FOOD!

Here is a summary of how the food has been set-up for the big meets of the year - SPA Invite and States.
What we have found in the past is that the kids like small amounts of food--a small apple, a banana, a granola bar, a small cookie or brownie, a piece of candy--that they can eat and have a few calories to work with, but nothing to weigh them down for their fencing bouts. They nibble these small amounts throughout the day, usually until mid- to late-afternoon when they have been eliminated from competition. Then they are ready to eat more substantial food and a larger amount.So in planning for food, it's good to have a box or basket of granola bars and Kudo bars, a bowl of apples, several bunches of banana, a crate of clementines, a bowl of candy, containers of cookies (homemade or store-bought), brownies. All of these food options are vegetarian. The kids drop by the food table and grab a little something off and on throughout the morning and afternoon. The fencing bouts run throughout the day, so there is no time when all of the fencers eat together. We have also had coolers of sandwiches. Last year we had 66 sandwiches for about forty fencers. We had 20 vegetarian sandwiches (cheese) and 46 sandwiches with both meat and cheese. We have always avoided ham in the sandwiches which makes it easier for the Jewish and Muslim fencers. Last year we had two cheese sandwiches left at the end of the day, but could have used more meat sandwiches. Cream cheese-on-bagel-sandwiches would also be a good option--but have the sandwiches ready-made. We discovered that fencers don't take the time to make sandwiches at a tournament. We have wrapped, ready-made sandwiches in transparent plastic wrap so fencers can see what kind of sandwiches they are getting. We also have put meat and vegetarian sandwiches in separate coolers, clearly labeled, so there would be no confusion.Parents have banded together to provide these foods: one family brings apples and clementines, another family bring bananas and granola bars, a parent would bring her famous chocolate chip cookie bars, another parent would bring brownies without nuts because her fencer was allergic to peanuts, someone else would bring candy, another family would organize the sandwiches in coolers so they can be available all day as fencers need them. You shouldn't feel like you should be responsible for all of the food for the whole team for the whole day. That is WAY too much to expect. This should be a group effort with many families participating.As far as beverages, the kids are expected to each bring a water bottle, but those quickly run out with the level of fencer activity. So parents have provided lots of bottled beverages: bottled water and individual bottles of Powerade/Gatororade have been popular in the past. Last year the Zheng family brought 3 cases of bottled water and 3 cases of Gatorade to the state tournament at Blake. Fencers don't drink carbonated beverages at these tournaments because they are so physically active it doesn't work well for them.There are 45 fencers on the team this year. All of them are expected to be at the all-day tournaments in order to letter. There will be a few exceptions, of course. As the tournament dates approach the coaches will know how many are actually registered to fence for SPA at any given tournament.In the past we have set up a pair of card tables or one 6- or 8-foot table to put all of the food on and around. We also have discovered we need to provide places to put our garbage. Old grocery bags have proven useful in this role. The SPA team food table has a sign and is located in the area where SPA fencers stow their gear. We bring folding chairs--because sometimes they are not available at the tournament facility--and watch our fencers, socialize, and provide a level of security for SPA fencers' gear. (Yes, it has been a problem in the past.) Parents rotate sitting at the SPA food table with watching their fencers, trading off as needed.