Hello fellow flyball fanatics,
I am running for a second term on the NAFA board because I am passionate about flyball. When I started out, I never expected it would come to this! I was just looking to get my dog into agility so we could have an activity to do over the winter months when it was cold and wet outside when I got home from work every day.
The agility class was full so I enrolled my Weimaraner in flyball lessons. It seemed like a fine sport to me but my dog was crazy about it so I continued on and joined the flyball and agility club. Then we started competing and I saw that competitors spent their entire weekend running flyball. That seemed extreme to me but before long, I was spending my weekends at tournaments, helping with club lessons, working on the board of the club and planning all my vacations around tournaments.
That was 20 years ago! As with most hobbies you get into, there is so much more than at first meets the eye.
I have run on fast teams and slower teams; open and regular. I’ve enjoyed travelling to other provinces and states, and while each region definitely has its own flavour, one thing that is constant is that teams crate together, delight in camaraderie, share food, love their dogs and have a great time in the lanes.
I am a member of Run Free Flyball Club in Aldergrove, BC in Region 7; British Columbia, Oregon, Washington. We host a tournament every year and I have been tournament secretary since joining the club. We always add a little extra fun to the tournament by making up games, contests and awards.
I realize that people have different reasons they love flyball and I understand the rewards available for dogs and competitors in all divisions. Flyball matters for all people and all dogs.
As my involvement in the sport grew, I became very interested in anything to do with organizing and working at tournaments which evolved into my interest in serving on the NAFA board.
My experience in my worklife has been largely managerial. I have served on numerous industry and community boards.
My duties on the board have included the Disciplinary Committee, Judges Committee, Executive Committee in my capacity as secretary and Chair of the Marketing Committee. I’ve attended CanAm every year that I have been on the board, working and supporting the tournament.
Being on the board has brought an understanding of the magnitude of work and sacrifices that board members undertake to make flyball fair for all regions. I feel very privileged to be working on behalf of NAFA competitors.
I am currently on the Special Measuring Committee to review the entire measuring process from the device through to the actual measuring of dogs at tournaments and recommend to the NAFA BoD a new comprehensive program and process for measuring. It will be great to finally get this resolved and roll out the plan. NAFA needs to keep moving ahead to stay relevant in the dog sport world.
I miss flyball so much and am anxiously waiting to get back in the lanes. We have a great flyball community. I’m really looking forward to seeing all the people and dogs again!
Thanks for reading. I hope you will consider voting for me in this election.
Lynda Mantler
