When competitions slug along

[Victor]

Watching the preregs for the an upcoming competition grow -- now up to about 90 in open epee -- I begin to worry about whether the event organizers can handle a tourney of that size. (Let's not identify the competition by name, shall we?, to avoid angry reprisals.) Previous years for this event have produced less-than-optimal experiences. ... Misplaced registration lists, major seeding glitches, finishing long after sundown, etc.

What do you do to keep your mind of the chaotic nonproductive activity around you at competitions like that? And have there been major competitions that you've actually avoided for that reason?

[Inquartata]

I tend to browse the vendors, to my ultimate cost.

Never avoided a competition because of too many entrants---I fence sabre, after all, and the opposite problem is much more likely to be encountered. I HAVE passed on competitions where too few fencers was probable.

[lochinvar]

This is, of course, the very reason why the USFA keeps trying to find ways to limit attendance at Summer Nats.

The answer is pre-qualifiers, but I don't know if that's workable for a "private" tournament, unless it's part of an established Section or Division circuit.

I've never shied away from any tournament because of too many entrants. 'Course, that might be due to the fact that I never make it past the 2nd DE and usually don't make it past the first. So you see, duration isn't really a factor for me...

[MyraTrue]

I agree with Lochinvar- I'd not turn a tournament down on the basis of too many fencers. I don't mind being there well past sundown, as long as the fencing is good. I go to a tournament in the hopes of some good fencing, and the more people, the merrier! I know I wish I'd gotten to fence more when I leave most tournaments...

Lochinvar, the signature... I can only hope that doesn't apply to me. But doesn't that sum up an awful lot of fencers?

[lochinvar]

Originally posted by MyraTrue
Lochinvar, the signature... I can only hope that doesn't apply to me. But doesn't that sum up an awful lot of fencers?

Well, I guess in a way it describes an awful lot of fencers. But then, it describes an awful lot of people generally.

The true humor of the phrase lies in its subtlety, however. On the most superficial level it pokes fun at people who just don't know when they're beaten. But on a deeper level it slyly pokes fun at those who see the world in black and white categories of 'winning' and 'losing' only.

I used to manage a rec-league softball team. At the beginning of the season, I would always call the team together and give this little speech:

"We have a lot of people here who are not very good or experienced. (We usually did--I sought them out, to tell the truth.) Some of you are picking up a bat or mitt for the first time in your lives. That's okay.

"Everyone who shows up plays in every game. I'll try to even out the playing time among everyone so nobody rides the bench more than anyone else.

"Batting will be alphabetically by first name. I'm not interested in playing around with the batting order; I have better things to do."

"If you want to try a position, just let me know and I'll play you there even if you've never done it before. I don't assign positions unless you tell me you don't have a preference. If more than one person wants to play a position, I'll rotate it evenly among as many as want to try it.

"What's important here is that we're playing, not necessarily that we're winning. Sure, it's nice to win, and I always want you to try to win, but if you can't enjoy the game unless you're winning, then I'm telling you up front that you're on the wrong team. Let me know if that's the case, and I'll be happy to sign a transfer to some other team so you don't lose your registration money."

"I expect to lose a lot of games, but I also expect everyone to do their own personal best in every game. And I expect you to have fun while you're doing it.

"If you can honestly say at the end of the season that you did your best, learned something, and enjoyed yourself, then I'll consider this team successful regardless of the win/loss record."

And those who really accept my signature phrase as being the only true and accurate description of life could never comprehend why we stayed together season after season--or why I continue to fence, even though I suck.

[MyraTrue]

I think thats a very good way to play any game. I fight with myself over why I fence all the time. But I know if I did this just to win, I'd have quit a LONG time ago. I hope that if I keep at this...


I think its the day we stop learning anything new that we should quit!!! If I can still learn, then I can still fence.