Hello to All,

   I am William Wells, the head coach of the Wichita Fencing Academy (WFA), and I would like thank you personally for your time. The Academy is in that second-half  of the fencing season and will be hosting several beginners classes throughout. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you prepare to come to take your first fencing lessons.

• The classes are $70.00 for six-weeks and the final test. 
• Classes are held every Thursday evening from 6pm to 7pm.
• The Academy provides all of the fencing equipment you will need to fence.
• Things you will need to fence; a good pair of flat shoes and some sweats work best but any baggy clothes work.

I hope that this is helpful in awnsering a few questions. If there are more then please feel free to contact us and we will have an answer to you as quickly as we can.

Sincerely,

William

Our next introductory fencing class will begin Thursday, January 19, 2012. The class will run fro 6 weeks ending Feb 24. For more information call (316) 648-5894.

Projected dates for beginning fencing classes for 2012:
March 15- April 19

May 10 – June 11

INPORTANT DATES TO PUT ON YOUR CALENDARS:

Our annual fencing Christmas Party will be December 16.

The results of the Wichita Challenge are now posted on askfred.net. Special congratulations to Gary North from South Denver Fencing Academy who won 1st, taking home the blue gemed sword as trophy, Leo Kust who earned silver, Kenny Arons from Kansas City renewing a “C” rating, and William Wells also earning bronze. Special mention for Wichita Fencer, Brett Vogel, finishing 8th, and who earned his first rating.

Good luck to our Wichita fencers who will be competing in the KCFC Holiday Classic Tournament in Olathe, Kansas, on December 3-4.

UPDATED FENCING TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Dec 3-4, KCFC Holiday Overland Park (E under Dec 3@6pm: U20 Dec 4@2pm: Senior@9am)
Dec 18 Kansas Division JO Qualifiers for Epee(Cadet-U17,Junior U20) deadline Dec 13
Jan 29, Sunday, Icicle Invitation: Lincoln Nebraska (Senior Open: 10am)
Mar 10-11, Regional Youth Circuit Event, Denver Colorado
Other Colorado tournaments not listed here simply because Denver hosts so many tournaments Oklahoma City has not posted their calendar so far.
NATIONAL TOURNAMENTS OF INTEREREST
Nov 11-14 ( Junior, Cadet, Y-14) Austin TX
Dec 9-12( Div I & II, Veterans) Kansas City deadline Oct 24
Jan 13 (Div I) Portland Oregon
March 16(Div II, III, Vet) Cincinnati Ohio
April 13 (Y10, 12,14) Virginia Beach, Virginia
June 29-July 9 Summer Nationals (Y10, 12, U16, 19, U19Team, Vet Team) Dallas Texas

OUR NEXT BEGINNERS CLASS WILL BE OFFERED IN JANUARY 2012. LOOK FOR OUR NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER FOR MORE INFORMATIION!

We look forward to seeing all our registerants on Sunday. If you have any questions or need instructions feel free to contact Rich at 316-6485894. Parking is in back. You can access parking either by going half a block further on First Street, turn south down the alley the first alley. 1st place, a Robin Hood Sword with scabard. The handle is enlaid with a blue stone, appropriate for first place. The workmanship on the sword is some of the best I’ve seen, and it’s well ballanced. Medals to third place. USFencing membership required for the Wichita Challenge, Mask tests, before fencing, and weights and shims tests on strip. Hope to see you there.

If you have any questions or need instructions feel free to contact Rich at 316-6485894. Parking is in back. You can access parking either by going half a block further on First Street, turn south down the alley, or drive past the fencing academy going down St. Francis St. and turn left at the firs alley. Both allies lead to parking area behind the club. 1st place, a Robin Hood Sword with scabard. The handle is enlaid with a blue stone, appropriate for first place. The workmanship on the sword is some of the best I’ve seen, and it’s well ballanced. Medals to third place. USFencing membership required for the Wichita Challenge, Mask tests, before fencing, and weights and shims tests on strip. Hope to see you there.

Youth 14 event is on Saturday at 2pm. It is designed as a fun event, please ask Rich for more details. We will have pizza, no charge for the Y 14, we request a $5 donation for pizza. Medals awarded to 3rd place, and a prize for 1st…

As everyone will notice there is no longer a sidewalk infromt of the Academy. We will be using the rear door which can be reached by using the ally. The easiest way to reach the ally is from 1st St. if you need help contact us at the Academy.

WICHITA FENCING ACADEMY
VOLUME 18: October 15, 2011 Edition
Wichita Fencing Academy (WFA)
122 North St. Francis Street, Wichita KS 67202
Phone contact after 4:30pm: (316) 648-5894

Thanks for all of your support! It’s all of our members and parents that make our program a success.
Wichita Challenge Oct 22-23: We will be hosting our own tournament a Y-14 on Saturday, Oct 22, registration closing at 2pm.
The open is on Sunday, Oct 23, registration closing at 11am. If you haven’t signed up, please make sure you visit askfred.net and preregister.
Your Help at the Competitions:
Thanks to everyone who has already sent messages offering to help with the tournament. We will need help with check in, mask check, registration, bout committee, and running errands. It makes a great difference in managing the tournament to have your help, thanks ahead of time.
Competition so far this season: So far this season WFA has had fencers compete in two truly tuff tournaments, the Nick Toth hosted by United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, and the Amarillo Open a qualifier for Div 1A Summer Nationals. Both of these tournaments were A2 events with a large consortium of “A” rated fencers from the Midwest, California, and included 3 contenders for the current United States Fencing World teams. Our Kaden Doerkson brought home a bronze medal in the Y-14 event from the Amarillo Open, our best so far this year. Everyone’s fencing is looking strong this year, and it will prove to be an exciting fencing season for WFA.
The next 3 weekends offers 3 fun tournaments, including our own tournament, Oct 22. The HFA Fall Classic is a good tournament for all of our competitive fencers. It’s close, is a well run tournament, and brings in an interesting group of fencers from Iowa, Nebraska, not to mention Missouri, Arkansas, and of course Kansas. It will be a good warm up for our own tournament the following weekend.
Newest Club Members: Be sure and welcome our new class members when you get a chance. This is one of the larger classes we’ve had, and the fencers are showing great promise with their fencing.
Fencing Season for 2011-2012
Tournaments listed are posted on the wall at the club.
October 15, Sunday at 9am: HFA Fall Classic: Olathe Kansas
*Oct 22, Saturday, at 2pm: Wichita Y-14 Epee competition
*Oct 23, Sunday at 11 am: Wichita Challenge Open: Wichita Kansas
Oct 29-30, 2011: Falcon Open: Colorado Springs
Dec 3-4, KCFC Holiday Tournament(Saturday=Y14, Sunday =Juniors and Senior Open) Overland Park
Mar 10-11, Regional Youth Circuit Event, Denver Colorado
Other Colorado tournament not listed here simply because Denver hosts so many tournaments. Planning on a trip to Denver check out (ww.askfred.net) Oklahoma City has not posted their calendar so far.
NATIONAL TOURNAMENTS OF INTEREREST
Nov 11-14 Junior, Cadet, Y-14 Austin TX

Dec 9-12 North American Cup Div I & II, Veterans, Kansas City deadline Oct 24

ABOUT INDIVIDUAL LESSONS: Individual lessons are under way. Cost of an individual lesson, $5. Be sure and get with Coach Wells or Coach Nault to set up individual lessons. These will usually be accomplished on Fridays. We are also opening up some Sunday afternoons for extra fencing time and individual lessons. Our tournament schedule the next few weeks is very busy, so this may hinder availability for individual lessons on Sundays, so plan ahead.

WICHITA FENCING ACADEMY
VOLUME 20: August 15, 2011 Edition
Wichita Fencing Academy (WFA)

Thanks for all of your support: It’s all of our members and parents that make our program a success!

IF YOU DID NOT RECEIVE THIS NEWSLETTER VIA E-MAIL, PLEASE SEND ME YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS BY SENDING AN EMAIL TO richard_nault@yahoo.com and I will add you to my e-mail list. That way you can view the pictures not forwarded to the website.
BEGINNERS CLASS SEPTEMBER 15, AT 6PM We look forward to providing our next beginners class, Thursday Sept 15, at 6pm. Coach Well will be teaching the class. I will be out of state that week, and will have to wait on meeting our new students the following Thursday. If anyone interested in the fencing class be sure and send me an e-mail richard_nault@yahoo.com If parents of interested students would like to talk to another fencing parent, please let me know.

REFLECTION ON THE JULY – AUGUST HEAT WAVE: I think the heat wave is over. Enjoying the only warm weather will bring everyone great joy.

COMMENTS ON THE TOURNAMENTS LISTED BELOW:

The beginning of the new fencing season is fast arriving and tournaments are being listed on our favorite website for fencing tournaments, “askfred.net” So far I have selected a number of tournaments listed below as the tournaments our fencers will have the most interest in attending. I will add to the list as more posts become available.
Last year was an exciting year for our competitive fencers, bringing home many medals for great finishes. It’s been exciting watching everyone progress in their fencing this summer, and I think the club has another great year in the competitive realm to look forward. Though I listed the Godfather III, this tournament looks like a small tournament, and I would encourage anyone to go, but the Amarillo Open October 1 & 2 should prove to be an outstanding regional tournament with the opportunity to qualify for a number of national events. It is the same weekend as the HFA Classic in Overland Park. Even though the HFA is closer to us, the Amarillo Open offers more events, stronger competition, and the opportunity to qualify for Nationals.

The Nick Toth and Falcon tournaments are both at Air Force Academy tournaments, are always very strong regional tournaments, and include youth events. It attracts the very best fencers across the Rocky Mountain Section, including Northern Colorado Fencing Club who has produced a National Champion in recent memory, and a number of world class fencers.

We are lucky to have a North American Cup (NAC) in our back yard this year, in Kansas City. It will be in early December and offers a Div I, II, and Veterans. The Veterans event will be a qualifier for Summer Nationals, in Dallas, July of 2012.
About national events: You must be a “C” or above to fence in Div I, but every adult is qualified to fence in Div II, except Leo. Leo is restricted to the Div I event because of his “A” rating. To earn points in Div I instantly qualifies you for Div I and IA Summer Nationals. To register for a North American Cup, you must go to the US Fencing website. This must be done well before a month of the tournament to avoid entry penalties, so please plan ahead. I don’t think any of our competitive fencers would want to miss this NAC. The Div II is basically a national C and Under tournament and would be a good experience for any of our competitive fencers that qualify

If you have any questions about upcoming tournaments, equipment requirements or such, how to access registration websites, please let me know.

UPCOMING COMPETITIVE SEASON:
August 27(Sat at 10 am)2011: ACFA Godfather III Kickoff Tournament: Amarillo TX
Sept 16-17, 2011: Nick Toth Open: Air Force Academy: Colorado Springs
Y-10 Mixed Epee (Sun 9/18) 10am
Y-12 Mixed Epee (Sat 9/17) 10:30 am
Y-14 Mixed Epee ( Sun 9/18) 9:30 am
U-17 Mixed Epee ( Sun 9/18) 1 pm
Sr. Men’s Epee (Sat 9/17) 9:30 am
Sept 24, 2011, Open, Fete de Floret: Springdale Arkansas, (Saturday 9/24) 2pm,
October 1-2, 2011: The 12 Annual Amarillo Open Div1A/Veteran/ROC
Y-14 Mixed Epee (Sat 10/1) 11am
Y-10 & 12 Mixed Epee (Sunday 10/2) 8am
U-20 Mixed Epee (Sunday 10/2) 11am
Sr. Men’s Epee (Saturday 10/1) 8am (Qualifier for Div 1A)
Veterans (Sunday 10/2) 12:30 pm(Qualifier for Veterans Nationals)
October 1-2, 2011: HFA Fall Classic: Overland Park Kansas
Mixed Epee (Sunday 10/2) 9am
Women’s (Sunday 10.2) 1pm
Oct 15 – 16 Wichita Open (Tentative)
Oct 29-30, 2011: Falcon Open: Colorado Springs
y-10 Epee (Sun10/30) 10am
Y-12 Epee(Sat 10/29)10:30
Y-14 Epee(Su 10/30)9:30 am
U-17 Epee(Sun 10/30) 1pm
Senior Men’s epee(Sat 10/29) 9:30 am
Other Colorado tournaments not posted, simply because Denver hosts so many tournaments. Planning on a trip to Denver check out (www.askfred.net)
NATIONAL TOURNAMENTS OF INTEREREST
Nov 11-14 Junior, Cadet, Y-14 Austin TX

Dec 9-12 Div I & II, Veterans, Kansas City