The snow storm has not eased up as of 5:00 pm. WMUR weather is saying the changeover is sleet, freezing rain, followed by rain, and some areas will be below freezing, which will cause icing on roadways.  While it might clear by 6:30 tonight, many roads will be treacherous.

So there will be no fencing tonight, February 18.  Stay home, stay warm, and stay safe.

Winter term (December, January, and February) starts this week. All training groups will continue on their regular days and times.  As always, please bring payments to the first meeting of the term.  Cash or checks should be made payable to Seacoast Fencing Club,  we do not accept credit cards.

I will offer an advanced class in both locations this term.  Private lessons are offered in both locations as well.

Manchester Schedule – Meets Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays 

Children are being combined with Youths, 6:30 to 7:45 pm on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Youths are being combined with Children, 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 are being combined with Youths, 6:30 to 7:45 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Youths are being combined with Children, 6:30 to 7:45 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Juniors and Adults will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays 7:00 to 9:00 pm, and Sundays, 5:30 to 7:30 pm.

All Seacoast fencers can come to both the Manchester and Rochester locations if you want to pick up an extra day of fencing (with new mix of fencers). No extra charge.  

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

Tuition for the three month Winter Term  (December, January, and February)

Children        $310

Youth            $325

Junior            $340

Adult             $340

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, for nine classes, 7:45 to 8:15 pm.  Manchester on Thursdays and Rochester on Tuesdays.

The only upcoming scheduled closing is Memorial Day Weekend – Sunday in Rochester, and Monday in Manchester (May 24 & 25).  We generally don’t close for federal or school holidays.

September is the start of the 2019-2020 season!  The training schedule and prices are below.  I hope to see all of you at the parent’s and the fencer’s meetings in each club.  Manchester will open on Monday, September 9.  Rochester will open on Tuesday, September 10. 

The Manchester parent’s meeting will be 7:00 pm on the first day, Monday, September 9.  The Rochester parent’s meeting will be 7:00 pm on Tuesday, September 10.   All groups will be fencing that day, so bring your children at the normal time (below).  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 11 for Manchester fencers, and on Thursday, September 12 for Rochester fencers.  Junior and Adult fencers who want to fence on Sundays will need to set up an contact system at the September 12 meeting to ensure enough people will be there for those Sunday practices.

Manchester Schedule – Meets Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays 

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 Tuesdays and Thursdays 7:00 to 9:00 pm, and Sundays, 5:30 to 7:30 pm.

All Seacoast fencers can come to both the Manchester and Rochester locations if you want to pick up an extra day of fencing (with new mix of fencers). No extra charge.  

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)

Children        $310

Youth            $325

Junior            $340

Adult             $340

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.

What a season for three of our junior fencers!  Starting with the Portland D tournament in March, the luck of the draw put all six of the Seacoast fencers in the top half of the direct elimination tableau, where they kept eliminating their teammates. Casey Wohlers (16 yrs) took out Christian Anderson (13 yrs) in the semifinals, who then took third.  Casey went on to win the foil event.

In April, Seacoast Fencing Club hosted the Northeast Division National Qualifiers, Seacoast dominated the Y14 men’s foil, with Christian Anderson in first place, Gus Ewald (14 yrs) second, and Trevor Wohlers (12 yrs) third.  All three qualified for the National Championships.  In the Division 2/3 Qualifiers, Hannah McPherson (16 yrs) won the women’s foil, and Casey Wohlers was second in the men’s foil, and both qualified for the Nationals.

Also in April, Christian Anderson won the foil event at the Portland E meet, and earned his E rating.  Inle Bush (15 yrs), was undefeated in the pools and took third, as did Jay Wendell (14 yrs).  May brought more excellent results, starting with the Concord C meet, where Inle competed in his first epee tournament,  finished third, and earned an E rating.  One week later, Inle was once again third in epee at the Seacoast C meet, where Casey Wohlers, a foil fencer at his first epee tournament, finished second! In foil, his primary weapon, Casey was third at a C meet in Worcester, and second at the Spring Open in Concord, where his teammate Inle took third.  The Northeast Division finished the competitive season at the Wide Open at Seacoast Fencing Club on June 1, Casey was third in the foil event.

Congratulations to Christian and Inle for earning their E rating, and to Casey and Inle for earning medals in both their primary weapon- foil, and in their new weapon- epee.  The two of them are continuing the Seacoast tradition of proving good fencing works in all weapons!

And while the Bay State Games were in July (which is not in the spring), Karen Brennan traveled south, finishing third, and earned her first medal in veteran (40 plus) women’s foil.