Seacoast Fencers,

I hope everyone had a great summer. But now it is time to have a great season! Remember, you must be a current member of the USFA– last year’s membership will have expired, unless you joined after April 1, 2014 or have a multi year membership. I strongly recommend a competitive membership, so you can enter tournaments. The link to join the USFA is:

https://www.railstation.org/usfencing/MembershipRegistration.aspx

We start the 2014-2015 season at Seacoast on Sunday September 7 in Rochester for Juniors and Adults only (and beginning and intermediate classes). Children and Youth programs start Tuesday, September 9. We will have a meeting for parents on that Tuesday at 7:00 pm, to collect checks, explain how the program runs, what is expected from both you and your child, and the upcoming tournaments appropriate for your child. We will have a team meeting on Thursday, September 11 at 7:30 pm for Youth, Junior, and Adult fencers.

Manchester starts on Monday, September 8 for all programs: Children, Youth, Junior, and Adult (and beginning and intermediate classes). We will have a meeting for parents on that Monday at 7:00 pm, to collect checks, explain how the program runs, what is expected from both you and your child, and the upcoming tournaments appropriate for your child. We will have a team meeting on Wednesday, September 10 at 7:30 pm for Youth, Junior, and Adult fencers.

See you in a couple weeks!

Chris Pullo

Head Coach

The prices for Fall term are below (three months: Sept thru Nov)

Children (ages 7 to 12) $245

Youth (ages 12-14) $260

Junior/Adult (14 -73) $275

Advanced Class $80 (Thursday in Rochester, Wednesday in Manchester: 7:45-8:15 pm)

The program days and times have not changed from last season and can be found under Hours and Directions.

For the second National tournament in a row, a Seacoast fencer had a terrific result.  Sucheta Tamragouri, a 17 year old senior at Bishop Guertin High School, who trains at our club in Manchester, took third place in the Division III Women’s Epee at the North American Cup tournament in Memphis, Tennessee  this weekend, and earned her C rating!    Sucheta won all six of her bouts in the first round, with no one scoring more than three touches against her, and was the #1 seed going into the direct elimination round.  She squeezed out a victory in her first D/E against the number 33 seed, winning 15-14.  Her next bout was against the #48 seed, which she won handily, 15-10.  She played a waiting game against the 8^th seed, and won 6-3, with time running out.  In the round of four, she lost to the eventual silver medalist, 8-15.  Congratulations, Sucheta! 

Sucheta trains at the Seacoast Fencing Club in Manchester, NH.  She has been fencing for six years, and competing on the national level since 2011. This is her first national medal, in her last season before heading off to college.  When asked for a comment after her stellar performance, Sucheta had this to say “I am extremely glad to be able to make my parents, family, and coach, Chris Pullo, proud – I owe all my success to them and their patience. I love the sport and hope to continue fencing for a very long time.”

Seacoast Fencers, It is the start of a new three month term at Seacoast (March, April, and May).  Please make checks payable to Seacoast Fencing Club.

The prices for Winter term are below: Children (ages 7 to 12)  $240 Youth      (ages 12-14)   $255 Junior/Adult   (14 -73)   $270

Advanced Class   $80  (Tues in Rochester, Wed in Manchester: 7:45-8:15 pm)

The Advanced Class is recommended for all youth, junior, and adult fencers who want to learn more defensive and offensive actions, directing, and meet preparation.  The class meets once a week for nine weeks, and starts right after youth training ends.  There are three sets of nine week classes, for a total of 27 classes.  It is the most economical way to learn higher level fencing.  If interested in taking the class, please sign up at the club (I need at least four students to offer the class).

Jacob Scruton, who trains at the Seacoast Fencing Club in Rochester, NH, went to his second Junior Olympics in Portland, Oregon this weekend, and finished 32nd in Cadet Men’s Foil (fencers 16 years old and younger). This puts Jacob on the National Point Standings, and is now ranked as the 55th best U17 foil fencer in the United States. While winning only half his bouts in the first round, and seeded 107, he won his first three elimination bouts, moving from the round of 256 into the round of 32 (winning his last bout by a score of 15-5). Jacob was defeated in his next bout, against the fencer who finished ninth.

Then on Monday, Jacob finished 54th in Junior Men’s Foil, which puts him on the Junior National Point Standings as the 118th best U20 foil fencer in the country. His future looks bright, as he has four more years of eligibility in that age group.

To put these results in perspective, Jacob is a D fencer. He was the only D fencer to make the top 32 in U17 foil, ahead of 8 A fencers, and 38 B fencers. Quite an upset for those highly ranked 46 fencers who finished below him. He also had the best finish of any D fencer in the U20 foil, and was the only D to finish in the top 75. I think it is safe to say that Jacob is the best D rated Junior or Cadet foil fencer in in the United States. Congratulations, Jacob!

Be sure to watch Channel 9 News this coming Thursday, February 13.  The two Seacoast fencers that are competing at the Junior Olympics this week in Portland, Oregon are the featured “Hometown Heros” segment on the sports broadcast that evening.  Jason King interviewed Jacob Scruton and Sam Wood last week after hearing they will be going to the Junior Olympics February 14-17.  Since I know you will all be at the club training that night, I’m sure you will have to record the program! 

Good luck at the JO’s, Sam and Jacob!