Capital City Fencers’ Club December 2023 Update

In this email you will find:

• AGM December 11 – why you should show up, vote and run for the board!
• Last night of fencing for 2023: Gift stealing night
• Beginners Invitational Champs
• Pigmegranates: photo recap
• Upcoming tournaments
• Beginners What’s next (recap)
• Holiday closure and first day of fencing in 2024

Hot tip: You can see this and past newsletters in our website “Latest News” section.

AGM! December 11

• Electing our Board of Directors for the coming year
• Reviewing club financial statements
• Approving any membership fee changes
• Discussing any issues of importance to the club and our members
  • This year we will be discussing a recent decision by BC Fencing requiring all our members to purchase a BC Fencing membership.

When: Monday December 11 at start of practice (8pm). Once meeting business is done, we fence as usual!

Where: In the gym at the start of practice.

Who can vote? Every fencer who has participated in club activities in 2023 has a vote. (i.e. folks on this email list and or the fencer they receive the mail for).

Can any member stand for the board? YES. If you want to help the club, please consider standing for election to the board. We meet about 4 x per year and make decisions about budget, grant applications, policy and major purchases.

Should I stand for a seat on the board? YES. We need a strong board that represents our members to keep our organization going!

Can youth members vote? YES. Members who are under 19 also nominate and elect their own youth representative to the board. The youth representative must be at least 16 and no older than 18.

Is it true there is a squeaky chicken involved? Yes.

Club financial statements and full agenda will be posted on our website here along with our past minutes, financial statements, and our club bylaws.

Gift Stealing Night (December 20)

How it works:

Everyone brings a mysterious wrapped gift (valued at less than $10. It can be found, hand made, purchased, fenced, rescued from the recycling. It can be lawful good or chaotic evil. Small or big.) REMEMBER to keep it SECRET. You must not tell anyone what it is, unless you are lying.

We fence as normal. Every time you fence you place your gift next to the score machine. Whoever wins the bout chooses which gift they carry with them to the next out. Gifts change hands throughout the night in this way until the National Research Council Official Time Signal sounds at 9:30 at which point it is final bout.

Once the final bouts finish, the final gift stealing takes place. Then we gather unwrap our gifts one by one and discover who has actually won and lost.

Please note you will want to stay to the end of the night for this.

Beginners Invitational Champs!

It was exciting to have many close bouts— and the U15 finale culminated in a tie at 14-14 and had to go to priority overtime to determine the bout. You can imagine the excitement at the opportunity to learn yet another obscure foil rule—complete with spinning pencils, countdown clock, and a chance to win by sudden death!

Below, some of our competitors and our tournament team l-r:

Eden Armstrong, Alysha Bell, Emmett all the chocolate cake Tupper, Grace Chen, Lance Hodgson, Chris Hodgson, Olive Johnson, Bryan Samuel Comeault, Noelle Chang Zhelka, Margeliza Escobedo Bellido, Melissa Holland.

Pigmegranates & James Taylor appreciation night

So we celebrated him and wished him well as only the fencing club can—with Pig-themed fencing! Featuring pigmegranates (pig pomegranates).

Thanks to everyone who made this evening especially fun. Notably the first aid crew who patched up the wounded foil pigmegranate and wiped up all the “pigmegranate blood”, and to Stephanie worked her magic and conjured a no wheat no dairy no eggs cupcake that James can eat and that tastes good!

Tournaments!

Good luck at the Nan-Sang Ho Legacy Open, Robin and Rod!

Escrime Sundae: Saturday April 6 2024

Join us on Saturday, April 6th for the 12th Practically Annual Inspirational, Motivational, Recreational, Non-Confrontational Escrime Sundae! Mayhem, more mayhem, and ice cream!

Where: Royal Oak Middle School, 751 Travino Lane

When: Saturday, April 8th – doors open at 9:30am

Who: All fencers aged 13 and older. This is an unsanctioned event

Cost: $20 for first event; $10 for second event; free for additional events. DO ALL THE EVENTS!

Payment can be made at the event in cash. If you wish to pay online using interac etransfer or credit card, please email capcityfencing after registering to be invoiced.

Schedule of events (close of registration):

11:00am – Senior Mixed Foil

12:00pm – Senior Mixed Epee

2:30pm – Senior Mixed Sabre

3:00pm – Novice Mixed Foil

Novice Event: for self-identified novices (and at coaches’ discretion so no funny business!). If you are newer to fencing, not yet competitive, and hoping to try your

hand against others at your level, this is the event for you!

All fencers and volunteers are welcome to enjoy ice cream sundaes when they finish their competition! Dairy-free, egg-free, and gluten-free options will be available. Please forward any other dietary requirements to cap.city.fencing.

OSM circuit #2 – December 9

OSM tournaments are a great local series of fencing tournaments—a good place for both beginning and seasoned fencers who are interested in competition.

Register here.

Beginners: What is next?

You have completed your beginner training. So what is next?

November fencing is on us!

Beginners can continue fencing with the club in November at no extra cost. This includes Monday and Wednesday night practices, and Beginners Invitational tournament.

December and beyond…

Become a member

Starting in December, you can join CCFC to fence with us regularly! To sign up, fill out the registration form. Note that annual fees will be pro-rated.

Fee options:

$400/year for September – June (This fee is prorated for beginners who have just finished their beginner class in Fall 2023 or Spring 2024. e.g. Dec – June would be $280 for 7 months instead of 10) . Can be paid by instalments.

$50/month (for those attending one month)

$15/drop in

$125 for a 10x drop in “punch card”

If you come more than three times per week, your best price is an annual membership.

Capital City Fencers’ Club is eligible for KidSport grants. Please select KidSport as your payment option when registering if you are applying for a grant. We will send you the invoice to submit with your application.

One-on-one lessons

Hitting a plateau? Seeking some more personalized instruction? 15 minute individual lessons can be arranged during practice time. Fees are paid directly to the coach. Talk to Isaac or email for information. Rate for is $25 per lesson when during club practice.

Last and First days of fencing

The first night of fencing in 2024 is January 8.

In between is the abyss.