New Season, Summer Cookout, Upcoming Tournaments!

2023/24 Fencing Season

As of August 1st, the 2023/24 fencing season is upon us. For fencers, this means two main things. First, all fencers are required to renew their USA Fencing membership. You can do so here . Unfortunately, prices have risen a bit this year. The minimum membership required for our insurance (and to compete in local events) is the Access Membership ($29). If you plan to compete in Regional and National events, you will need a Competitive Membership ($99). If you purchase the Access Membership, you can always upgrade to Competitive later. Second, fencers officially age up. This may mean new practice times at HoF, and new tournament opportunities. You can read about tournament age groups here . Finally, with a few exciting events on the horizon, we have a some goals at Hooked on Fencing this season:

• Next July, this season will culminate in the Summer National Championships in Columbus, OH! This is an unmissable opportunity for many of our fencers to compete nationally, right in our backyard! Whether you are a seasoned competitor or just starting out, this a great experience that we want to work towards this season. There are events at Nationals for all ages and skill levels.
• With Summer Nationals in mind, we'd like to build up our group tournament experience and introduce new fencers to competition by participating in local and regional events within driving distance, not to mention qualify for Nationals. You can find tournaments on the left side of these emails, on Askfred , and USAFencing , and read about National qualifying paths here . If you are new to competition or have never competed, please ask at the club and we can connect you with more information.
• Finally, and importantly, we would like to see more parental involvement this season. Since COVID, parents have been far more absent from the club, and this has had an overall detrimental effect. Parents play a critical role at every level of a fencer's journey, from organizing schedules, driving fencers to practice and competition, providing encouragement, and keeping up with their fencer's progress. Reading these emails is also an important step; in my experience, the flow of information from coach to fencer to parent is not always the most reliable. We are always willing to discuss progress and recommend appropriate opportunities at the club or through email! Parents, your involvement makes our club and our fencers better!

HoF Unrated Tournament - Aug. 12

On Saturday, August 12, we are hosting another Unrated Tournament at HoF at 2pm! So far, 6-8 people have told me they are planning to attend, and zero have signed up. This is something we need to do better in order to support our own events. Please sign up as soon as you can if you plan to attend. Fencers will need a current Access or Competitive membership, as well as full fencing attire. Weapons, body cords, and fencing equipment can be provided by the club if fencers don't have their own, but be sure to ask about equipment in advance, so we're not scrambling that afternoon. If at least six fencers attend, someone will earn their 'E' rating! See you all there!

HoF Summer Cookout

Our annual summer cookout will be held on Monday, August 14, at 6pm. This will take the place of regular practice that night. The summer cookout is a chance for everyone involved with the club to get together and have a good time! Fencers, parents, siblings, and friends are all welcome! We will be providing some snacks and meat for grilling, but if you can bring a dish or dessert to share that would be awesome! Hope to see as many people there as possible!

Duelist Open

In the less than three weeks, the Duelist Open will be held on Saturday, August 19th, in Belleville, MI. This is the first open of the season, and an event where HoF fencers have traditionally been very successful, and gained valuable fencing experience! All fencers age 13 and over are eligible to compete in opens, and open tournaments provide some of the best and broadest fencing experience for fencers of all levels. Considering the epee event starts at 2pm, and the venue is approximately 2.5 hours away, this tournament is a very reasonable day trip. As always, plan to be at the venue an hour before start times and make sure you have all necessary equipment to compete. If you need help with equipment, please reach out or ask at the club! Also: due to the Duelist Open involving our coaches and a good deal of our fencers, Hooked on Fencing will be closed on Saturday, August 19th!!!

October NAC

Registration is officially open for the October North American Cup in Orlando, FL! This event will feature Div I, Div II, and Cadet events, meaning ample fencing for many of our teenage fencers. Make sure to register here before the regular entry fee deadline on September 8. We are also arranging coaching for this event, so if you are planning to attend the October NAC, let us know as soon as you can!

-Nick