{"id":515,"date":"2016-11-27T14:18:39","date_gmt":"2016-11-27T19:18:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.usbef.org\/?page_id=515"},"modified":"2020-07-28T19:47:11","modified_gmt":"2020-07-28T23:47:11","slug":"2016-11-usbef-newsletter-28","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.usbef.org\/index.php\/news\/2016-11-usbef-newsletter-28\/","title":{"rendered":"2016-11 Ed. 28"},"content":{"rendered":"<ul>\n<li class=\"null\"><a href=\"#INAUGURALMASTERS\">INAUGURAL AMERICAS MASTERS GAMES A BIG HIT!<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"null\"><a href=\"#WITTE\">FAREWELL TO DICK WITTE<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"null\"><a href=\"#WHATBIRD\">WHAT KIND OF BIRD IS THIS?<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"null\"><a href=\"#BEREKNYEI\">PLAYERS MOURN PASSING OF IMRE BEREKNYEI<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"null\"><a href=\"#THAILAND\">UMPIRING AT THE 2016 THAILAND OPEN<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"null\"><a href=\"#BIDDINGADIEU\">BIDDING ADIEU TO PLAYING&#8211;BUT NOT WATCHING!<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"null\"><a href=\"#GROWING\">GROWING RESPONSE\u2026<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"null\"><a href=\"#USBEF\">WHAT IS THE USBEF?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div>\n<p><a name=\"INAUGURALMASTERS\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"null\"><strong>INAUGURAL AMERICAS MASTERS GAMES A BIG HIT!<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>By Mary Ann Bowles<\/p>\n<p>Wait a minute!\u00a0 The inaugural Americas Masters Games were held in Vancouver at summer\u2019s end, and the badminton event provided matches involving Canada\u2019s Olympian Anna Rice and Indonesia\/USA\u2019s Olympic and World Champion Tony Gunawan.\u00a0 Besides those amazing athletes, there were 237 participants from 15 countries on court for 8 days of team and individual competition.\u00a0 Not a bad way to spend a summer week in one of the most spectacular cities in Canada!<\/p>\n<p>The first edition of the Americas Masters Games was an extension of the existing World Masters Games for whom some badminton players are well acquainted, having participated in many of these quadrennial sports competitions in the past.\u00a0 The European Masters Games have been ongoing in Europe for a little more than a decade, and now the multi-sport Games have come to the Americas.\u00a0 For athletes over 30, the Games in Vancouver consisted of 20 sports from archery to badminton to basketball to soccer to swimming to tennis and volleyball among others.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/gallery.mailchimp.com\/4bb6dd6ca84ecd588e2ed928b\/images\/a630a690-af06-4aa6-9751-b0a6a6f97403.jpg\" data-cke-saved-src=\"https:\/\/gallery.mailchimp.com\/4bb6dd6ca84ecd588e2ed928b\/images\/a630a690-af06-4aa6-9751-b0a6a6f97403.jpg\" \/><br \/>\nThe venue for the badminton competition was the Vancouver Convention Centre West, located downtown on the bay with commanding views of the Canadian Rockies north of Vancouver.\u00a0 Twelve courts had been set up on the ground floor, sport court surface with the portable mat courts atop. Dark blue pipe and drape surrounded the courts, so visibility was fairly good for the most part.\u00a0 The first two days of competition comprised the team event with 25 teams in age groups from 30 to 65.\u00a0 A team needed to have a minimum of 3 male and 3 female players, and the teams in each age group played the other teams in their group during the two days in a tie (a tie was either 4 or 5 matches per team competition including men\u2019s doubles, women\u2019s doubles, and mixed doubles).<\/p>\n<p>U.S. players competing on teams included Tony Gunawan playing on the MUSICA Team Best in the Team Event 30+.\u00a0 His team included 7 Indonesians and Canadians, and they took the gold in their age group. In the Team Event 45+, the Game of Birds team took 4th place with U.S. team member Garth D\u2019Abreu on that team.\u00a0 The CaliOhio team played in the Team Event 55+, and that team (taking fourth in their age group) included U.S. players Yoon Liang Goh, McKinley Tac Vuong, Steven Ye, John Yong, Kit Chiu, Cindy Guan, and Wai Lun from California and Ohio.<\/p>\n<p>Team Event 65+ included three teams with U.S. players on them.\u00a0 The Young Ones, including Ike Abassi, Mary Blandino, Sheena Fischer, Connie Lee, and Rose Suprenant, took fourth in their age group.\u00a0 The Aussie Flypower, winning a bronze medal, included Americans Liz Parker and Beth Sopka.\u00a0 And the gold medal winners, Team Tenacity, included David Carton, Mary Ann Bowles, and Andrea Weiss along with five Canadians.<\/p>\n<p>Presentation of team medals was scheduled at the end of the second day of team play.\u00a0 On hand for medal presentations were famed former Canadian champions and the CEO of the Badminton World Federation, Paul Erik Hoyer Larsen.\u00a0 What a thrill for all the players to have him on hand, and for this writer a special treat because I had seen him win the gold in the Atlanta Olympics twenty years ago in 1996 as a linejudge!<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/gallery.mailchimp.com\/4bb6dd6ca84ecd588e2ed928b\/images\/8a677c8b-e5cf-4860-892b-524a4b5023c6.jpg\" data-cke-saved-src=\"https:\/\/gallery.mailchimp.com\/4bb6dd6ca84ecd588e2ed928b\/images\/8a677c8b-e5cf-4860-892b-524a4b5023c6.jpg\" \/><br \/>\nFollowing the team event, individual events were held for 6 days in age groups 35 through 75.\u00a0 The U.S. had 11 women and 13 men participating in these events.\u00a0 Kudos to the female medal winners including:<\/p>\n<p>Connie Lee \u2013 1 gold (75XD with Anthony Fong [ AUS]), and 1 bronze (70WD with Pat Davison [CAN])<br \/>\nMary Ann Bowles \u2013 2 silver (60XD with William Metcalfe [CAN], and 65WD with Andrea Weiss [USA])<br \/>\nAndrea Weiss \u2013 2 silver (65WS, and 65WD with Mary Ann Bowles [USA])<br \/>\nHelen Roome \u2013 1 silver (55XD with Geoff Stensland [USA], and 1 bronze (55WD with Nivedita Chitale [AUS])<br \/>\nMary Blandino \u2013 1 silver (70WD with Jenny Goodwyn [AUS])<br \/>\nCindy Guan \u2013 1 bronze (60WD with Susan Smith [AUS])<br \/>\nBeth Sopka \u2013 1 bronze (65WS)<\/p>\n<p>Other U.S. players included Kit Chiu, Sheena Fischer, Liz Parker, and Sandra Matthieu.<\/p>\n<p>Male medal winners included:<\/p>\n<p>Tony Gunawan \u2013 2 golds (35 and 40MD with Effendy Widjaja [INA])<br \/>\nYoon Liang Goh \u2013 1 gold (55MS)<br \/>\nGeoff Stensland \u2013 3 silver (50MD with Reed Sumida [CAN]; 55MD with Marc Petreman [CAN]; and 55XD with Helen Roome [USA])<br \/>\nGarth D\u2019Abreu \u2013 1 silver (50XD with Virginia Chariandy Balwant [TRI]) and 1 bronze (45MD with Ian Assing [CAN])<br \/>\nRoberto Lee \u2013 1 silver (75MD with Soi Wah Lum [SIN]), and 1 bronze [75XD with Sandra Matthieu [USA])<br \/>\nIke Abassi \u2013 3 bronze (70MS; 70MD with Ron Jordan [CAN]; and 70XD with Mary Blandino [USA])<br \/>\nDavid Carton \u2013 1 bronze (65MS)<\/p>\n<p>Other U.S. players included Chee Kong Lai, Wai Hing Lun, Wee Tam, McKinley Tac Vuong, Steven Ye, and John Yong.<\/p>\n<p>Similar to the Olympics, the Americas Masters Games scheduled Opening Ceremonies and an Athlete\u2019s March to open the Games, and Closing Ceremonies at the end of the competition.\u00a0 A Celebration Site downtown on the waterfront by the convention centre featured free daily and nightly events for all ages.\u00a0 Stunning medals for the top three athletes or teams in each event were presented following competitions, and local volunteers showered the athletes and their families and friends with wonderful Canadian hospitality.<\/p>\n<p>Congratulations to all the badminton participants and medal winners.\u00a0 A big thank you to the city of Vancouver for wonderful summer weather, some even called it \u201chot!\u201d\u00a0 Kudos to all the sponsors who supported the Games, and made the week a most memorable one.\u00a0 It was a week of great badminton play, renewal of friendships, and new ones made.\u00a0 Stay tuned for another Americas Masters Games in the future!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<div>\n<p><a name=\"WITTE\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"null\"><strong>FAREWELL TO DICK WITTE<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>By Mary Ann Bowles<\/p>\n<p>Dick Witte, longtime badminton champion and legend in the U.S. and Canada, passed away on October 10, 2016, in St. Louis, Missouri, at 91.\u00a0 A memorial service was held on October 27 at St. Clement of Rome Catholic Church.<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/gallery.mailchimp.com\/4bb6dd6ca84ecd588e2ed928b\/images\/c32db194-78d4-4181-8c50-0bb02b5170bc.jpg\" width=\"253\" height=\"315\" align=\"right\" data-cke-saved-src=\"https:\/\/gallery.mailchimp.com\/4bb6dd6ca84ecd588e2ed928b\/images\/c32db194-78d4-4181-8c50-0bb02b5170bc.jpg\" \/><br \/>\nDick began his badminton career in 1938 when he was 13.\u00a0 He was a long-time member of the St. Louis Badminton Club where he honed his skills with other local players Harold Thomas, Ted Moehlmann, Wes Finke, Ed McSweeney, and Ernie Trova.\u00a0\u00a0 He won his first senior national Men\u2019s Doubles title in 1976 when he won the 50MD title with Harold Thomas.\u00a0 He went on to win thirty national Men\u2019s Doubles titles in the U.S. with partners Thomas, Tom Carmody, Ed McSweeney, Hank Andersohn, Jack Harvey, Ted Moehlmann, and James Bosco.<\/p>\n<p>Dick won his first senior national Mixed Doubles title in 1979 with Kelly Tibbetts, winning 50XD.\u00a0 He went on to win ten more titles with partners Tibbetts, Lee Calvert, Virginia Smith, Joyce Jones, and Glafyra Ennis.\u00a0 Witte was also a regular at the annual Canadian Masters tournament, and he bagged many a medal there in 34 years of attendance.<\/p>\n<p>Every player who knew Dick has special memories of him.\u00a0 Mine include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Wing span on court\u2014he was tall and could reach anything!<\/li>\n<li>Great server\u2014his flick serve was always spot on!<\/li>\n<li>Love of the game and always fair with line calls<\/li>\n<li>Great sense of humor\u2014his comic skits at tournament dinners were hilarious!<\/li>\n<li>Generous with his coaching advice for beginners, or anyone<\/li>\n<li>Generous with his compliments when a player showed improvement<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>When I first arrived in St. Louis in 1977, Dick and Harold Thomas were just beginning to win national titles.\u00a0 That was quite an inspiration for me!\u00a0 Then fifteen years later when I started playing in senior national tournaments, there he was, still winning national titles.\u00a0 He used to joke with me that if I started winning more medals at tournaments than he did, he would have to consider retirement.\u00a0 That comment inspired me even more!<\/p>\n<p>When I was Secretary of the Midwest Badminton Association and editing the Flick newsletter, I was looking for article donations.\u00a0 Dick offered to write an article or two, but he was a great cartoon artist, and he contributed badminton cartoons for about five years for that newsletter.\u00a0 Everyone enjoyed those silly cartoons and badminton inventions he came up with!<\/p>\n<p>When my husband and I hosted the 1994 Olympic Festival in St. Louis, Dick was one of the volunteers who umpired for us over a week of the worst heat and humidity in a July summer we had in many years.\u00a0 And when I took the office of Secretary of the U.S. Badminton Education Foundation, who should be on the board contributing his ideas on raising funds but Dick Witte!\u00a0 His footprints were big, and they will be hard to fill.\u00a0 Dick\u2019s family encouraged mourners to support the charity of their choice, and if you feel the USBEF could be that choice, donations can be made in memory of Dick Witte to the USBEF at the address below:<\/p>\n<p>Beth Sopka, Treasurer<br \/>\nUnited States Badminton Education Foundation<br \/>\n519 Harrison Ave, Unit D419<br \/>\nBoston, MA 02118<\/p>\n<p>Thanks, Dick, for making us laugh, and showing us how to enjoy this sport for which you had such a passion.\u00a0 Thanks for all the humor you shared with us\u2014all the cartoons you drew, all the jokes you told.\u00a0 If a player was having a bad day on court, Dick would often say, \u201cMaybe you should think of taking up Parcheesi?\u201d\u00a0 That was the Dick Witte we\u2019ll all miss.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<div>\n<p><a name=\"WHATBIRD\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><strong>WHAT KIND OF BIRD IS THIS?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.usbef.org\/?attachment_id=517\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-517\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-517\" src=\"http:\/\/www.usbef.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/20160423_093156-640x439-300x206.jpg\" alt=\"What kind of bird is this\" width=\"310\" height=\"213\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.usbef.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/20160423_093156-640x439-300x206.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.usbef.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/20160423_093156-640x439-600x412.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.usbef.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/20160423_093156-640x439.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 310px) 100vw, 310px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The pictured \u201cbird\u201d was given to Dick Witte on his 80<sup>th<\/sup> birthday, made by a friend.\u00a0 It was located in a flowerbed at Dick\u2019s home where this photo was taken.\u00a0 This past summer, the whimsical \u201cbird\u201d was given to another badminton fanatic, and is now located in Miramiquoa Park outside Sullivan, Missouri, (just outside St. Louis) in a small copse of trees.\u00a0 In the evenings it\u2019s a great backdrop for the parade of deer that eat the new owner\u2019s grass.\u00a0 Dick would love it!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<div>\n<p><a name=\"BEREKNYEI\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><strong>PLAYERS MOURN PASSING OF IMRE BEREKNYEI<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.usbef.org\/?attachment_id=518\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-518\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-518 alignright\" src=\"http:\/\/www.usbef.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/268234_2057958161083_719692_n.jpg\" alt=\"Imre Bereknyei\" width=\"160\" height=\"160\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.usbef.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/268234_2057958161083_719692_n.jpg 160w, https:\/\/www.usbef.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/268234_2057958161083_719692_n-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.usbef.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/268234_2057958161083_719692_n-144x144.jpg 144w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Top master Californian player Imre Bereknyei passed away on July 8, 2016.\u00a0 Imre won many medals over his long playing career, and he was a pleasure to watch on court.\u00a0 A Celebration of Life was held Saturday, November 12, 2016, in Orinda, CA.<\/p>\n<p>He was a legend and will be missed.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<div>\n<p><a name=\"THAILAND\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"null\"><strong>UMPIRING AT THE 2016 THAILAND OPEN<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>By David Carton<\/p>\n<p>The \u00a0USA Badminton COAG or Court Officials Advisory Group has been interested in developing umpire exchange programs with different countries that have similar tournament levels for some time, and had developed regular exchanges with Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Canada. We have desired to establish exchanges with our Asian and Oceanic neighbors,\u00a0 and occasionally have experienced those. This year we received positive news from Thailand and so elected to start an exchange of officials which we hop<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/gallery.mailchimp.com\/4bb6dd6ca84ecd588e2ed928b\/images\/dff0d109-d576-4914-af6e-2aef99f61b4b.jpg\" width=\"389\" height=\"251\" align=\"center\" data-cke-saved-src=\"https:\/\/gallery.mailchimp.com\/4bb6dd6ca84ecd588e2ed928b\/images\/dff0d109-d576-4914-af6e-2aef99f61b4b.jpg\" \/>e will be rewarding and long lasting. I was the lucky one selected by COAG this year to start the exchange and am honored and humbled by the choice.<\/p>\n<p>After the appointment was made at the beginning of the year, and contact was made with the Thai badminton group which included Paisan Rangsikitpho who was to be the 2016 Thailand Open tournament director, I went about determining what a reasonable cost for the flight would be. Surprisingly I found a flight on May 31 for the flight in early October for a cost of around $900 and booked it!<\/p>\n<p>As time passed, I had multiple communications with the tournament director regarding pick-up from the airport, whether tournament shirts would be provided for the umpires, and other assorted details that needed answering prior to getting on the plane. Eventually time passed, and it was time to board the plane on Thursday evening at 7:30 PM September 29. After several transfers, one in San Francisco and another in Taipei, we (my wife accompanied me on the trip) arrived around 11:30 AM October 1. My ticket says that the travel time was 18 hours and 35 minutes with 7 hours and 15 minutes of layover time, but it seemed like more. We wandered a bit through the airport after passing through customs and found our airport pickup coordinator who promptly arranged a driver to take us to the tournament hotel. Another 45 minutes and we were checking in at the Siam@Siam hotel in downtown Bangkok. We thought about checking out the hotel and surrounding area but sleep overtook us and we slept until early the next morning.<\/p>\n<p>Sunday morning, October 2, we enjoyed the breakfast buffet and then walked down the street to find a Tesco Lotus shopping center which was a multi-story building filled with all sorts of eateries and shops of every kind. Following this, we went back toward the hotel and then across the street found the venue for the tournament which was being held at Nimibutr Stadium, a facility similar to the Honda Center in Orange County where the 2005 World Championships were held. To say that it was nice to have the site of the tournament across the street from the hotel is quite an understatement. They had just begun the set-up for the event so after meeting some of the organizing staff members we went back to the hotel to continue acclimating for the jet-lag.<\/p>\n<p>Monday morning, October 3, my wife and I took the skytrain which had a station close to the hotel, traveled across town to where it intersected with the Chao Phray River, and then took a boat upstream where we disembarked to start a tour of the Grand Palace. Stunning and <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/gallery.mailchimp.com\/4bb6dd6ca84ecd588e2ed928b\/images\/0cd6f6cd-7b51-4d5e-8d34-0f04d3d17077.jpg\" width=\"320\" height=\"207\" align=\"right\" data-cke-saved-src=\"https:\/\/gallery.mailchimp.com\/4bb6dd6ca84ecd588e2ed928b\/images\/0cd6f6cd-7b51-4d5e-8d34-0f04d3d17077.jpg\" \/>marvelous are a few of the adjectives one could use to describe this area. If it hadn\u2019t been for the heat of the day, we would have liked to stay longer, but after a number of hours we decided to retrace our journey and ended up back at the hotel where I prepared for the umpire briefing to be held that evening. Here I met with all the other 16 umpires, referees, and Paisan and learned what to expect over the coming week.<\/p>\n<p>Tuesday morning we arrived at the hall at 8 AM with matches to start at 9. There was no briefing today as the evening session the previous day was enough information. We were divided into groups of four by the referees and worked the entire day as two on followed by two off, so we worked with the same person on the same court. Food was brought in for lunch and dinner and consisted of rice or noodles with either vegetables or meat and some with spice and some without. The food throughout the event was tasty and more than adequate.\u00a0 As chance would have it I had the dubious honor of umpiring the last match of the day which ended at 12:30 AM.<\/p>\n<p>Wednesday morning arrived early after the late night with matches again starting at 9 and the briefing at 8:15. The primary comment by the referees this morning was that it was taking too long to start the matches after doing the toss. They wanted &#8220;Love all play&#8221; to be said no more than two minutes after the toss. Of course this led to adjustments in time allowed to the players to warm up basically giving them not much more than a minute as it always takes time after they finish their hitting to get ready to serve. If this is what the referees wanted, this is what they got. Play ended this evening a bit earlier with the last match ending around 11:30 PM.<\/p>\n<p>Thursday we had our first late day with a 3 PM start. The local umpire group arranged for us to go to a local restaurant that was relatively close by which specialized in crab and other seafood. We all got together around 11:45 for transport by autos to the mall where the restaurant was located. It was a great lunch with lots of variety and we were able to get back to the hotel in time to change and get to the hall for our briefing at 2:15.<\/p>\n<p>Friday quarter final matches were to start again at 3 PM and the local umpire group had arranged for us to take a drive through the city followed by a boat ride out to the bay, and then lunch at another seafood restaurant. We left the hotel at 7:20 AM in two minibuses to drive through the city, and then out of town to an area where canals went out to the bay. We boarded the boat, which was long and thin and had a V-8 engine in the rear and a long propeller shaft which was the standard in the area, and traveled down the canal bounded by mangrove trees. Slowly the canal opened to the bay which was still quite shallow and seemed to have many bamboo fish pens.<\/p>\n<p>We headed back after a brief stop at a restaurant at the bay\u2019s edge for some pictures, and after boarding the minibuses and going a ways down the highway, stopped at a fish restaurant at the side of the road. Here we had more varieties of fish and seafood than I can mention and all were quite sated after our stay here. We headed back to the city and returned in time for us to shower, change and attend the briefing at 2:15. Matches were good and allowed us to finish up by 11:00 PM.<\/p>\n<p>Saturday semi-final matches were to begin at 1 PM with the briefing arranged for 11:45. Not really enough time to do anything so had a leisurely morning. I had one service judging duty which was on the second match being held on court 1, so after that concluded and having watched several other matches I went back to the hotel and as it turned out watched the final match of the day on TV, something we don&#8217;t yet have in the U.S. I came down to the lobby and met up with a group of umpires who were gathering to head out to a local restaurant for Pad Thai. We all got into a car driven by our coordinator, Jitirut Thanuakarapat, who took us across town to this place that specializes in this dish. We all got in line past the chefs preparing these dishes, found a table or two and all downed this especial dish which was an omelet filled with angel hair pasta and shrimp.<\/p>\n<p>After finishing we took a drive down a boulevard that had trees covered with lights and pictures of the Queen surrounded by flowers and lights to celebrate her birthday. From here we asked to be dropped close to a local street market area where a number of umpires wanted to explore and possibly purchase some gifts for home. After walking through the area we found a local pub where we enjoyed a beer or two and then went in search of a Tuk tuk to return to the hotel. The ride that ensued could be described as that of the Mad Hatter, but it was quite fun.<\/p>\n<p>Sunday&#8217;s final matches were also to begin at 1 PM with the briefing arranged again for 11:45. Again I had one service judging duty with this one on the final match of the tournament. I hung around the hall throughout the matches prior to the one I had been assigned, and said my good byes to those who had finished their duties. Finally it was my turn with David Schwerin from Austria who was the umpire. We finished up a nice MS match between the number 2 and 5 ranked players in the tournament with the Thai player coming out on top.<\/p>\n<p>I would like to give my thanks to the Badminton Association of Thailand for holding the event and providing such good support to the technical officials from other countries as well as providing such friendship and hospitality while we were here. Also to the tournament director, Paisan Rangsikitpho, for his efforts in putting together such a great team to run this event, and as always his friendship and support in putting the initial exchange of umpires between Thailand and the U.S. on sound footing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<div>\n<p><a name=\"BIDDINGADIEU\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"null\"><strong>BIDDING ADIEU TO PLAYING&#8211;BUT NOT WATCHING!<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>By Mary Ann Bowles<\/p>\n<p>Fifty years of playing, and my body was complaining\u2014back issues, knee issues, <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/gallery.mailchimp.com\/4bb6dd6ca84ecd588e2ed928b\/images\/b587ad55-430e-4b42-8dd9-26878a33aea7.jpg\" width=\"250\" height=\"304\" align=\"right\" data-cke-saved-src=\"https:\/\/gallery.mailchimp.com\/4bb6dd6ca84ecd588e2ed928b\/images\/b587ad55-430e-4b42-8dd9-26878a33aea7.jpg\" \/>and then a fall and broken wrist brought it all into perspective.\u00a0 By the time the wrist was surgically repaired and on the mend, the realization sunk in that training and playing this demanding sport was not something I could continue to do with the pleasure, abandon, and determination I had mustered for so many years.\u00a0 It was time to hang up the racket!<\/p>\n<p>It all started at Louisiana Tech University in the late 60\u2019s when I took a badminton class.\u00a0 The professor took four of us to a \u201creal\u201d badminton tournament in New Orleans, and there were Jim Poole and Don Paup, U.S. Men\u2019s Doubles champions, playing in the tournament.\u00a0 For me, this was a whole new look at a sport most people had never seen.\u00a0 That took me to the La. Tech University Women\u2019s Badminton team for the next three years, and then a few years of looking for tournament badminton in Tennessee and Florida before I moved to St. Louis.\u00a0 The St. Louis Badminton Club just happened to be handy, and my husband even took up the sport before he became a badminton coach.<\/p>\n<p>We traveled the Midwest and South for more than thirty years playing in tournaments, and being active in the Midwest Badminton Association.\u00a0 Those travels took us to Chicago and Bloomington-Normal, Illinois; Kalamazoo, Ann Arbor, and Benton Harbor, Michigan;\u00a0 Dayton and Sandusky, Ohio; Indianapolis, Indiana; Louisville, Kentucky; Omaha, Nebraska; Kansas City, Kansas; Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota; Memphis and Nashville, Tennessee; Shreveport, Louisiana;\u00a0 Magnolia, Arkansas; and Ponca City, Oklahoma.<\/p>\n<p>By the late 80\u2019s, I was beginning to play in senior tournaments, and my skill level had improved so that I could enjoy senior level play, and begin to be competitive in my age group.\u00a0 It took another decade before I could enjoy much improved play and begin to find partners who were willing to play with me on a national level.\u00a0 Those senior national tournaments also gave me the opportunity to travel the country from Portland to Seattle to Manhattan Beach to San Diego; Washington, D.C.; Shreveport, Louisiana; Raleigh, North Carolina; Boston, Massachusetts; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Tucson, Arizona; and Miami Lakes, Florida.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0And in the last five years of my career, my Women\u2019s Doubles partner, Andrea Weiss, invited me to play in Canada, and that included deluxe clubs in Vancouver, Edmonton, Toronto, and Halifax.<\/p>\n<p>There are so many partners to thank, especially the last and best ones I had\u2014Andrea Weiss, Curt Dommeyer, and Bob Cook.\u00a0 On the regional level, Len <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/gallery.mailchimp.com\/4bb6dd6ca84ecd588e2ed928b\/images\/5d568f67-a3a6-4cf9-906d-fad5c92aced3.jpg\" width=\"250\" height=\"344\" align=\"left\" data-cke-saved-src=\"https:\/\/gallery.mailchimp.com\/4bb6dd6ca84ecd588e2ed928b\/images\/5d568f67-a3a6-4cf9-906d-fad5c92aced3.jpg\" \/>Williams was the one of the best left-handed mixed doubles partner I ever had.\u00a0 The other was Jim Meier with whom we defeated Andy Chong on two occasions.\u00a0 Two favorite tournaments I enjoyed\u2014the international senior tournament in Miami Lakes, and the annual tournament held in Omaha, NE, at Offutt Air Force Base.\u00a0 The courts and accommodations in Miami Lakes are hard to beat\u2014it\u2019s a first class place to play and stay.\u00a0 And the tournament is always well run and fun to play in\u2014those international players, especially the Canadians, will give you a run for your money.<\/p>\n<p>The Ray Scott tournament in Omaha was a unique tournament because you had the opportunity to go on the air base and play in a remodeled hangar.\u00a0 There were plenty of courts, nice wood floors, and classy locker rooms downstairs below the courts.\u00a0 On one occasion, we were treated to a tour of the base with a trip down into the underground headquarters (where President George Bush went during the 911 terrorist attacks) several years before the attacks occurred.\u00a0 And to be able to see and hear a B-52 bomber take off and land on the air base right next to the hangar was a thrill to behold.<\/p>\n<p>So the memories of playing abound&#8211;the nice badminton clubs, the high school and university gymnasiums, the recreation centers, an oil company gymnasium, and the U.S. Olympic Training Center. \u00a0Opponents ranged from high school and college-age women to seasoned players and coaches to former national champions to self-taught fanatics who were so interesting to watch, and made you work much harder than you expected.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s the end of the line for the demands of this sport, but the viewing will continue, and, oh, how that has improved over the years.\u00a0 To see some of the best players 50 years ago, you had to be courtside, and that\u2019s just where I was in Natchitoches, LA, in the spring of 1969 at the U.S. Open watching international players from Indonesia, Malaysia, Denmark, and Sweden, among other countries&#8211;you could buy a ticket for $1!\u00a0 Then it was courtside at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta\u2014my ticket was a line-judging job\u2014and it was a dream come true to see Indonesians Susi Susanti and Mia Audina, Dane Paul Erik Hoyer-Larsen, and Koreans Park Joo Bong and Kim Dong Moon in action and winning medals.<\/p>\n<p>Flash forward to the 2005 IBF World Championships in Anaheim where Howard Bach and Tony Guanwan made believers of all of us with their daring run to the gold in Men\u2019s Doubles.\u00a0 And then to Birmingham, England, this year to see the 2016 All-England Championships with the likes of\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Nozomi Okuhara, Carolina Marin, Li Xuerui, Lin Dan, Chen Long, Chris and Gabby Adcock,\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0Kamilla Rytter Juhl and Christinna Pedersen, and Vladimir Ivanov and Ivan Sozonov. Oh, my!\u00a0 Another dream come true!<\/p>\n<p>Now, thanks to the BWF and You Tube, a player or spectator can pull up the quarterfinals and up of any Super Series tournament or premier event live streamed or viewed later using your phone! You can watch top international badminton to your heart\u2019s content 24 hours a day if you like.\u00a0 Wow!\u00a0 So that\u2019s my plan for the future\u2014to enjoy watching the top players as they ply their skills around the world chasing those rankings and wins in these top tournaments.\u00a0 The watching won\u2019t be as healthy as that exercise I got on court, but the playing will continue to amaze me with the footwork, deception, fitness, and sheer determination to be the best. \u00a0And a trip annually to a Super Series tournament is a possibility\u2014being there in person is the best way to get that \u201cbadminton high\u201d with your spine tingling and your eyes validating the unbelievable skills of the world\u2019s best players.<\/p>\n<p>Thanks to all those I\u2019ve met and competed with and against in the past 50 years.\u00a0 I\u2019ll miss the players, the personalities, the tournament play, and the camaraderie.\u00a0 Best wishes to all of you still on court\u2014I admire your fitness and skill and the pluckiness to still be there.\u00a0 And when you retire, come and join me for the watching\u2014heaven on earth is available, thanks to wi-fi and man\u2019s ingenuity.\u00a0 You can\u2019t do better than that for this fan-atic!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<div>\n<p><a name=\"GROWING\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Growing Response\u2026<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>By Andrea Weiss<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTurn! Turn! Turn! To everything there is a season,\u201d and badminton seems to have taken on a life of its own in both St George, Utah, and in Las Vegas, Nevada. This year players came out and enjoyed, in record numbers, two consecutive tournaments from October 7-9 by both players from our Canadian neighbors and the United States.<\/p>\n<p>According to Nedra Pascal, who has been at the helm of the Nevada Senior Games Badminton tournament, this year welcomed the most successful attendance ever. That could not have happened at a better time as The Huntsman World Games celebrated its 30<sup>th<\/sup> year since the inception of the event in 1987.<\/p>\n<p>The weekend began with the Huntsman tournament on October 7-8 under the direction of Doug Jensen and his cohort team, Laurie Goulding and Jim Swayden. A dinner\/banquet replete with a nicely considered awards ceremony brought closure to the event. Then, off to Las Vegas, Nevada, on Sunday, October 9, as \u201cbadminton caravaners\u201d made their trek for another day of sheer joy and reconnection for the Nevada Senior Games.<\/p>\n<p>Results are listed below:<\/p>\n<p>2016 HUNTSMAN WORLD SENIOR GAMES<br \/>\nBADMINTON SINGLES &#8211; WOMEN<\/p>\n<p>50-54 Women<br \/>\nGold \u2013 Jacqueline Myers (CA)<\/p>\n<p>55-59 Women<br \/>\nGold \u2013 Barbara Heaney (CAN)<br \/>\nSilver \u2013 Wendy Barrow-Smith (BAR)<\/p>\n<p>60-64 Women<br \/>\nGold \u2013 Marian Holo0boff (CAN)<br \/>\nSilver \u2013 Lynne Burns (CAN)<br \/>\nBronze \u2013 Marsha Morris (AZ)<\/p>\n<p>65-69 Women<br \/>\nGold \u2013 Andrea Weiss (NM)<br \/>\nSilver \u2013 Patty Riddle (CA)<\/p>\n<p>70-74 Women<br \/>\nGold \u2013 Julie Bradley (FL)<br \/>\nSilver \u2013 Mary Blandino (WI)<br \/>\nBronze \u2013 Lorna Hunter (AZ)<\/p>\n<p>75-79 Women<br \/>\nGold \u2013 Margot Hurst (AZ)<br \/>\nSilver \u2013 Elsie Wilson (LA)<\/p>\n<p>BADMINTON SINGLES \u2013 MEN<\/p>\n<p>50-54 Men<br \/>\nGold \u2013 Henry Paynter (CAN)<br \/>\nSilver \u2013 Douglas Towne (AZ)<br \/>\nBronze \u2013 Marshall Kano (UT)<\/p>\n<p>55-59 Men<br \/>\nGold \u2013 Hans Albertsen (UT)<br \/>\nSilver \u2013 Jim Swaydan (UT)<br \/>\nBronze \u2013 Roger Goettl (AZ)<\/p>\n<p>60-64 Men<br \/>\nGold \u2013 Pedro Garcia Flores (CA)<br \/>\nSilver \u2013 Russell Okuno (CA)<br \/>\nBronze \u2013 Michael Hilliard (AZ)<\/p>\n<p>65-69 Men<br \/>\nGold \u2013 Wayne Fullerton (CAN)<br \/>\nSilver \u2013 Dennis Sullivan (AZ)<br \/>\nBronze \u2013 Terry Dutton (CA)<\/p>\n<p>70-74 Men<br \/>\nGold \u2013 Stanley Boyd (NM)<br \/>\nSilver \u2013 Murray Foubister (CAN)<br \/>\nBronze \u2013 Edward Wicks (CAN)<\/p>\n<p>75-79 Men<br \/>\nGold \u2013 Jeff Fishback (CA)<br \/>\nSilver \u2013 Robin Lyons (CA)<br \/>\nBronze \u2013 Gene Huffty (TX)<\/p>\n<p>80-84 Men<br \/>\nGold \u2013 Gene Fradella (UT)<\/p>\n<p>WOMEN\u2019S DOUBLES<\/p>\n<p>50-54 Women<br \/>\nGold \u2013 Barbara Heaney\/Clara Wai (CAN)<br \/>\nSilver \u2013 Jacqueline Myers (CA)\/Cathy Johnston (CAN)<\/p>\n<p>55-59 Women<br \/>\nGold \u2013 Wendy Barrow-Smith (BAR)\/Andrea Weiss (NM)<\/p>\n<p>60-64 Women<br \/>\nGold \u2013 Lynne Burns\/Marian Holoboff (CAN)<br \/>\nSilver \u2013 Barbara Biggs (CAN)\/Marsha Morris (AZ)<br \/>\nBronze \u2013 Vira Glaskova (WA)\/Roberta Melis (UT)<\/p>\n<p>65-69 Women<br \/>\nGold \u2013 Mary Blandino (WI)\/Andrea Weiss (NM)<br \/>\nSilver \u2013 Anne Henderson\/Pat Kirk (CAN)<\/p>\n<p>70-74 Women<br \/>\nGold \u2013 Julie Bradley (FL)\/Liz Parker (WA)<br \/>\nSilver \u2013 Lorna Hunter\/Margot Hurst (AZ)<br \/>\nBronze \u2013 Alice Tym (TN)\/Rose Suprenant (CO)<\/p>\n<p>75-79 Women<br \/>\nGold \u2013 Elsie Wilson (LA)\/Hazel Morgan (NM)<br \/>\nSilver \u2013 Sandra Matthieu (LA)\/Jessie Rogers (CAN)<\/p>\n<p>MEN\u2019S DOUBLES<\/p>\n<p>50-54 Men<br \/>\nGold \u2013 Douglas Towne (AZ)\/Xintao He (PA)<br \/>\nSilver \u2013 Hans Albertsen\/Jinggui Geng (UT)<br \/>\nBronze \u2013 Sergei Kolesnikov (NY)\/Marshall Kano (UT)<\/p>\n<p>55-59 Men<br \/>\nGold \u2013 Roger Goettl\/Michael Hilliard (AZ)<br \/>\nSilver \u2013 Jim Swaydan (UT)\/Dennis Jutzi (CAN)<\/p>\n<p>60-64 Men<br \/>\nGold \u2013 Ted Biggs\/Henry Paynter (CAN)<br \/>\nSilver \u2013 Pedro Garcia Flores\/Russell Okuno (CA)<br \/>\nBronze \u2013 Dennis Brown\/Frank Price (CAN)<\/p>\n<p>65-69 Men<br \/>\nGold \u2013 Dennis Sullivan (AZ)\/Edward Wicks (CAN)<br \/>\nSilver \u2013 Wayne Fullerton\/Marvin Paxman (CAN)<\/p>\n<p>70-74 Men<br \/>\nGold \u2013 Stanley Boyd (NM)\/Grant Taggard (CO)<br \/>\nSilver \u2013 Peter Eltgroth (CA)\/Murray Foubister (CAN)<\/p>\n<p>75-79 Men<br \/>\nGold \u2013 Jeff Fishback\/Robin Lyons (CA)<br \/>\nSilver \u2013 Gene Huffty (TX)\/Roberto Lee (VA)<br \/>\nBronze \u2013 Norman C arruthers (CAN)\/Phil Brunner (AZ)<\/p>\n<p>MIXED DOUBLES<\/p>\n<p>50-54<br \/>\nGold \u2013 Frank Price\/Clara Wai (CAN)<br \/>\nSilver \u2013Douglas Towne\/Marsha Morris (AZ)<br \/>\nBronze \u2013 Pedro Garcia Flores\/Jacqueline Myers (CA)<\/p>\n<p>55-59<br \/>\nGold \u2013 Henry Paynter\/Barbara Heaney (CAN)<br \/>\nSilver \u2013 Xintao He (PA)\/Cathy Johnston (CAN)<br \/>\nBronze \u2013 Jim Swaydan (UT)\/Liz Parker (WA)<\/p>\n<p>60-64<br \/>\nGold \u2013 Michael Hilliard (AZ)\/Carolyn Hoefer (CA)<br \/>\nSilver \u2013 Ted Biggs\/Barbara Biggs (CAN)<br \/>\nBronze \u2013 Wayne Fullerton\/Lynne Burns (CAN)<\/p>\n<p>65-69<br \/>\nGold \u2013 Stanley Boyd\/Andrea Weiss (NM)<br \/>\nSilver \u2013 Murray Foubister\/Pat Kirk (CAN)<br \/>\nBronze \u2013 Dennis Sullivan (AZ)\/Cindy Simpson (CAN)<\/p>\n<p>70-74<br \/>\nGold \u2013 Grant Taggard (CO)\/Hazel Morgan (NM)<br \/>\nSilver \u2013 Jeff Fishback\/Karen Fishback (CA)<br \/>\nBronze \u2013 Robin Lyons (CA)\/Alice Tym (TN)<\/p>\n<p>75-79<br \/>\nGold \u2013 Gene Huffty (TX)\/Elsie Wilson (LA)<br \/>\nSilver \u2013 Peter Eltgroth (CA)\/Connie Lee (OR)<br \/>\nBronze \u2013 Phil Brunner\/Margot Hurst (AZ)<\/p>\n<p>2016 BADMINTON RESULTS NEVADA SENIOR GAMES<\/p>\n<p>WOMEN\u2019S SINGLES<\/p>\n<p>50-54<br \/>\n1 &#8211; Jacky Myers<\/p>\n<p>55-59<br \/>\n1 \u2013 Barbara Heaney<\/p>\n<p>60-64<br \/>\n1 \u2013 Barb Biggs<\/p>\n<p>65-69<br \/>\n1 \u2013 Andrea Weiss<br \/>\n2 \u2013 Debbie Lorenzo<\/p>\n<p>70-74<br \/>\n1 \u2013 Cindy Simpson<br \/>\n2 \u2013 Lorna Hunter<\/p>\n<p>75-79<br \/>\n1 \u2013 Margot Hurst<br \/>\n2 \u2013 Nedra Paschal<\/p>\n<p>MEN\u2019S SINGLES<\/p>\n<p>50-54<br \/>\n1- Doug Towne<\/p>\n<p>55-59<br \/>\n1 \u2013 Roger Goettl<\/p>\n<p>60-64<br \/>\n1 \u2013 Russell Okuno<br \/>\n2 \u2013 Pedro Garcia Flores<br \/>\n3 \u2013 Michael Hilliard<\/p>\n<p>65-69<br \/>\n1 \u2013 Henry Paynter<br \/>\n2 \u2013 Dennis Sullivan<\/p>\n<p>70-74<br \/>\n1 \u2013 Rama Menon<br \/>\n2 \u2013 Stan Boyd<br \/>\n3 \u2013 Murray Foubister<\/p>\n<p>75-79<br \/>\n1 \u2013 Robin Lyons<br \/>\n2 \u2013 Pete Eltgroth<br \/>\n3 \u2013 James Ho<br \/>\n4 \u2013 Phil Brunner<\/p>\n<p>WOMEN\u2019S DOUBLES<\/p>\n<p>50-54<br \/>\n1 \u2013 Jacky Myers\/Cindy Simpson<\/p>\n<p>55-59<br \/>\n1 \u2013 Barb Biggs\/Barbara Heaney<\/p>\n<p>60-64<br \/>\n1 \u2013 Carolyn Hoefer\/Debbie Lorenzo<br \/>\n2 \u2013 Sandra Matthieu\/Marsha Morris<\/p>\n<p>65-69<br \/>\n1 \u2013 Andrea Weiss\/Nedra Paschal<\/p>\n<p>70-74<br \/>\n1 \u2013 Alice Tym\/Mary Blandino<br \/>\n2 \u2013 Lorna Hunter\/Margot Hurst<br \/>\n3 \u2013 Karen Fishback\/Connie Lee<\/p>\n<p>75-79<br \/>\n1 \u2013 Hanniah Morgan\/Elsie Wilson<\/p>\n<p>MEN\u2019S DOUBLES<\/p>\n<p>50-54<br \/>\n1 \u2013 Vong Lovan\/Jack Min Ng<br \/>\n2 \u2013 Terence Way\/Doug Towne<\/p>\n<p>55-59<br \/>\n1 \u2013 Roger Goettl\/Michael Hilliard<\/p>\n<p>60-64<br \/>\n1 \u2013 Tedd Biggs\/Henry Paynter<br \/>\n2 \u2013 Pedro Garcia\/Russell Okuno<\/p>\n<p>65-69<br \/>\n1 \u2013 Wayne Fullerton\/Dennis Sullivan<\/p>\n<p>70-74<br \/>\n1 \u2013 Rama Menon\/Stan Boyd<br \/>\n2 \u2013 Murray Foubister\/Pete Eltgroth<\/p>\n<p>75-79<br \/>\n1 \u2013 Jeff Fishback\/Robin Lyons<br \/>\n2 \u2013 James Ho\/Gene Huffty<br \/>\n3 \u2013 Phil Brunner\/Roberto Lee<\/p>\n<p>MIXED DOUBLES<\/p>\n<p>50-54<br \/>\n1 \u2013 Pedro Garcia\/Jacky Myers<br \/>\n2 \u2013 Doug Towne\/Marsha Morris<br \/>\n3 \u2013 Terence Way\/Debbie Lorenzo<\/p>\n<p>55-59<br \/>\n1 \u2013 Henry Paynter\/Barbara Heaney<br \/>\n2 \u2013 Jack Ng\/Mary Blandino<\/p>\n<p>60-64<br \/>\n1 \u2013 Michael Hilliard\/Carolyn Hoefer<br \/>\n2 \u2013 Ted Biggs\/Barb Biggs<br \/>\n3 \u2013 Wayne Fullerton\/Lynne Burns<br \/>\n4 \u2013 Russell Okuno\/Sandra Matthieu<\/p>\n<p>65-69<br \/>\n1 \u2013 Stan Boyd\/Andrea Weiss<br \/>\n2 \u2013 Dennis Sullivan\/Cindy Simpson<\/p>\n<p>70-74<br \/>\n1 \u2013 Rama Menon\/Hanniah Morgan<br \/>\n2 \u2013 Jeff Fishback\/Karen Fishback<br \/>\n3 \u2013 Robin Lyons\/Alice Tym<br \/>\n4 \u2013 Murray Foubister\/Lorna Hunter<\/p>\n<p>75-79<br \/>\n1 \u2013 Gene Huffty\/Elsie Wilson<br \/>\n2 \u2013 Pete Eltgroth\/Connie Lee<br \/>\n3 &#8211; James Ho\/Nedra Paschal<br \/>\n4 \u2013 Phil Brunner\/Margot Hurst<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<div>\n<p><a name=\"USBEF\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"null\"><strong>WHAT IS THE USBEF?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The United States Badminton Education Foundation works in cooperation with the USAB (the governing body of United States Badminton) to promote the growth and support of Badminton throughout our country. The USBEF was incorporated in the State of Massachusetts in 1967 and its Board Members consist of Badminton Players who serve voluntarily to &#8220;put something back into Badminton&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p><strong>OUR MISSION STATEMENT<\/strong> &#8212; To establish and promote throughout the United States an educational program\u00a0 devoted to the development of Badminton as a means of healthful and physical fitness, to promote the recognition in schools, colleges, YMCA and other institutions with physical education programs of the carry-over benefits of Badminton, to give coaching and instructions to players throughout the U.S. Badminton in clinics and exhibitions which are in furtherance of educational objectives.<\/p>\n<p>Board members include:<br \/>\nDave Carton (<a href=\"mailto:dcarton@sbcglobal.net\" target=\"_blank\" data-cke-saved-href=\"mailto:dcarton@sbcglobal.net\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">dcarton@sbcglobal.net<\/a>), President<br \/>\nMary Ann Bowles (<a href=\"mailto:maryannbowles@gmail.com\" target=\"_blank\" data-cke-saved-href=\"mailto:maryannbowles@gmail.com\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">maryannbowles@gmail.com<\/a>), Secretary<br \/>\nBeth Sopka (<a href=\"mailto:bsopka@gmail.com\" target=\"_blank\" data-cke-saved-href=\"mailto:bsopka@gmail.com\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">bsopka@gmail.com<\/a>), Treasurer<br \/>\nLisa Ward-Knechtel (<a href=\"mailto:lisa14q@gmail.com\" target=\"_blank\" data-cke-saved-href=\"mailto:lisa14q@gmail.com\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">lisa14q@gmail.com<\/a>)<br \/>\nPaisan Rangsikitpho (<a href=\"mailto:paisanr@gmail.com\" target=\"_blank\" data-cke-saved-href=\"mailto:paisanr@gmail.com\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">paisanr@gmail.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Website address:\u00a0<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.usbef.org\" target=\"_blank\" data-cke-saved-href=\"http:\/\/www.usbef.org\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>http:\/\/www.usbef.org<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Facebook address:\u00a0<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/USBEF-138594542823290\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-cke-saved-href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/USBEF-138594542823290\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/USBEF-138594542823290\/<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>INAUGURAL AMERICAS MASTERS GAMES A BIG HIT! FAREWELL TO DICK WITTE WHAT KIND OF BIRD IS THIS? PLAYERS MOURN PASSING OF IMRE BEREKNYEI UMPIRING AT THE 2016 THAILAND OPEN BIDDING ADIEU TO PLAYING&#8211;BUT NOT WATCHING! GROWING RESPONSE\u2026 WHAT IS THE USBEF? INAUGURAL AMERICAS MASTERS GAMES A BIG HIT! By Mary Ann Bowles Wait a minute!\u00a0 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":219,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-515","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usbef.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/515","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usbef.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usbef.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usbef.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usbef.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=515"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.usbef.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/515\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":669,"href":"https:\/\/www.usbef.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/515\/revisions\/669"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usbef.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/219"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usbef.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=515"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}