New Era for the PDGA Board: Electing the Future of Disc Golf

The Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) is on the cusp of a new era with the 2012 Board of Directors election. To ensure a more effective and capable Board, the PDGA formed the Nominating Committee in 2011 to enhance the quality of the election pool. This initiative acknowledges that the responsibilities of Board members have grown significantly as the organization and sport expand.

The committee's charge is two-fold: to identify promising new candidates for the Board and to define the essential skills, training, and abilities required for productive service. To achieve this, they have developed a set of metrics to evaluate each candidate equally.

Twelve candidates are vying for three at-large Board positions, with the top three vote-getters serving three-year terms from September 1, 2012, to August 31, 2015. Given the large number of qualified applicants, it's challenging to fairly assess their potential as Board members. To address this issue, the committee has created a set of key attributes that are deemed important for PDGA Board members to possess.

These attributes can be categorized into three areas: training and experience, skills, and intangibles. Training and experience cover various aspects, including competitive disc golf, organization management, finance, sales and marketing, technology development, human resources management, journalism, and event production. Skills include oral and written communication, promotion, and listening to others. Intangibles encompass enthusiasm for the task, time availability, collaboration, creative innovation, vision, flexibility, and respect.

In addition to these attributes, the committee suggests a second evaluation method: imagining how each candidate would perform in typical PDGA Board task assignments. By considering each candidate's strengths and weaknesses in these tasks, members can gain a more practical understanding of their potential as Board members.

Some examples of task assignments include moderating a member forum at Worlds, overseeing a website redesign, selecting an editor for DiscGolfer magazine, liaison work with various committees, and coordinating the revamp of the PDGA logo. This exercise is designed to provide a more realistic assessment of each candidate's abilities and potential contributions to the Board.

The committee acknowledges that evaluating candidates can be complex and influenced by personal biases. They encourage members to carefully review the candidate bios and statements, as well as consider their own experiences with each candidate. While long-standing experience in PDGA work may give an advantage, it's essential to balance this with fresh perspectives and untapped potential.

Candidates were invited to create video introductions this year, which can be accessed through their bio links on pdga.com. Additional statements from candidates may be posted before the election, allowing members to gain a deeper understanding of each applicant.

As voting approaches in early July, PDGA members are encouraged to take an active role in shaping the future of disc golf by completing and submitting their ballots. By doing so, they will not only exercise one of their fundamental rights but also demonstrate the importance of the work performed by these dedicated volunteers.

The outcome of this election will have a significant impact on the direction of the PDGA and the sport as a whole. Members are urged to take the time to thoroughly evaluate each candidate and make informed decisions, ensuring that the Board is comprised of capable and effective leaders who can move disc golf forward in a positive way.

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/bod-candidates-announced