2007 US Nationals

Recently came back from a visit to the 2007 US Nationals Boomerang
Championships in Eua Claire, WI. Got to meet some of the people I had
only heard about. My impressions were that it was like an extended
family complete with wizened elders and brash youngsters stretching
for the stars...kind of the way it should be in life perhaps!
Throughout there was a spirit of cooperation with each other as they
called out wind conditions periodically and were very giving of
advice to help. I'm not sure that such helpfulness is normally there
in other National Championship events. There was a unique flavor to
the competition which tasted like Grandma's home cooking served with
that smile you remember as a child.

My question for each of us is "Does that make it less special or more
special?" Those wizened elders amoung us clearly know the answer to
that question and it is difficult to imagine even considering the
question itself after witnessing this event. We are conditioned since
childhood to COMPETE and WIN or the game doesn't mean anything.
Perhaps it's the other way around. Perhaps it doesn't mean anything
if all you do is compete and win.

I've coached over 1000 kids in various sports over a 25 year
volunteer coaching career and the 2007 US Boomerang Championships
were very possibly the most meaningful athletic event I've seen in my
life. There was a conventional overall victor but there also were
many moments of glory for all the competitors and 6 individual event
victors and personal bests and senior division records and the
excitement of a 15 year old kid coming all the way from Seattle for
his first US Nationals tournament. There were back flip catches and
rapid fire throws and the ever elusive Pink Flamingo Catch which the
old guys need to spend 10 seconds to even prepare for it let alone
pull off. It could use some more pace but possibly if it had it we
would lose some of the appeal. It was a truly unique experience which
in it's own way is addictive.

There was the highlight of the event, the USBA boomerang auction,
which for a thrower is possibly the most entertaining reason for
coming to the Nationals. People laughing so hard they cried. There
was a lot of warmth in that room and a lot of fun.

The last 2 days of the tournament resulted in a rain downpour but
"Moleman" thought to bring plastic raincoats for almost everyone.
Thoughtfulness. Generosity. Does that sound like a National
Championship event to most of us?

One final thing. About half of the competitors stayed together at
"Local Dan's" family home in Eua Claire. People in sleeping bags on
the floor in every square foot of the building, on couches and in
spare rooms. This is common for boomerang tournaments. There is a
communal aspect to it which is unparralleled in sport.

I hope I have conveyed some of the reasons why taking part in
boomerang competitions is so uniquely special. It is like being a
part of a hunter's family.on a trip to the north woods. It is like
visiting that house in Maine where the elderly woman cooks for all
comers during the day and serves a hearty meal at her dinner table at
12 noon each day for the people "in the know". It is a very
worthwhile endeavor for each of us.