I. Call to Order at 7:32 PM by Brenda Waddoups, Division Chair. Melinda Yates acting Secretary. II. Members Present: Ovy Waddoups Brenda Waddoups Pat White Jay Saenz Lonnie Yates Melinda Yates Rhonda Trietsch Jeff Crowe Allen Gall Ruth Guevara John Cogan Janet Lowry Stephanie Bennett Quorum was present. III. Secretary's minutes were mailed to all voting members. No changes were made. Minutes were accepted as mailed. IV. Treasurer's report made by Pat White. The Division moved the checking account to Inwood Bank where we don't have to pay any bank fees. The current balance is $1049.28; however, the Division owes the Section 98.00 for the head tax on the Regional Youth Circuit. The Division now has a tax i.d. number and is listed with the State of Texas as a nonprofit organization. Anyone purchasing items for Division business should first obtain a "Texas Sales and Use Tax Exemption Certification" from the Division Secretary in order to not pay sales tax. V. Ovy Waddoups presented the Equipment Report. Michael Perry and Ovy made a list of all the Division equipment and it's status (good, not working, etc.) at St. Mark's and Lone Star Fencing Center in January 1998. Most of the Division equipment has been moved from St. Mark's to the Waddoups' garage. The copper strips remain at St. Mark's for obvious reasons. Lone Star Fencing Center has retained 8 reels, 4 of which are not working at present. The Division received a letter from George Stone, Fencing Institute of Texas, for the use of 3 strips when they get their club going. This was approved by the Division Officers 21 May 1998. A question arose as to the "legality" of this procedure. Mr. Waddoups said the Division Equipment Policy, handed out to each member present, states a club may request the use of Division equipment for one year. However, it is that Club's responsibility to maintain the equipment in good working order and to transport it to any Division tournament in a timely fashion. Further, it has been the policy of the Division to assist new clubs (e.g., Martin Johnson at DeSoto High School) with strips to get them off to a strong start. VI. Competition Review. A. The Grand Prix awarded cash prizes of $100.00 to each event winner. Current USFA rules state the acceptance of any cash prize voids a fencer's amateur status. A letter has been sent to each of the 6 winners asking them to return the $100 and the Division will send them a gift certificate for that amount to the vendor of their choice. B. The Section charges a head tax of $1.00 per fencer per event (e.g., if a fencer participates in 2 events, that's $2.00) for Section or Regional Youth Circuit events. The Division paid $183.00 head tax for the Grand Prix and has not been reimbursed by Texas Friends of International Fencing. The head tax is used for purchasing awards given at the end of the fencing year. VII. JO and Summer National Qualifiers. Discussion of one or two day qualifiers. Moved to refer to the Executive Committee by Allen Gall, seconded by Ovy Waddoups; passed. VIII. Proposed Division Schedule. The USFA schedule and known Division tournaments were passed out. John Cogan moved to refer to the Executive Committee, seconded by Rhonda Trietch; passed. IX. Proposed Change to Bylaws. A. The change will align the Division bylaws with the USFA bylaws requiring an Executive Committee made up of one member from the Clubs. The proposed change was mailed to each voting member of the Division. B. Move to accept the changes as written by Ovy Waddoups, seconded by John Cogan. C. Discussion: Proposal to make the seven member quorum in USFA meetings a percentage of members by Allen Gall. No change at present. Question concerning voting by e-mail or telephone. Mrs. Waddoups stated this is how the Section does business. The preference is by e-mail since a hard copy of the voting can be made and retained for future reference. D. Call the Question: motion to accept the changes as written passed. X. Nominating Committee Report given by Ovy Waddoups, appointed chairperson. A. Division Officers. Mr. Waddoups read the report and nominated the slate of officers, seconded by Jeff Crowe. The proposed slate: Kevin O'Neill Chairperson Allen Gall Vice Chairperson Brenda Waddoups Secretary Pat White Treasurer Mrs. Waddoups asked for additional nominations from the floor. None were proposed. Mrs. Waddoups closed nominations. Janet Lowry moved to accept the proposed slate by unanimous acclimation, seconded by Ovy Waddoups; passed. B. Representatives and Alternates to the USFA. Mrs. Waddoups explained that the Division had, in the past, sent the Chair and Vice Chair as the Representatives. These people would be voting at the USFA meeting Friday evening at Summer Nationals. Allen Gall stated he would not be there until Saturday. The following people were nominated, seconded and passed: Jeff Crowe Representative Ovy Waddoups Representative Kevin O'Neill Alternate C. Executive Committee Members. Mrs. Waddoups stated the Division had not used a Club Executive Committee in the past and several clubs may not be aware of the new bylaws change. John Cogan moved to defer appointments to the Executive Committee until each Club could be contacted, seconded by Ovy Waddoups; passed. XII. Meeting adjourned at 8:08 PM. Respectfully Submitted, Brenda Waddoups, Secretary
Meet your new Division Officers:
KEVIN O'NEILL, CHAIR
DALLAS FENCERS CLUB
I have a BS and MA in math from North Texas. I work for a
not for profit corp teaching advanced math to inner city students and
training math teachers. I started fencing in Waco in 1985, moved to
Denton in 87, fenced for North Texas for four years there, and was
club president of University of North Texas Fencing Club for one year.
John Cogan, Pete Brigaitis, Randy Rausch and I all got the fencing bug
at about the same time last year after a bit of time off, and have
joined/re-started (in a competitive sense) DFC.
I think we can make the North Texas Division stronger by
creating more Divisional tournaments, and by encouraging division clubs
to host Novice, "E" and under, and Open tournaments to give beginning
fencers a greater opportunity to fence competitively closer to home.
I will encourage one day epee, foil and saber tournaments as well as a
schedule of larger weekend tournaments. I would also like the
division to foster the development of fencing clubs at local
universities, both at schools such as SMU, which have a history of
fencing, and at the many schools in the area which have never had a
fencing club or team. I am very encouraged at the prospect of a new
coach moving to Dallas, and I hope we will soon have such a volume of
fencing in the area that we have to go looking for one or two more.
ALLEN GALL, VICE CHAIR
RENAISSANCE FENCING CLUB
I began fencing in 1991 when I took the fencing class at Texas
Tech University. I began in foil and picked up saber a year later. I
spent 2 1/2 years associated with the Double T Fencing club at Texas
Tech and served as club president my final two semesters at the
university. In June of 1993, I moved to Houston and began fencing at
the Rice University club. A year later I moved to Dallas. I met Jeff
Crowe and started helping him teach beginning fencing classes for City
of Plano Parks and Recreation. It was during this time that I began
to fence epee. In 1995, Jeff and I decided to start our own club at
the Williams Rec Center where we taught classes. We were joined by
several unaffiliated fencers and students from our classes to form the
Renaissance Fencers' Club. I currently serve as the president of our
club.
The name Renaissance Fencers' Club comes from the rebirth of
both mine and Jeff's fencing. I found little saber activity in the
Dallas area as I moved here and only a few small clubs with the
exception of Lone Star. Jeff had more or less retired and I was about
to do the same myself. I began deriving most of my satisfaction with
fencing by teaching others about the sport. However, the one question
we could ever answer well for our students as they left the class was,
"If I want to continue, where do I go now?" This question and our
renewed desire to continue in the sport, brought about the forming of
Renaissance.
Recent events in the division have left many of our fencers
angry and disillusioned with the state of the division itself. The
divisional tournaments are gone, meaning local clubs have no venues to
compete and interact with each other. Some clubs have been isolated
either by distance or by feelings of resentment. I feel that my
primary goals as a divisional officer will be to see the healing of
the division and the strengthening of area clubs. These can be
accomplished by bringing back some of the old tournaments and
encouraging divisional clubs to both work and compete with each other.
I also feel that any help that the division can give its club in
attracting new members can only help the situation. This can be
achieved by advertising tournaments and getting the word out about
fencing to the areas our clubs serve.
The process to change the division for the better has already
been begun by individual effort. Focusing all this effort together
will undoubtedly bring about a stronger North Texas Division for all
of us.
BRENDA WADDOUPS, SECRETARY
LONE STAR FENCING CENTER
I am not a fencer, but my son, Drew, has been fencing since
July 1993. Drew started fencing at College for Kids, a Tarrant County
Junior College summer program, with Kathryn Lewis-Salem. In October
1994, we started driving to Dallas four nights a week so Drew could
fence with Salem. Drew is now fencing for Coach Mike Kim. No, I don't
fence, but I am passionate about the sport! I think it is one of the
most exciting sports to watch, and one of the best for teaching life
skills.
At the same time my son's fencing career was beginning, I was
involved with Toastmasters International, a communication and leader-
ship program, as a District Officer. We had 300 clubs of approximately
20 members each throughout the Metroplex. I give you this information
because during the three years I was a District Officer, I never lost
a club. I know the effort this takes, and I am willing to devote this
same energy to all of our fencing Clubs.
I also wondered why there were only a handful of fencing clubs
to serve this same population of 4 million plus people. At some point
in 1995, I wondered out loud and was immediately seized to help with
the Division. I have been Division Secretary for two years. The
Division Secretary's most important duty is to ensure the Division's
business is conveyed to it's members, the Section, and to the USFA.
In 1997, I established a free web site for the Division which I have
been maintaining since. I have developed an excellent working
relationship with the USFA and the Section. I hope that I have
maintained an open line of communication to all Division members.
Information concerning new ratings, tournament results, and qualifying
information has been sent to the USFA in a timely fashion, and put
out for all to review on the Division web site.
I feel it is imperative that the business of the Division is
openly communicated to all Division Clubs. To this end, the Division
Bylaws and policies passed by the Executive Committee have been
published on the Division web site along with links to all Division
Club web sites.
I have a vision that Dallas/Fort Worth will take its rightful
place in the fencing world and this area will grow with clubs,
competitions, camaraderie and sportsmanship. We can have a fencing
program in the Metroplex that exceeds those of New York or California!
PAT WHITE, TREASURER
HOCKADAY/ST. MARK'S FENCING PROGRAMS
My son, Charles, fenced for three years at St. Mark's and at
Lone Star Fencing Center, on occasion, with Salem. Charles was
accepted to Duke University last fall and fenced with Alex Beguinet
this term. My daughter, Sarah, started the girls team at Hockaday
last year and was able to motivate a dozen girls to fence on the team.
I have seen first hand the self-esteem that fencing imparts to young
people. I appreciate the sportsmanship that fencing teaches, and the
physical fitness it requires.
I was asked by Brenda Waddoups last year to step up to the
challenge of Division Treasurer. My first duties were to establish a
clear accounting system that all Division members could understand,
and institute financial reports at every executive committee meeting.
I established a new bank account requiring two signatures and created
a bookkeeping system that is open for members to review.
I would like to continue as Division Treasurer for the 1998-99
season because I love this sport and what it has done for my children.
I think the Division should have a balance of effort devoted to adult
and youth development. Serving the members of the Division is one way
I can give back to the fencing community the support and camaraderie
the members have shown my family during the last few years. I am
interested in working hard with the Executive Committee and members
of all Division Clubs to ensure continued, steady growth in the
Division.