11-25-2003, 04:15 PM
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#1 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Kodiak!!!
Posts: 257
| Non-Competitive Tourny
I'm looking for ideas. I realize that most of the regular posters on this board are fiercely competitive, as am I. Despite that, I'm trying to figure out a way to get a largish group of both competitive and non-competitive fencers together to fence in a social manner, and would appreciate any constructive input. Some ideas I had at 5 A.M. today were:
1) Invite everyone in the Division for a weekend of fencing, fun and fellowship (no, not the religious kind)
2) Have a swap meet at the same time
3) Make it a pot luck for dinner
4) Have an open format for the fencing so that anyone could fence anyone else, simply by asking.
5) Rig up for doubles epee fencing ala the latest American Fencing magazine article. That looked like a lot of fun!
I'm having concerns about how to run the "tourny" in an open format. any body ever try that? I don't want it to turn into a complete kluge so there needs to be some organization and directors ready to go at all times etc. I'm just trying to get everybody together in a friendly, not too threatening venue that will hopefully appeal to everyone, although I'd be happy with a 60% turnout.
Your thoughts please?
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11-25-2003, 05:10 PM
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#2 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: West Coast
Posts: 2,412
| One event we've had some fun with is a balloon melee. It works best for sabre fencers, but you can adapt for point weapons as well.
You blow up three balloons for each person (but not overinflated) and duct tape them to the shoulders and mask. Everyone starts in a big group, and tries to pop the balloons...last person with a balloon wins. No real fencing acumen required, but it helps. Teamwork is vital.
Good luck with the event!
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11-25-2003, 05:45 PM
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#3 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Grand Rapids, MI, USA
Posts: 2,993
| Hmmm...how to make an inherently competitive activity non-competitive...
How 'bout "King of the Strip"? Like in barroom pool? Anybody can challenge, and the winner stays on the strip to meet the next challenger. Still somewhat competitive, though...
Or how about giving prizes based not on whom you've beaten, but on how many bouts you've fenced? Whenever you step on the piste, the director gives each fencer a token. Whoever has the most tokens gets a prize or trophy (Ironman/Ironwoman?). Weighted points for how many different people you fence, though this might require some record-keeping of a minimal sort (checklist with all names on it, cross off if you've already fenced them?)...
This would place a premium on participating rather than winning--even the worst fencer can "compete" on an equal footing.
Anyway, just a thought.
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Last edited by lochinvar; 11-25-2003 at 05:49 PM.
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11-25-2003, 05:49 PM
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#4 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Amherst, MA and Franklin, MA
Posts: 2,484
| Valentine's Day Massacre I think is the term I am looking for. Just a big room, 3D fencing, dry(unless you can go wireless).
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11-25-2003, 05:59 PM
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#5 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 233
| But.... but..umm... who would get first place?
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11-25-2003, 06:01 PM
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#6 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Amherst, MA and Franklin, MA
Posts: 2,484
| Last man standing, once you get hit you are out, or you get hit 3 times w/e the rules may be.
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11-25-2003, 06:34 PM
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#7 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 286
| Hmmm...our tennis club did this sort of thing all the time. For the kids, it was pizza and game day...the club bought pizza, chips and cookies, ah, and soda...the kids pay a nominal fee, play tennis and then at a certain amount of time they switch and play some more. After a while the games are less strenuous...like ping pong, balloon games, and they eat. I do remember the coaches put emphasis on fun not on points.
Sorry, I never attended the adult socials. But try talking to a tennis club that runs adult socials.
Oh yeah, our gym does it too. Halloween socials...etc. Never attended one of those either...
If you weren't so far away, I would attend your fencing social though,  . | |
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11-25-2003, 07:22 PM
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#8 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Beaverton, OR
Posts: 186
| we also have a sort of "war" style fencing
two teams, one on each side of a line. No crossing the line, and standard foil target applies. One point and you're dead. Teaming up is allowed (encouraged), no right-of-way.
Likewise, the grand melee is always fun, though we've had one or two weapons break as a result. | |
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11-25-2003, 07:35 PM
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#9 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Mid Atlantic
Posts: 1,218
| A Non-competitive Tournament =oxymoron
Like low-fat butter and sugar free candy.
How about a Fencing Exhibition, a 24 hour Fence-a-thon, or Rock-n-roll fencing (loud music and distracting lights / mirrored ball) or Fence with a weapon you don't regularly use.
One club in our division had a one touch evening epee tournament...by candle light & lantern. | |
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11-25-2003, 08:04 PM
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#10 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Kodiak!!!
Posts: 257
| Some great ideas! I had been thinking about having a drawing for a fabulous door prize between the fencers who managed to "fence everybody", assuming there would be several. You could even keep track of a total of TS vs TR but only for the participants who would care about such things (me, for instance).
The thing is, there are several clubs and individuals that fence around here that aren't into the whole "USFA tournament" thing . I'm just trying to get everybody together so we can all be doing something for the sport and each other. Maybe it will help to heal some {ahem} past differences as well.
thanks for your input on the games too!
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“General Feraud has made occasional attempts to kill me. That does not give him the right to claim my acquaintance.”
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11-25-2003, 08:33 PM
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#11 | | Senior Member
Join Date: May 2003 Location: Arlington, VA
Posts: 4,411
| Quote: Originally posted by KShan5[PrFC]
Valentine's Day Massacre I think is the term I am looking for. Just a big room, 3D fencing, dry(unless you can go wireless). | 3D fencing...
as opposed to the 2D fencing we usually do.... | |
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11-25-2003, 08:51 PM
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#12 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Kodiak!!!
Posts: 257
| Thank you MP for pointing that out before I had to. It got me thinking about 4D fencing though (here I am, hijacking my own post). If time is the 4th dimension, how would that affect concepts like "stop hit in time"? Maybe we are already fencing 4D?
better head to the water cooler to fleche this out....
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“General Feraud has made occasional attempts to kill me. That does not give him the right to claim my acquaintance.”
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11-25-2003, 09:11 PM
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#13 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Middle O' Nowhere USA (Reno, NV)
Posts: 250
| one touch tournaments in every weapon... chaotic to the extreme.
'pirate fencing' on the honor system... draw a line down the center of the room, split up the sides evenly... the back foot may not cross the line... last team remaining wins. *note, cowering in the back recieves warnings... if it's the last person, the line barrier is void.
declare a 'tournament of honour' featuring fun, fencing, and food... mmmmmmmmm... invite everyone, make a huge deal of it, and most everyone's sure to come (no salle wants to be the loner crowd that didn't show up...) have regular, one touch, and novice tourneys all day... make it a potluck or just bring tons of food and make it a regular social event...
or you can do it the old fashioned way, and if someone doesn't wanna come, take off you glove, smack them accross the face, and challenge them to a duel (at the tournament, of course! 
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