EN GARDE Beginners position themselves to learn fencing By DANIEL PIKE STAFF WRITER Published Sunday, January 22, 2006 Instructor Kevin Hughes describes fencing as "physical chess" - a combination of footwork, hand-eye coordination and cognitive skills. It’s probably all of those, but 13 year-old Gantt Nicholson of Springfield attended Saturday's beginner fencing class at the Illinois State Police Academy for the combat. "I've always kind of been interested in sword fighting," said Nicholson, who was joined at the class by his mother, Linda Kelley. "A friend of mine is taking fencing lessons, so I did it and really liked it." Kelley, however, said she was participating mainly for recreation and exercise. "I did it so I could do something fun with my 13-year-old son," she said. "And also to get into shape at the same time." The closest Gantt and his classmates came to swashbuckling at Saturday's session - the first of four class meetings in the coming weekends - was a brief tutorial on holding and moving with the foil, which the fencing weapon is called. Hughes spent most of the hour-long session introducing equipment and reviewing safety rules with the all-ages class. Subsequent classes will focus on lunging and attacking - with Hughes serving as a practice pincushion until students are ready to absorb blows. Hughes, a master sergeant with the state police, began fencing in 1977 while he was a student at Northern Illinois University. This is the third series of beginner classes he has taught for the program, which is sponsored by the Springfield Ballet Company. The program began after Hughes was asked by the ballet company to choreograph sword fighting scenes for a recent production of "Romeo and Juliet." Hughes also is a member of the Springfield Fencing Club, which split the academy gymnasium with the class Saturday. "It's good for (the fencing club)," Hughes said. "Those who are really interested will stick around, and we'll be able to give them one-on-one training instead of being taught as a group." Hughes said that in most cases, it won't be long before the beginners are ready to fence competitively. He said two graduates of a previous beginner class have worked with the fencing club and will enter a tournament in St. Louis in March. Registration is closed for the current round of beginner classes, but Hughes said they will be offered again, possibly in mid- to late March. Hughes also teaches an intermediate class. Springfield's Jim Dickinson said he's wanted to learn fencing for a while, so he jumped at the opportunity when a friend invited him to Hughes' class. "The speed, the skill - I'm light on my feet, quick," said Dickinson, 56, who also is a runner. "So that's what's appealing about it." "I'm getting older, so I wish I'd done it earlier." Daniel Pike can be reached at 788-1532 or daniel.pike@sj-r.com.

 

Friday Night Foil Results - Point Fencing Club

January 19, 2007 7:00 pm Champaign, IL

The Springfield Fencing Club was represented by a Lone Foilist in this USFA Open Foil Competition - Eric MAYLAND. Eric competed in this 20 person pool, which included 1 C-rated, and 3 E-rated fencers. Eric ended up 7th OVERALL!!! Congratulations Eric! Great showing!

Eric moved up through the pools with a good strong position, finally matched up against the one C-rated fencer in the tournament, Christopher FRENCH. FRENCH beat Eric 15-3 on his way to a #3 place finish. Eric should be pleased to know that FRENCH went to Chicago 2 days later and beat his SFC Coach, Kevin HUGHES 15-11. Eric is doing great and should be quite proud of his finish!!!

 

Results can be viewed at:

http://www.il-usfa.com/20062007Results/January172006FridayNightFoilResultsPFC/tabid/231/Default.aspx

Chicago Athletic Association Fencer's Club Tournament

Sunday, January 21, 2007

The Springfield Fencing Club was represented at this multi-state tourney by two of our OLDER foil fencers - Jay LOVELACE & Kevin HUGHES.

There were 30 foil fencers from clubs in Illinois and Wisconsin. There were 2 C-rated fencers, 5 D-rated fencers, and 4 E-rated fencers. The remaining fencers were Unrated (like our two boys) of various levels of experience.

At the end of the day, LOVELACE finished 11th overall, and HUGHES finished 9th overall. In the crush of the paparazzi questions following their bouts, the boys' excuses were fast and furious (which they explained their fencing was as well). HUGHES complained about still recovering from some mystery upper respiratory illness, and blamed that on just running out of steam while fencing some really BIG, TALL and YOUNG foilist from Champaign. He did explain he "almost took him 11-15".

LOVELACE, according to press reports, was leading in his final bout 8-7 and HUMILIATING his opponent when he was making a power attack and dropped to the floor with a pulled groin muscle. Witnesses reported you could have heard a pin drop in the entire auditorium. EXCEPT for the howling and screams coming from behind LOVELACE's mask. As one of the referees said during a previous bout, "ce la vie"!

Results from the competition can be viewed at http://askfred.net/Results/results.php?tournament_id=2360

January 19, 2007 The Point Fencing Clug - Friday Night Foil
The Point Fencing Club
500 N. Walnut
Champaign, IL 61820
(217)351-5838
Registration for Open Foil closes at 7pm

1 SFC member competed!!!

January 21, 2007 CAA Open
Chicago Athletic Association Open
12 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60603
Close of Registration Times:
Epee - 9am
Foil - 11am
Saber - 1:30pm
2 SFC members competed!!!

Feburary 10, 2007 CAA Open
Chicago Athletic Association Open
12 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60603
Close of Registration Times:
Epee - 9am
Foil - 11am
Saber - 1:30pm
Fees -
Single event - $25 with Preregistration, $35 at the door
For two events - $35 with Preregistration. For Three Events, $40
Pre-registration available at Askfred.net

February 16, 2007 Point Fencing Club Friday Night Epee
The Point Fencing Club
500 N. Walnut
Champaign, IL 61820
(217)351-5838

Registration for Open Epee closes at 7pm

February 18, 2007 Lionheart Fencing Club - Youth Foil
Details to follow

March 3, 2007 Point Fencing Club Veteran Foil
Details to Follow

March 11, 2007 Deerfield High School FC Youth Tournament
9:00 am U19 Foil, U12 Epee, U12 Saber
11:00 am U12 Foil, U19 Epee, U19 Saber
1:00 pm U14 Foil, U14 Epee, U14 Saber
I plan to run the events mixed unless there are at least 6 per gender in each event.

March 16, 2007 Point Fencing Club Friday Night Foil
The Point Fencing Club
500 N. Walnut
Champaign, IL 61820
(217)351-5838
Registration for Open Foil closes at 7pm

March 17-18, 2007 Illinois Open
The event will be held at Chicago Athletic Assoc. Details to follow

March 24, 2007 Windy City Fencing Open and Youth Epee
Details to follow

March 25, 2007 IFC Foil/Saber Challenge
IFC Foil/Saber Challenge
Mar 25, 2007
At Central Community Center
Women's Foil 8:00 AM
Mixed Foil 9:00 AM
Y12 Mixed Foil 9:30 AM
Mixed Team Foil 12:00 PM
Mixed Saber 12:00 PM
Women's Saber 1:00 PM
Y12 Mixed Saber 1:30 PM
Mixed Team Saber 2:00 PM
Pre-registration available at: http://askfred.net/Events/Prereg/prereg.php?tournament_id=2398

April 14-15, 2007 Illinois Divisionals @ College of Lake County
Details to Follow

April 29, 2007 Dominick Epee Challenge

Dominick Epee Challenge
Apr 29, 2007
At Central Community Center
Women's Epee 8:00 AM
Mixed Epee 9:30 AM
Y12 Mixed Epee 12:00 PM
Mixed Team Epee 12:00 PM
Fencing for the team event will start immediately after the end of the Mixed Epee event or at 12pm whichever is later.
Pre-Registration is available at: http://askfred.net/Events/Prereg/prereg.php?tournament_id=2399

May 5-6, 2007 Midwest Sectionals @ Catholic Memorial High School
This event is being hosted by the Wisconsin division. Details to follow

May 19, 2007 Dufour C and Under Epee @ Point Fencing Club
The Point Fencing Club
500 N. Walnut
Champaign, IL 61820
(217)351-5838
Registration Closes at 10am

May 26-27, 2007 Hutchinson Open @ CAA
Details to Follow

June 3, 2007 IFC Youth Tournament
IFC Youth Tournament
Jun 3, 2007
At Central Community Center
Y12 Mixed Foil 8:30 AM
Y12 Mixed Saber 8:30 AM
Y12 Mixed Epee 9:30 AM
Y14 Mixed Foil 9:30 AM
Y14 Mixed Epee 11:00 AM
Y14 Mixed Saber 11:00 AM
U16 Mixed Epee 1:00 PM
U16 Mixed Foil 1:00 PM
U16 Mixed Saber 2:00 PM
Pre-registration available at: http://askfred.net/Events/Prereg/prereg.php?tournament_id=2400

June 9-10, 2007 IFC Summer Nationals Epee Clinic
Details to follow

June 16, 2007 Windy City Fencing Open and Youth Epee
Details to follow

June 24, 2007 CAA Open
Details to follow

June 29-July 8, 2007 Summer National Championships - Miami, FL

June 29-July 8, 2007 (Fri-Sun) Division I National Championships
Summer National Championships Miami, FL
Deadline for Division Qualifying Forms: May 4, 2007
Deadline for Section Qualifying Forms: May 11, 2007
Deadline for Entries at Regular Fees: May 18, 2007
Late Entry Period at Triple Fees: May 19 - June 1, 2007
Final Deadline for Entries at Triple Fees: June 1, 2007
*Deadline for Classification Changes:
*Classification Change deadline for the new classification to be reflected in the tournament

July 20, 2007 Friday Night Foil - Point Fencing Club
The Point Fencing Club
500 N. Walnut
Champaign, IL 61820
(217)351-5838
Registration for Open Foil closes at 7pm

July 29, 2007 CAA Open

The Springfield Fencing Club is a not-for-profit fencing club.  We
meet Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings.  We focus on the
foil.  We are starting to attend competitions, mostly in St. Louis
at this time.  We welcome visitors, and we offer beginner classes
and intermediate classes in foil.  I also offer one-on-one
tutoring in foil.  I am a Coach/Competitor member of the USFA, and
a member of the USFCA.  Also certified as a Physical Fitness
Trainer through the Cooper Aerobics Institute of Dallas, TX.