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           U L T I M A T E   H A P P E N I N G S           
               Issue 275 - September 4, 2003                

******************* 2402 players served ********************

      OCUA - The largest ultimate league in the world!
            (328 teams and 3800 members in 2002)

                    http://www.ocua.ca/

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           ~~~ OCUA ELECTION CANDIDATE BIOS ~~~    
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OPEN ELECTION CANDIDATES
Voting members will be selecting TWO candidates from the 
list below (3 Candidates in the OPEN  Election )


Cory Bowditch

What do I do for a living?  I build computer networks and 
write software to support those networks.  But that's just 
what I do to fill in the time between games.

How have I been involved with OCUA?  I've played 2 to 3 
times a week, Summer and Fall, for eight years.  I've done 
the score and time keeping, and numerous other duties, at 
the Co- ed Jamboree this year, the past two Nationals held 
in Ottawa and No Borders since 2000.  I've been Tournament 
Director for the Summer League Finals for the past four 
years.  And I’ve been a member of the OCUA Board of 
Directors on an interim basis for the past three months.

There are two primary issues that I see facing OCUA in the 
immediate future.  First, and foremost is securing more 
field space to allow us to grow.  Second, is improving the 
level of service to our membership.

In order to secure more fields, we must gain the support of 
City Council.  I believe that there are two ways to gain 
that support.  We must raise the association's profile in 
the community through continued support of charitable 
organizations.  Also, it has been made clear that sports 
with a significant youth component get more support.  As 
such, I think OCUA should be doing everything it can to 
expand the Children’s League beyond the children of our 
membership to the community at large and to further efforts 
to aid school boards in starting a High School intramural 
program.

Since OCUA’s growth is in a forced plateau due to the field 
issues, I believe that this time should also be spent 
improving those aspects of the association’s services that 
are most visible to our members.  I would see the 
communications efforts initiated by the current Board or 
Directors continued.  I think they have been doing a 
wonderful job.  I would also like to see better lead time in 
the scheduling of games.  Better coordination of tournaments 
such that all OCUA-sanctioned events provide the level of 
service our members have come to expect.


Lee Donovan

BIO:
I have been playing Ultimate in Ottawa since 1988.  For many 
years I was coach and captain of a traveling competitive 
team (Roadkill/Sphinxter Wax).  Lately, I have been a 
captain of a lower tier team that always brings in new 
players, teaching them the rules and SOTG which we have won 
numerous times.  It is in this capacity that I believe keeps 
me in touch with the heartbeat of this league (as opposed to 
playing solely in the upper tiers).   Currently I play for 
the Huckin Hores (mon tier 8) and the Loons (wed tier 3).   
I have also spent a great deal of time volunteering helping 
out at local tournaments and as a member of the web team.

Justification for election to the BOD:
PRO:
I am outspoken, opinionated and not afraid to say what I 
think.  But I am flexible, willing to listen to opposing 
views and change my mind if justifiable.
CON:
I am outspoken, opinionated and not afraid to say what I 
think.

Election Platform:
1. Communication with OCUA members.
a. Publish BOD meeting minutes on web page.
b. Publish main goals and accomplishments of BOD.
c. Publish goals/accomplishments for each BOD member (Thus 
   allowing more intelligent choices for OCUA members)
d. Have place on web for comments/questions for the BOD.
e. Publish how individual BOD members vote on issues. (again 
   allowing more intelligent choices for OCUA members)
2. Fiscal responsibility and reporting to OCUA members.
3. Responsible growth of OCUA.
4. Pressure city councillors (in a mature professional way) 
   to come through on promises of replacement fields for the 
   sod farm.
5. Establish a budget and schedule to maintain UPI (MHJ want 
   a job?)
a. hire part-time students for grunt work.
b. Single point of contact for all things UPI.
6. Develop a fair and reasonable way to handle contraction 
   if needed.


Ken Lange

 OCUA Involvement 
  President (Sep. 2000-present) 
  OCUA Board of Directors (Sept. 1998-present) 
  UP Inc. Board of Directors (1997-present) 
  OCUA Structure Committee (1998) 
  OCUA Share Sales Committee (1997) 
  OCUA Webmaster/Web Team Leader (1997-1999) 
  13th Canadian Nationals Organizing Committee (1999) 
  16th Canadian Nationals Volunteer (2002) 
  No Borders Tournament Volunteer (1999-present) 
  Spring Tuneup Tournament Co-Director, (1997-1999) 

 Teams: 
  Dick & Jane Layout, Wed 5/2 (1995-present), Outlaws, 
  Mon/Tue 4/3 (1996-1997), Girlie Drink Drunks, Mon 43 (1997-
  2000), Sweet Daddy Whup Ass, Mon 43 (2001-present), Voodoo 
  Lovedolls, open competitive (1997- 1999),Curse, open 
  competitive (2000-2001), Phoenix, open competitive (2002), 
  Smell My Mule, masters competitive (2003) 

 OCUA Vision 
As a member of the Board of Directors, and as President, I 
have always been committed to trying to improve how OCUA 
functions as an organization, and  that remains my focus. 
Although progress has been slower than I would have liked, I 
believe that we are now turning a corner to be a much 
stronger, more effective organization. We have a paid 
general manager in place, which has been a phenomenal help, 
but having that position has also exposed other weaknesses 
in our organization and it's structure. We have great people 
working for us, but we need to reevaluate how all the pieces 
fit together and make changes so that they can be more 
effective, and so that the whole experience of working for 
the organization can be more rewarding. This year's board 
started that process, and I am committed to seeing that 
through, as so many of our problems are compounded by this 
less than optimal organization. 

There are of course, other major issues to address. We've 
significantly improved our financial management, but we 
still have substantial improvements to make. Our 
communications, while improved in many ways, still needs to 
be better, particularly in terms of communications with 
members. Field issues continue to be paramount, as I'm sure 
you know. And despite years of experience to draw on, summer 
league did not run very smoothly this year, something I 
don't want to see happen again. 

These are all issues that need to be addressed in order for 
us to move forward, while still maintaining a solid grasp on 
the fundamental principles and mores inherent in our sport. 
This is what I've always tried to exemplify in my service to 
date. I try to combine sound judgement with a willingness to 
listen to opposing views in order to reach fair and 
reasonable decisions. I have always been open to discussion, 
and encouraged member feedback. I would appreciate the 
opportunity to continue to bring that to the table along 
with my years of experience, in order to help see through 
what we have started. 

Thanks, and please encourage your team to seriously consider 
all the candidates,  and to vote responsibly.  This is YOUR 
organization, and it is what YOU make it. 

Cheers! 
Ken



COMMITTEE-NOMINATED CANDIDATES
Voting members will ratify by YES/NO each of the following 
TWO candidates. 


Gavin Lumsden 

Born in Toronto, I was raised in Ottawa where I have been 
active in the community for many years. In 2003, I joined 
OCUA as a member of the oft-relegated team Disc-figured.

I attended York U, where I earned a degree in political 
science, and was a member of the varsity rugby team, while 
editing the student newspaper.  Returning to Ottawa in 1993, 
I took a take a position with Rogers Television.  In 1997, I 
received a national television award, the Omer Girard Award, 
for outstanding innovation in programming. Within three 
years of arriving at Rogers, I was promoted to the position 
of Production Co-ordinator and later Executive Producer, the 
position I currently hold. Over the years I  have been 
instrumental in the development of key strategic 
partnerships between Rogers Television and dozens of local 
organizations, increasing the station's profile in the 
community. I  have also successfully generated over one 
million dollars worth of cash and contract sponsorships 
since 1998. 

In my spare time (!) , I am an avid runner, squash player 
and softball enthusiast. Though nagging injuries kept me 
from all but four contests, I  have definitely caught the 
Ultimate bug, and have been an enthusiastic supporter of the 
organization, ensuring coverage of the League finals on 
Rogers Television, and providing strategic suggestions to 
the Communications and Marketing team. 

I am an active volunteer, serving on the Ottawa Hospital's 
Communications and Marketing Committee and HOPE Volleyball 
Beachfest' franchising committee. 

I am anxious to bring my enthusiasm, creativity and 
extensive contact list to the board of OCUA as the 
organization enters an exciting phase in its development. 

Gavin Lumsden


Jennifer Wilkie 

I would like to volunteer my skills and expertise to be on 
the OCUA Board of Directors so that I may give something 
back to the ultimate community that has had such a strong 
impact on me since moving to Ottawa in the mid 1990's.

As an OCUA member for the past 8 years, I have met, know and 
respect a vast amount of Ottawa Ultimate players.  I have 
also captained many teams including taking a team in the 
1998 Nationals in Montreal.

Due to the Ottawa ultimate league growing in leaps and 
bounds over the past several years, I believe it is now more 
important than ever for the Board of Directors and other 
organizers of the sport to be in a strong position to deal 
with the City of Ottawa and to help the league develop and 
expand and become a major partner in the community and 
especially to deal with the impending field shortage issues.

As a lawyer and a partner in a large law firm in Ottawa, I 
feel that I have strong skills that would assist and benefit 
OCUA and therefore I would welcome the chance to be a part 
of their initiative.  My legal background is patent law, and 
my legal skills involve reviewing all types of papers, 
contracts, agreements and documents and being able to  
effectively communicate in a large variety of legal 
contexts.

I hope you will consider my application for the Board of 
Directors.

Jennifer Wilkie


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