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Destruction in Mulvane
Position Statement
Contact:
Brett E. Straight
Public Relations
(785) 625-3536
August 10, 2006 For Immediate Release
RE: MULVANE, Kan, (August 5, 2006) Memorial Trees destroyed in English Park disc golf course.
PO: The Kansas Disc Golf Association would like to issue a statement to the communities that support our sport, disc golf:
On the morning of August 5th in the city of Mulvane’s English Park, several memorial trees were destroyed on the disc golf course. The KDGA learned of this heinous act as the story made local news throughout the state. The actions of the individual(s) responsible for the destruction of these trees are not condoned by the KDGA, the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) and many other affiliated clubs and organizations.
The PDGA Official Rules of Disc Golf have been adopted and enforced by the KDGA. Rule 804.05 Disqualification and Suspension states that during tournament play, a player who displays willful and overt destruction or abuse of plant life, course hardware, or any other property considered part of the disc course or the park shall be disqualified by the tournament director. This rule is a philosophy adopted and enforced by most disc golfers in non tournament situations; however, in non tournament situations we report this behavior to the parks department or local police.
The Kansas Disc Golf Association would like to extend our assistance to the police department and the residents of Mulvane. This act is an embarrassment to our sport and our organization and should not go unpunished! We are currently formulating a reward offer for the arrest and conviction of the parties responsible for the destruction of the memorial trees on the Mulvane English Park disc golf course.
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Contact:
Brett E. Straight
Public Relations
(785) 625-3536
August 10, 2006 For Immediate Release
RE: MULVANE, Kan, (August 5, 2006) Memorial Trees destroyed in English Park disc golf course.
PO: The Kansas Disc Golf Association would like to issue a statement to the communities that support our sport, disc golf:
On the morning of August 5th in the city of Mulvane’s English Park, several memorial trees were destroyed on the disc golf course. The KDGA learned of this heinous act as the story made local news throughout the state. The actions of the individual(s) responsible for the destruction of these trees are not condoned by the KDGA, the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) and many other affiliated clubs and organizations.
The PDGA Official Rules of Disc Golf have been adopted and enforced by the KDGA. Rule 804.05 Disqualification and Suspension states that during tournament play, a player who displays willful and overt destruction or abuse of plant life, course hardware, or any other property considered part of the disc course or the park shall be disqualified by the tournament director. This rule is a philosophy adopted and enforced by most disc golfers in non tournament situations; however, in non tournament situations we report this behavior to the parks department or local police.
The Kansas Disc Golf Association would like to extend our assistance to the police department and the residents of Mulvane. This act is an embarrassment to our sport and our organization and should not go unpunished! We are currently formulating a reward offer for the arrest and conviction of the parties responsible for the destruction of the memorial trees on the Mulvane English Park disc golf course.
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I think making some sort of statement is a good idea but this particular line makes it clear that you are assuming it was a disc golfer that perpetrated the act. Do we know this to be true? I mean, it more than likely was but why advertise it as fact in the press?str8 wrote:This act is an embarrassment to our sport and our organization and should not go unpunished!
Also, calling the crime heinous sort of cheapens the word heinous. Heinous implies hatred. I consider it an act of extreme vandalism but not rising to the level of being heinous. Just my critique of the release. If it has already been distributed I'm sure it will be fine.
Eschew Obfuscation
Would donations for a reward be better than donations for replacement trees?
I for one would like to see the perpetrator caught and made to pay for the damages.
Realistically though,the person(s) responsible will prabably not be caught (no offense Potsy).
Just food for thought?
I for one would like to see the perpetrator caught and made to pay for the damages.
Realistically though,the person(s) responsible will prabably not be caught (no offense Potsy).
Just food for thought?
My people skills are just fine, it's my tolerance for idiots that need work.
Potsy,
There's enough players on this forum that can probably help profile this/these individual(s) if we can understand some of the facts. I don't know what info you can make available to us, but you could start some good discussion by telling us how many people regularly play the course. Give us a description of suspects and we might be able to help. Also, how was it done? One man job or two?
My guts telling me it's a high school aged kid or two. One may be a good kid, the other a little rebelious. Both probably good kids in a small community where they act out what they mistakenly interpret as innocent fun. Maybe try a plea bargain, offer less serious punishment if someone is willing to come forward and take responsibility for the desecration of a local memorial. The Mulvane community and the KDGA could brainstorm on some good old community correction ideas and hopefully teach this kid or kids to the purpose of disc golf and the importance of local courses.
I read somewhere that Ed Headrick brought the idea of disc golf to metroplolitan areas so that poor inner city youth would have a low cost sport and a no green fee course to learn on. Recreation departments were often given discs from manufacturers so kids could could play even if they couldn't afford a disc. The KDGA provides the OZ Tour where we travel to other communities to support it. There may only be 20 of us at a small tournament, but it generates a little economic boost for business. it's a small way we try to say thanks.
We realize the importance of disc golf in all communities, even small ones. I could only begin to tell you how disc golf has been my vent for everything. I've buried many emotional burdens on the course. I love this sport and the comrads I've made by being a KDGA member..
Well, that's my $.02. Hope it helps.
Brett E. Straight
KDGA member since 2003
Hays, Kansas
There's enough players on this forum that can probably help profile this/these individual(s) if we can understand some of the facts. I don't know what info you can make available to us, but you could start some good discussion by telling us how many people regularly play the course. Give us a description of suspects and we might be able to help. Also, how was it done? One man job or two?
My guts telling me it's a high school aged kid or two. One may be a good kid, the other a little rebelious. Both probably good kids in a small community where they act out what they mistakenly interpret as innocent fun. Maybe try a plea bargain, offer less serious punishment if someone is willing to come forward and take responsibility for the desecration of a local memorial. The Mulvane community and the KDGA could brainstorm on some good old community correction ideas and hopefully teach this kid or kids to the purpose of disc golf and the importance of local courses.
I read somewhere that Ed Headrick brought the idea of disc golf to metroplolitan areas so that poor inner city youth would have a low cost sport and a no green fee course to learn on. Recreation departments were often given discs from manufacturers so kids could could play even if they couldn't afford a disc. The KDGA provides the OZ Tour where we travel to other communities to support it. There may only be 20 of us at a small tournament, but it generates a little economic boost for business. it's a small way we try to say thanks.
We realize the importance of disc golf in all communities, even small ones. I could only begin to tell you how disc golf has been my vent for everything. I've buried many emotional burdens on the course. I love this sport and the comrads I've made by being a KDGA member..
Well, that's my $.02. Hope it helps.
Brett E. Straight
KDGA member since 2003
Hays, Kansas
We have had a lot of damage done to our park throughout the years, broken sappling trees, large limbs broken, the new baskets pulled clear out of the ground, just to name a few. We believe that it is some of the high schoolers who go down there to throw, get ticked off because they are having an off day and then take it out on the trees instead of practicing more to better themselves. It really makes me sick to know that mother nature takes the brunt of some lil baby's attitude. You can add $25.00 from us, just let me know where to send it!!!
CAT
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