This is the where I will start planning my race for At-Large seat on AGA board of directors.
First, I would like to introduce myself. I am Daniel Short, 3-dan AGA, living in Maryland. I was brought to go by Empty Sky Go Club in Rochester, NY in Spring 2004. At that time, I met Greg Lefler, and I must say that my passion for go started right there. Just because I met Greg, I am able to grow into a decent go player, and continue to enjoy go as it is. I am deaf, and I must say that Greg's passion was so great that it transcended that barrier. He, along with Empty Sky Go Club, showed me how to love go as it is. Between 2004 and now, I kept that passion, and kept playing, meeting many people over the years. I look back, and I am amazed by how many people I have met, and all of them carry some kind of passion for go. The love of the game is what I wish to spread in USA...and if possible, world!
Before saying my vision, my plan for AGA, I would like to say that I am placing a huge amount of emphasis on communication. After all, how we can further the flames to our passion if we do not talk? I want you to talk to each other, find ways to "plus" the experience for everyone involved. I want you talk to me so I can know exactly what we need to do to improve our love for the game.
In short, I am running for an At-large seat for AGA board of directors, and I want to allow everyone to talk to me.
My platform can be put simply as this:
I am deaf, but I listen.
But details? That comes from listening part. I want to hear from all of you. I want to learn what AGA can do for you.
Now, my vision...
1. Promote go in USA much as possible. Create a community where people who love go share their passion with others. Also, make it possible such that passion for go spreads to people who do not play go.
2. Open up to clubs. Encourage feedbacks from clubs. Listen to clubs, and find ways to make things happen for clubs so we can grow as whole.
3. Create ride/host board so go players can go to tournaments far from home.
4. Find ways to introduce new players to go. Encourage schools to open go clubs. Encourage people to reach out to others, and pull people into go.
5. Host different sort of tournaments such as USA vs Canada, North America vs Europe, or maybe even USA vs Japan online. Nothing like a little competition to bring people together, allow people to meet each other.
With above, you can see that my vision is to develop a community that people can get together and enjoy a wonderful game of go.
Any feedback is greatly appreciated, I want to hear from you, and learn about what you want to see from AGA. You can drop a comment here. You can talk to me on KGS with my alias, FlameBlade. You can drop me an e-mail at flameblade42 at gmail.com. Ask me questions, and I will answer them here with a new post.
1 comment:
Okay Dan, I knew Greg Lefler (briefly via talks at the '04 Congress, as well as some of the rest of the crew, they did a super job and he could have been a real asset to the AGA, not to mention things that really matter. Your opponents for At Large Director are no Greg Lefler. Your position statement is the only one that does not seem self-congratulatory, motivated by power, vengeance, ego, ...
One opponent has had his head handed to him but refuses to die. The other is locked in mortal combat with him, displays no record of service to Go or the AGA and a platform of generalities lacking any indication of how to accomplish anything.
Far better to elect a person who is deaf but knows how to listen, than one who is not even aware of being deaf or does not care about it and who only listens to what they want to hear. I think your statement is the most convincing. Perhaps we could elect an At Large Director who can hear. My gambling is restricted to investments, I prefer a sure thing or at least a fair game and try like hell to avoid a long shot unless my gut convinces me otherwise. You are a long shot, but there is nothing to lose. Good luck. You'll know me if we ever meet.
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