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The Edge Program Works to Bring Disc Golf to Schools
The Eye-Opening Side of Life on the PDGA Tour: We do a lot of traveling in a year. It is one of the great perks of being on tour playing professional disc golf. When you're out on the road you notice things that get you thinking about what you are out there doing. You dream about the possibilities of many more players having the chance to live the disc golf dream of traveling to different cities and regions getting paid to fling plastic. You dream of canning 60 foot putts in front of cameras and a throng of supporters.
Then you suddenly get passed by #20 Tony Stewart and three Nascar semis on their way to Vegas. You pull off to a rest area and see multiple personalized and sponsor logo laden RV buses touting Off Road Moto Cross guys like the Great N8, whom you have never heard of heading the other direction. Reality comes crashing back with another shocking $60 fill-up and you wonder why isn't the great sport you play at that level after 25 years of official existence?
The obvious answer comes when you go to the top Professional Disc Golf Association event and see the gallery made up mostly of our own tournament players. You see signs everywhere that point to the by-us-for-us structure of tournament sponsorship. Then you research the foundations of the PDGA to realize that it was formed as a way to organize and govern competition for its members.
that is all fine and good, but then that must mean PDGA growth comes from introducing players already interested in the game to the organized and governed competition fold. Who introduces people to the game to potentially become interested enough to join the PDGA?
The Future of Disc Golf is in Our Hands: Not enough of us realize that it is actually us. We are the ones that have already discovered the wonders of flight and the amazing qualities of disc golf. Taking time out to introduce disc golf to folks and potential new players is one of the most rewarding avenues players can follow to give back to the sport we all have dreams of seeing on television one day.
It wasn't until we became involved with the EDGE Program that we realized how far our sport has to go for mainstream acceptance. the good thing is that we have found the vehicle to get the sport there, the Educational Disc golf Experience, or EDGE.
EDGE Program Introduces Disc Golf to Children in School: The EDGE program was developed by a group of World Champion disc golfers and educational specialists in 2003. the original concept was to actually create young disc golfers by introducing them to disc golf at an early age. What better way to do that than introduce disc golf in schools?
As EDGE began to focus primarily on introducing disc golf as a lifetime activity in schools, EDGE was granted 501c3 not for profit charity status.
Disc Golf = Inexpensive, Lifetime Sport: The amazing by product is that the simple game of disc golf is helping boost physical education. Physical education nationally is loosing funding and importance at the same time our juvenile obesity and diabetes are reaching alarming levels. EDGE is giving a new, inexpensive, lifetime activity to school's wellness programs; who are realizing simultaneously that giving their students fresh, inexpensive activities the can stay active in throughout life are much better in the long run than running laps.
"From our beginnings five years ago with a couple of pilot programs to our now World Wide impact in over 400 schools in 42 states and 5 countries, EDGE has proven itself as a great resource to the entire disc golf community." states EDGE executive director, Jon Lyksett. It is obvious watching students take right away to disc golf that our sport has a lot of merit.
The trick is getting the word out about disc golf and places to try it. This is precisely why Jon, Des, and I converged on the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (AAHPERD) conference for Physical Education teachers this week in Baltimore, Maryland.
Keeping the Dream Alive: On the plane ride, the dream crept back in. I was reading an in-depth article on how Dana White took a struggling UFC ultimate fighting company and transformed it into a multi-million dollar sporting venture with a legion of fans and television contracts. I saw a day when high school students are taking their complimentary tickets from the school's disc golf demo that week to come watch the final nine of the big PDGA national tour that is in town on their local course. I envisioned crowds of after school and university intramural programs growing with disc golf. My thoughts were interrupted by the captain telling us to prepare for landing. Now was our chance to help set these dreams into motion.
Increasing Awareness Makes Selling Disc Golf Easier: The AAHPERD conference is always a great chance to gauge any new activity program. We have done this annual conference every year that EDGE has been around. The first one involved non-stop three phase talking. First you had to explain what disc golf was, next you had to talk about the EDGE program and lastly link how EDGE can benefit their school and students.
Awareness Brings Growing Acceptance: The next couple of years gradually became easier as the word started to spread about the coolness of disc golf and the EDGE program. This conference saw our most accepted year to date with teachers actually seeking us out and college students walking by talking about how "that game is awesome." I also talked to five different university professors who are now teaching disc golf as an elective and as method s classes to future teachers. That is a sign of true growth within our sport.
Powerful Story Brings Energy, Enthusiasm: There are always great stories at these conferences by exceptional people who have also had their lives touched by disc golf. This year we met Jacob Holiday, a tribal member and new teacher in Kayerta, on the Navaho Reservation in northern Arizona. His story shows the imp[act and success the EDGE is starting to realize. jacob went to Brigham Young University with the goal of getting a teaching degree to bring back to his people and community.
During his time at BYU Jacob was introduced to disc golf by Dr. Kevin Prusack. BYU was one of the first universities to attach to the EDGE program and bring disc golf to campus and its future teachers five years ago. When Jacob graduated and took a job back in his alma mater high school he wasn't sure of the situation.
He knew that the Navajo youth thought there wasn't much to do on the reservation and that diabetes and obesity is on the critical rise within that age group. He took notice of the equipment locker and saw he was left with five basketballs and five footballs. He started working on creative ways to deal with that situation until he discovered a bag full of Frisbees®. He then thought back to that cool game he had learned in his college classes.
"Here was an opportunity to think outside the box with a lifetime activity", says Holiday, "that doesn't require a ball or a gym." His students took right to disc golf. He then started writing and receiving grants for new gym equipment. Now, Jacob's plan is to make disc golf a part of the Navajo Nation's activity scene. He is purchasing the EDGE program for his school with plans for a new nine hole course that can be utilized by all in the community.
Your Support Can Help Drive the Momentum: Hearing an EDGE story come full circle like Jacob's just points out our successes. EDGE is still young and it still needs help. Non-profit organizations are unique in that they have to be funded by underwriters and folks willing to donate to a cause they believe in. Support is needed now more than ever. EDGE has recently completed editing an instructional DVD that will accompany the EDGE 2nd edition curriculum which has seen a complete revision for an updated release due out this fall.
"The momentum is building," states Lyksett. "Thousands of kids have been positively affected by our sport and some of them are starting to show up in the leagues and tournament events around the country."
So when our flight gets canceled out of Baltimore on the way home after the conference we have a lot of time to reflect about what we had just experienced.
We had reached new levels at the Baltimore conference. Frisbee® sports were everywhere. Ultimate, Can Jam, Spinning Bees just to name a few. There were disc golf baskets set up in four different booths throughout the conference. Almost no one had to explain what disc golf actually was more than a few times.
The dream is still alive, very alive.