Transcript for the NAFA® Candidate Chat December 7th, 2011
| moderator | This is Dana Nichols. I'm the moderator tonight. We'll wait a few minutes to see if more people show up. |
| moderator | While we are waiting, if the candidates want to prepare any opening remarks. |
| moderator | As a reminder, everyone is required to sign on with a first and last name. |
| moderator | Dale Smith won't be able to join us tonight. |
| moderator | Well, let's go ahead and get started. |
| moderator | Moderating tonight is Dana Nichols. |
| moderator | We have two of our three candidates for the Board of Directors with us this evening - Nancy Garcia and Sam Ford. Dale Smith was unavailable tonight, but will be joining the next chat. |
| moderator | While the candidates are completing their opening remarks, I just want to give an update on the election. We have an all electronic election this year. Ballots were distributed via email on December 1, 2011. |
| moderator | All voters should have received their ballots. If you haven't received it, please send me an email at elections@flyball.org |
| moderator | If you have any questions for our candidates, please click on moderator and send me a private message. |
| moderator | I'll put them in line. |
| moderator | Sam and Nancy, do you have an opening remarks? |
| moderator | We don't have any questions pending yet. |
| Sam_Ford | Good evening everyone and thanks for joining in on this chat. I look forward to working in the future to make Nafa flyball even better by listening to the smart folks that play and submit ideas that make this sport better and better. Just to introduce myself. I am a business onwer in the Houston, Texas area. I have been playing flyball since 1996 with my first dog being a Border Collie named Missy. I am a team owner. Lone Star Ruffnecks and our team host a large tournament each year in conjunction with an Akc event at the Reliant Center here in Houston. |
| moderator | While Nancy is finishing typing, I just wanted to remind everyone that you need to sign into chats with a first and last name. |
| Pete_Ness | That means you Paul |
| moderator | Kim Davis has graciously agreed to help make sure people are complying with that tonight. |
| moderator | I have no questions pending for our candidates right now. |
| Nancy_Garcia | Thanks to those of you who took the time to join us tonight. I look forward to the potential oppotunity to serve the flyball community for three more years. I have been running dogs in flyball for almost 15 years and have been a club owner for 10 of those years. I have been the Nafa treasurer for the past three years where I have consistently tried to find ways to save money. I have also been very involved in planning of the Canam tournaments each year. |
| moderator | While people are getting their questions ready (hint, hint), I thought I'd give some more updates on the election. |
| moderator | This is our first year doing an entirely electronic ballot. |
| moderator | We've had just over 32% of voters who have voted ballots so far. |
| moderator | The polls close on January 29, 2012. |
| moderator | Ooooh, typo. |
| moderator | January 19, 2012 |
| moderator | Sorry about that. |
| moderator | Results will be announced at the Annual General Meeting in Raleigh, Nc on January 21, 2012. |
| moderator | Well to get the ball rolling, let me go ahead and start with a question. You've both served on the Board in the past and are currently serving. What would you like to see the Board accomplish in the uncoming year? |
| Gloria_Budziak | I thought Nafa had a very good year in 2011. Thank you for the Iron Dog plaques. It was wonderful to honor our veterans this way. For both candidates, what plans changes, etc do you think Nafa should make for the future |
| moderator | upcoming |
| moderator | Gloria, and everyone, please send questions to me privately and then I'll put them in line. |
| moderator | I think both of these questions are fairly closely related, so feel free to go ahead and answer both of them. |
| moderator | That is Nancy & Sam. :) |
| Sam_Ford | In the future I see us working more and more to obtain more lights sets to lower shipping cost. I see us working to continue to work on growing the sport of Nafa flyball. Getting in more public venues. Establishing more large events in big areas so we can continue to ge tthe owrd out and grow the sport. |
| Nancy_Garcia | Nafa should continue to evaluate processes as a business and as a sport to make sure we are as efficient and up to date as possible with technology. |
| moderator | No questions currently in the que. |
| moderator | Please send me (moderator) a private message with any questions. |
| Sam_Ford | I think we should continue to work to make tournaments easier to run. Currently we are working to make schedules an easier process so that more teams can hold tournaments. |
| moderator | Sam and Nancy, both of your clubs host tournaments. Do you have any tips for clubs who are considering hosting tournaments? |
| Sam_Ford | Yes. If you are new to holding tournaments be willing to ask those already doing tournament for help. Everyone has a first tournament and we have all been there so don't be afraid to ask for help. Rd are good resources but so are other Td. |
| Nancy_Garcia | I would say just do it! The majority of the work is the in the details of planning the event. Once the racing starts it is a breeze. If you feel your club is too small find a club to co-host with you. |
| Sam_Ford | I have found that people are more than willing to assist if they are approached. |
| moderator | From leerie_jenkins: Are there any rules you would like to see modified? |
| Sam_Ford | In regions that have small teams, ban together to hold tournaments. You can have a one day tournament in a location and another team can host the second day with both sharing the work of assembly and tearing down. That wya each club has their own tournament gets the extra hands too. |
| Sam_Ford | I don't have a burning personal issue with any particular rule but I do know that smart people will submit rules for consideration. |
| Nancy_Garcia | In specific regards to hosting tournaments I am not aware of any rule changes I woudl like to see implemented. |
| moderator | I think the question was a bit broader. Sorry, I should have indicated this was a new question. |
| Sam_Ford | Rules that I have had a hand in writing. The starting of Vets class and the starting of Open Class. Both have helped Nafa Flyball. |
| moderator | Does anyone have any other questions for the candidates? |
| moderator | We have a second chat scheduled for Sunday, December 18 at 6:00 pm Central time zone. |
| moderator | While we see if there are any further questions, the candidates can be working on their closing comments. |
| Sam_Ford | I have to say I won't be able to make that chat on the 18th. I will be helping with a demo in Florida that weekend and will be flying home during that time. |
| Nancy_Garcia | Thanks to those who joined us tonight. |
| moderator | Again, if anyone has not received their ballot via email, please contact me at elections@flyball.org. We want to make sure that everyone is able to vote. |
| moderator | Any further closing remarks from the candidates? |
| Sam_Ford | My service to Nafa flyball is built around the idea on being sure that the business of Nafa flyball is well taken care of in order to establish a long and bright future. The Bod is not a place just to talk about rules even though that gets the most press. What the Bod must do is the business side so we can have a forum for the future flyballers to come to. Without a good business foundation we will not continue long. So as a Bod member I will be watching our business progress closely. |
| Sam_Ford | Thanks you Dana for moderating this chat and thanks everyone for being here. |
| moderator | Thanks everyone. We'll go ahead and end the transcript here. |