Desert Fencing Academy

Hi to everyone,
Yes, we have another fencing tournament this Sunday, May 20 at San Bernardino Valley College.
All close of check-in times remain the same.
This is our end-of-season awards tournament and ceremony.

I am tired, too, especially at PCC's in Las Vegas last weekend and now another tournament this weekend.
However, DFA and COD swept most of the awards in all weapons, men's and women's categories, and DFA is the overall club champion of the division. It would be nice to have the recipients of the awards there.

Also, just so you know, since our second tournament of the season, I have been the division officer running this division. The chair, vice-chair and secretary all "bailed" out after the second tournament, so I have been running the division with Diane Whan running the tournaments. So, I do understand tired and am looking
forward to the end of the season, but actually, that does not mean an end to work, just don't have to rush to get items done.

Also, a new trophy has been created and the recipient is a DFA fencer. I cannot tell you at this time what the trophy is for or to whom it is destined, but it would be nice to have the DFA fencers in attendance.

I will be sending to all of you an email regarding PCC's this year. It was really an awesome tournament and I have stories and insights I want to share with all of you. I should have it typed and ready to email by the end of this week.

Again, DFA swept the awards and is the #1 club in the division. This speaks highly of the fencers, the coach and the parents. My thanks to you for making this season so successful for all of us by your support.

- Leslie

Hi…and Happy May and Happy Mother’s Day to all you moms and grandmoms.

This is our May newsletter with all the info you need for May through August.

CONGRATULATIONS:

To Linden Ballen who has been accepted to Embry-Riddle University in Arizona and Aaron Fagan who is going to Vassar, in New York. Good academics and a fencing background played their respective roles in the young men’s admission process.

Kudos to Linden Ballen and Mitchell Link who both earned their C2007 rating in epee at the April tournament held at College of the Desert. The epee tournament was a B1 event and Mitchell took second place and Linden took third.

Lots of kudos and congratulations to Nico Bergmann who swept all the awards at the Open Call Show held at the McCallum Theatre, April 28. Nico won the ASCAP award, the People’s

Popular Vote award and the Grand Prize award. Nico played Listz’s Hungarian Rhapsody and, this summer, Nico will be in Hungary studying at the Franz Listz music conservatory.

END-OF-SEASON AWARDS:

The trophies are being engraved and the results are as follows for the 2006-2007 tournament season of the San Bernardino Division.

Men’s Foil: 2^nd place, Mark Johnson, DFA

Men’s Sabre: 1^st place, Scott Pippin, DFA, 2^nd place, Costa Nichols

Men’s Sabre Team: 1^st place, DFA, 3^rd place, COD

Men’s Epee: 2^nd place, Josh Butler, DFA

Men’s Epee Team: 2nd place, DFA

Women’s Foil: 1^st place, Leslie Taft, COD

Women’s Foil Team: 3^rd place, COD

Women’s Sabre: 1^st place, Leslie Taft, COD, 2^nd place, Gretchen Bueermann, DFA, 3^rd place, Ellie Romig, COD

Women’s Sabre Team: 1^st place, COD, 2^nd place, DFA

Women’s Epee Team: 3^rd place, DFA

Women’s 3-Weapon: Leslie Taft, COD

Women’s Team 3-Weapon: COD

Men’s Team Club Overall: DFA

Overall Club Champion: DFA

Please visit the DFA website, or San Bernardino Division website, for the entire points listing for all individuals and teams.

The End-Of-Season Awards ceremony will be held Sunday, May 20, at San Bernardino Valley College. It is also a fencing competition open with the usual close of check-in times.

FENCING SCHEDULE:

Our rest of the season fencing schedule is as follows:

May 11-14, DFA will be closed as we are in Las Vegas for the Pacific Coast Championships

May 20, tournament and end-of-season award ceremony at San Bernardino Valley College

June 16, the Haake und Slasche tournament held at Victor Valley High School

June 18, DFA goes into its summer schedule (summer schedule posted on the DFA website)

July 4, DFA closed

July 28, DFA closes for the summer

August 27, DFA re-opens

Wishing everyone a happy summer and blissful fencing,

-Leslie Taft