Seacoast Fencers-  Well, once again we are reminded that Winter in New Hampshire includes blizzards. So the club will be closed this coming Sunday, January 20.  So stay home, stay warm, and stay safe.

It is the start of the 2018-2019 season in September!  The schedule and prices are below.  I hope to see all of you at the parent’s and the fencer’s meetings in each club.  Rochester will open on Sunday, September 9.  Manchester will open on Monday, September 10. 

The Manchester parent’s meeting will be 7:00 pm on the first day, Monday, September 10.  The Rochester parent’s meeting will be 7:00 pm on Tuesday, September 11.   All groups will be fencing that day, so bring your children at the normal time.  Please bring payment, and be ready to take notes on the upcoming competitions for your child.  Also, my private lesson schedule will be set at that time.  Please be there!

Fencers will have their orientation and a discussion on upcoming competitions at 7:00 pm on Wednesday, September 12 for Manchester fencers, and on Thursday, September 13 for Rochester fencers.

Manchester Schedule – Meets Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays (we no longer meet on Saturdays)

Children will meet twice a week from 6:00 to 7:00 pm on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Youths will meet twice a week from 6:30 to 7:45 pm on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Juniors and Adults will meet three times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, from 7:00 to 9:00 pm.  

Rochester Schedule

 Children will be 6:00 to 7:00 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. 

Youths will be 6:30 to 7:45 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Juniors and Adults will be on Sundays, 6:00 to 8:00 pm, and Tuesdays and Thursdays 7:00 to 9:00 pm.

All Seacoast fencers can come to both the Manchester and Rochester locations at any time if you want to pick up an extra day of fencing (with new people).  

As usual, we are happy to stay an extra half hour if fencers want more time on the strip!

Tuition for the three month Fall term (September, October, and November)

Advanced Class  $100  (a great way to learn more offensive and defensive techniques for newer and younger fencers).  Meets once a week for 30 minutes, 7:45 to 8:15 pm.  Manchester on Mondays and Rochester on Tuesdays.

Please bring cash or a check (payable to Seacoast Fencing Club) to the first meeting.  I do not have credit or debit card, paypal, or bitcoin capability.

August will meet on Mondays and Wednesdays in Manchester, and Tuesdays and Thursdays in Rochester.  For those Seacoast fencers who did not sign up for both June and August, the tuition for August only is below:

Tuition for August only             

Please bring cash or a check (payable to Seacoast Fencing Club) to the first meeting. I do not accept debit, paypal, or bitcoin.

Seacoast Fencing Club will be holding its final team tournament of the 2017-18 season this coming Saturday, June 23.  It is strictly a Seacoast only event, with both our Rochester and Manchester clubs participating.  Y10, Y12, Y14, and Unclassified Mixed Foil- all starting at 9:30 am.  You should show up no later than 9:00 am to sign in and warm up (and stretch).  Doors will open at 8:45 am. The event should be over by 12:30 pm.  Open fencing for all ages afterward, until 2:30 pm. Private lessons will be given during that time. 

These events will be collegiate format, with three to four person teams.  I will make up the teams on the day of the event.  You will fence every member of the opposing team, but not your teammates.  However, if there are only two teams, we will have an individual event as well, so everyone will get enough bouts. 

Register by midnight, on Thursday, June 21,  on the google spreadsheet link below: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1iH32SgKa9pigxthRo73NjtMPmIeUIh1K3bimcToevQs/edit?pli=1#gid=0 

Entry fee will be $15 for all events, plus $5 director’s fee for the Y10 and Y12 events .  Y14 and Unclassified will be self-directed.  You pay at the door, check or cash (no credit cards).  You can enter a maximum of two events if you wish. 

Electric weapons and lames will be available ($7.00 for one item, $10.00 for both). 

If you are a rated foil fencer, please come in to direct the Y10 & Y12 events, and help out with the Y14 & Unclassified.

Seacoast fencers finished the competitive season in fine form, dominating the medal count in May and June. Over the two months, Seacoast fencers have earned 18 medals in the four meets, more than three times the medal count of any other club in the Northeast Division.

SFC women foil fencers were exceptional, with a Seacoast fencer winning three of the four tournaments, and earning nine out of the sixteen medals awarded. Sam Wood (a NCAA fencer from Yale) won twice, at the Wide Open and the C meet at the final event of the season, and taking second at the mixed foil D on June 2nd.  Michelle Sutherland won the C meet on June 2nd and finished third at two more.  Hannah McPherson took silver at both women’s foil events that she entered.

Our men’s epee squad was excellent as well, with Gabe Tarbuck winning the C meet on May 5th, Zack Martin finishing second twice, and Mike Houst finishing third twice.

The future looks good for our young foil fencers, with Christian Anderson fencing on May 12 at a New England Division youth tournament at VIVO Fencing Club in Massachusetts, where he took second in the Y14 Mixed Foil and third in the Y12, and Jasper Vergo finished in the top eight in both those events.

Congratulations to our fencers, who worked hard at practice to earn these results.

And good luck to the five Seacoast Fencing Club members who will be competing at the Summer National Championships in St. Louis this July– Julia Burke, Hannah McPherson, Gus Ewald, Christian Anderson, and Mike Houst.