Shenanigans is my new favorite word.  It implies good 'ole fun, hilarity, huge grins and chuckles.  I think it can apply to this next flyball topic, but you be the judge, eh?

I tried to utilize this blog's 'motto', KISS (keep it simple sweetie), however, there were too many twists and turns to be successful.  I am still determined to at least try for simplicity in what follows below.

It started with my curiosity about dual-region tournaments (see my previous blog articles), then it progressed into how some areas earn Regional Points toward Regional Champ.  Now it has twisted itself into words and definitions such as out-of-region hosted as in-region, 'opted-in', 200 mile boundaries, Performance teams and unassigned CRNs.  

Holy-smokes...and this stuff is technically all contained in the Rules!  So, I wonder...does the average flyballer, or Club Owner and Team Captain, or even all Regional Directors around the country really know all these related Rules and exactly how to properly use them?

I know for certain some areas of the country know because they are using the twists and turns in the Rules this racing year in 2012.

Maybe this post can be as simple as a shout-out to the rest of the Regions, Club Owners, Team Captains and average flyballers....Hey, you, out there, come-on, join in the shenanigans...flyball can be fun!

Cheers,
I Like Flyball!           

Going around the Rules for points and Regional Champ may be the latest new trend for NAFA flyball.  It might actually be against the rules.  Or, maybe, it's really all in the name of fun and a bunch of 'exceptions' have been granted to some clubs, teams and regions.  It might even be in the rules.  I don't know yet.

It appears there may be a brand new way to play flyball in some regions and a new way that NAFA calculates regional points and declares regional champs in some regions.  I've never before seen or been aware of a 3-region-regional-points-for-all-tournament before; have you?

Thing is, I've only noticed it in a few regions and it is so late in the 2012 racing year already.  I'm guessing not everyone knows the new way is available to them and I wonder if it will continue going in 2013. 

After I get back from a tourney this weekend I hope to piece together the facts and give you, my fellow flyballers, a quick recap of what I found out.  If I'm speaking too soon, please forgive me.  I promise to do my best to find the truth.

If you can, please stay tuned for more fun and games with flyball and have a nice weekend everyone!

Sincerely,
I Like Flyball!...continued below on 9/24/12...

The tournament was great and this morning I sent an inquiry to the NAFA database person asking for confirmation or insight into what I think may be a tri-region tournament.

If you are interested in doing your own research while we wait together for an answer, go to R3 and R4 May 11, 2012 tournament and see what you think.  Did you find another region's team(s) also included for Regional Champ points?  Sometimes I look at this stuff and I think I must be losing it because it just doesn't make sense according to what I know about flyball and what is published in the Rules.

Let me know if you think I've lost it or if you agree it looks strange, please?  I need a reality-check quick!

update 9/27/12...
Here's my summary of the answer I received back from NAFA:

- Not the May tournament; rather it was a March tourney
- Not a tri-region tourney, but yes a dual-region tourney (R3/R21)
- The new 200 mile 'opted-in' Rule was in play*
- An out-of-region club hosted* the tourney and Regional Points were counted for them as if they were in-region; there were 2 teams entered in the Division from their own Region and 2 out-of-region teams to make up the requirement to count for in-Region points...one of the out-of-Region teams appears to be a Performance Team and contains 'unassigned' dogs with CRNs.

Hmmmm, I think I have some topics for another blog article.  Stay tuned :o). 

In honor of my first flyball dog's 13th birthday yesterday, this is a re post of my very first flyball writing back in late 2000 or early 2001...wow, that seems like a long time ago and then again it seems like just yesterday!  Originally I had no idea the writing was put on the Internet and to this day I don't know exactly 'who' posted it.  I discovered it by accident one day.  I've never been able to thank the person who published it but to whoever it was...thank you for thinking it worthy enough for sharing :o).

HOW TO EXPLAIN FLYBALL TO YOUR FRIENDS & FAMILY

Since real dogs play flyball and real people live for flyball, you already know what that blank look means on your non-flyball friends', family and/or spouse's face as they stare at you on Sunday evening. They're staring because of that big, stupid grin all over your face! They're wondering what planet you've been on or why on earth you're so darn happy.

What they need to understand is that the big stupid grin is all because you just spent the last 48 hours with your best friends (furry and semi-furry). You may be inclined to try to explain how you feel, but would they be able to comprehend it at all?

Now, some people can only see the good aspects about something and some can only see the bad things. What if you explained both what's good and what's bad about flyball? That may help them begin to see the picture, eh?

Well, here's a stab at a list you can share with them. Let the rest of us know how it works:

1) Getting up at 4am on Saturday and Sunday morning to be at the tournament site by 7am when the rest of the house gets to sleep in until 9am.

2) Lugging ten times your body weight in gear from your house, to your vehicle, through the parking lot, into the arena in below freezing temps and in pitch darkness before breakfast.

3) Paying extra mileage fees on your lease vehicle because all the tournaments are in Canada and you live in the US (or they're all in the US and you live in Canada).

4) Learning to live on mouthfuls of whatever food you can get your hands on instead of 3 square meals a day because two of your teams are on deck in both rings and your other team is on double-deck.

5) As a handler, realizing that it's never the box loader's fault.

6) When you're the box loader, realizing that it's always the box loader's fault.

7) Standing at the box having to give the "I need balls" signal when some of your non-flyball friends are watching your team for the first time.

8) Not seeing your family on weekends and Holidays because you are at your favorite tournament (again).

9) Not being able to wear a skirt to work on Monday because your knees are red and swollen from kneeling on Tuff Spun for 12 hours a day for the last two days.

10) Having to borrow money from a teammate for dinner because you flagged on your passes a few too many times that weekend and now you're broke.

11) Wearing the monkey hat!

So much for the good things…now for the bad………………………………………?

The End

Written by LINDA 

Proud dog-mom of Timber & Indy

Member of the Ballistics' Flyball Team

 

http://flyball.com/high5/family_and_friends.htm

The growth (or decline) of flyball is an interesting topic, and to some an on-going dilemma.  

I often wonder what the truth is when I read facebook posts, marketing articles by flyball organizations, flyball blogs and folks' comments on the subject.

Does growth mean the same thing to everyone?  An example which made me have this question was quoted in a recent flyball marketing article published online.  The majority of the article is pretty good, but two statements really stuck out:   

“The breakups on flyball teams are rampant,” she says. “Every team is split off from another team. That’s how most of the teams develop.” You need “thick skin” to succeed..."

[http://www.bestinshowdaily.com/blog/2012/06/it-takes-a-team-to-play-flyball/#comments]

So, I wonder, do most flyballers agree with this person's statements.  Does flyball truly 'grow' when there are breakups of teams?  Is having thick skin really what makes flyball succeed?

On one level, the thick skin comment is a huge negative to me.  I'm not sure what the person was referring to but here's a definition of thick skinned:

"Largely unaffected by the needs and feelings of other people; insensitive."

Translated it can also mean that one does things only to 'benefit themselves' rather than truly helping others.  To me this does not help grow flyball but instead works as a deterrent to success in the sport. 

The other piece of the quote about team splits also seems negative.  If team (club) splits are 'rampant'...why is that?  To me it implies there is a lot of conflict, perhaps unresolved conflict and possibly lack of caring or being able to work together and accept differences.  Each of these reasons for club splits causes damage among flyballers, some of which is irreversible.  The fallout does not help grow anything.

As an example, when a club splits up and an additional club is created by default are there now more dogs and people playing flyball?  Actually there is simply a different configuration or redistribution of the same number of people and dogs.  The only number that increased is number of clubs.  Participation has not necessarily grown, it has only been separated into smaller groups.  

One could surmise that eventually the smaller groups would subsequently add to their teams, but do they, how often does that happen and how long does it take?  Weeks, months, years?  Does the growth occur after 1 or 2 years; maybe 4 or 5 or even over 8 to 10 years. 

With the club split up method what do the growth trends show?  Do the numbers prove there has been growth?

Perhaps if after 8 or 10 years there are a few new additions, there are probably a few losses by attrition.  At what cost over the years.  How does the fallout of club splits affect flyballers morale.  Would we see better growth in participation by using a different or a better method than thick-skinned-split-up-clubs?

Given the fact that 9 out of 10 club splits are the result of conflict, lack of caring, and an inability to accept differences or work together which effectively damage morale for years to come, is this really how we want to promote, market and grow our sport?

Not me.  I prefer a different method.  Work to reduce conflict (or better manage it), treat each other with more kindness, give more apologies for wrong or hurtful behavior, offer more forgiveness, be more accepting of differences, more helpful toward someone else's aspirations, more truthful in our interactions and mix it all together with more caring and compassion.

Now that's a growth trend I'll stand up and cheer for!     

Truly,

I Like Flyball!