Midwest High School Championships 2008

Below is the information about Midwest this year. Permission slips are attached to this email, please fill out both pages and return it to Jenni on Monday the 7th. If you are definitely NOT going, please let me know as soon as possible (like now). We need to know sooner what our numbers are so we can cancel rooms if necessary. If you say you are going to attend and give me the permission slip, you will be charged for the trip even if you don't go.

Since they have changed the format of this meet, we can send as many High School fencers as we want – yea! So here is the list as of now.

WF – Erin, Grace, Sara, Laura, Michaela, Emma J.R.

WE – Jennifer, Linnea, Claire, Emma W., Paige

WS – Arshia, Gavi, Hannah

MF – Charlie, Alec, Johnny, Phillip

ME – Alex, Zach, Jonathan, Nat

MS – Ethan, Parker, Abe, Harrison, Andrei, Mudassar

Midwest High School Fencing Championships 2008

Here is everything you need to know about going to Midwest High School Championships.

The bus will leave SPA at 8:15 am on Friday, January 25^th. This means that you need to be at the parking lot, ready to go at 8 am. You must go to your classes before that time to check in!

We will be leaving to come home Sunday morning at 8:00 am, January 27^th. We should reach SPA between 4-5 pm. We will have everyone call home when we reach Hudson, WI. Please make sure someone is there to pick you up so we don’t need to stand around in the cold. SPA may or may not be open.

You will need to go to www.askfred.net to register. Search for Midwest High School Championships at Culver Military Academy. SPA will pay for your entry fee.

Hotel

The hotel cost will be billed to you through SPA. We will know the exact cost when we know exactly how many people are going. It will be around $100/person for the hotel. We are staying at the Residence Inn by Marriot Mishawaka, 231 Park Place, Mishawaka, IN, 46545, 574-271-9283. The rooms are suites with a full kitchen, so you can bring food for the refrigerator if you choose. We are staying about an hour away from Culver, since there is not much to do in Culver. There will be 2 fencers per room so everyone can have their own bed. That is also why the rooms are more expensive. We are not assigning rooms this year. We have a sign up sheet, so you can pick your roommate. The phones and movies in the rooms will be turned off. You can use the payphone or cell phone. There is a pool and whirlpool at the hotel.

Email me who you’d like to room with – first come, first served.

Food

Bring between $70.00 - $100.00 per fencer. You will need money for 3 lunches, 2 dinners, and snacks. But the University Mall has a wide variety of restaurants. You may also pack lunches and bring snacks. It is better to bring too much money for food, than not enough.

Tournament

Bring some high energy foods (powerbars, bagels, fruit, etc.) to eat during the day. There usually is some food for sale at the meet. Bring a water bottle to stay hydrated during the day. The most common health problems during a fencing competition result from lack of food and water. Wear SPA sweats to keep warm between bouts. There should be showers – so you can clean up before we leave the school!

Equipment

Don’t forget to bring EVERYTHING: your mask, jacket, glove, shoes, knickers, long white SPA socks, sweats, lame, blades, underarm protector, etc. We will not have any extra equipment – don’t be the fencer who forgets something important this year! There will most likely also be an equipment vendor there if you wish (need) to purchase any equipment. He accepts most major credit cards and probably checks.

Who Else?

We will be traveling with TCFC. So be ready to make new friends! There will be 1 coach from TCFC, as well as the 3 SPA coaches.

Cell Phone numbers in case of an emergency – Jenni – 651.343.7171 and Bob 651.343.7172.

Expectations

You have shown great drive to practice hard and be responsible for yourself and the team. We expect you to behave with the utmost level of courtesy to everyone. Everyone includes your teammates, other fencers, your coaches, other coaches, restaurant staff, hotel staff and the tournament organizers. We are invited guests to this tournament. Violation of this conduct code may result in anything from restriction to your room, removal from the competition or removal from the team. If there is a problem, let us handle it. We have never had a problem in the past and do not expect to have any problems this year. It is a great trip!

Toys

We encourage you to bring silent toys for the bus. Make sure you have your name on anything you bring. Don’t bring anything that you don’t want to lose or have broken. You are the only one responsible for your things. You may bring PG13 movies as choices on the bus. Coaches maintain a veto vote.

What to Pack

• Your fencing equipment – Mask, jacket, knickers, plastron, glove, long socks, etc. We will not bring any extras.
• Socks – Long white socks – they must reach your knee. Wear your cool SPA ones!
• Athletic shoes
• Warm-Ups – SPA ones (any year) – so we look like a team
• Water Bottle
• Clothes for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday – Pajama’s , toothbrush, shampoo, teddy bear, blankey, etc.
• Toys, books, homework, snacks for the bus ride.
• Towel – you will need to shower at Culver before we go to dinner. You can always borrow a towel from the hotel for this. I will do a sniff test! Just kidding!
• Please try to fit all of your gear in one fencing bag and the stuff for the bus in a (one) backpack.

What NOT to Bring

ANYTHING that you are afraid will get lost or stolen. You are responsible for your own belongings!

Tentative Schedule

1-25-08 8:00 am Meet at SPA, Load Bus and Leave

12:00 pm Stop for Lunch/Snack

5:30 pm Check in to the hotel

6:30 pm Dinner at the University Mall, 6501 Grape Rd
Mishawaka, IN http://www.simon.com/mall/default.aspx?ID=192

Restaurant Options: Auntie Anne's Pretzels, Chao Cajun, Charley's Grilled Subs, Chick-fil-A, Cinnabon, Dairy Queen, Dippin Dots, Frullati Café, Orange Julius, Panda Express, Pizza di Roma, Subway

11:00 pm Lights Out

1-26-08 6:30 am Rise and Shine!

7:00 am Free buffet breakfast at the hotel.

7:30 am Leave hotel

8:30 am Arrive at Culver Military Academy

9:00 am WS, ME, MF – warm-up

10:00 am WS, ME, MF - pools begin

10:30 am WF, WE, MS - warm up

11:30 am WF, WE, MS pools – this may start earlier

When you are done fencing for the day, please shower at Culver, we won’t have time to stop at the hotel and shower before dinner.

6:00 pm Finish fencing and collect many trophies

7:30 pm Dinner at the University Park Mall

9:00 pm Return to the Hotel

11:00 pm Lights out!

1-27-08 7:00 am Rise and Shine!

7:30 am Free buffet breakfast

8:00 am Board bus for MN.

12:00 pm Lunch

4-5:00 pm Return to SPA

If you have any questions or concerns, please call Jenni and Bob at 651.489.4528, our email is at spartanfencing@comcast.net

We are looking forward to a fun and rewarding trip,

Jenni, Bob and Bob