We will have an Intro class beginning next week, March 5th.  Now is the time to register for those who have inquired. 

For the Epeeists among us, MCFC will be hosting a Youth and Open Epee competition this weekend.

A quick reminder - the NAC in Rosemont is next weekend.  Clint will be there both refereeing and fencing (Division 2 Men's Saber).  Tony J will be fencing both Div 2 & 3 Saber.  Come on out and cheer them on while checking out one of the largest fencing competitions in the country.

Rule of the Week:

6. Displacing the target and passing the opponent
t.21 Displacing the target and ducking are allowed even if during the action the unarmed hand comes into contact with the strip.  It is forbidden to turn one’s back on one’s opponent during the bout.  Should such an offence occur, the Referee will penalize the fencer at fault as specified in Articles t.114, t.116, t.120 and any touch scored by the fencer at fault is annulled.

When a fencer goes past his opponent during a bout, the Referee must immediately call ‘Halt’ and replace the competitors in the positions which they occupied before the passing took place.  When touches are made as a fencer passes his opponent, the touch made immediately is valid; a touch made after passing his opponent by the competitor who has made the passing movement is annulled, but the touch made immediately, even when turning round, by the competitor who has been subjected to the offensive action, is valid.  If during a bout a fencer who has made a flèche attack has a touch registered against him and he continues to run beyond the extreme limit of the strip sufficiently far to cause his reel or the connecting line to his reel to be torn out, the touch which he has received will not be annulled (cf. t.103).   [Discussion in the Forum]

Practices will be as normal this week. Lessons and classes.  The monthly group lessons will start tonight.

The entry deadline for NAC E - Rosemont, IL - Division 2/3/Vet is fast approaching.  The entry deadline for regular fees is February 8, after that the entry fee is tripled until February 15th when no entries will be accepted.  Anyone interested in competing in this major (and local!) event should talk to the coaches this week about preparing for it.  

The results for the Lakeshore Open are not currently posted, feel free to let us know how you did in the forum.

The Sectional and Divisional Qualifier competitions will be happening on back-to-back weekends in April - 12 & 13 and 5 & 6, respectively.  There was, briefly, a scheduling conflict between these two events.  These are the two events that will get you to Summer Nationals.  Sectionals will be in Minneapolis this year.  

A new feature to the weekly update will be a Rule of the Week.  We will randomly select a rule from the rulebook and post it here.  Discussion should happen in the forums regarding the rule.   

Rule of the week: 

9. Crossing the limits of the strip
(a) Stopping the bout
t.26 When a competitor crosses one of the lateral boundaries of the strip with one or both feet, the referee must immediately call ‘Halt’.

If the fencer goes off the strip with both feet, the referee must annul everything that has occurred after the boundary has been crossed, except a touch received by the competitor who has crossed the boundary even after he has crossed it, provided that this touch results from a simple and immediate action. However, a touch scored by the fencer who leaves the strip with one foot only is valid provided that the action was started before the ‘Halt’.

If one of the competitors leaves the strip with both feet, only a touch made by the fencer who remains on the strip with at least one foot can be counted valid, even in the case of a double touch.

Practice Wednesday will be as normal.  Clint has returned from Atlanta (where the weather wasn't any better then here).

For any interested members, next Monday will start a foil class for those who have finished the Intro session and would like to continue improving their skill sets in a group setting.  This will fall under the new "Pre-Competitive" program. 

This weekend there is an Open at Chicago Lakeshore .  We look forward to seeing everyone there. 

The Intro class starts on Wednesday.  Anyone interested should register as space is limited.  Register by contacting us.

A new programs page has been posted in the "How much does it cost?" section.  All members of the club should check that out and inquire about the different options.  

Wednesday will also start an intermediate group lesson for those who finished the Intro class last fall and any other interested club member.  

This weekend is the "Frozen Blade Open" in Waukesha, WI.  While a bit of a drive, it would expose you to new and different fencers.  Perhaps a car pool could also be set up.