North American Flyball Association | NAFA Leadership Chat Transcript

Edited transcript for the NAFA^® Leadership Chat July 25th, 2007

BCSam1	First I would like to ask that when anyone speaks they use there real name. I don't know code names and I prefer to talk to people directly and not from cover. So please ask something but be sure we know who you are and from what region. I appreciate Dale setting up this chat and everyone joining in. The summer flyball season is in full swing and tournaments are happening everywhere during this time. NAFA flyball is alive and well thanks to the good people playing and running. One of the things that we need to work on as a community is the handling of the lights. We continue to see problems not with the lights but with the way people are treating them. We need to continue to get the word out that the lights are delicate instruments of timing and should be handled with care. Additionally my office needs to know if there are problems with a set so that they don't get passed along to the next tournament without regard to whether they are working or not.
dgsmith	Our first question - Howard Bayerle Region 14, Has adding Multibreed racing to NAFA championships been discussed?
BCSam1	Howard what championship are you referring to? The Cynosport Games?
g_cracker	yes
BCSam1	There has been discussions about that. It is somewhat difficult in that the Games format where there are elimination rounds don't lead to two winner but rather one. We would have to work with these folks to make it happen. Is there interest enough for a Multibreed tournament that weekend?
g_cracker	I believe that there might be interest and multibreed seems to provide some goodwill for the sport.
BCSam1	Well we are working on the final format now so this will be visited again.
g_cracker	Thanks
dgsmith	Our next topic comes from Barbara in Region 11 regarding lights.
barbara	barbara (11-sundogs) Sam we have received two EJS sets that were poorly packed But they are getting rough handling in shipping that is challenging the cases as well as being carelessly handled and packed at tourneys. When 11 was able to keep one set floating locally, we had No problems with them. We have been fortunate that the ones we get have worked, but they are getting challenged.
dgsmith	We are seeing damage to the external cases in shipping but they appear to be doing their job in protecting the inner cases and the EJS itself.
BCSam1	We realize that shipping is our biggest challenge but that must be done until we can acquire enough lights to go around.
barbara	Is NAFA going to be able to add a few more sets to the mix ??
BCSam1	We continue to balance income and expenses with an eye to acquire more sets that will reduce shipping.
dgsmith	The main problems we are seeing right now are poor repacking of the EJS into its cases (batteries left in, screws forced into components where they don't belong, ...) and poor handling while they're being used at tournies (overtightening of tripod screws among others).
BCSam1	These lights are already double crated. The manufacture has his original crates and we have the additional protection of the outer boxes. Poor packing can overcome all of our protections though
barbara	I agree, Dale, we have seen the same things
g_cracker	In both cases, the time displays were packed correctly but pieces (screws and such) were loose in the packing case.
dgsmith	Howard mentions that the last two sets of lights I have unpacked have the transformers completely loose inside the time displays. We are aware of this issue. It was a production problem at Signature Gear. We are having them fixed when we know about them and new sets will not have this issue.
barbara	*What happened to the idea of making someone* responsible for these delicate and expensive mechanisms when they get to and leave from tourneys ??**
BCSam1	As to are we going to buy additional set. Yes....when is up to the BoD and they have it as a live topic for the next few months.
barbara	Good <G>
dgsmith	No questions currently pending...
BCSam1	Barbara, that is a good idea but who wants to volunteer to be held responsible for $12,000 worth of equipment.
barbara	I would !!
barbara	when you can tell from looking that they weren't packed right to begin with, someone is at fault
g_cracker	My point is that the packing design should be revisited before purchasing again.
dgsmith	In what way should the packing be redesigned? I'd be happy to discuss that offline - always open to ideas!
BCSam1	If something were to happen making that person liable doesn't seem fair. I am all ears about your ideas of packing upgrades.
dgsmith	Any other topics/questions out there tonight?
barbara	yep... pickups
BCSam1	Ford or Chevy Teehee
barbara	GMC
BCSam1	I suppose you mean pick up teams?
barbara	yes
BCSam1	The BoD heard loud and clear from the poll taken this year that a vast majority wants a pick up team. The rules committee has been tasked to write the rule for presentation to the BoD. That draft is under way now and will be part of our BoD meeting in Detroit in August. Everyone's goal is to have something out in time for the new year in October.
barbara	okay... how will it be presented to the community ?? as a done deal or as a "what would you like to see" ??
BCSam1	I can't speak for the BoD but I can say there is interest in a test year to see how it goes.that means something would be approved for the next year and it would have to be approved again the following year. But again I don't want to put words in the Rules Committee mouth or the BoD. Those are just my thoughts
barbara	that sounds good. I hope that is what is implemented
BCSam1	If you have ideas please forward them to the rules committee or Lee
barbara	okay
BCSam1	I would like to thank everyone for joining in. The middle of the summer is a hard time for people to stop and take a moment. I am sure in the next few months we will have the opportunity to gather more often. Play safe. play fair. And love you dog each time you run. They are gone too soon
dgsmith	Thank you all for joining tonight. We'll soon be into election season and thus we'll move to candidate chats. We'll still try to sprinkle some leadership chat opportunities in. At least this will be a short transcript to edit - I'm headed off for Laramie Wyoming tomorrow for the first Wyoming flyball tourney...