The Plan for Unicorn Cup 2024
Introduction
Even with 7 staff members to help lighten the load of running the club I’m forced to wear a lot of hats. Aside from my presidential duties I’m also the treasurer, head instructor, web master, and event coordinator. The only upside of being a combination event coordinator and web master is that I can wield the website for whatever I need … and in this case I need to coordinate a whole bunch of people across a bunch of different social media websites and email accounts. And if a meeting could be an email, why not a blog post! So here it is, for all volunteer staff here is a web page I can easily share a link to across every platform. And for you curious Lookie Lou’s, here’s is how we organized our tournament in case you have to organize your own tournament or just happen to be morbidly curious.
The Volunteer List
Here is the list of volunteers. If you see your name on this list and CAN NOT make it or commit to helping out in the role you’ve either been assigned or are being asked to fill, LET ME KNOW IMMEDIATELY so I can plan back up contingencies.
More importantly if you see your name on this list, CAN make it and commit to helping out in the role you’ve either been assigned or are being asked to fill, LET ME KNOW IMMEDIATELY then JOIN THE EVENT DISCORD CHANNEL so I can update you with ways other than this website. We need every single one of you for this event to work so please let me know either way by this Saturday January 13th at 11:00 am. At that time on the event discord channel we will have a staff meeting so I can go over the plan with you and you can ask questions. If you can’t make it, that’s fine, but let me know you understand your assignment and can commit to it or I’ll have to find a back up.
For those of you marked as back up judges, no I haven’t contacted you yet but since you’re coming I’m hoping you can help a brother out. Don’t worry, your kindness will not go unrewarded. Check the next section for details.
Volunteer List
Volunteer Payment
You heard that right, we’re actually paying you in cold hard cash!
*dramatic pause
… specifically, Hilt and Helm SWAG CASH!!
Introducing Hilt and Helm Swag Cash! These coupons can be used in lie of cash at the tournament to buy stuff from our club store. What’s for sale you may ask?
Stickers
Patches
Earrings
Necklaces
Key Chains
Enamel Pins
Water bottles
Tote Bags
Playing Cards
And several cool new items not available on the online store!
Keep in mind these aren’t exchangeable for US currency and can’t be used online, so be sure to get what you want while you can! All volunteers will get $20 in swag cash. Back up judges will get $10 in swag cash if they aren’t utilized and $20 if they are.
The Volunteer Schedule
Below is a comprehensive schedule of who needs to do what, where you need to do it, and what you’re expected to do.
Volunteer Schedule Page 1
Volunteer Schedule Page 2
Volunteer Schedule Page 3
Tournament Breakdowns
Below are the current tournament breakdowns. The names in bold are fixed in their tournaments because they are needed elsewhere for other tournaments, because they are legitimately scary and must be put in invitational to pull the sharks out of the pools.
We had a last minute drop out so there is exactly ONE slot left in the Open Tournament! Get it while you can.
Open Pools
I will say this. There are 8 medals and 8 participants so far. We still have 8 slots open, but as it stands: You get a medal! And YOU get a medal! EVERYBODY GETS A MEDAL!!!!
Gender Minority Pools
Here is our invitational Longsword Tournament. The pool runs the gambit to serious competitors to “DAMN! YOU SCARY!” so hold onto your hats because this is gonna be an interesting set of fights!
Invitational Pools
Rules Clarifications
Head and Body = 2 Points
Arms and Legs = 1 Point
Doubles are subtractive
If Blue gets a head hit and Orange gets an arm hit, blue gets 1 point instead of two
7 Point max
3 minute non-stopping clock
No takedowns or grapples although set up is fine
There will be a 5 second count before the match is reset
Back of the head, spine, and feet are invalid targets
Presenting back of head is a yellow card
Hitting invalid targets with sufficient force is a red card even if accidental
Red Cards lose you the match
Both feet on/past the foam border = Ring Out!
Forcing your opponent out of the ring doesn’t score
Can score first, then leave the ring
Abusing ring out rules is a yellow card
Ring Construction
Tournament Layout
Directors Notes
Be decisive
6 pools of 5 in open
4 pools of 8 in gender minority and invitational longsword
Don’t have time to over think!
When in doubt, throw it out. Make them fight another bout
Only consult the judges (in a huddle) if necessary.
Stopping the clock for non-emergencies costs time
Use your discretion
You’re a director!
I trust your judgement!
I’ll back you up!
Penalize fighters who mozy into the ring
We have boards that show who’s fighting next
If you have to wait more than 60 seconds, give them a red card.
Yellow Cards
Yellow Card = Warning
Yellow cards don’t transfer from match to match
2 yellow cards for same offense = red card
Yellow Card-able offenses Presenting back of the head
Repeatedly ringing out because they aren’t paying attention
Kiting the ring to abuse ring out rules
Engaging in unsafe behavior
Red Cards
Red Card = Serious Rule Violation
2 red cards for any offense = black card
Red cards DO transfer from match to match
Red Card-able offenses
Hitting off target areas with force (accidentally)
Bad mouthing the director or judge
Hitting after halt has been called
Making the director wait more than 1 minute to get a fight started
Black Cards
Black Card = Immediate Ejection from the tournament!
Use with Caution
Black Card-able offenses
Egregious Red Card-able offense
Judge Notes
Table Staff Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1:
I signed up for the tournament during the early bird pricing, but it charged me full price! What gives?
Answer 1:
That was a goof on the Ferrota’s site. Email me at hiltandhelm@gmail.com and we’ll give you either a tote bag, a water bottle, or $20 in swag cash on the day of the tournament.
Question 2:
I saw the price wasn’t correct, waited, but it’s still showing the wrong price! What gives?
Answer 2:
What you’re seeing is what I like to call the “peek-a-boo” bug. Basically you saw the price when it was incorrect and it has stuck with your account. Unfortunately there isn’t a fix for it so email me at hiltandhelm@gmail.com. We’ll give you either a tote bag, a water bottle, or $20 in swag cash on the day of the tournament.
Question 3:
Can my child participate in the tournament?
Answer 3:
The short answer … is that as long as they are 14 or older and you as a parent consent to their entering … then yes, they may fight in the tournament. Our insurance allows us to have under age combatants so long as we utilize a waiver system which has the parents sign on the same document as the kids (which we do) so their age won’t be a problem.
The long answer (to the parents) is that they will be in a longsword fencing tournament with grown ass adults. We don’t have a junior division. As long as they have fought with adults before and know what they are getting themselves into I’ll allow them to compete.
The other long answer (to the aforementioned grown ass adults) is that you may be fighting against a teenager. You should have enough control over your weapon to control how hard you hit. Them being in an open longsword tournament does not absolve you of swinging like a cave man (or woman, however you prehistorically self identify). If you use too much force you will be given a yellow card and if you do it too often you will be thrown out of the tournament. Remember, we’re fighting our friends not our enemies out there. Lets all leave this tournament as healthy as we entered it.
