We lock the building at night. People can come to get a key at {our} trailer. {team name withheld} got the key and didn't relock the building. Morning comes and most flyball boxes, buckets of balls, props, etc., had been duct taped and zip tied together. Silly but not a big issue. Then we start racing. The NAFA EJS doesn't function properly. TD played around trying to fix them. Then we realized someone had switched the poles around and pass pole and start had been switched in both lanes. Fixed that but still had lights doing weird things. After calling another judge and Leerie(NAFA CoB), both told me (TD) to do all the things we had already done. Wipe them down, check switches, etc., time is passing. After 40 mins of dealing with this and planning to go manual, someone realized the two black poles had been switched around, too.
This "PRANK" cost us (hosting club) 45 mins of our day. Worse, from now on we won't be giving bathroom access at night so now we have the added cost of renting porta-potties at $150 per weekend times 2 tournies a year. This will cost my team $300 a year extra. Plus, we will lose entries as some won't camp if there no bathroom access. There are many consequences and added risks for this. They could've smashed the lights (EJS) or, stole our raffle prizes, trashed the arena, etc., etc.
Someone, {name withheld} has confessed they did the duct tape, zip tie prank but, swears they didn't do the lights prank. Alcohol makes people do stupid things. I (TD) don't know who did it but, messing with NAFA lights is poor sportmansship, malicious, and just plain rude.
This has changed the way we do things. We can't be trusting our (flyball) competitors to act in a civilized manner. It sucks.
I happen to agree. Hosting clubs put in a lot of work to set up and run a tournament. They shouldn't have to worry about pranks.... or, possible vandalism. What is even more disturbing about this whole story is that the person who confessed to the duct tape/zip ties "prank" happens to be a flyballer. It is my understanding that they were not entered in this event so, what motivated them to be on the grounds at all? Just visiting? Getting loaded? Found opportunity?
I haven't identified the Region because it "could" happen anywhere. Hosting Clubs, TD's beware and be "aware". No matter how "safe" you consider your venue to be or how well behaved you think your flyball community is, don't take risks after the racing pauses on Friday or Saturday night. Lock the building and take the keys.
It's the only way to insure that flyball will be there for the future.
Good Luck and Good Racing!
.....Chris
