Sugar City Council considering creating a disc golf course | Local News
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Survey: Hiking, biking are park favorites | Local News
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Hiking and mountain biking trails and Oneonta creek are the most popular parts of Oneonta’s Wilber Park, according to a public opinion survey conducted by the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission.
There were 382 people, mostly city and town residents, who completed the online survey about existing facilities and what new developments they’d desire in Wilber Park. The information collected will be used to develop a master plan for the park, and will help the commission prioritize improvements.
Of the respondents, 57% visited the park at least weekly, and 95% said they used the hiking and walking trails. The area along Oneonta Creek is also popular, used by 83% of visitors.
61% of visitors said they use the trails every week, and 41% spend time along the creek every week.
While the bike trails get used by fewer total people, they have a large core group of users — one third of respondents said they use those trails weekly or more often. The mountain bike trails are intermingled with the hiking trails in the upper part of the park, but tend to zigzag with many switchbacks.
“What makes Wilber Park special is that it is sort of a place in nature, in the heart of the city. And a lot of people don’t want to see that change,” said Council Member Kaytee Lipari Shue, D-Fourth Ward. She also serves as the Council representative on the parks commission. “I was really relieved to see this, because as somebody who lives in close proximity to the park, it’s a sentiment that I share.”
The Wilber Park playground placed fourth among most-highly-used spots, after the natural areas. In contrast, the basketball courts, tennis courts and the “family play space” — an empty field between the tennis courts — were the least visited by survey respondents.
Survey takers were asked to evaluate existing features in terms of quality. Trails, roads and parking areas got high marks, while restrooms got the lowest score.
The survey also asked what new features people would like to see added to the park. Additional bathrooms got the most votes, followed by a stone-dust running path, a tennis backboard wall, volleyball courts and Frisbee golf. Lipari Shue said she was surprised to see the popularity of disc golf; after Googling it to learn more, she concluded that it seemed “passive and serene” and a good fit.
“The catalyst for this is that we have a master plan for Neahwa Park, which lists upgrades that have been suggested and, for all intents and purposes, approved — even though you know virtually none of them have funding,” Lipari Shue said. Wilber Park does not have a master plan, and so the community preferences identified will drive decisions.
Parks projects usually aren’t passed and funded easily. “They’re sort of seen as low, low priority,” she said. “Streets and drinking water come first.” However, over the long term — five to 10 years — she said the city is committed to making these most popular ideas happen.
Mike Forster Rothbart, staff writer, can be reached at [email protected] or 607-441-7213. Follow him at @DS_MikeFR on Twitter.
Pats on the Back | Free
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EDITOR’S NOTE: Each week The Gazette salutes those who make Emporia and the surrounding area a better place to live and work. The following folks deserve a pat on the back…
Ken Weaver, who was named the interim director of the National Teachers Hall of Fame. He will replace Carol Strickland who is retiring in June after more than nine-and-a-half years of service. Weaver joined the ESU faculty in 1986 and has served on the Hall of Fame Board of Trustees from 2016-2019.
Emporia Community Foundation, which announced the 28 organizations that will benefit from Match Day. In 2021 Match Day gave $455,703 in Mathcing funds to the participating organizations. This will be the ninth year for the event and will take place on Nov. 14.
Dynamic Discs for hosting the the Dynamic Discs Open which is worlds largest disc golf tournament in Emporia. Thousands of people came from all over the world to play disc golf in Emporia for four days. Ricky Wysocki won the professional mens division with a score of -10 and won $8,600. Kristin Tattar won the professional womens division with a score of even and won $5,000. Wysocki is sponsored by Dynamic Discs and Tattar is sponsored by Latitude 64.
Radical Life, which had seven people graduate from its program. The graduates took classes for 20 weeks and learned to break the cycles of poverty and addiction. Radical Life is a non-profit organization focused on building stable and successful homes by reducing poverty, decreasing toxic stress and reducing the need for foster care in Lyon County.
Emporia State Federal Credit Union, which received state recognition by being named a 2021 To the Stars: Celebrating Kansas Businesses Regional Award recipient. This is awarded is in honor and recognition for outstanding contributions to the community, state’s economy, and the people of Kansas.
Vanessa Hinds and Logan Avenue School who won a “Challenge Award” from the Kansas State Department of Education. A school must meet specific requirements of outstanding achievement and uncommon accomplshitments for math and reading assessments to receive the award.
Madison High School Student Bryson Turner who placed first in power lifting at the State Powerlifting competition.
Madison Junior High track athletes Octavian Dean, Cruz Leiser, Lane Smith and Ethan Jones who broke a school record in the 4 x 100 with a time of 51.3. The previous record stood for 26 years.
Chris Walker
Editor & Publisher
UnCapped: Barrel Culture Invitational | Arts & entertainment
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In this episode of the UnCapped podcast, host Chris Sands talks with Ethan Barbee, founder of Barrel Culture Brewing and Blending in Durham, North Carolina, about the upcoming Barrel Culture Invitational that is happening on Oct. 15. Tickets go on sale at 11 a.m. May 5.
UnCapped: Let’s dive into the details of the Barrel Culture Invitational. When does it take place?
Ethan Barbee: It’ll be Oct. 15, noon to 5. We’re not doing a VIP; there’s just one ticket to purchase, where everybody gets five hours. We want everybody to feel like it’s a VIP experience. You get the same access to the same beers.
UnCapped: The way you have everything laid out, it never felt crowded, and there really weren’t any lines where you had to wait to get beer. Normally, I’m a huge advocate for VIP hour because once there’s general admission, it’s miserable. But it never hit that point at the invitational last year.
Barbee: I think we’re lucky enough that we have such a large space, we can spread around and do some things to alleviate that congestion. This year even more, we’re adding a parking lot that we can use to add even more people. Part of the idea of adding more tickets was we wanted to keep that sam feel. We felt like there was room for us to grow a little bit because of what you just said: It never felt too crowded or you were waiting too long for a beer. We have an opportunity to fit more people in there, and that’s what we want to do — get as many people in there drinking the amazing beer from the amazing breweries we have coming.
UnCapped: Will the disc golf course be open?
Barbee: That’s hard to say. We’ve had to stall a little bit because of a negotiation with our landlord and the landowner. I do think there’s an opportunity for us to get that done in the next four to five months.
UnCapped: It’s a sport where the popularity just seems to keep growing and growing.
Barbee: It really is because it’s such an easy thing that basically anyone can do. You have all of these courses around here. We have a million public courses that are free to play — so you can go to Play It Again Sports and get three discs for under $20, and you’re playing disc golf. You go out to a free course, walk in and get some exercise and have some fun. I’ve picked it up a lot this year. Tyler White — who does all of our social media and artwork and labels, and he’s the head man for the festival, as well — he’s a really good player. He has a nine-hole course in his backyard.
UnCapped: That’s dedication.
Barbee: Yeah, and it’s not a putting course. He’s got a couple acres back there. It’s very nice, but it’s a lot of work, too. That’s something we know — once we do it, it’s still a lot of work to maintain to keep going. But I think you’re right about the market for that. There’s just so many people playing now. So you add that into being at a brewery — it’s like things that go hand in hand. It feels like disc golf and craft beers are neighbors, to some extent, in this world.
UnCapped: I bet I can prove you wrong on your statement “anyone can do it.”
Barbee: Well, I didn’t say anyone could do it well. I can hit trees all day with discs. I’m really good at that.
Disc Golf Tournament donates $10K to the Soup Opera in Fairmont | Local News
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FAIRMONT — The nonprofit Soup Opera got a $10,000 boost from the Seth Burton Memorial Disc Golf Club Monday evening at Morris Park.
Most of the money was raised over the year, but part of it was raised at the 18th Annual Ice Bowl disc golf tournament, which was held on February 26 at Morris Park. There were over 40 tournament participants, according to Phillip Burton, co–founder of the memorial disc golf club. Using the motto “No whimps, no whiners,” the tournament is held each year regardless of the weather conditions.
The Ice Bowl is a national disc golf tournament typically held in winter months. Their goal is to raise local awareness of disc golf and funds for local of regional charities based on helping end food insecurity.
Burton and his wife and cofounder Rebecca Burton and club members presented the funds to Soup Opera staff on Monday.
The Seth Burton Memorial Disc Golf Club selected the Soup Opera the year of their first tournament and it stuck. Since then, they have raised an estimated $60,000 to $70,000 for the Soup Opera, Burton said.
“We just have a special place in our heart for the Soup Opera. They’re so grassroots and truly know the people,” Co–founder Rebecca Burton said.
Soup Opera Kitchen Coordinator Misty Tennant said the donation will be used to purchase food to be served and for items in the grocery bags that are sent on the fourth Friday of the month.
Pre COVID–19, the Soup Opera served between 100 and 120 people a day, Tennant said. They re–opened this week and have an average of 45 patrons, but Tennant expects numbers to increase.
“I think it’s awesome that the community steps up. If it wasn’t for the community, the Soup Opera would not be where it’s at today. They support us every year. In February, when this happens, our donations are down because everyone is recuperating from the holidays and what not,” Tennant said.
Heather Bonecutter, board member and disc golf club member, has been playing disc golf for around four years. She said it’s a great way to get exercise and have fun.
“It’s fun to come out, goof off with our friends and throw some plastic for a good cause…Disc golf for me is like free therapy. You just get out there and throw some stuff and then you feel better,” Bonecutter said.
Rebecca Burton agreed and added that getting to interact with people is the best part.
“What’s really fun is that you meet people that you would never meet. I mean, you meet people of all ages and backgrounds. It’s really a nice melting pot,” Burton said.
The Seth Burton Memorial Disc Golf Club has leagues of varying ages and genders, which meet weekly to practice at Morris Park. Anyone interested in participating can visit their Facebook here or just come out to a practice. Bonecutter said they rent out discs to those interested in pursuing the sport.
Donations for the Soup Opera are always welcome, Tennant said. You can donate food, hygiene products and clothing or your time. The Soup Opera is located at 425 Quincy St. It is open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on weekends.
Supreme 18 brings new challenge to Dynamic Discs Open | Gaz
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A new championship-level course debuted this year as part of the Dynamic Discs Open.
The Supreme 18 at Jones Park is replaces the previous Jones West, Jones East, and Jones Gold courses.
“Jones Gold — it’s a course, that has definitely had some history, dating back in Emporia as to when I’d been there, I think first time in mid 2000s, 2008, 2009,” said five-time world champion Paul McBeth in a video about the redesign. “But now 2021, I think it is small. I think that’s the biggest thing is where the talent level is now, a lot of the players can throw up and over the trees, not use the course the way that it was originally designed.”
Course designer Eric McCabe heard that concern and met it head on. He agreed with the need to improve and redesign the course after the 2021 DDO.
“We started after the tournament last year and looked at the course,” McCabe said. “We looked at the scores from everybody and decided, you know, if we want to do something next year big, and we’re hosting the world championships, we gotta get a course that’s a little bit more aggressive.”
The gears started turning and McCabe went to work laying out a few different designs. He presented them to Doug Bjerkaas and they discussed which one might work best for Jones Park.
“We ended up going with the one that we have now,” he said. “We started construction and putting in the new baskets around November.”
Supreme 18 brings a number of new challenges for some of the world’s best players, and McCabe said it was a collaborative effort with a number of different parties.
“This couldn’t have been done without a team here in Emporia,” he said. “Our DD crew, Doug Bjerkaas. Keith Krause, and a couple of others that have really helped out with the process. Obviously the city of Emporia, too, for helping out with some of the funding to put some benches in there.”
McCabe said benches may not seem like a big deal, but in the disc golfing world? They are almost a necessity.
“I’ve been playing golf here since the late 90s and I’ve always thought, ‘Why don’t we have benches at our courses?’” he said. “You know, every other course you travel to, that’s a good quality, high-rank course, has benches.”
McCabe said the city’s willingness to assist with the project shows how much it values what disc golf brings to the community.
The course itself is both aesthetically pleasing and a lot more challenging. A limestone island at Hole No. 1 was designed and built by Scott Tjachman. McCabe said Tjachman was able to build the island is a matter of days.
“It was pretty amazing how quickly he got that turned around and we absolutely love it,” he said.
Supreme 18 will again be the featured course during the PDGA World Championships in August, giving players at the DDO a chance to preview what they will be facing. So far, the new course has delivered on its promise to be a challenge.
“A hole one, for the FPO — the female pro open — there was only one birdie on hole one, and it’s pretty crazy. It’s a challenging island hole, which is kinda cool, but scores were all over the place for the women and and the men.”
Another challenge is Hole 16 which has a “pretty big par” for the men. Hole 10 only had one birdie. That honor went to Corey Ellis, a pro from West Virginia.
“A lot of that is the elements,” McCabe said. “A lot of that was the direction of the wind and how strong it was blowing, so that makes things a little bit more challenging when you’re out there trying to score.”
He said that can make it challenging when it comes to design, too, knowing that it can be windy one day and completely still the next.
“There’s a fine line between those two,” he said.
Perhaps the most exciting aspect of the course is that it’s actually two courses in one. Other than the Supreme 18, there is also the Supreme Short. That course is designed for the casual players who make use of the park most of the year.
“It starts at the same hole and the only difference is you don’t play that as an island,” McCabe said. “You can play the Supreme Short course and there will be a course map and tee signs out following the Dynamic Discs Open. You can go out there and kind of get an appreciation for the big, championship-level course, but not have to play it.”
Of course, you can play it if you want to.
“It’s a pretty good challenge,” he added.
From the PDGA: Emporia’s Morris discusses role as first female tournament director of DDO | Free
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Jackie Morris has joined a small, but powerful list.
As the tournament director of the Dynamic Discs Open, a 2022 Disc Golf Pro Tour event on the PDGA Elite Series, Morris is the fifth female TD of a PDGA Elite Series event or PDGA Major since at least 2000.
In 2003, Angie Martin served as TD of the Seneca Creek Soiree, a PDGA National Tour event. Teresa Bellinger served as TD of the Beaver State Fling from 2005-07. Rebecca Duffy and Jenny Knisley were the TDs of the United States Women’s Disc Golf Championship in 2013 and 2021, respectively.
Morris has risen through the ranks at Dynamic Discs, from working in the companies’ retail store in Emporia, Kansas to serving as volunteer coordinator for the 2016 PDGA Pro World Championships, as well as the Dynamic Discs Open.
She now serves as the Event Coordinator for Dynamic Discs and will serve as the Assistant Tournament Director with Doug Bjerkaas at the 2022 PDGA Professional Disc Golf World Championships later this year.
We caught up with Jackie this week to get to know her story and what it means to her to work as a tournament director:
PDGA: How were you introduced to disc golf?
JM: In June of 2015, I was going into my senior year finishing my degree at Emporia State University. One of my friends told me about a job opening at the Dynamic Discs Retail Store. Disc golf was something I knew nothing about, and I decided to apply anyway because why not! After two weeks of working at the pro shop, I had to try disc golf. One of my best friends (and our Graphic Designers) took me out to Jones West and taught me how to play. You know how this story goes; we all get hooked–and that is precisely what happened to me! I played the 10-hole loop at Jones West just about every night after work during the summer of ’15.
Tell us about the first event that you organized. What made you want to serve as a tournament director? What did you learn?
The first event I ever organized was a birthday party for a friend in high school, if you want to get specific. I’ve always loved planning events for others. It brings me joy to create joy for others.
The first event I helped organize parts for was the 2016 PDGA Professional World Championships. I managed all of the volunteers as the Volunteer Coordinator. That’s the first year I met Doug Bjerkaas and started helping him with events. After that, I was always helping with clinics and behind the scenes of our large events.
The first disc golf event I organized was the Emporia Ladies Open with Denise Cameron (PDGA #41459). Thinking about it gives me goosebumps because we are so passionate about the event, and I can’t believe this year will be the 4th year we run it. Of course, I learned from being in other roles, but I learned so much more being in the hot seat of a tournament director for ELO. I learned lists and timelines are your best friend. I learned it takes support from others. I learned you could not make everyone happy. And I learned you couldn’t do it alone.
One of the reasons I wanted to be a tournament director was so I could actively make a difference in the disc golf community. I attended some events I didn’t necessarily like how it was running and was concerned about inclusivity. So, instead of complaining about it and wishing it was different, I joined in. Also, it was important for me to create a safe space for women to get started playing disc golf if they wanted.
What should be the top priority for a TD? What is your ultimate goal as a TD?
Top priority – Remember the why and who you’re doing it.
My ultimate goal is to continue growing the sport among women.
What is one piece of advice for someone hosting their first event?
You cannot make everyone happy.
What is one thing TDs often overlook?
The simple things – having bathrooms, making sure there is water on the course, taking the time to mark OB lines, and thanking everyone who attends and helps.
What does it mean to you to be among a small group of female TDs at the Elite Series level?
Wow. I’m tearing up a little thinking about this. I’m passionate about women’s empowerment and finding them a seat at the table. It’s growing rapidly and I want to see women’s disc golf continue to grow. It’s an honor to be a part of that list.
How has women’s disc golf continued to grow? What does the disc golf community need to do to continue its growth?
The growth has been steady. We see more competitors every year. However, I think it will take having more women in disc golf roles, outside of playing, to continue the growth.
What is your advice to women looking to start a women’s league or tournament?
Just go do it. Get the ladies together. Be that voice. We sometimes wait for someone else to do it, but just go. If you’re the disc golfer in your community, start rallying the women together and try to grow it from there.
What makes the Dynamic Discs Open unique?
The city of Emporia. I haven’t been to many disc golf events outside of Kansas, so I am biased, but I think the city of Emporia is unique. It helps elevate the Dynamic Discs Open experience.
What is your favorite hole at the Dynamic Discs Open?
Oh, gosh. Hole 5 at Jones Supreme 18. Hole 9 at Jones West was one of my favorites, and I feel like the new hole 5 is the “pro” version of it…I mean technically it is the pro version.
What can fans expect from the 2022 Dynamic Discs Open?
LOTS OF DISC GOLF.
Nonprofit grants $125K to Preserve Hickory | Local News
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TRAVERSE CITY — More snow may hardly seem thrilling for anyone anxious about spring finally coming to Traverse City.
But Preserve Hickory President and co-founder Laura Ness is excited about a $125,000 grant from the Great Lakes Sports Commission that will help make even more of the frozen stuff for the ski hill, Hickory Hills. Along with $75,000 in funding from Preserve Hickory, the grant will buy additional snowmaking equipment, trail improvements and more.
“We’re really excited to partner with the Great Lakes Sports Commission on this next step for Hickory (Hills),” she said.
Grants like this are right in line with what the Great Lakes Sports Commission aims to achieve, nonprofit board Chairman Fritz Erickson said. The nonprofit, with locations in Marquette and Traverse City, looks to boost sports and recreation to drive economic development. It also aims to drive even more community support for sports and recreation.
Preserve Hickory raised more than $2.5 million for a $4 million-plus overhaul for the city-owned ski hill, with other grants and $1.5 million from a city parks improvement fund providing the rest, as previously reported.
That demonstration of local support for the park was one factor that made Preserve Hickory’s project stand out, Erickson said.
“We’re kind of big fans of different kinds of events that bring people in, particularly around youth,” he said. “We love to see how we can support activities that keep kids active and engaged and so forth, and so the ability to provide this kind of support really fulfills the mission that we have as a sports commission.”
Several parts of the first phase for Hickory Hills’ upgrade aimed squarely at kids, including a bunny hill and “magic carpet” lift to boost young learners uphill before they can handle the tow ropes elsewhere, as previously reported.
Next, Preserve Hickory wants to partner with the city to install lighting on roughly a half-mile of a Nordic cross-country skiing trail, plus other trail improvements to ready them for more high-level official racing events, Ness said.
Downhill racers won’t be left out, either, as part of the second phase will include improvements to the alpine race hill, Ness said. And Preserve Hickory and bicycling advocacy organization El Grupo Norte is partnering on a design for mountain biking trails there, although the development isn’t funded just yet.
It all builds on an effort to make Hickory Hills a four-seasons park, Ness said.
That includes disc golf course improvements and a new lodge available for event rentals — city commissioners in March approved a rental policy and updated fee list.
But the next grant- and Preserve Hickory donor-funded additions that should get underway in the summer aren’t the last step, Ness said. More warm-weather activities are possible, and the grant will help pay for feasibility studies to see which ones will work at the park. A 2014 plan identified some potentials but wasn’t the final word on which ones will be there.
Erickson said he and several board members will tour the hill Thursday to see firsthand the home of what he thinks is a “really cool project.”
“I think most of the board members felt the same way, because what it does is really provides, I think, an exciting set of opportunities for people in the community to be able to really enjoy the outdoors, to be engaged, to promote a variety of events and activities,” he said.
The park sits northwest of city limits at the end of Randolph Street, between Hickory Meadows downhill and the soon-to-be-public Hickory Forest uphill, as previously reported.
McCabe to be inducted into Kansas Flying Disc Association Hall of Fame | Free
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Emporia’s own Eric McCabe will be inducted into the Kansas Flying Disc Association Hall of Fame this week.
McCabe is one of seven members of the Hall of Fame’s inaugural class. According to a written release from the KFDA, McCabe is a “highly decorated player who won the 2010 World Championships in Disc Golf. Beyond his 86 total Professional Disc Golf Association career victories on tour, McCabe is an acclaimed course designer, team manager for Dynamic Discs, founder of the Glass Blown Open and a tireless volunteer for the sport.”
Kansas has a storied history of flying disc (Frisbee) sports dating back to the late 1960s and early 1970s. Players from every corner of the state organized clubs, produced newsletters and held tournaments throughout the region at that time. These early pioneers set the foundation for the sport to flourish and grow statewide.
Mirroring the explosive national growth of disc golf, there are currently over 250 disc golf courses in Kansas, and Emporia is widely known as the “Disc Golf Capital of the World.” Fools Fest, an annual Ultimate Tournament held at the University of Kansas, is the 13th oldest Frisbee competition in the world.
As flying disc sports have matured over the decades to the national and world stages, flying disc athletes and teams from Kansas have made their mark, both in competition and in creating and supporting a structure to expand the sport.
“We have an amazing history here in the State of Kansas that needs to be celebrated and told,” said Rich Smith, KFDA’s president and president-emeritus at Henderson Engineers. “The individuals in our inaugural Hall of Fame class have not only achieved great results on the playing field, they have also dedicated their time and talent to impact many others to help grow the sport here in the Sunflower State.”
The other members of the first class of the Kansas Flying Disc Hall of Fame include:
- Bill Paulson: A longtime resident of the Wichita and Valley Center area, Paulson first started playing “Frisbee” in 1978 at Pittsburgh State University and hasn’t stopped since. He is an all-around state champion, a world’s top 10 finisher, a charter member of the Kansas Disc Golf Association and the Air Capital Disc Golf Club, a cofounder of the Kansas Disc Sports Scholarship Foundation and a state historian of the sport.
- Dennis Vahsholtz: rom Herington, Vahsholtz started his involvement in Flying Disc Sports in the early 1980s. What followed is a lifelong passion, a successful disc golf business and multiple wins and top 10 finishes at the state, national and global levels. He was also the tournament director for the Discs Unlimited Open for 35 years.
- Hal Kurz: From Overland Park, Kurz is an accomplished player and freestyler who won multiple national championships as part of the Bud Light Frisbee Team. He is a past President of the Kansas City Flying Disc Club and has served as a longtime ambassador of the sport locally and nationally.
- Pete Cashen: Currently living in Kansas City, Kan., Cashen started playing Freestyle and Ultimate in the late 70s. He grew to be a force and influence in disc golf locally and nationally both as a player and ambassador of the sport. He has influenced countless people through giving back to the community, especially at Rosedale Park in Kansas City, one of the oldest disc golf courses in Kansas.
- Tavish Carduff: A native of Prairie Village, Carduff was exposed to the sport by her father and friends in the late 1970s. She went on to win the World Championship in 2018, a highlight among many other titles. She has volunteered with the Kansas City Disc Golf Club, the Kansas City Wide Open and the Kansas City Disc Golf Day.
- KU/HorrorZontals/Bettys: The longest standing single name Frisbee club in the State of Kansas. Launched in 1977 as the KU (University of Kansas) Frisbee Club, the organization quickly transitioned to becoming the HorrorZontals (Men) and Betty’s (women) Ultimate teams in the late 1970s and early 1980s. More than 1,000 University of Kansas students have been active members throughout its 40-plus-year history. The club’s many successes include a national championship for the Betty’s as well as Fools Fest, an annual Ultimate Tournament held in April. The tournament is the 13th longest-running Frisbee event of any kind in the world and it attracts top teams from across the United States.
The event, scheduled for 5 p.m. April 28 at the Emporia Country Club, will be held in conjunction with the Dynamic Discs Open, a top destination on the National Disc Golf Pro Tour.