HFDS Club elections - 2010 April meeting!

[DPdiscer]

Here is what I got from that explanation. The "owner" of Texas States which I believe to be Dave Nesbitt does not want Texas States to leave Houston because he does not feel that another club will be able to run it as good since they have not been working on it for 14 years like Houston has. Anyway, there are some benefits to it being here. I don't have to travel to staff or play in it. Also, in the last three years that I have staffed it, I have worked with a close knit group that staffs and volunteers for it. Its been a wonderful experience being a part of that group. I have learned a lot from these people not just about disc golf, but how to work together on a huge project to turn out a quality 3 day product. I would certainly miss the camradarie if it left Houston. No, I'm not getting misty eyed. And who is playing the violin in the background? We're just proud to have it here in Houston and help create it each year.

[tarazarr]

Larry thanks for all the insight.
I want to make sure everyone reading this post understands...

I do fully support Houston disc golf.

I support the Commando Mini every chance I can. I not only admire your dedication but also commend you for all you do.

I fully support the Birdshot efforts and their monthly tournaments and minis and as I've said before I believe Chuck is the hardest working, most dedicated disc golf individual I've come across in the short time I've been involved in this obsession.

I have joined HFDS and will support them whenever I can as well.

I volunteered last year to to clean up hurricane debris at Tom Bass in preparation for TSDGC.. And this year I have volunteered to be a course official for TSDGC. I am not against TSDGC.

I want to be clear, in no way, was I implying anything negative towards TSDGC or the great people who work so very hard every year putting this together.

I'm only asking HFDS members to look at a much bigger picture with an open mind...
Look at some of the courses other Texas cities/groups/clubs only a fraction of our size have built.

Look at how fast the sport is evolving, growing and how quickly the level of play is outgrowing the level of courses we have in the ground.

Look at the current HFDS memberships. Is the club growing. Is it declining. Do the current membership numbers reflect a city this size.

Look at the prestige of this TSDGC tournament, it has no doubt been developed and nurtured to the highest level.

Larry stated there are some who believe TSDGC hasn't recieved the recognition it's due. My answer to that is imo, the level of play in the sport and the level of technicality in course design, has outgrown the venue.
Larry you also said the atmosphere of an event hosting all 3 courses at a single location is very rare too. I agree, completely The question is why? Why isn't the 4th largest city in America keeping pace? We are the 4th largest city in America, we have great year round weather for this sport, we should be looking forward and exceeding the pace of the sport.

Look at what has been accomplished by only some of the resources Houston has, just in the last couple of years, while mostly all moving in their own direction and unorganized.

I ask, What could we accomplish if all our efforts were organized and focused for a few years on a single purpose. I'm not saying kill TSDGC, but maybe honor the prestige it deserves, let another deserving group host it and let us focus on building the complex that not only earns the right to host TSDGC but also Worlds.... Would doing so also earn Houston, HFDS, and TSDGC the recognition it deserves?

We have the resources (hungry players willing to give their time,talents and labor), there are literally hundres and hundreds of more dg'ers in this city who are in no way connected to any league, group or club.

We have the infrastructures in place to rally support for a Grand project (leagues, minis, bulletin boards, tournaments and more minis).

We have an economic enviroment that is perfectly set up for this. But we must change with it. IMO there is not going to be thousands and thousands of dollars dolled out by the city's parks deparments to build anything, much less another disc golf course for quite some time. If anything I believe they will be trying to figure out how to keep their employees on the payroll as they are asked to cut their budgets.
I believe the projects that are looking for city/county funding have little if any chance of doing anything other than getting pushed aside and placed on hold. I believe it's time to put together new proposals that will be approved because they cost HPARD nothing but the use of the land.

I contend the time is now to sit down and renegotiate all things for greater good of Houston disc golf. Take advantage of the proposals that will fly and find a way to work together where all party's find benefit in working together.

I've found my passion not only in playing the sport but designing and building courses and I have no issue continuing on my path. when Windwood is completed there are other projects I want to go be a part of. I wanted to be up front about my desire to also see HFDS rise to a new level, I wanted to be up front on what I'm about and what direction I would go if I were asked to serve.

I make no bones about being a dreamer. To move forward sometimes you've got to step back without predjudice, holding no sacred cows and ask some tough questions. Be open and willing to embrace change, especially if only temporarily. Surround yourself with the right people in place, give them the control they need to do the job and let them get after it. Set new goals, put a plan in place to achieve them and then work each day to accomplish them. If you can envision it, if you can rally the support for it, you can make it happen.

I think HFDS has some of the brightest and hardest working people sitting at the table on the first Tuesday of the month and I think we have a very very large population of players with many talents in this town not currently at the table, when they're given a reason to get involved, that brings the benefits back to them, I think they are more than willing to contribute.

[DPdiscer]

I would like to nominate Patrick Brogdon for the Promotions officer. I would also like to nominate Scott Hawkins for President.

[ChingLizard]

...and I'd like to see Eric Jubin as Membership Director...

What about it Eric?

[derek]

Scott Hawkins - President
Patrick Brogdon - Promotions
Eric Jubin - Memberships
Conrad Joe - Treasurer

[DPdiscer]

Ed Morgan - Sargeant at Arms (love that title)
Need a secretary - can be a guy
Where does Tony Bender fit in all this? I know he is a big time HFDS guy.

[hfds006]

I don't want to side track this thread any further but did want to make a quick post regarding sharing the "Texas State Disc Golf Championships" with other cities.

I know this topic has been hotly debated many times by many people. Here again Larry and Tarazarr have made some excellent points on the topic. However I think one thing gets overlooked in this discussion.
"Texas State Disc Golf Championships" is just a name!

Winning your division in this event does not make you the "state champ" any more than if you won at the Veteran's Park Open, the Capital of Texas Open, the Moffitt Show or any other Texas event. It's just a name. Perhaps it was an unfortunate choice of names. If this event was called something else it would still be exactly what it is today. This discussion would be the only thing missing.

[hfds006]

.....We now return you to our regularly scheduled topic......

Regarding the upcoming club elections;

There is one benefit to serving as HFDS president that hasn't been mentioned here. After your term in office is completed you get to use the title....

PAST EXALTED RULER!


Signed,
HFDS006 "PXR"

[tarazarr]

Originally Posted by hfds006

topic. However I think one thing gets overlooked in this discussion.
"Texas State Disc Golf Championships" is just a name!

Well I'm going to have to disagree with you there "Past Exalted Ruler"

The argument that TSDGC is just a name is a great veiwpoint to have when you have no intrest in seeing any other city host this tournament.

The fact is this tournament is not just a name. This tournament has been carefully nurtured to be of the highest caliber in the state of Texas. There are high expectations of it being very well and professionally run as Larry says. There is a history of it being one of the highest payouts annually in the State as well. The name has value. In my opinion what it has lost is "The Venue" aspect and what it is left with at this point is being a professional "A" tier tourney on a less than "A" tier course.

My idea is to capitalize on the "value" that TSDGC has, while it still has it. Let me explain.

First off there are other city's in Texas that have built much better "Championship" caliber courses in the last few years than Houston has.

Let's say if this tournament were rotated into those courses for the next few years, it would actually increase the value of the TSDGC name by showing those who not only live in Texas, but play in the higher end tourey's in Texas that the TSDGC tournament founders and gatekeepers are actually more intersted in holding this touranment at the very best courses in the State rather than holding it hostage in Houston.

This would do several things.
1. It would validate that this is "THE Texas Championship Tournament"
2. It would also give those who have worked so hard on putting this tournament on year after year a much needed break. A chance to enjoy the tournament themselves for a few years and allow them time to recharge their batteries before having to host it again.
3. For the sake of argument I'm going to just throw out Dallas, Austin and site "C".
Next year it's sent to Dallas. Dave oversee's that club/organizations preperation to ensure the tournemant meets all the standards as it's met in Houston in the past. Along with it we send a sponsorship check for 500, with the agreement that we will send the host city a 500 check each year fior the next 3 years and the Dallas club who is hosting will do the same.

The next year it goes to Austin. Dallas sends them a sponsorship check for 500, so do we.

The next year it's at location "C". Austin sends them a check for 500, so does dallas, so do we.

The next year it returns to Houston. Location "C" sends us a check for 500, so does dallas, so does Austin. We've increased the money by 1500 automatically.

Those 3 years that the TSDGC tournament was on tour relieved Houstonians from having to expend all the energy required, allowed us to recharge our batteries and most importantly freed up every club and organization in town to build another updated Championship 4 course complex which who can deny we really really need this to keep up with the sport and who knows maybe put us in a realistic running for a Worlds hosting position.

I believe when you share this tournament with our brothers and sisters in Texas, you get everyone vested in it. They all will feel connected to it and they will support it, and don't forget, they are Texans, not New Yorkers....lol (nothing wrong with New Yorkers).

We'd have 3 years to focus on putting in a real Championship complex, right now IMO we are not keeping pace with the sport. and if we do nothing to get caught up, TSDGC will soon lose it's value as someone else will decide it's time to "show off" their courses and put on a tourney that blows away the money that's been raised for this one.

This is the core of why I am volunteering to be president of HFDS. If those in HFDS do not see this vision or do not want to support such an undertaking, they should not vote for me. Like I said I've very content continuing on my path. I will build more courses and I will find support in doing so. It just will take much longer without all that dedicated disc golf person power that is currently working so hard to put on one big show year after year.

My name is Scott Hawkins and I approve this message.

[bmugwump]

Sounds great, Scott...except for one thing....which one of us owns enough land to build this on? Because I would be surprised if any city or county entity would be interested in using that amount of real estate for a world class disc golf course...especially in this time of economic hardship! It's one thing you getting involved with Windwood & helping to forge that course with them...it's quite another to do it the government.