I guess I stirred up the nest with some of my posts and now others are saying the sport of flyball is conflicted based on my articles. I realize that there are still very strong feelings on both sides of the NAFA and U-FLI debate. Its human nature to feel some allegiance to one over the other at this point in time since one is so new and the other was the first. However, I didn’t write my articles to choose sides, I wanted to point out where I saw problems.
I see a problem with measuring in NAFA so I wrote about it - nothing more, nothing less. Do I wish that NAFA would change their measuring method? Darn right I do. Measuring has been talked about for well over 3 years and nothing has been done to change it except create more rules. Would I like to see everyone measuring their dogs? Yes, but not until NAFA changes its measuring method. Not to say or accuse anyone of cheating, but having every dog measured would be much fairer in the long run and would level the playing field; U-FLI has found a way to do it. Is U-FLI’s method foolproof, probably not, but in my view its better than what NAFA is currently doing. Do I want to see both organizations succeed? Yes, it gives me more options.
I read an anonymous comment on another blog that said “I hate the fact that people that play NAFA think they are better than someone who plays UFLI.” I have to agree with this comment, but I have not witnessed this. I’m not saying it didn’t happen and I’m not discounting it; I’m just saying that I personally have not seen it. I live in the South and when U-FLI opened for business I think that most people gave it a try. I know I did. I now play flyball in both organizations and I think it would be hypocritical for me or anyone else to speak about one organization or the other without first experiencing each one first hand. I like to play flyball and if there is a tournament close by and I don’t have to travel too far I’m all for it. Do I prefer one over the other? That is a hard question, but if there are two tournaments in the same month and one is NAFA and the other is U-FLI I will probably choose NAFA, but only because most of my dogs points are with NAFA. However, I have to give one caveat to the last answer, if I have friends coming to the tournament from another area and they are coming to a U-FLI tournament I’ll probably go to the U-FLI since they offer pickup teams.
I have tried to clear up any conflict that people may feel that I have. I have answered honestly and there should be no question where I stand. I wish more people would do the same.
Larry
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Larry makes some good points - however I find myself perplexed by one thing said in particular: in response to the anonymous comment of “I hate the fact that people that play NAFA think they are better than someone who plays UFLI.” Larry replies that he would “have to agree with this comment.”
Why would you have to agree with this comment but continue on to say that you have never witnessed it first hand? By making that statement are you not taking the stand that we ‘NAFA flyballers’ think we are better than the ‘U-Fli’ers’ and fueling the conflict you set out to clear up?
I currently play NAFA exclusively - but that is ONLY because U-Fli hasn’t taken off in the Northeast yet and there are no tournaments within a reasonable driving distance. But do I think I am better than anyone out there? Certainly not! I own the fastest dog in our club… as well as the slowest. I’m out there to have fun - plain and simple! I’m just as happy running my sub-4 second dog as I am watching my rescue BC take better than 6 seconds to finish a run.
I know people who play both and have never heard a bad word about EITHER organization. EVERY organized sport be it flyball, soccer, even Sunday morning beer-league softball is going to have good and bad points to it’s ‘rules’. Right now NAFA offers a wider range of teams to play with primarily because it has been around longer than U-Fli - however, U-Fli offers pick-up teams, 2 dog teams, etc. Will my team join U-Fli once it takes hold up North? Absolutely! The more options we have - the better.
NAFA has taken a lesson from U-Fli already - is there not a pending question coming up for vote regarding pick up teams within NAFA? That one simple gesture shows me that NAFA does not hold itself above U-Fli. It also shows that there is plenty of room for both leagues in the sport. I say the more the merrier!
I guess it was a bad choice of words on my part. I’m not agreeing with the comment only that if this actually happened, which I can’t disprove, I agree that there is no place for it. Like I said I have never witnessed this and I play in both NAFA and U-FLI. I hope that this clears things up.
You can read the full post and comments that I referenced at the link below:
Let’s Give ‘Peace’ a Chance!
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