Summer national 2002 Greenville, SC

[wari]

I have been thinking for a long time to discuss that with fencers who attended the event. I gave it a though and sad let’s go for it.
I was the local organizer for the summer national 2002 and I wanted to make the event a great success, I’m sure that every local organizer have a same goal. What I did is to do it the professional way, so I hired a public relation firm to start making press releases 8 months in advance for public awareness and paved the way for potential sponsors. Five month before, I hired a marketing firm that put together a power point presentation to present to potential sponsors. Our first target was having a media as in-kind sponsors, That was pretty easy to get their support after, we start targeting the corporate sponsors and we did pretty good, and later the sponsors were very happy the way we advertised their companies in the event and the media during the event and before and they were more than happy to do it again, in fact when they knew that we were going to host another one that next November they called and start sending check to get their add in the event and some them gave me more than I asked for.
In my point of view the event was a success to our club and event went pretty well but that only my opinion, I would like the fencers who were there to tell me their opinion, if they were treated right and what can we do to make better.
Until now I heard some good one but also I heard some rumors that some people were treated badly and complained and maybe that is costing us for the USFA not to come back again for another event. If there is people who really were mistreated , I like to know and we will do what ever it take to find a remedies for it and I’m not talking for my self only but for the Greenville community also, and they are more happy to do help.
I will not blame the USFA for not coming back, they have all the right to be concerned for their members and take their complaints in consideration, but I would like to have a chance to do something.

Thank you very much for reading that.

Wari.
http://www.greenvillefencing.org

[Peach]

I loved the Greenville Summer Nationals, even though I disliked the NAC held at the same location the year before. Summer Nationals were better than the NAC because (a) the in-town venue hotel was close to the nice downtown area, and we could go out in the evening for a good dinner and a walk. (b) the venue hotel was nicer than that motor inn next to the venue (c) the space was pretty well-arranged (d) there was a strong vendor presence with a lot of items available. It had the feeling of a "fencing carnival" which Austin, to my mind, didn't quite have this year.

[oiuyt]

Of course for a fencing carnival it would be hard to beat Cleveland about 3 years ago when the venue (the actual room, not just the convention center) actually was shared by an indoor carnival going on at the same time. Reasonable sound volume and low degree of distraction were NOT present however. Somehow the curtains that separated us from the various rides and other attractions didn't really help so much. :) Here's hoping that something similar doesn't occur for JO's.

Back to the original topic, I had no problems with nationals in Greenville. Seemed fairly typical to me. I guess as a minor annoyance the fact that the finals room was widely separated from the rest and it wasn't clear to many people where it was, how to get to it, or even that it existed. I thought you all did a great job and would have no problem with it being back in SC (not that that will happen for another few years again now that NC has this year, but...).

-B :)

[scarlet_woman156k]

In comparison to the venue for the 2003 nationals in Austin, TX... it was a fencer's dream--everything for my event was extremely timely, wereas in Austin several-hour delays was completely horrific. The only thing that made up for the Austin venue was the places to roam around.

Also, the finals room was really nice. Didn't have that in Austin.

I would totally go back to Greenville, SC for another national competition.

Oh yeah, and compared to Austin this year, you didn't have those damn roasted almonds that stunk up the whole place. God I wanted to puke, my one event's pools were next to that damned vendor and so many people were complaining. I seriously thought I would be ill.

[JEC]

Wari,
My son and I enjoyed the Summer Nationals in Greenville. We stayed at the host hotel. The closeness to downtown was balanced by the rush for getting a spot on the bus at peak times. My complaints were: 1) not been able to carry food into the venue (we did a few times but were stop twice), 2) the sound system in the venue was terrible, 3) although there were no major delays (a Y12 event was delayed for 3 hrs.) due to overabundance of space, there were no sufficient referees and especially quality directors for the Y10 foil male event (I know this was not under your control). Overall, I applaude your effort on raising the visibility of the event that made Summer Nationals a memorable experience. In particular, it was nice to see a Billboard advertising a Fencing competition.

[fence1848]

The only thing about the 2002 Summer Nationals is SC was about that T-shirt that has the anime-style character on it. They misspelled "Y'all" by spelling it "Ya'll". Come on, this is South Carolina we're talking about, how could you misspell such a common southern pronoun?

[wari]

Originally posted by fence1848
The only thing about the 2002 Summer Nationals is SC was about that T-shirt that has the anime-style character on it. They misspelled "Y'all" by spelling it "Ya'll". Come on, this is South Carolina we're talking about, how could you misspell such a common southern pronoun?

In fact I had same remark from a lots of people, believe me I checked the spelling the with two different writer and that was right.
Wari

[corinna2u]

...My complaints were: 1) not been able to carry food into the venue (we did a few times but were stop twice),...

We did not go to the 2002 Summer Nationals....but the above complaint would be a very BIG complaint from us. We pack all our tournament food since we know what drains us and what helps keep our energy up.

[corinna2u]

QUESTIONS ON SPELLING

Question (From an N.C. State undergraduate): I grew up in the South and have been known to say yal or ya'll quite frequently. Even though it is not correct English, it is a word that you can't live without down here.

In the fifth grade, I asked my teacher how to spell it and she explained that since it was a contraction of you and all, the correct spelling is ya'll. Since then, however, I have frequently seen it spelled yal. Which one is the correct spelling?

Answer: My sources (Merriam Webster's Tenth Collegiate Dictionary and Merriam Webster's Dictionary of English Usage) both have entries for you-all (permanently hyphenated). The usage dictionary goes on to note that the contraction for you-all is y'all. This confirms my instinct.

I don't understand your teacher's reasoning. The apostrophe in a contraction takes the place of missing letters. In contracting you-all to y'all, you take out the "ou-", so it seems logical to place the apostrophe not after the "a," but before it.

Funny thing is...I grew up with ya'll...as in a contraction of ya all...slang for you all.

[swordsen]

As a south Georgia raised person I have always ween it spelled ya'll.

And to the original topic, I quite like the summer nationals there. I didn't stay at the host hotel, but at a different one at about half the cost about 5 minutes away. Fun event.

[rsy]

Wari,

You did a wonderful job at the 2002 Summer Nationals. The venue set up not only provided enough room for the strips, but also enough room to warm-up, wander, watch, store your gear, congregate and crash.

I thought the finals room was a nice touch. It was not that far removed from the main hall, and the lighting, raised strip, spectator chairs and refreshments made it feel like a cross between a sky-box and the finals of a world cup.

But my favorite touch was the way you arranged to have the Krispy Kreme situated at the entrance to the venue.

Downers were the security card trying to keep the Krispy Kremes out of the venue. It's hard to sneak in 3 dozen hot along with a cooler with the food and water for the club. There could have been more chairs provided, although you had many more times the number than were provided in Austin. I also thought the venue hotels were over-priced. When we came back for the NAC we stayed at the Ameri-Suites. The rooms were nicer and it was $30 a night cheaper.

The thunderstorms and the resulting flooding in the parking lot was probably beyond your control and those who had their cars flooded now know what area of the parking lot to avoid.

Some thoughts on other venues:

2003 Summer Nationals in Austin - Nice facility, great town. Parking was a bit of a problem and the lack of chairs was absurd. If they do another competition there, they should move it to the other end of the convention center so it is closer to the Iron Work BBQ.

The NAC in Orlando - Disneyworld was a hoot, but too small a venue, they charged spectators (parents, family & friends) to get in, and one morning just before checkin they blocked access to the venue to allow a marathon to be run. Let's not do that again.

The JO's in Colorado Springs - The venue was terribly set up. Horribly overcrowded, not enough space to even move comfortably, multiple rooms (a nightmare for the coaches trying to keep track of more than one fencer) and a choke point between two of the rooms that made it nearly impossible to move between the two when pools were posted. While the Broadmore is an impressive and unique hotel, it was way too costly for many.

The NAC in Reno - What a blast. The facility was well set up and having it right in the hotel was excellent. Travel arrangements and package deals (air + hotel + car) were abundant. The bonus was the hotel's many other distractions, and we even got in a few days skiing at Squaw Valley.

[wari]

Originally posted by corinna2u
We did not go to the 2002 Summer Nationals....but the above complaint would be a very BIG complaint from us. We pack all our tournament food since we know what drains us and what helps keep our energy up.

The venue usually host conventions and exposition of cars or new product ext.., not getting food inside is policy to protect this items from the visitors while they are there. Until that time I did not know about the policy, there for the guard had to enforce the policy as he always does. I will make sure if we have another event we will take care of that.

[mtarascio]

Wari did a great job as organizer of this event. On another note, the organizer does not have any control on hotel rates. This is negotiated by the USFA.

[hello?]

Nationals in Greenville was my daughter's first national event. I thought it was GREAT. I loved staying at the venue hotel, where everyone could simply walk to all those restaurants and up and down the street and you didn't have to worry about transportation. The events were run on time and they seemed well organized....And now that I have many other events to compare it too (including the disaster in Austin this year), I am even more impressed. (Adding to the comments about Orlando: putting the fencers in the farthest building from the bus pickup was cruel, considering the heat and the fact that they had to roll their bags back and forth...However, I think the USFA lost money in Orlando, so it probably won't happen there again...Good.) I hope we have another one in Greenville.

[Dragonfly]

"HEY Y'ALL - Y'ALL YELL!!!!" [that is cheer from the south]

I would agree on food issues - sorry I wasn't there, but bringing in hot meals and setting up buffets while people are trying to compete at a national sporting event takes away from the thing? It's sort of like walking into a department store and having the perfume lady attack you with her sprays.

I dont understand the restaurant thing I totally rough it, all that heavy food, who can fence?

NEW ORLEANS IS THE ANSWER!
Why not bring the next group to New Orleans? It's such a great little town. You can book them in a zillion hotels from the Hilton, to the Holiday Inn, the Pontchartrain; and also some beautiful campus's.

STREETCARS
I have all the bus drivers and streetcar drivers tuned into fencing bags; they welcome me aboard! You can walk to Audubon Park and Jog two miles around to warm up, jog back and into their gyms to compete? People come from all over just to take pictures of our St. Charles Campus' they're beautiful, Audubon Park is right along the way.

YOU WANT FOOD?
New orleans is famous for food, it's all along the streetcars, the NOin'l airport is only 30 minutes away, things here are closer together, not spread apart like in some other places.