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USFA MIS-MANAGEMENT & POOR PLANNING RESULTS IN 2012 SUMMER NATIONALS BEING MOVED TO ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA
 
     By now, you have probably already heard that 2012 Summer Nationals and the NAC that goes along with it have been moved to Anaheim, California.  USFA failed to properly plan Summer Nationals, which was supposed to be held in Dallas, Texas, and had to move the tournament because of a lack of hotel rooms in Dallas.  USFA was supposed to book a sufficiently large number of rooms to handle the tournament but they failed to do so.  Now it is too late.
     For those who have already made plans for Dallas, I hope you can make plans for Anaheim.   Also make plans to remember this when it comes time to vote for USFA officers in the near future.   Maybe a change to more competent leadership should be considered.
 
     -----  Editorial by Coach Slaughter

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ONLINE SPORTSWEAR STORE
WILL HELP YOU CREATE
SPORTWEAR WITH ACFA LOGOS
AND FENCING GRAPHICS
 
 
     If you want sportswear with a variety of ACFA Fencing logos and graphics, then visit the website store using the link above.  ACFA has an online store where you can pick out your own choice of ACFA graphics and logos to put on t-shirts, sweatshirts, warmups, polo shirts, jersies, caps, pet apparel, duffle bags, backpacks, outerwear and more.  You can also choose your colors.  Of course, we recommend royal blue and white, but other colors are available.
 
     Once you pick out what you are interested in buying, you will have a number of choices as to what you want printed or embroidered on your sportwear.  Some items have more choices than others.  While the price is not bargain basement, it is fairly reasonable when you factor in the cost of embroidering or printing ACFA logos on the items.
 
     These items would make good Christmas or Birthday gifts as well.  Tell your parents, spouses and friends about the site.  Who knows?  You might get a surprise sometime.  If you have any questions about the site, talk to Coach Slaughter.

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ACFA Division 2 Senior Mixed Epee Fencing Tournament
held on November 4, 2011 at AC Fencing Salle
 
     Due to registration numbers being less than 15, our Division 2 Senior Epee Tournament was split into two events.  All unrated fencers were split off and an Unrated Senior Mixed Epee Tournament was held in conjunction with the Division 2 Senior Mixed Epee Tournament.  All of the rated fencers fenced in the original event.  Obviously, no ratings were earned by the winner.  However, in the Unrated event, Ashton Thephaphine won the gold medal and earned his E2011 rating in epee.  Complete results are on Ask FRED.

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ACFA Competes at Falcon Open
at United States Air Force Academy
 
ACFA sent 6 fencers to compete at the United States Air Force Academy's Falcon Open Fencing Tournament on October 29 - 30, 2011.  The results were as follows:
 
Senior Men's Epee (60 fencers) 
11th - Jered Wilkinson
17th - Derik Nusz
19th - Luke Castleman
 
Senior Women's Epee  (25 fencers)
7th - Grace Castleman
 
Cadet Mixed Epee (29 fencers)
2nd - Luke Castleman
 
Youth 14 Mixed Epee (45 fencers)
14th - Grace Castleman
15th - Micah Castleman
 
Youth 12 Mixed Epee  (25 fencers)
3rd (tie) - Micah Castleman
20th - Lydia Wilkinson
 
 
Congratulations!

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ACFA Competes at 2011 New Mexico
Open Fencing Tournament
 
ACFA recently competed at the New Mexico Open Fencing Tournament in Albuquerque, New Mexico on October 15 - 160, 2011.  The results were as follows:
 
Senior Mixed Epee (46 fencers) 
3rd - Jered Wilkinson
5th - Derik Nusz
44th - Seth Bodine
46th - Brandi Maynard
 
Senior Women's Epee  (15 fencers)
7th - Kala Simpson
9th - Brandi Maynard
 
Youth 14 Mixed Epee (17 fencers)
13th - Brandi Maynard
16th - Lydia Wilkinson
 
Veteran Combined Mixed Epee  (8 fencers)
2nd - Bary Nusz
8th - Kala Simpson
 
 
Congratulations!

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ACFA Hosts 12th Annual Amarillo Open Fencing Tournament at Amarillo College
 
     The 12th Annual Amarillo Open Fencing Tournament is over and AC Fencers had a number of notable successes.  Fencers who earned medals (Top 8) from ACFA include:
 
Youth 10-12 Mixed Epee
1st - Jordan McCormack
2nd - Anthony Durante
3rd - Madilyn Ksor
5th - Micah Castleman
6th - Lydia Wilkinson
7th - Zachary Moore
8th - Easton Gill
 
Youth 10-12 Mixed Foil
1st - Micah Castleman
7th - Jordan McCormack
8th - Anthony Durante
 
Youth 14 Mixed Epee
7th - Micah Castleman
8th - Claudia Wrampelmeier
 
Youth 14 Mixed Foil
1st - Claudia Wrampelmeier
3rd - Ashton Thephaphine
5th - Micah Castleman
8th - Jordan McCormack
 
Junior Mixed Epee
3rd - Jered Wilkinson
7th - Luke Castleman
 
Junior Mixed Foil
2nd - Ashton Thephaphine (earned D2011 rating in foil)
3rd - Luke Castleman (earned D2011 rating in foil)
6th - Nicholas Durante (earned E2011 rating in foil)
 
Division 1A Men's Foil
3rd - Jeremy Bauman
5th - Derik Nusz
6th - Luke Castleman (earned D2011 rating in foil)
 
Division 1A Men's Saber
6th - Trey Sluder
 
Division 1A Women's Epee
8th - Grace Castleman
 
Division 1A Women's Saber
3rd - Claudia Wrampelmeier
 
Veteran Women's Epee
2nd - Kala Simpson
 
 
Congratulations to all of our fencers!
 

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ACFA Coach Richard Howard
Benefit Fencing Tournament
 
     ACFA hosted the Coach Richard Howard Benefit Fencing Tournament on April 30 - May 1 at the Carter Fitness Center at Amarillo College.  There were fencers from Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Alaska competing for medals and to honor the founder and Head Coach Emeritus of AC Fencing Association, Richard Howard.  Coach Howard is suffering from Parkinson's Disease and recently retired from teaching at Amarillo College and as Head Coach at ACFA.
 
     ACFA was able to raise $4,000 for Coach Howard to be used as needed in his fight against Parkinson's Disease and for his care.  ACFA would especially like to thank all of the referees who, after being paid to referee and reimbursed for their travel and lodging, each donated 100 percent of their pay and reimbursement to the benefit fund for Coach Howard.  ACFA is blessed to have so many thoughtful and generous friends.  Thank you all!
 
     As for the tournament results:  ACFA Fencers won a number of Gold Medals:  Grace Castleman earned her E2011 ranking in Epee for her Gold Medal finish in Senior Women's Epee.  Ben Simpson won the Gold Medal in Senior Mixed Foil.  Justin Stephens won the Gold Medal in Junior Mixed Foil.  Jered Wilkinson won the Gold Medal in Junior Mixed Epee and Senior Mixed Saber.  Ashton Thephaphine won the Gold Medal in Youth 10-12 Mixed Foil.  Complete results of the tournament can be found on Ask FRED by clicking this link.

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Plains Texas Division Elects New Officers
for 2011 - 2012 Fencing Season
 
     The Plains Texas Division Annual Meeting was held on Saturday, April 30, 2011, at Carter Fitness Center, at Amarillo College, in Amarillo, Texas, at the conclusion of fencing that day at the Coach Richard Howard Benefit Fencing Tournament.
 
     The primary item of business was the election of officers for the fencing year of August 1, 2011 to July 31, 2012.  The following slate of officers was elected during the meeting: 
  • Chairman:  Aimee Nusz
  • Vice-Chairman:  Benjamin Simpson
  • Secretary:  Juleah Nusz
  • Treasurer:  Julie Hunt Clements.
     The division also elected Bary Nusz to serve as the Division's Congress Representative and Julie Clements will be the Alternate Congress Representative.
 
     In addition, the division elected to repeal the "gentlemen's agreement" that provided for the Division II and III Qualification Tournament to be held in Lubbock two out of three years.  Instead, the Division Executive Committee (DEC) will determine the location of all division qualification tournaments based on the availability of specific dates, venues and people to run the tournaments.

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ACFA Fencers Win Plains Texas Division Championships for Youth 14 Foil and Epee
 
     ACFA fencers took the top three spots and all of the qualifying spots for the Plains Texas Division's Youth 14 fencers in foil and epee at the recent qualification tournament.  The following fencers qualified to compete at Summer Nationals in Reno, Nevada, in Youth 14 foil and epee.
 
Youth 14 Men's Foil
  • 1st:  Noah Glenn
  • 2nd:  Micah Castleman
  • 3rd:  Jonah Loomis

Youth 14 Men's Epee

  • 1st:  Micah Castleman
  • 2nd:  Noah Glenn
  • 3rd:  Jonah Loomis

Youth 14 Women's Foil

  • 1st:  Claire Cockerham
  • 2nd:  Grace Castleman
  • 3rd:  Lydia Wilkinson

Youth 14 Women's Epee

  • 1st:  Grace Castleman
  • 2nd:  Claire Cockerham
  • 3rd:  Madilyn Ksor

     Congratulations to everyone.

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ACFA Fencers Dominate at Santa Fe Epee Tournament
 
     ACFA fencers took 7 of the 8 medals awarded at the March 12th Epee Tournament hosted by New Mexico Fencing Foundation in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  The following AC Fencers competed:  Seth Bodine, Grace Castleman, Luke Castleman, Nicholas Durante, Noah Glenn, Brandi Maynard, Colby McCahan, Bary Nusz, Derik Nusz, Ben Simpson, Macy Slagle, Chuck Slaughter, Ashton Thephaphine, Jered Wilkinson and Claudia Wrampelmeier.
    
Medals and Ratings Earned
 
     Derik Nusz earned his B2011 rating while taking the Gold Medal in both the Senior and Cadet Epee events.  Luke Castleman earned his C2011 rating with his 3rd place finish in Senior Epee and he also took the Silver Medal in the Cadet competition.  Jered Wilkinson took the Silver Medal in Senior Epee.  Ben Simpson tied for 3rd in Senior Epee and earned his C2011 rating.  Nicholas Durante tied for 3rd in Cadet and then earned his E2011 rating with his 8th place finish in Senior Epee.
 
     Complete Results can be seen by CLICKING HERE.

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Coach Howard named "Head Coach Emeritus"
of AC Fencing Association
 
Coach Howard has retired as Head Coach of AC Fencing Association due to health reasons.  In recognition of his many years of service to fencing at Amarillo College and the city of Amarillo, ACFA has named him as "Head Coach Emeritus" of ACFA.

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Richard Howard

Head Coach Richard Howard Recognized by United States Fencing Coaches Association
 
The U.S. Fencing Coaches Association awarded their first Fellow Award to Amarillo College Fencing Head Coach Richard Howard during a February 1st fencing tournament at the U.S. Air Force Academy.

The fellow award was created to recognize members of the U.S. Fencing  Coaches Association who perform sustained service to the sport of fencing and its athletes.

Howard has been coaching fencing for more than 30 years. He built the Amarillo Competitive Fencing Association (ACFA) from a handful of novice fencers. He continues to develop the talent of fencers who have earned numerous U.S. National medals and rankings from an area of the country where fencing has a completely different meaning.

Coach Howard teaches biology at Amarillo College and is the curator of the AC Natural History Museum. He also is a concert pianist.

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Head Coach Richard Howard Authors Paper on "Essentials of Fencing Technique"
 
ACFA Head Coach Richard Howard has written a paper entitled "Essentials of Fencing Technique" and it has been published on this website.  Please click this link and read the paper!

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"Never worry about numbers.  Help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest you."  - Mother Teresa

JULEAH NUSZ IN AMARILLO UPTOWN
 

Send your comments or stories to ACFA by emailing the webmaster at chuck@acfencers.com.

ACFA Webmaster
Chuck Slaughter

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