MINNESOTA ROCS

Written By: Bill Ashton


MINNESOTA FRISBEE ASSOCIATION MARKS 32 YEARS
AS PROMOTIONAL FORCE IN DISC SPORTS

The Minnnesota Frisbee Association also known as
the "Mighty MFA" has been an active club promoting
the sport here in the Gopher state for over 32 years.
The MFA has certainly done it's fair share of actively
promoting disc type events throughout the years.  Not
only is the MFA the oldest club promoting the sport,
but they were the first known club to have their logo
imprinted on a disc.  The MFA merely formed as a small
group of local frisbee aficionados which evolved by the
likes of old guard members Lyle Jensen, Joe Feidt, Paul
Thompson, Gus Otto, Jim Challas and a few others.
Membership today, has recorded over 1500 people since
the MFA's inceptiion back in 1975.

Throughout the years, the MFA has always had a strong
active volunteer base of members contributing to the needs
and efforts of organizing and promoting events.  Members
which have stepped up over and over again to help make
sure events and club functions run smoothly.  As new
player interest increases, it will also build on a new
generation of volunteers and those that will explore
new avenues of interests to promote and challenge the
sport to new heights.  Minnesota is blessed with an
abundance of people that have volunteered or earned their
respect as a businessman promoting their dreams, goals
and aspirations of making it as a true disc entrepreneurs.

Minnesota's own local disc golf pro Tim Gill of Par 72
disc golf, Mike Snelson of Fairway Flyerz, Charlie
Hutchinson of Gotta Go Gotta Throw, Jon and Chris Gowin
of Back Nine Design and Alan Hansen Begg of Long Tee -
Disc Golf TV are prime examples of people making positive
contributions to the sport here in Minnesota.  There is
also a strong interest in Course Development from several
qualified course designers in the area (Chuck Kennedy
recent Disc Golf Hall of Fame Inductee, Tim Mackey,
Tim Gill, Bill Ashton, Mike Snelson and Steve West).
Since 1987, Minnesota has averaged about 4-5 new courses
a year and today has surpassed the 100 course mark ranking
the state third overall.  New course development projects
continued at an above average rate in 2006 with nine new
course installs.

LEAGUES OFFER PLAYERS A CHANCE TO DEVELOP

Not only does Minnesota have quite a few mover and shaker
type individuals, it also has the best known disc golf
league know as "Sun-Dog".  What originated as a brainchild
of MFA member Greg Rife, has now grown into one of the
largest active disc golf leagues.  Sundog is a league
series that generates an active base of well over
100 players on a weekly basis.  Here, league play
floats amongst the many different active metro disc
golf courses.  League Directors Matt Koerner and
Tim Gill have really helped to organize and host
one of the largest and most efficient leagues
in the country.

There are also several other smaller leagues
throughout the metro going on as well.  Several areas
outside of the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area have
also impacted their communities with disc golf.  In
southern Minnesota, the cities of Austin, Winona and
Fairmont come to mind with showing strong signs of growth.
In the northwest part of the state, the city of St. Cloud
and the adjacent surrounding communities there have really
grown into their own mecca of disc golf so to speak.

The MFA's rich history is now being preserved by collecting
and compiling past and present issues of the MFA FLOATER
NEWSLETTERS.  All of the issues compiled and logged will
be donated to the MINNESOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY LIBRARY.
As issues are collected, each volume will be documented
in hopes to catalog the entire Floater Collection.  It's
the best way to look back and try to document our clubs
history and growth over the years here in Minnesota.
As the club organizes its history, it's also looking to
establish THE MINNESOTA DISC SPORTS HALL OF FAME.

NEW MINNESOTA DISC GOLF COURSES INSTALLED IN 2006

1.   Cedar Creek Park - Fairmont
2.   Garlough Park - West St. Paul
3.   Blue Ribbon Pines - East Bethel
4.   Prior Lake High School - Prior Lake
5.   St. Mary's College - Winona
6.   City of Springfield, Springfield
7.   McGrath Park - Barnsville
8.   Bethel University - St. Paul
9.   Century College - St. Bonifacious