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Innovation Takes Flight

Innovation Takes Flight

PDGA Awards Second Round of 2014 Innovation Grants

Wednesday, December 17, 2014 - 10:42

The PDGA Innovation Grant Program was created to increase and promote the awareness of the sport of disc golf and the Professional Disc Golf Association. Applicants are encouraged to think outside of the box to develop innovative and unique programs which will promote the sport and increase participation. Twelve applications were received by the PDGA office prior to the December 1st deadline for consideration for the second wave of these $500 grants to be awarded in 2014.

We're extremely happy and proud to announce the recipients of the five PDGA Innovation Grants have been selected!

2014 PDGA Innovation Grant Winners

Skirmantas Bikelis #51470, Vilnius, Lithuania

Disc Golf in the Land of Oz

Mr. Bikelis is working with the Baltic Regional Coordinator Darius Gricius #41932 (2013 PDGA Europe Volunteer of the Year) to create and implement an event at the only permanent disc golf course in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. This program will be the first of many to promote the sport to two distinct populations: The first will be for children of families at social risk through a day center and the second will be a secondary school (Vilnius Lyceum) which is filled with nearly 600 students.

The project team has already introduced disc golf to social workers at “Sotas” and to the teachers of Vilnius Lyceum so that they may properly instruct the students. The purpose of this project is two-fold: to promote the new course to the community and to strengthen the awareness of disc golf and day centers. Additionally, this will indirectly promote the idea of volunteering and social work through recreational outlets. With an ever-growing interest of disc golf in international communities, this project will be great exposure for the sport we all love.

Gene Varano / WWP, New Smyrna Beach, Florida

Introduction to Disc Golf for the Wounded Warrior Project

Starting in New Smyrna Beach, FL, Gene aspires to hold a series of eight one-day clinics specifically designed for 36 Wounded Warriors. Each clinic will provide breakfast and lunch, instruction from experienced players, ancillary events such as ring-of-fire and CTP contests, and a small, informal competition. Each participant will walk away with a new knowledge and love for the game, as well as a 3-disc set to take home. With a great deal of enthusiasm for this project, Gene has invested a great deal of his personal time and funds to see this project come to fruition, along with offering to serve as a volunteer on the PDGA Military Committee. This innovative idea is sure to bring disc golf to the lives of many Wounded Warriors. 

David Foss #68895, Burke, Virginia

Mark Twain Middle School Disc Golf Program

David is a teacher at Mark Twain Middle School and wants to develop a disc golf program for students. The school offers an “Extended Learning Time” (ELT) during the school day with the primary focus of providing intervention for struggling students. It is also utilized as an enrichment program allowing students to explore activities that wouldn’t typically be found in an ordinary classroom environment, leaving disc golf as a perfect fit. This project would include a rotating group of students who would meet for 45 minutes, once per week, over the course of a school year. Students will be instructed on the rules of play and will learn how to play the sport as well. In warmer months, the program can be expanded to incorporate the after school program and ultimately the year would culminate with a mini-competition. With numerous years as an experienced player, tournament director, and PDGA member, David will be a great influence for aspiring disc golfers.

Thomas Kopec, Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Physiological Analysis of Disc Golf

Thomas is a doctorate student at the University of Alabama studying Human Performance. Being a licensed Athletic Trainer and AHA Healthcare provider, Thomas, along with a data collection team, wants to produce a study on the health effects of disc golf. Using various methods and devices, he will collect data that will aid in the “understanding of the physical demands of the sport and the possible implications of disc golf as an exercise intervention.”  Each participant will be provided with snacks, water, and a disc to take home. With little existing research about the health benefits of disc golf, this initiative could provide to be very substantial in promoting disc golf in a healthy light.

Vajo Necak, Macomb, Illinois

Disc-over Golf at Project Insight Alternative

Vajo is a Special Educator at Project Insight Alternative Jr / Sr High School. This program will introduce his students with special needs to alternative recreation / education outlets, with disc golf being a large focus due to its nature as an inexpensive and fun way to recreate. Vajo included in his proposal, “Most of our special needs students are rural kids who have been exposed to only traditional sports in which they are hardly included.”  Disc golf will provide them with an opportunity for self-inclusion through exercise and recreation. This program will integrate various academic classes such as geometry, building trades, social skills, and of course, physical education. The kids will be building both the course AND the targets, allowing them to be involved in the project from start to finish. This is a constantly growing demographic in disc golf, and this project will help to see that this growth continues into the future. 

The PDGA office wishes to thank everyone who submitted an application for this round of grants. Applicants who were not chosen this time are encouraged to re-submit their applications for consideration in June 2015. Five additional grants will be awarded in mid-June of 2015 with an application deadline of June 1. Information, guidelines, and an application can be found on the PDGA Innovation Grants page.