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Date: Wed, 14 May 1997 10:55:48 +0100
To: britdisc@csv.warwick.ac.uk
From: Dave Neilson <D.P.Neilson@csv.warwick.ac.uk>
Subject: Re: Sports Council (Non) Recognition
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I have talked to a number of people over the years while I have been
pursuing Sports Council Recognition for disc sports. I think I could (by
and large) group them into one or other of the following:

OPTIMIST
... maybe if we tweak our application and try again, and wait patiently ...
surely they will see the true value of Ultimate & Disc Golf as a superb way
of allowing 'Joe (Joanne) Public' to enjoy sport and recreation where
mutual respect and SOTG are more important than 'Win At All Costs' (WAAC)?


PESSIMIST
... we will never convince the dullards who control the purse-strings of
Sports Council money that disc sports are worth more than a

	'I've-played-that-on-the-beach' or
	'if-you-put-razor-blades-on-the-edge'

-type comment. If it doesn't fit the conventional formula you are doomed to
failure. Why are we wasting our time and effort pursuing the pot of gold at
the end of the Sports Council rainbow?


EXPANSIONIST
... despite what they say, the Sports Council are only really going to
recognise sports that are played by many thousands of people. We ought to
concentrate our efforts on growing the sport(s) at grass roots through
schools and community-based programmes. Maybe the Sports Council will look
at us when we have X thousand active players?


PROMOTIONIST
... we are still too closely linked with beach activities and we ought to
spend more effort raising the awarenes of disc play as sport. We need to be
more visible on TV, radio, the press and to the public at large during all
our events.


LOBBYIST
... the normal channels are a good start, but we really need to enlist the
support of 'independent' public figures. Why don't we all send letters to
our local MPs and have the BFDF/BUF/BDGA approach the Minister of Sport, TV
celebrities, respected figures in sport and sports medicine - we could
invite these people to witness our sports first hand so that they might
fight the battle with us and for us?


ACTIVIST
... if we find out who really makes the decisions at the Sports Council
meetings and committees we could indoctrinate them aan their children. We
could ensure that demonstrations of our sports take place near to where
they live and bombard them with invitations to attend and ensure they
receive the best hospitality when they show up.



There are other (made up) camps that I could try to stereotype, but I think
you get the message. Personally, I think there are truths in virtually all
of the above. My question to you is:

	"What do *YOU* think we ought to do next?"



Post your answers to BritDisc or direct to myself (D.P.Neilson@warwick.ac.uk).

Sam Neilson.