New Season, Coach Johnny, Fall Schedule

A New Season Begins!

Hi all! There is A LOT of information in this email, about the club, the new season, youth classes, the fall schedule, competitions, and more, so be sure to read this one all the way through. As always, if you have questions or want more information, feel free to ask at the club or reach out to office@hookedonfencing.org. I'm looking forward to a great season together!

Coach Johnny

Our most important update is a sad one for Hooked on Fencing, although positive overall--Coach Johnny is leaving behind our cold Ohio winters for the sunny Nevada desert, which means this will be the first season in close to two decades without his lively and knowledgeable presence at the club. However, it's ultimately good news for Johnny and his family; his wife accepted a dream job in Las Vegas, and the two of them are excited to continue building their life together out west. Of course, I know he'll miss everyone at HoF!

I also know that many past and present HoF fencers have been positively impacted by Johnny's coaching, his advice, friendly conversations, and helping hand with everything from weapon repair to college applications to senior pictures. Many of you have fenced against Johnny in competitions, at the club, or learned valuable skills from his lessons. Some of you will be aware that he has also been an incredible force behind the scenes, repairing equipment and strips, setting up our website and much of the technology at the club, and running club events and tournaments. His presence will be missed, and Hooked on Fencing wouldn't be where it is today without him. We wish him the very best on his next adventure!

This is obviously a big change for the club, but Hooked on Fencing is as committed as ever to sharing the sport of fencing, maintaining a great community, and providing quality training for fencers to achieve maximum success! The journey continues, and so...

Aug/Sept Schedule Changes

Here's a few important dates that are coming up very soon. First, we will be closed THIS Saturday (8/29) as many of our fencers are competing in the Duelist Open . Speaking of, if you're a seasoned competitive fencer and NOT signed up for the Duelist, check out the left-hand side of this email or read further on for info on that and more tournaments.

Secondly, the week of September 5th-11th, I will be out of town for a long-planned trip. HoF will close on that Monday (September 7th) for Labor Day; however, we will be OPEN on Saturday (9/5), Wednesday (9/9), and Thursday (9/10). Beau and Michelle Schultz will open the club, and a few of our older fencers may help run drills on those days. There will open fencing, but no individual lessons that week. However, on that Wednesday and Thursday, practice and open fencing will start late at 6:00pm.

Youth Beginner Class

Our Fall Youth Beginner Class is starting soon! If you know anyone who might be interested in fencing, be sure to share the link above with them. This class begins Saturday, September 12th, from 9-10am, and runs for six classes (skipping October 10). One of our main missions at HoF is to introduce this sport to as many fencers as possible, and as always our members make the best fencing evangelists! If you know anyone who might be interested in fencing, but can't make this class, they can also get started any time through private lessons . I'm hoping to also hold an adult beginner class in the fall if there's interest, so stay tuned for that!

Upcoming Tournaments

There are many tournaments coming soon, but I'll divide this into three segments: for youth fencers, beginner/intermediate competitors, and experienced competitors.

For youth fencers (especially ages 12 and under) there are the fewest events currently on the calendar, although I plan to add a few of our own soon. However, the main event to keep in mind is the Escrime d'Halloween RYC/RJCC the weekend of October 24-25 in Twinsburg, OH. Like many youth events, this is a regional event, which means competitive membership is required (more on that below). However, that does not mean this event is necessarily tougher or more intimidating than any other youth events. I will be there to coach and support our fencers, and if you need assistance with registration or equipment, please ask. The deadline to register for this event is October 1st. Seasoned youth fencers could also consider the Motor City SYC/RCC , for which the deadline to register is September 3rd.

Beginner, intermediate, and first-time competitors (age 13+) should consider our HoF Unrated Tournament on September 26, Western Reserve's Nagy Invitational "E" and Under on October 18, and Mears Memorial "D" and Under on November 15. Fencers in Y14, Cadet and Junior events should also consider the Escrime d'Halloween RYC/RJCC . High School fencers and intermediate fencers should take a look at Lutheran West's World Fencing Day Celebration Tournament . This event also has a vet (age 40+) event.

Experienced fencers should seek out the Duelist Open this weekend, the Lutheran West Open on September 13, the OSU Open on October 3-4, the Blue Box Open on November 14, and if age-appropriate, the Escrime d'Halloween RYC/RJCC . And one more event...

Columbus NAC

There are (at least) two North American Cups in Ohio this season, which is awesome for many of our competitive fencers. The first of these will be held in Columbus the weekend of November 20-23, although the deadline to register is September 23!!! This NAC features Div 1, Junior, and Cadet events, and will also follow a new format, which I think has the potential to provide a better experience for many of our fencers. I'll talk more about the format changes below.

2026/27 - Membership

Hard to believe it's almost 2027, but the start of the new season means a few important things for everyone. As a USA Fencing club, all of our members are required to be members of USA Fencing (which is also required to compete). You can renew or sign up for membership right here . The minimum requirement is the Access Membership, which also allows you to compete in local and club tournaments. To compete in Regional or National events, you'll need to upgrade to a Competitive Membership. These memberships last the duration of the season (until next August 1st).

2026/27 - Format Changes

There are two main changes to competitive ranking and national competitions this season, both of which effect Senior, Junior, and Cadet events. The first is that all fencers will now be ranked by a unified ranking system that takes into account your best six results across ALL levels of competition. This is intended to phase out the current point ranking system, but will exist alongside the letter rating system. There is also a minimum point value required to register for national events, which means you'll have to work your way up the ladder to compete nationally.

The other change is that Div 1, Junior, and Cadet events at National competitions will be subdivided into "Elite" and "Challenger" events, which will form two more rungs on the new ladder system. I think this new format has potential, although any change can be confusing. If you want to learn more about the new point system, you can read more here .

Let's make this a great season of fencing!

-Nick