GRAFA is happy to announce the creation of an SMS list to allow us to contact you via cell phone text message in the event of last minute scheduling changes or closings.

Two add your phone to the text messages just enter your phone number into the “SMS Notifications Sign-up” box on the grey sidebar on the right hand side of the homepage.

If you have any questions or comments or are having trouble registering, please email the webmaster.

Due to unprecedented growth in membership and the high demand for fencing instruction and private lessons, GRAFA is looking for an experienced part time coach. The position will be working under the supervision of head coaches Mikhail and Arkadiy Sarkisov. The coach will be teaching intermediate level classes in foil and epee as well as giving private lessons. The coach must also be available for weekend travel to local and national tournaments. If you are interested, please email your resume and references to Head Coach Mikhail Sarkisov at coachmikhail@grfencing.com.

Alexa Prasher took a phenomenal 5th place in the Y10 event at the North American Cup in Portland, Oregon. This was Alexa's first Nationals and makes Alexa the fourth GRAFA student who currently has National points on the National Points List. This is a very impressive achievement and GRAFA is very proud of Alexa!

Congratulations to Eddy Rozanski, Jr on earning his “B” rank in Epee. This is a tremendous accomplishment and Eddy is the first fencer in GRAFA history to earn a “B” ranking in Epee. Keep up the good work Eddy!

GRAFA would like to congratulate 4 of its younger competitors for their amazing fencing at the Youth Foil Event held at the Great Lakes Sword Club this past Sunday, February 1st: Alexa Prasher, Nicholas Maternowski, Sheyla Osmanovic and Ben Osmanovic. Because of their great fencing, and support of eachother, GRAFA is proud to announce that 4 medals came back to our club this week as a result. Alexa Prasher won gold in the Y10 category and silver in the Y12 category, missing out on the gold by a single point. Nick Maternowski won a silver in the Y14 foil and Sheyla Osmanovic won a bronze in Y10.

Congratulations to them all and we hope to add many more fencers and metals to our list of victories!

For those of us who frequent the competition scene, there is an important announcement. As you may know, the Michigan Division Website has been having problems and so in an attempt to correct this, they have changed sites. The new site can be viewed at www.michfencing.net

Attention Parents and Fencers
We have a few announcements for you all for these winter months!

For Christmas and New Year, we will be closed Monday December 22nd until Monday January 5th (normal classes resume on the 5th).
We wish everyone happy holidays, and hope you have a great break!

We would also like to let you know that our annual Christmas Party will be after New Years this year! Everyone is envited but we will let you know as soon as a date is set!

Also, the weather is getting bad so please see our weather related closing post if you are unsure what to do!

Join us for the second in a series of 4 popular fencing camps that will build fencing skills over the course of a year. Sign up soon, as the camp fills up quickly. Read about the exciting events at the fall camp here.

Dates:
December 5-7, 2008

Congratulations to Dayana Sarkisova on taking 5th place out of 160 fencers this past weekend in St. Louis, MO. Also impressive was Rada Sarkisova who took 15th place.

We were also encouraged to see a couple of our fencers, Rui Takagi and Alex Kernoski, participate in the event. Keep up the good work!

We will be holding an open Foil and Epee tournament at GRAFA on November 15th. We are also excited to have US Men's Foil Olympian Gerek Meinhart joining us for the tournament.

Open Epee: 10AM
Open Foil: 2PM

Pre-Registration: $25 first event, $10 second event.
At the Door: $30 first event, $10 second event.

Preregister with askfred.net to save at the door.
See who's signed up.