Express Delivery Flyball Club and Flyball Team
Rules and Mission
Express Delivery was formed and continues to exist so as to help our dogs enhance their
natural athletic abilities, allow them to compete at their peak levels in the
sport of flyball, and maximize their ability to earn points toward NAFA flyball
titles. We will also promote responsible animal ownership by strengthening the
dog-human bond and improving the training and handling skills of the owner
through non-abusive, positive training methods.
Team Expectations and Guidelines
Express Delivery Flyball Club
Membership
Anyone is welcome to join the Express Delivery Flyball Club. You do not need a dog, just a desire to be involved in the fun world of flyball. All club members are welcome to come to any team event to volunteer and support the Express Delivery Flyball Team. Attending team events is a good way to gain the necessary experience to join the team.
Team membership is by invitation only. To be considered for team membership you must:
· Be a club member in good standing for a minimum of three months
· Attend two other team functions aside from regular practice and tournaments (eg. Demos, fun days, Best Paw work days).
· Perform the following functions at a minimum of 2 tournaments: ball shagger, line judge, box judge, scribe, line caller.
· Have a working knowledge of the current NAFA rules.
Note: Having a tournament ready dog is not a requirement to be invited to join the team. Invitations to join the team are based on the person being a good fit with the team, contributions to the team, and commitment to the team and the sport of flyball.
Dues and Fees
As of October 1, 2006, monthly dues will be as follows:
Team Members: Due to the time commitment team members make, there are no monthly dues for team members.
Club Members: $20 for each club member with 1 dog, and $30 for each club member with multiple dogs.
Family Discount: Two or more members of the same family each working a dog receives a $5 discount off the appropriate rate.
“Multiple dogs” is defined as one handler working more than one dog.
Other Fees and Charges
Team and club members will be responsible for their share of tournament running fees.
Express Delivery items are available for purchase. Team shirts are $15 each and are required for those running in a tournament.
Equipment Late Fees are $20/week (see rules for rental under equipment)
Equipment
Jumps can be checked out by club or team members. One of the Shoots may be checked out by club or team members. The purple box may be checked out by team members only. The new tournament box may only be checked out in special circumstances approved by Rob.
ALL EQUIPMENT MUST BE RETURNED TO BPF WITHIN 1 WEEK OR BEFORE THE NEXT TEAM/CLUB EVENT (INCLUDING CLASSES), WHICHEVER COMES FIRST.
Failure to do so will result in a $20/week late fee for each item not returned within the specified time period.
Team & Club Events
Club Members:
Event attendance is requested but not required of club members at events such as demos, tournaments, or practice. However, these events may provide dogs and members with invaluable experience and opportunities to work on certain skills or problem areas. Attendance at certain events is required to be considered for team membership (see Membership section)
Team Members:
Tournaments: Team members may miss 1 local tournament in a calendar year. A “local” tournament is defined as one taking place within the I-4 corridor, i.e. Tampa to Volusia County. Attendance at tournaments in South Florida, Jacksonville, or out of state is requested, but not required.
Demos: Team members may miss 1 demo in a calendar year.
Practices: All dogs in a tournament line-up are expected to be at the two (2) practices prior to the tournament, including any practices in Lakeland.
Team members are expected to be at all other practices, but attendance is not required. Excessive absences (1 or more a month) are not acceptable.
Miscellaneous Events: Attendance requirements will be on a case-by-case basis.
* Team members with prior work or school commitments are granted exceptions to the attendance requirements when team events conflict with work or school.
Practice
Practice is held most Sundays at Best Paw Forward in Sanford from 2-4pm. Practice is for both club and team members in good standing.
Dogs attending practice must meet the following pre-requisites:
· Are well socialized with both people and dogs
· Passed a temperament exam administered by Rob Bitler
· Can retrieve a stationary ball from 50 feet away.
· Have successfully completed Basic Manners class at Best Paw Forward
· Remain quietly in a crate
Practice exercises and drills will assume the dogs can perform the previous skills. If they can not, they may not be able to participate in those exercises that require those skills.
For dogs new to the sport of flyball, s Flyball Fundamentals class is available (schedule permitting) on Sundays at 1pm. This is a six week course that will teach all of the necessary skills for flyball. Cost of the class varies depending on number of other classes already taken at Best Paw. Basic Manners class is a pre-requisite. Work scholarship positions are available.
Tournaments
Team member dogs will be given priority in deciding tournament line-ups. Line-up slots will only be filled by approved tournament ready dogs and slots will remain empty if there are no dogs that are considered tournament ready.
Club members with tournament ready dogs may be asked to participate in a tournament if line-up slots are available. Running in a tournament does not automatically confer team membership status.
Any tournament decisions that need to be made or voted on will be done so by the team members on that roster. Club members will not have voting rights in team decisions at a tournament.
All members on the team, whether club member or team member, are responsible for their share of the tournament running fees as determined by the team captain.
Club Communications
The Express Deliver Flyball Club uses Yahoo Groups (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/expressdelivery/) as a means to communicate with each other. Rosters, dues, and calendars are all kept there. If you will not be at an event, please be sure to email Rob either privately or through the group to let him know.
Miscellaneous
This document may be changed at any time without notice.