Happy New Year!

 

I am writing to provide updates on how the FPA board is using feedback from our membership to support the growth of freestyle disc play as a lifetime recreation and a competitive sport. The updates cover:

 

• the length of routines for WFDF,
• AFO 2017 and the length of AFO 2017 routines,
• positions on the board of directors,
• definitions of Regular, Pro, and Major tournaments,
• EFC/AFC discussion;
• getting fpa membership in 2017,
• the auctions of the signed Hall of Fame discs, and
• your input and donations.

 

 

WFDF and AFO

Thank you for your input on our recent poll regarding whether pairs routine lengths will be 3 or 4 minutes for WFDF and other Pro-level freestyle events. The votes were tabulated, and with over 60 votes, there was just one more person who voted for 4 minute routines than the number of people who voted for 3 minute routines. It is clear the current FPA membership is split regarding this issue and the vote was not a mandate for either side.

 

That being said, we want to respect both sides and the majority of voters, with the following decisions regarding WFDF and AFO. WFDF, which features Open Pairs and Women’s Pairs, will have 4 minute routines.

 

On a related note, Austin jammers have bid to host the AFO in June 2017. The FPA board has decided to accept their bid, including their request to shorten the routine lengths to 3 minutes for Open, Women’s and Mixed Pairs, and 4 minutes for Co-op.

 

The FPA Competition Manual gives the board the flexibility to make this decision, as long as the majority of the board approves such a change and membership is notified of the changes no later than 45 days before competition begins. To review the Competition Manual, go to Resources page and then click on Judging Forms & Templates, and then click on the PDF of the Competition Manual.

 

 

FPA BOARD UPDATE

The votes are in. Please welcome Jason McGlade as our new Marketing Director! And Bethany Sanchez has been chosen to continue on the board as Treasurer. We expect that these two will provide some great resources for our sport.

 

Recently, due to limitations on his personal time, Fabio Sanna has decided to step down as Education Director. Please join the board in thanking Fabio for his great ideas and all he has done for the sport of freestyle! And finally, the Competition Director position is vacant. Please contact Paul Kenny, Executive Director of the FPA Board of Directors, if you are interested in fulfilling either the position of Competition Director or the position of Education Director.

 

DEFINITIONS of TOURNAMENT LEVELS

To help clarify the differences between each level of competitive freestyle event (Regular, Pro and Major) the board has developed a matrix that spells out the how the judging system, number of competitors, competitive divisions, and other factors define each of the levels of competitive freestyle tournaments. Please see the matrix below or download it in excel spreadsheet.

 

tournament-matrix

 

AFC/EFC DISCUSSION

The poll regarding the desire to have alternatives to AFC/EFC were equally split. There has been no final determination as to how to proceed at this time and more discussion on the board level is going on. We are going to inform you as soon as we come to some decision.

 

GETTING FPA MEMBERSHIP IN 2017

We are working on a new sign-up page which will be placed directly on the FPA website and we’ll let you know as soon as it is ready (expect first half of January). Meanwhile, please don’t use Wrightlife anymore for buying membership packages. Also we recommend to wait with any purchases at Wrightlife – you will get a special discount code when you become an FPA member for 2017.

 

AUCTIONS – FREESTYLE HALL OF FAME DISCS

Congratulations to Moises Alfaro for winning the inaugural FPA Holiday Auction! He won a beautifully designed Freestyle Hall of Fame commemorative Discraft Skystyler signed by 12 of the 22 inaugural FPA Hall of Fame members.

 

In the second auction, the winner of the full-set of super-color photo Freestyle Disc Hall of Fame minis was Doug Korns. He now has only 10 more signatures to collect from the inductees who weren’t able to attend the Induction ceremony and he’ll have the only fully signed set in the world!

 

YOUR INPUT AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT

The FPA board is continuing to work hard to fulfill the FPA’s mission of supporting the growth of freestyle disc play as a lifetime recreation and a competitive sport. It is our hope that additional fundraising, and donations from our members will help our plans to re-energize spread-the-jam activities. Please consider making a donation* to the FPA. FPA supporters in the USA can use a donation to us as a tax deduction! Your input on our work is always welcome.

 

* the easiest way to do so is going to http://freestyledisc.org and clicking the Paypal button on the bottom of the right column.

 

Sincerely,

 

Paul Kenny, Executive Director

For the FPA Board of Directors