PDGA Board of Director Elections

[roblee]

I see lots of opinions about the PDGA Board. There is an election during July for members to select 2 board members to serve for three years. My take is that these elections are mostly a popularity contest. Candidates that are familiar for playing or promoting usually win. There are 13 candidates this year including a long-time veteran and workhorse of the sport, a current member seeking a third term, and 5 guys with PDGA #'s over 100,000. They presented their candidate statements in a June 1 PDGA news post https://www.pdga.com/news/get-know-14-candidates-pdga-board-directors#pdga-number-2450. I'm interested in what they say they will do to GOVERN the PDGA. All of them are obviously passionate and enthusiastic about DG; however, several primarily indicate they love DG and want to Grow the Sport (GTS). I know most players aren't interested in the election and most are not PDGA members & can't vote anyway but I'll post a brief summary of what each candidate emphasized and what they will do if elected. Here are the first 4:

Conrad Damon #2450 (1986). He is a real OG. Emphasis: His administrative history in DG. Board Member 4 years, Rules Committee 11 years, Technical Standards 12+years, created Disciplinary Committee, PDGA web developer, founded La Mirada Disc Club. Priorities: Enhance social media and video content. Lower membership cost. Give members a bigger voice.

John Belty #11582. Emphasis: Promote Tulsa, OK DG, finance & banking. Priorities: Expand membership, national recognition, & corporate sponsors. GTS.

Tim Petrea #34756. Emphasis: Parks & Rec professional. Active supporter of clubs in WY, GA, & NC. Priorities: Actively support bettering public courses. Connect communities. GTS.

Joseph Brown #41057. Emphasis: Compelled to answer the "Call for Candidates". Love the game. Playing DG. Priorities: Help with sales, marketing, & scaling.

 

[GMcAtee]

I'm only interested in candidates that stand to fix common sense problems like banning born males from competing in the women's divisions.

 

[Streets]

I'm only interested in candidates that stand to fix common sense problems like banning born males from competing in the women's divisions.

Your transphobia is getting boring

 

[ru4por]

I see lots of opinions about the PDGA Board. There is an election during July for members to select 2 board members to serve for three years. My take is that these elections are mostly a popularity contest. Candidates that are familiar for playing or promoting usually win. There are 13 candidates this year including a long-time veteran and workhorse of the sport, a current member seeking a third term, and 5 guys with PDGA #'s over 100,000. They presented their candidate statements in a June 1 PDGA news post https://www.pdga.com/news/get-know-14-candidates-pdga-board-directors#pdga-number-2450. I'm interested in what they say they will do to GOVERN the PDGA. All of them are obviously passionate and enthusiastic about DG; however, several primarily indicate they love DG and want to Grow the Sport (GTS). I know most players aren't interested in the election and most are not PDGA members & can't vote anyway but I'll post a brief summary of what each candidate emphasized and what they will do if elected. Here are the first 4:

Conrad Damon #2450 (1986). He is a real OG. Emphasis: His administrative history in DG. Board Member 4 years, Rules Committee 11 years, Technical Standards 12+years, created Disciplinary Committee, PDGA web developer, founded La Mirada Disc Club. Priorities: Enhance social media and video content. Lower membership cost. Give members a bigger voice.

John Belty #11582. Emphasis: Promote Tulsa, OK DG, finance & banking. Priorities: Expand membership, national recognition, & corporate sponsors. GTS.

Tim Petrea #34756. Emphasis: Parks & Rec professional. Active supporter of clubs in WY, GA, & NC. Priorities: Actively support bettering public courses. Connect communities. GTS.

Joseph Brown #41057. Emphasis: Compelled to answer the "Call for Candidates". Love the game. Playing DG. Priorities: Help with sales, marketing, & scaling.

Thanks roblee. I am interested and hope this thread can bring some discussion to light. I think it is important to hear what golfers want the PDGA to be focused on.

I'm only interested in candidates that stand to fix common sense problems like banning born males from competing in the women's divisions.

I hope you don't get this thread trashcanned with your oddly misplaced fear. If you want to talk about your feelings, move on over to the watercooler sections.

 

[biscoe]

I hope you don't get this thread trashcanned with your oddly misplaced fear. If you want to talk about your feelings, move on over to the watercooler sections.

Unfortunately that is going to be one of the defining issues of this election.

 

[ru4por]

Unfortunately that is going to be one of the defining issues of this election.

As it should, for our trans community and women. :thmbup:

 

[PennedStarValkyrie]

Heres two candidates you can vote for to help stand up for fairness in biological women's divisions.

Also, lets not forget the recent decision in women's swimming...

Its time to have a serious discussion about this. When trans represent <1% of the population, yet the competitors in women's disc golf consistently place in the top of their divisions (Ryan, Nova), there is an issue because they have a physical advantage.

 

[aren]

The CPA at the end basically calling out Heinold's conflict of interest with submitting Worlds bids and saying the PDGA's financials need to be more closely reviewed was ... interesting.

 

[biscoe]

Quoting a FB post shared by Harris since I am too dumb to post the screenshot efficiently: "Kyle Rittenhouse showed us one thing. You can't fire into a crowd of liberals without hitting a pedophile or two."

 

[GMcAtee]

Your transphobia is getting boring

Typical name calling cause you don't agree with me. God bless you (in a southern accent).

 

[Dcinmd]

Quoting a FB post shared by Harris since I am too dumb to post the screenshot efficiently: "Kyle Rittenhouse showed us one thing. You can't fire into a crowd of liberals without hitting a pedophile or two."

:wall::wall::wall::wall:

 

[ru4por]

The CPA at the end basically calling out Heinold's conflict of interest with submitting Worlds bids and saying the PDGA's financials need to be more closely reviewed was ... interesting.

This is a legit question and issue, IMO.

 

[Streets]

Quoting a FB post shared by Harris since I am too dumb to post the screenshot efficiently: "Kyle Rittenhouse showed us one thing. You can't fire into a crowd of liberals without hitting a pedophile or two."

Thanks for sharing...love knowing which candidates are ***holes. I'd imagine you'd find similar stuff on Munn's accounts.

Typical name calling cause you don't agree with me. God bless you (in a southern accent).

You can keep your fake deity's sarcastic blessings to yourself, thank you.

This is a legit question and issue, IMO.

Heinold's always struck me as a little sketchy.

 

[ru4por]

Thanks for sharing...love knowing which candidates are ***holes. I'd imagine you'd find similar stuff on Munn's accounts.

I have ZERO room for pseudo political, pseudo religious hate in MY PDGA. I am not going to condone any behavior, that encourages unwarranted fear and hate of ANYONE and will actively campaign against anyone who supports this.

 

[biscoe]

Thanks for sharing...love knowing which candidates are ***holes. I'd imagine you'd find similar stuff on Munn's accounts.

I don't think Munn is cut from the same cloth as Harris. I admittedly know neither of them and am operating off what i have been told by others.

 

[chris deitzel]

Quoting a FB post shared by Harris since I am too dumb to post the screenshot efficiently: "Kyle Rittenhouse showed us one thing. You can't fire into a crowd of liberals without hitting a pedophile or two."

Wow, that's kind of what I figured would be happening on his page. Definitely not the kind of attitude we need to be bringing to the board.

I am however, all on board for restricting Trans players to having to play in the mixed division instead of being allowed to play with the ladies.

 

[Streets]

I don't think Munn is cut from the same cloth as Harris. I admittedly know neither of them and am operating off what i have been told by others.

Quick peek on the FBs and you seem right...or he's just self-aware enough not to post **** like that publicly.

 

[Nova P]

I am however, all on board for restricting Trans players to having to play in the mixed division instead of being allowed to play with the ladies.

That would be the end of my involvement with disc golf forever, and for most transgender women I think it would be the end for them too.

Your suggestion, which you so casually dashed off, would mean this:

On my driver's license, I'm female. On my passport, I'm female. On my birth certificate, I'm female. When I wake up in the morning, I'm female. When I look in the mirror, I see a woman. Out and about, people see a woman, and treat me as such. To my friends, I'm female. When people are doing crude sexism, I get treated as women do. All day long, every day, inside my head and in the outside world, I'm female.

Then when playing disc golf, no, I would be yanked away from my life and told "no, not here. Here in this sport you play with the men, you man." That would be colossally weird and hurtful and jarring, to be a woman 24/7, in every way in every day, but then to show up to do the one thing I love the most, and to be denied my very womanhood.

This, despite the fact that men have a colossal advantage over me, because they are stronger, have better cardio recovery, etc. Physical transition to female destroys physical ability. We have the science to back this up, and every transgender woman has experienced this first hand.

It is utterly demoralizing to be out playing with casual huckers, and to see some unrated local am bro with no grace, no form, no technique, just arm a Nuke 400' like it's nothing. For me, I need a tailwind, a perfect pull, for everything to go right, and even then I barely get that distance. A bro in jorts and a vape pen in his off hand just grabs any old disc and outdrives me, and doesn't even appreciate realize the gift he's been given in the form of thoughtlessly easy power.

And you want me to go toe-to-toe with MPO? Get bent, mate.


I have had to fight my ass off to be who I am. I have lost more than you will ever know in the process. I have to re-litigate my very existence and very identity nearly constantly, and I do it because it's who I am. I will never not be me, no matter how many people try to tell me otherwise.

What is a casual and painless experience for you, calling me out and trying to deny my reality, is just one part of a never-ending stream that only stops coming at me when I am asleep or alone. You just casually dismiss transgender women and then move on with your day. For me, it never ends.

I have made disc golf my passion for the past seven years. It's all I do, and you want to just end it for me, without even knowing who I am. I will fight you, forever, because I have been fighting people like you forever. It's all I know anymore.

I will have peace only when I am dead, and it's because of people like you.

 

[Streets]

:clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap:

 

[roblee]

Here are 5 more candidate summaries.

Robert Harris #43412. Emphasis: Active in local club as officer, TD, course design. Owns an online retail DG store & runs events. Priorities: Promote DG globally. Fight for fair playing fielder all divisions & genders.

Laura Nagtegaal #44969. Incumbent seeking 3rd term. Emphasis: European experience governing & event admin. Her journey and self awareness growth through her gender transition. Her player accomplishments. Priorities: More diversity, equality, & inclusion because DG is still mostly played by white men in the USA. More efforts to attract, engage, and retain under-served, under-represented, & under-highlighted people mostly women, BIPOC, & non-Americans. Further professionalism. Elevate the elite players. Raise event standards & qualifications so there are fewer but better competitors. Enhance experience for spectators & fans. Secure more outside money. Focus on globalization.

Michel Munn #70774. Emphasis: MS State Coordinator. TD for A-Tiers & many other events, Club officer. Develop & operate a family business. Priorities: Will be an active board member. Will attend all summits. Will work hard to continue PDGA mission.

Logan Stanton #97730. Emphasis: Owns a DG online retail store. TDs local tournaments & leagues. Priorities: GTS. Support women & junior divisions. Make sure the PDGA will make the best beneficial & strategic decisions.

Caleb Franklin #100331. Emphasis: Love the sport. Parks & Rec professional. Sporting event management for softball & Special Olympics. Priorities: GTS through opportunities for youth & people of all backgrounds. Improve everything about sanctioned amateur events & insure transparency. Interested in ratings & rules.