The Role That "Respect" Has When Organizing a Team

The Twelve Principles of Team Organization

Respect

This is the second in a series about organizing a team.

Organizing a team is NOT limited to the "early" days of a newly registered team or club. "Organizing" is a continuous process that is dynamic, always changing both as the sport of flyball "evolves" and as personnel change on your roster. "Experience" becomes a teacher as strategies and tactics are tried and kept or discarded depending on their success or failure. Every new team captain has a learning curve and everybody wants to know this "secret" of flyball success. How do you keep all the people on your team "happy"? How do you keep people on your team over a long period of time? How do you get them to work together?

The answer is developing a set of principles and sticking with the formula. Some people may disagree with what you consider your principles to be but, that's OK. NAFA doesn't think a team's roster should be set "in stone" and neither should you. Over time, you want to attract the kind of people you get along with and will "work" with you towards a common goal. That's what makes flyball - as a "team" sport - so much fun. Discovering a second family called your team.

"Respect" is as simple as it is important. Respect means that you treat others with the same personal/professional consideration that you expect to receive. Have consideration for their time as well as their thoughts, ideas and property. In short, "respect" is an attitude. It is at the forefront of your behavior and it is priceless when it is received.

When you use respect as a core principle, something magical happens. A lot of things get done because the people on your team will feel "validated". No one wants to be taken for granted, especially those who are "volunteers". When you feel your efforts are appreciated, you tend to give more of yourself in terms of personal efforts. It no longer feels like "work" at all!

It even gets easy to enlist help from "outside" your club. You might need that outside help the first time you host a tournament. Borrowing equipment or securing help judging are just a couple of ways that outside clubs help one another for the greater good of flyball. Banding together to secure a practice facility or combining the costs for renting a venue are another. Showing consideration for the time and efforts of others is how you ensure the future success of your club.

Good Luck and Good Racing!

..........Chris

When You Have to Pull Your Team

I'm wondering what host teams do with entry fees paid, if a team has to pull before the tournament begins.

-E.W.
Most clubs do not offer refunds AFTER closing. If you stop and think... the judges have been hired, awards ordered, possibly extra space rented, etc,. All based on number of entries at closing. If everyone had the option to pull and be refunded it could crash a tournament pretty fast.

Some clubs have been known to offer a "reduced fee" for another upcoming event if the reason was totally out of your control...like kennel cough (MOST clubs appreciate it when a team pulls for that reason).

That seems to be common practice throughout Region 1. No refund after a tournament closes. Our team has an internal policy as well: If you commit your dog to a tournament and you pull out AFTER the tournament has closed, you are still responsible for paying your portion of the entry fee to the club. The only way out of paying the club is for you to find a "replacement" for your absence.

If your replacement is a member of the club, then that releases your obligation to pay. If your replacement is OUTSIDE of the club and we have to declare that team "PERFORMANCE" then, you are still responsible. We expect you to work it out with whoever you find to replace your dog as to who actually pays. Probably, the replacement dog and handler are more than happy to pay their fair share for the opportunity to play flyball. But, that's not the club's responsibility. That is yours for committing to a tournament and then backing out.

If it seems to be an issue for your club, check with the Tournament Secretary or Tournament Director before you enter and WELL before closing. Ask as many questions as you need to and be sure you understand their policies before entering. It is the HOST CLUB that sets refund policies for any particular event, NOT NAFA. NAFA only "sanctions" an event and only charges fees in accordance with the cost of that sanctioning. The balance of a team's entry fee belongs to the host club that is putting on the event.

Good Luck and Good Racing!

.....Chris

12 Principles of Team Organization

The Twelve Principles for Successful Team Organization

Ethics

Always make the right, honest ethical choice and encourage others to do the same.

We all know what the "right, honest ethical choice" is in almost every situation. Problem is, there are plenty of people out there who can rationalize making a choice that doesn't necessarily fit the description of "right" or "honest" or "ethical". Primary among these "rationalizations" is the desire to win. Does winning trump the reward for making the right choice? Is winning more important than honesty? What role does ethics play in team dynamics, especially in the sport of flyball?

There is a principle that I live by and that is my "self-respect" is the most important thing I value in life. I am with "myself'" 100% of the time and if I make a choice that does not respect my own sense of what I consider "right" ....does not respect the "whole truth" and therefore represents some portion of "dishonest" ....or compromises in any way my personal ethical standards, then I disrespect myself. And, if I disrespect myself, I cannot expect to receive respect from anybody else. Its that simple.

I've heard any number of arguments that you cannot dictate to others your personal values and beliefs. I believe that to be true. But, that means no one can force me to make a "choice" that is outside of my personal boundaries. I may be pressured and encouraged to abandon those behavioral standards but, it is still a choice that I, alone "own". If I make a "wrong" choice, it still belongs to me.

So, what am I getting at? What do ethics have to do with flyball? Well, flyball is a team sport which means you have to ellicit the cooperation of others in tandem with your own efforts in order to gain any success. For that, it helps to gain the full "trust" of others. When you are a person whose word is trusted, its much easier to gain the full cooperation of others. You are also much more likely to attract the attention of people whose values and standards match your own. In this sense, the cliche holds true: "Birds of a feather, flock together". Like kind seeks out others of "like kind".

Flyball is NOT just about the dogs. It is about people. There is no one closer to you in "flyball" than your teammates and the very first principle that will make or break a team is what kind of ethics are held and practiced by its leadership. So, if you are looking for a team to join, find out what kind of ethical sense is practiced by the team owner or team captain. If you have decided to organize your own team because you cannot find a team that is compatible with your ethics, then I wish you luck! Make sure that as you make it known that you are forming your own team and that you demonstrate and communicate what kind of ethical standards you have and you expect others to have.

People don't like guessing. They want to know where you stand. Consistency will attract people and keep them loyal to you. Very few people actually live their lives over "winning and losing" and if they do, do you need them anyway? Wouldn't you rather build a team that has a reputation for honesty both in their training practices and tournament competition? You can lose as much as you win but, win or lose, there is no substitute for choosing the right, honest and ethical thing.

Good Luck and Good Racing!

............Chris

Coping With Tournament Stress

I get nervous every time I go out onto the floor with my dog. It's kinda like a "stage fright" of some sort. I like the people I've met playing flyball and my dog just LOVES playing. How do I get over feeling nervous before a race?

A.G. from VA

I really feel for you. Getting over nervousness before performing can be daunting. Flyball matters to you or you wouldn't feel nervous. Perhaps you are concerned about your dog's readiness or your ability to handle your dog. It won't be easy but, I have some advice that might help you to cope.

1.) Alter your perception – Remember, life is 10% what happens and 90% how you react. A rainy day may be wonderful to a farmer and frustrating to a golfer, yet the actual event is exactly the same. You can turn any situation into a positive or negative experience, depending on your perception. The same is true for flyball. Your dog may go around the jumps or spit the ball before crossing the line but, he will still have as much fun. Look at flyball the way your dog does and have "fun" no matter what happens out there!

2.) Keep a training journal – a journal allows you to list the day’s events including successes and difficulties. When you’re feeling down, look through the journal each month and recount how much you’ve accomplished. If you still haven’t met your goals, it’s good motivation to build a plan for yourself and your dog. A journal gives you an accurate record of your training path and should give you confidence that you and your dog are truly "ready" to compete.

3.) Manage your time – Make lists of what you need to do. Write down your ideas and do not trust them to memory. This works for training goals, dog equipment, human comfort and what to bring for lunch and dinner.

4.) Schedule fun time – Set aside an hour or two just for you and your dog. Use it to walk your dog, relax or do something you enjoy. Time "off" is just as important as racing is.

5.) Pay attention to your physical self – If you feel sluggish, achy or lethargic, your body is telling you to slow down. Don’t bulldoze through ignoring your need to rest. If you are hungry, take a break and eat. If you are exhausted, take a catnap and revive your spirits. You expend as much energy as your dog does so take the time to take care of your "self".

6.) Find a team that really "fits" your personality – Surround yourself with supportive people who build your confidence and are reliable. A positive attitude is catchy and you may find someone else’s smile rubbing off on you. We all need to belong.

7.) Take a real vacation away from flyball – A vacation doesn’t have to be expensive or jam-packed with activity. Take a quiet vacation, with no itinerary or schedules. In fact, you may want to stay at home – just make sure it is a real "break" from flyball. Flyball will always be there waiting for you to return.

8.) Let go of emotional baggage – Stop worrying about things you can’t control. Concentrate on the things you have power over. Don’t stay up all night worrying about whether you or your dog will "mess" up! Focus, instead, on going to the tournament with a good attitude!

Good Luck and Good Racing!

..............Chris

How to Find Information About Flyball Training

Dog Forums

There is a source of information for dog training on the web that is too often overlooked.

Forums on all kinds of topics from cooking to investing money abound on the internet. Curious, I did a Google Search to see what I could find in the Forums on the topic, "Dog Training"

I found a winner!

Mighty Mite Small Dog Sports Forum is loaded with timely and useful dog training information on a wide range of dog sports. I found Agility, Dock-Diving, Disc Dog, Go-to-ground for Terriers and a whole lot more!

Although it's name suggests it's for the small dog, the dog training techniques discussed there would apply to all breeds large & small.

I also was delighted to see that it is very active with the freshest post only 20 minutes before I got there. There are over 3,000 registered users.

Registration is FREE. The only drawback is the forum is moderated and you might have to wait a day or two for your registration to be approved. It's worth the wait, however, because the users are very friendly people and very willing to help newcomers and those who are struggling with training issues.

If you find a Forum on the internet that contains good information, is friendly and active, drop us an email so we can check it out!

Good Luck and Good Racing!

Dog Training Forums

You May Be Addicted to Flyball if.....

The New Year gives us an opportunity every January to reevaluate our lives and rearrange our priorities. We resolve to lose weight, get fit, spend less and appreciate our loved ones more. Trouble is, by January 10, alot of the best intended plans fall by the wayside as we eat more, forget to exercise, live paycheck to paycheck and find we just don't have enough time for our families and friends. Many of us resolve these issues by resolving to NOT make any "New Year's Resolutions". For some, that's the only promise they can keep.

I thought about this dilemma and wondered if I should make any resolutions about flyball. I mean, I'm well aware that flyball is just the MOST important thing in my life......and, I just don't 'get' people who don't love it and/or don't love dogs the way I do. Do I have a 'problem'? Hmmmmmm..... How would I know? How would I recognize it? I gave it some thought and came up with these "observations'...

You may be addicted to flyball if...

• You bought a full size or mini-van solely because your old vehicle no longer could hold all the dogs and equipment you needed to go to tournaments.
• You got your last puppy because your flyball team needed a "speed" dog.
• You look at other vehicles and imagine how many dog crates you could fit in there.
• You plan all your vacation days around flyball tournaments.
• You lie to new co-workers about how many dogs you actually own.
• There are more flyball plaques on your wall for the dogs than there are school achievement awards for your kids.
• You call one of your children with the dog's name.
• You got your last puppy because your team needed another breed to compete in Multi-Breed.
• You ran out of vacation days so you called off work to go to a flyball tournament.
• You spend more on vet bills than you do on Doctor visits.
• You consider volunteering at the local humane society so you can evaluate potential flyball talent.
• Instead of throwing a birthday party for your kid, you bring them to a flyball tournament.
• You bought an RV to take to flyball tournaments.
• You got your last puppy because your flyball team needed a Height Dog.
• You own at least three vehicles: One for work, one to go grocery shopping and one for flyball.

If you answered "yes" to at least two of the above, you are in danger of becoming addicted. If you answered "Yes" to at least three, you may already have a problem. If you answered "YES' to four or more, your family knows you are addicted but loves you anyway!

Enjoy your addiction for there is no known cure! Take a cue from your dogs and share your addiction with others with enthusiasm, boundless energy and generosity because dogs know what takes humans a whole lifetime to learn: Forget yesterday cuz you can't change it after it got here. Don't worry about tomorrow cuz there are too many possibilities to worry about. Live for right now cuz this moment in time is all you really "own".

Happy New Year! Good Luck and Good Racing!

.....Chris