2007 Summit Meeting Minutes
Wisconsin Disc Sports
Assoc.
Summit Meeting Minutes
Stevens Point
12/1/07
There were 5 board members present and 8 other interested parties.
Tour Discussions:
- The tour guidelines were discussed. We will still require all tour stops to be a B tier or higher. We will change the sanctioning agreement to ask
the TD whether their stop is a 1 or 2 day event. This is totally
up to the TD. We do not mandate this either way.
- The number of stops
we have on the tour has positives and negatives for adding more or reducing
the quantity. There is no answer that is totally agreeable
to all interested parties.
- We also kicked around ideas
to award events that have multiple days more points per person beaten
within the division. This was not agreeable to those in attendance.
We will not change the point structure for next season.
- The tour fees were
a very hot topic last year. But after the changes made last year,
most are in agreement to keep them the same as in 2007.
- The PDGA divisional changes
were the next topic. The PDGA has added a recreational division
above the novice and below the intermediate divisions. The Wisconsin
tour will not recognize any new divisions this coming season.
TD’s can offer them at their events but that group will not earn points
for the tour.
- Another option being supported
by the PDGA is to offer a trophy only group. This group
plays for lower fees and allows new tournament players to test the waters
against more experienced players. This also entices players to
move up a division. This does complicate things for TD's though.
If a player requests a trophy only division, the TD does not have to
offer it per the PDGA.
- A hot topic this season was
the "bumping" of players from the intermediate division to
advanced per the ratings update, mid season. As a tour for this
upcoming season, we will allow players that have their rating increased
mid season by 9 or less points stay in their current division.
This is assuming they wish to stay in the lower division to finish the
season. If they increase by 10 or more, they will be bumped.
- The finale has been
a fun event with good payout but poor attendance. But many players
did not come this year due to travel time and location. Players
need to understand that even with an entry fee the money their division
paid in over the season for this event comes back to their division
at this event. Other format ideas were discussed like skins or
a USDGC like event. This truly is a work in progress. Look
for more details on the web page as the season approaches. In
an effort to help promote this event all year, we ask all TD's to
mention this event at their stop. We have already chosen a date
and will have it on the schedule at the beginning of the season.
We will also send out flyers to TD's to post at their local courses
reminding the players about it. We hope these changes will help
attendance this year.
- The sanctioning agreement
will be utilized again this season with a few minor tweaks. TD's
should look for this in their email in February or March. Please
sign it and send it back to the tour assistant coordinator as directed
on the agreement. Most important is that the TD's keep a copy
of it for their information leading up to the event.
- A draft of the schedule
for this year was presented. Wakanda Park and Highbridge have
pulled out this year. But Justin Trails from the Lacrosse area
was awarded a stop based on their efforts in the past years by running
quality events. Look for this to be posted on our web page in
late January.
- On the merchandising
front, a local sport shop in Madison has offered to sell any and all
tour related products we offer. We do not typically make and sell
tour merchandise. This may be worth considering.
- Tour sponsorship
is always something we need. We will allow someone to sell tour
items as long as they give us a cut and then we would call them a sponsor.
But, if anyone has a sponsor in mind, please get a hold of a board member
to help make it a reality.
- As
most TD's are aware, having players pre-register is a huge
help. In an effort to help get more players to take this path,
having all TD's collaborate on this was discussed. Like having
a standard hassle fee, or offering an incentive to players that pre-reg
by lowering their fee if it is in by a certain time. We
agree this is a huge help for TD's we do not want to mandate this.
We encourage all TD's to take steps to help themselves by trying to
make this happen for their events.
- Selecting a USDGC representative
for Wisconsin has always been discussed at this meeting and this year
was no exception. Many different things have been tried over the
years. No one came up with any new, great ideas. So Terry
Miller, PDGA state coordinator is looking for suggestions on this subject.
Please get a hold of him with any questions or ideas for selecting this
person.
The course development
fund was explained in how it works and who is eligible.
A full explanation is available on our website.
Our website was and
always is a topic of concern for some. Players want it be kept
more current. Well, Terry has gotten the help of an experienced
web page guy to help update it and keep it current throughout the upcoming
year. Look for the new updates any day now.
Sheboygan bid on hosting the
overalls again this coming year. They were granted the bid.
Please attend this long running event to learn and enjoy other disc
sports.
We shared a rough copy of
the yearly financials. Eric was not in attendance.
We did find a few changes that need to be made before we post this on
the website.
Brad gave us an update on
Ultimate. That includes the large number of university teams
as well as high school team popping up all over.
The Z machine is available
to any interested party to use as a demonstration tool for their events,
classes, whatever. Just get a hold of Brad to arrange for this
device. It is a fun tool to try and teach freestyle. We
are contemplating placing a small video clip on our web page showing
it in use. We should also have information on how to get, how
to use it along with Brad’s contact information.
Disc Golf Live is a
prerecorded DVD of golf events across the US. For a nominal fee,
the caretaker of this project will send the DVD to any local TV station
in the hopes that we will follow up with that station to get it played.
Please check this out for your local public TV or other station.
Ian Goldberg, the University
of Wisconsin - Stevens Point club advisor came to make a presentation
for a new potential course on University land near Tomahawk. The
university has given permission to put a course on 35 acres of land
and has applied for a matching funds grant from the PDGA. He also
asked the board members in attendance to consider this project for a
course development fund grant. It will be taken up at the
upcoming board meeting.
This was a very good
meeting with many different ideas being discussed. Thank to all
that came and shared ideas. We hope to have more attendees next
year. Thank you Randy Schukar for hosting this event again this
year!
For a pdf version of the 2007 Summit Meeting Minutes Click Here