AKA Sport Kite Ranking

thunk up the ranking names to begin with and since things are a'changin, why hang on to archaic ranking titles.

<big snip>

Whoa! Pedantic and archaic in the same sentence...almost lost me there! While I'm not a competitive flyer I read your post with great interest, and as always found it to reflect your usual sagacity and acumen!

Okay okay...at the risk of being called pedantic, lol, I gotta ask...who thunk up the ranking names to begin with and since things are a'changin, why hang on to archaic ranking titles.

Hows that for an opening statement? LOL! Seriously, though I would like to discuss this if anyone else is interested.

Let's look back at the formerly recognized AKA National Ranking Divisions. Ya got your Novice, Intermediate, Experienced and Masters. I think Masters is pretty self explanatory and the AKA does set excellent criteria for that. Experienced, well, that's one of those that doesn't seem to fit if you drop Novice. After all, Novice means Beginner and one would assume that the opposite of that is Experienced. But now you drop Intermediate, so one would assume that everyone who competes in Novice are Ranked as Beginners. I personally know a whole lot of pretty good flyers who haven't competed for very long, but certainly could not be considered Novice or Beginners. So now the real Beginners are going to be competing with more skilled flyers. Hmmmm....it's so confusing.

It's been said that while the AKA won't recognize Novice in the Nationals (as it was) they don't have a problem with local and regional events having their own comps which would have been Novice, but since now the Intermediates have been included with Novice....what would the new comps for beginners on a local/regional basis be called?

Do they hold a creatively named event for AKA Members who pay their fees who would have been ranked as Novice, but aren't ready for the 'New' Novice ranking????

Hmmmm....what puzzles me is why things weren't simplified by new ranking titles.

Example: Novice (continues to be the local/regional get your feet wet but still pay your comp fees and go for a ribbon event) - Points are not considered for Nationals, but could still be for local/regional honors. (Not every competitor is interested at this level to go to Nationals anyway) Also, I don't think this should be taken away from the power of local event co-ordinators since they know best how to set up their own competitions. If they choose to forgo a Novice event it should be in their control, whether it be to bump up competitors to Level 1 if there aren't enough flyers to set up a Novice, or not hold one at all.

Level I - Same criteria as the formerly known Intermediate. Nationally Recognized.

Level II - Same criteria as Experienced. Nationally Recognized.

Masters - Same criteria as Masters. Nationally Recognized.

Now you add into the mix the AKA Beginners Program - which I prefer calling the Learn to Compete program for ease of understanding. A phenominally excellent idea, but now you have Beginners and Novice on schedules/invites/programs. Now that's confusing. Those in the know understand the difference, maybe, but I thought the point of this whole thing was to encourage new blood and they would need a score card to understand the difference.

Don't get me wrong. I think that simplifying the National Ranking divisions to three is a great idea. But am I the only one that sees bumps in the road ahead by continuing to use the ranking name Novice???

(don't beat me up too hard, ah's just askin...lololol)

This issue is almost as baffling as having the AKA Nationals in Billings, Montana.

Sincerely,

Larry Bush

And since when is Billings a West Coast venue for Nationals?

WT

Agreed. I wrote the AKA about that and heard nothing back. Nada, zip, zilch.

See ya,

I can see where the Left Coast people have a problem with Billings! ... It's probably further for most of the Left Coast people to get to Billings than it is from me to get to Wildwood!.( I live near Detroit

Ellen -

I don't think the names applied to the skill levels matter other than to be in agreement with the International Sport Kite Competition rules.

Section I - Paragraph C

Skill levels shall be defined by each Sanctioning Authority but shall include, as a minimum, novice and masters levels. (NB: Experienced is not defined as a required level)

If the reality is that there just isn't enough time, interest, resources, etc., to run four classes AND add quad and pairs precision, then the reduction to three levels is ONE solution. The Sport Kite Committee seems to have ruled that it is to be THE solution. That's their job. Getting things done in a volunteer organization requires leadership, finesse and support. I think we should double Gomberg's salary for at least trying to get things done. How's that for support?

What happens to intermediate quad? Are there now novice quad disciplines or just experienced and masters? The New Jersey SKC event in September is offering open quad precision and open pairs precision, but I don't know if that means novice as well as experienced and masters.

Oh well, Gary Engvall says there's a place for me on the single line field. . .

For your information.

I live on the Washington coast. By my map Detroit is 2540 miles from the town I live in. That puts you closer to Billings then me. There are times in October that you can not drive to Billings from here. There are passes in Washington, Idaho and Montana that are closed at times. You may have the same problem. Be for you start your trip check the elevation. Billings is about 3100 feet. Even with four wheel drive chains can come in handy. I have encountered snow there in June and September.

I hope you and every one every one going to Billings have a great time.

Please have a safe drive.

?????????????? Um ..... Billings is roughly a 1500 mile drive for us. (1509 per MapBlast) Does driving through the mountains add that much to a 1000 mile drive.( Assuming that you go through Billings to get to Detroit.[actually Ypsilanti, MI]) Is there something that I'm missing?

The numbers and the map show the Washington Coast closer. When you get into Oregon and especially California, I'll agree, I'm closer.

Thanks for the info. Hmmmm driving that may not be such a great idea with a toy box

I am a Left Coast person and my problem with Billings is not so much the distance (I am going to Florida this year for the convention), and not so much that I don't want to fly in the snow (even though I don't) but the fact that it is the Left Coast's turn to host the AKA convention and Billings is part of the Central Conference. When it is the Central Conference's turn let Billings host it all they want but since we are getting passed over for a turn at having the convention it will be 5+ years between turns on this coast.

See ya, Bill Rogers Poulsbo, WA

I really would rather fly kites on some shore some where with an on-shore breeze.

Don't ya wonder, why Billings?? outside of shore line choices, I'd vote for Ivanpah!! No problem with room there.