| Statements from Candidates for 2005-2006 SWS Offices |
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These statements were submitted by the (known) candidates for Southwest Section office in response to an invitation by the incumbent Officers. Candidates for each office appear in alphabetical order. Note that the actual nominations (which need not be the same people as the now-known candidates) will be made from the floor of the Section annual meeting on Saturday, May 14, 2005. |
CHAIRMANDavid SierraDear Friends, Colleagues, and Fellow Fencers, Your vote is important to the Southwest Section and I want your vote! I have decided to run for Southwest Section Chair, because I believe in you, the fencing community, and want to keep our Section in the forefront of development and moving towards the future of US Fencing. As many of you know, I have served the Southwest Section as an officer (Vice-Chair 2000-2003 and 2004-2005), Commissioner of the SSCC (2000-2005), and referee (currently rated 5 in all weapons and been rated since 2001) out of a genuine love for our sport, and a desire to build and develop our shared passion. I am writing you at this time to ask for your support in furthering the progress that has been accomplished lately. Over the past years, I have developed strong, professional relationships with fencers, coaches, referees, tournament organizers, and parents across our Section and within the USFA Nationally and believe that these relationships, combined with my knowledge of our sport gained from the perspective of an athlete, a coach, a referee and as a tournament organizer will allow me to be an effective leader of our Section. Many of you are familiar with my role as the Commissioner of the Southwest Sectional Circuit Cup (or as its commonly referred to, the SSCC) for the past five years. During that time, I have guided the SSCC using policies of mutual respect, consensus-based decision making and adherence to the mission statement of the SSCC, “To promote increased participation among all levels of fencers in tournaments outside their home Divisions, to provide elite athletes with serious fencing at Regional competitions, to increase the size and strength of tournaments throughout the Section, to better prepare fencers for competition on the National level, and to promote fencing in general across the Section.” During my tenure as SSCC Commissioner, it has grown to one of the best regional circuits in the USFA thanks to hard work and dedication by the Local Organizing Committees, bout committee officials, referees and volunteers, providing a superior competitive experience for the competitive and recreational athletes of our Section. Many of the best fencers and coaches in our region regularly use SSCC events as training grounds and have gone on to very respectable results at the national and even international level. SSCC events are well run, efficiently organized tournaments, with quality bout committees, top caliber referees, excellent equipment (often with all grounded strips), and some of the best athletes in our region competing. We routinely draw competitors from outside our Section as well. Through collective action, ingenuity and a dedication to the mission of the SSCC, we can continue to grow and serve the elite athletes, the recreational athletes, the student athletes, and the developmental athletes of the Section by providing the very best series of tournaments we can. As Section Chair, I will continue to support the SSCC in its current form and strive to continue building an atmosphere of success and positive growth. As with any endeavor of this magnitude and importance, there are naysayers and growing pains, and those who are just adverse to change. However, I believe that the general consensus is that the SSCC is a positive force for fencing in our Section and can continue providing some of the best competitive opportunities in our region. There are some specific changes to SSCC tournament protocols and operations that I think need to be considered, and can be found outlined in this year’s SSCC Commissioner’s report, available on the SSCC website. We must also continue our program of referee development if we are to grow and continue to have the quality level of events we’ve enjoyed recently, not just in the SSCC, but also throughout the calendar. I have been personally involved in identifying, training and developing new referees in conjunction with the three FOC examiners in our Section, as well as tournament organizers and individual clubs. We must continue to put on regular referee training seminars and provide mentoring to developing referees in actual competitive situations. Additionally, I would like to add a series of advanced clinics, focusing on weapon specific issues and calls, and I believe the Section can play a role in coordinating and fostering such clinics. To support these efforts, an excellent group of potential officers possessing experience and leadership has brought themselves forward. Standing for election to continue as Treasurer and Secretary will be Anjea Ehrle Ray of Austin, Texas and Terry Harkey of Shreveport, Louisiana, respectively. Both have been critical components of the successes of recent years. Joining the team will be Rachel El-Saleh of Houston, Texas, as Vice-Chair and Commissioner of the SSCC, bringing with her valuable leadership experience and positive vision. Separate from this group of officers, I urge your support for these individuals as well as myself, and know them to be people of integrity and willing to undertake the hard work necessary to continue the positive direction we've headed. Occasionally, we have disagreed with each other over specific applications, directions and policies, but have always worked out our differences in our positions in an professional and courteous manner, despite being subjected to often harshly critical personal attacks. Terry Harkey is an experienced and well respected bout committee official, highly conversant with the technical details of tournament organization and committed to making each and every tournament she works a positive experience for the fencers. She has also, in the course of her official duties as Secretary, streamlined and made more effective the mailing of our Section newsletter, utilizing bulk mail and non-profit status mail, as well as spearheaded an ambitious and effective verification service of both USFA membership status and earned classifications that has contributed positive to events at all levels across the section. Anjea Ehrle Ray and Rachel El-Saleh are both rated referees, as well as experienced fencers. Anjea is a nationally experienced and respected referee and a regularly competing epee fencer, in addition to being intellectually talented and capable of expressing herself in a coherent and eloquent manner, as well as being truly open minded and focused on the development of fencing. In the course of her official duties as Treasurer, she has conducted her self with aplomb, keeping our finances in perfect order. Rachel is a recreational and veteran foil fencer, as well as a rated referee, who works at many youth and developmental events in the Houston area. She is raising two children of exceptional character, both fencers, who regularly compete on the Sectional and National stage. She is an experienced manager and entrepreneur, familiar with the protocols needed to work with a diverse group of people in a geographically broad context. She has some exciting ideas for our Section, as is willing to jump in an do the hard work needed. There has never been a time more critical to our Section than this year. The resources needed to continue the positive development of our Section require experienced, effective leadership. Your vote is highly important. Vote for continued progress as a leading Section of the USFA. Vote for me, David Sierra as Section Chair, and I promise I will work for you. Together we can make great things happen! Yours in Fencing, David A. Sierra Scott StevensHowdy Fencers, My name is Scott Stevens, I am running for Chairman of the Southwest Section and I am asking for your support to help build a stronger Section. For those of you whom I haven't met yet, let me introduce myself by saying that I have been a fencer since 1984 when I started in highs chool, and have lived and fenced in Texas since 1989 and I am currently a member of the Austin Fencers Club. I have served as an officer for the South Texas division and was member of the LOC that brought the 2000 Div-1A National Championships to Austin Texas. Our section has one of the best regional circuit events in the country, and since it's inception has served to increase the level of fencing throughout our section and into the neighboring areas as well. However, over the last several years, I believe that the SSCC has lost sight of the purpose of the Circuit Cup, "To promote increased participation among all levels of fencers in tournaments outside their home Divisions, to provide elite athletes with serious fencing at Regional competitions, to increase the size and strength of tournaments throughout the Section, to better prepare fencers for competition on the National level, and to promote fencing in general across the Section." However, due to excessive, mandated, late entry penalties, tournaments are seeing as many as 50% of the fencers who registered early to avoid the late fees NOT show up, which does nothing to increase the size and strength of the tournament, but only serves to increase uncertaintity when trying to decide which tournaments to attend. "It is the opinion of the overwhelming majority of fencers surveyed that SSCC
events should continue to include a Mixed event and a separate Women’s
event." The SSCC has grown tremendously since the first Circuit Cup event in 1995, and the Sections involvement in the tournaments that make up the Circut has increased as well, in ways that the go counter to the intended relationship between the Section, and it's members stated wishes about how the circuit cup events should be managed. As the Chairman of the Section, along with my vice-chair Rhonda Treitch, Secretary Marty Wysocki, and Treasurer Rob Janca, and our USFA representative Richard Exnicios, I will work closely and dilligently with the incoming section executive committee, and the clubs which are the backbone of the success of the Circuit Cup, to address this imballance and guarantee that the elected officers of the Southwest Section are acting on the behalf of, and in the best interests of you, the fencer. This is YOUR Section, and your opinion matters - vote! If you can't attend the annual Section business meeting on May 14th in person, you can still cast your vote by printing out and sending your proxy to the sectional meeting. Blank proxy forms can be found on the Section website: http://www.southwestfencing.org/SWSforms/SWSproxy2005.pdf |
VICE CHAIRMANRachel El-SalehMy name is Rachel El-Saleh and I am standing for the position of Vice-Chair of the Southwest Section of the United States Fencing Association. My qualifications for the position are about as varied as the skills needed to successfully carry out the responsibilities of the Vice Chair, working as part of a successful team. I am a fencing parent, a fencer and a rated referee. When not involved with fencing, my day job is President of Sound Environmental Solutions (SES), a successful environmental consulting firm founded in 1992. As a fencing parent I know the importance of running a section that supports and encourages all our members, including both the competitive and recreational groups. My son, Michael, at 15, is an active part of the competitive group being a Nationally Ranked foil fencer in Senior, Junior and Cadet. My daughter, Rebecca, and I subscribe more to the recreational side of the sport, although that did not stop me from being an alternate on the 2004 US Veteran Women’s 50+ Foil Team. Mind you, in the spirit of complete disclosure I think it should be noted that that position was obtained by the endurance of my going to all three qualifying events, rather than any true skill on my part! As a fencer and a referee, I know the importance of well run tournaments where the focus is on the fencing rather than the directing or the tournament logistics, except where they help the fencing. As your Vice Chair I would work diligently with the other officers and the tournament organizers to help our Section run successful events. My qualifications to do this are based on the number of tournaments that I have attended in parent, fencer and referee capacities. My children were active participants in the Regional Youth Circuit Events and my son, in particular, has grown as a fencer by attending the Southwest Section Circuit Cup Events. I always volunteer to referee when needed and I particularly enjoy working with the younger children. I think that it is very important for all fencers, but our youth fencers in particular, to have positive tournament experiences. To that end we have to be prepared to think outside the box. We should not be afraid of trying new ideas, nor of changing back if things do not work out. For example, the increasing fees rather than encouraging early commitments, probably dissuaded people from fencing whose schedules made it impossible to predict availability in time for early registration. The objective is to encourage participation while allowing the tournament organizers to obtain reasonable estimates of attendees so that the appropriate resources (e.g. referees and strips) are provided. A compromise is being developed that involves a pre-payment scheme similar to those used for the Crescent City and the Southwest Sectional Championship would allow the tournament host to obtain commitments in a timely manner and the fencers to have the flexibility to pre-register up to 1-2 weeks prior to the event. I think that it is extremely important that the officers work together as an inclusive team, having active participation from across our large geographic area. Modern communications have made it easy to stay in close touch. As President of SES, I am used to team work, including successfully coordinating activities with employees working all over the world. I am honored to being part of an experienced group of candidates. Geographically, we represent a wide range of Divisions within the Section, allowing us to have a better understanding of the interests and concerns of our general membership. We bring individual strengths and experiences which allow us to collectively serve the Section well. David Sierra has done a great job at revitalizing the Southwest Section Circuit Cup, encouraging referee development and doing whatever needs to be done to help the Section. He is always prepared to listen to another point of view, and is open-minded in considering changes and developments within the Section. Terry Harkey’s calm presence and great sense of humor have served as a great example of how to keep a tournament running smoothly and in accordance with the operating rules, without becoming officious. The Section has benefited from the knowledge that Terry brings back from being part of the USFA Tournament Staff at NACs and Summer Nationals. Anjea Ehrle Ray is always professional whether fencing or officiating. She quietly and calmly goes about her business, and has done a great job as Treasurer. I believe that my fencing and business background make me particularly well suited for the Vice Chair position. Having been an active participant in the Southwest Section for the last six years, I am excited about the possibility of serving in a more official capacity. Rhonda Trietschno statement received |
SECRETARYTerry HarkeyPersonal Information: (in no particular order) Terry Harkey, Ark-La-Miss Division
Since elected in May of 2001, I have served as secretary of what I consider the best section in the country. Our section proudly serves as home for former and future Olympians. In our ranks are dozens of current nationally ranked fencers who have international experience. I can tell you I am very proud to hail from this part of the country. This year, since I may not run unopposed as I have in the past, I thought I would share some of the things that I have had a hand in accomplishing as your secretary. However, we must note; no officer can build alone. It takes a team. Here is a list of some of the things I, along with my teammates, have helped institute over the past 4 seasons.
Because I work on the national tournament staff the following benefits fall on our fencers.
The section secretary needs to be knowledgeable of all the bylaws, rules and standards and apply them fairly, whether he/she likes them or not. Many times the secretary as an officer and a voting member of the Executive Committee must enforce ideas and principles with which he/she both does and does not agree. Professionalism is required. A word in support of my fellow officers David Sierra Anjea Ehrle Ray She is a strong female athlete as well as a nationally respected referee. When we have a difference of opinion, I listen to because she is not closed minded or agenda driven. Her only agenda is the betterment of fencing. Intellectually, she is quite brilliant and articulate. These things contribute to a well-rounded opinion on the Executive Committee. Rachel El-Saleh Marty Wysockino statement received |
TREASURERAnjea Rayno statement received Rob Jancano statement received |
BOARD of DIRECTORSJerry Bensonno statement received |