on the USFA’s Web site.

Issue: Event schedules are not provided in a timely manner.

Discussion: Scheduling information is very late in coming. This pertains to not only the cities where tournaments will be located, but also to venue location and the daily schedule at those tournaments. Fencers, parents and coaches cannot purchase tickets or make hotel reservations without this information. For people who must travel to 6-8 domestic competitions every season, the price differentials between being able to buy tickets early or having to wait until later can be ruinous. Again, this is an issue, not of making fencing inexpensive, but of not needlessly wasting fencers' money. In an era in which the USFA has had to cut its international performance awards, it needs to be extremely sensitive to domestic competition costs. As this motion is written, on November 19, 2002, the event schedule for the Senior/Junior NAC on the weekend of January 17-20, 2003, is not yet available; the entry deadline is December 17. In addition, the late posting of schedules is a direct factor in the avalanche of faxes that overwhelm the National Office immediately before an entry deadline.

and

1. Motion (Mr. Zimmerman): The FOC recommends the increase of national tournament entry fees by $10 which will be used as a dedicated fund to institute a Game Fee in addition to the existing per diem for USFA referees. (See Addendum A for breakdown of Game Fee and per diem information.)

Rationale: In the last generation, our organization has changed dramatically. Membership, entries to national competitions, and the annual amount of competition days have all increased exponentially.

The USFA has the largest corps of competent referees in the world, yet it has become increasingly difficult to provide top quality referees to the NACS, JOs and Nationals. In addition, many of our best referees have been bombarded with International assignments, as well. Referees provide skills and work which specifically are tied to service to athletes. In addition, with the explosion of age group events, where coaches, parents and athletes expect the highest level of officiating, we can not view these events as proving grounds any longer.

The implementation of a long sought-after Game Fee will be the single-most important improvement the USFA can make in the area of referees, and will be in the best interests of the competitors and the organization at large.

(Please note that the proposal to implement the Game Fee is contingent solely on the Board passing the entry fee increase of $10. Entries increased by 13% this season after last year’s entry fee increase.)

Lots more stuff, but these were the ones on issues that have gotten a fair amount of discussion on the board.

--Philistine

[Craig]

Question - What's the "Game Fee"? I haven't heard that term before.

[Philistine]

Originally posted by Craig
Question - What's the "Game Fee"? I haven't heard that term before.

Looks like it's a $10 increase at national tournaments to be used for paying referrees. Later in the Agenda there is some projections on how much it would cost to give additional levels of compensation to referees vs. how much money the hike would bring in.

Pretty much the same proposal as the "Referees, What are They Worth?" thread you started, if I'm reading it correctly.

--Philistine

[Mo]

This truly is all very interesting!!
One thing about very expensive venues though is that it pretty much described Disney where everything was outrageously expensive.
Disney said in advance that no one but creditialed coaches could be on the floor but that was not enforced.
Bags were not searched for food items but people were charged 28 bucks for the weekend of fencing just to watch.
Friends and family were charged daily cost just to watch. Both of these things were outrageous and it is good that the powers that be noticed the whining that went on here.
I do remember Epeemike quite approving of Disney ripping off fencers but am happy to know that the USFA does not share that opinion.
See?? The USFA does listen.

[afc fencer]

5. In Division I NAC for 2003-2004 points will be awarded to those promoted to the DE tableau to a maximum of 32.

Glad there gonna clear that up.

There will be no further changes to Division I entry eligibility rules until the start of the 2004-2005 season.

Phew now I don't have to worry about getting a B at nats.