COMMENTS FROM THE PRESIDENT

Hello everyone I trust all had a nice relaxing summer and are getting ready for another great year of pitching here in the State of Florida.

Vicki and I reluctantly missed the world tournament this year because of family commitments. I would like to personally thank Janet, Peggy, Roy, and Mike for representing us as the Florida delegates at the NHPA convention. Of note - Janet let me know that Florence, South Carolina won the world tournament bid for 2018.

Congratulations to our Florida pitchers that won their class and a special congratulations to Ron Deckard and Dave Jagers for finishing 2^nd and 3^rd respectively in the Championship Elders Division. A hearty well done to ALL of our Florida pitchers and to the many pitchers that come to visit Florida and participate in our tournaments, I recognized many of you on camera. I hope, God willing, that Vicki and I will see all of our friends at the world tournament in St George, Utah in 2017.

Our tournament schedule will soon be starting and I expect to attend many tournaments this year during the season. This season will culminate in our State Closed tournament in Clearwater this year. Your executive council is looking for ideas concerning the banquet. There have been discussions with regard to the low attendance so we are looking for ways to improve this. The banquet was designed for members to relax, have some fun, maybe win a door prize, and to formally recognize winners of their respective classes as well as our State Champions. Your executive council is considering changing the formal banquet setting on Saturday to a less formal setting on Friday after the pitching schedule is completed for the day. Again this is just up for discussion so please give your ideas to your club presidents, we will take all suggestions under advisement at our executive council meeting this year in October. Remember this is your association and every member has an opinion on this so speak and be heard.

Finally, let’s all get out there and roust up some new members, Vicki and I hope to bring in three or four members to our little club in Oviedo.

See you on the courts.

Dale Marteney