ACBL Director's Report
ACBL Director's ReportHello everyone! This article is going to be all about my favorite subject, the Grand National Teams. I want to cheerlead for this year's event and warn you about a rules change for next year's event.
The District 8 Final (the only stage held in District 8) is coming up soon -- May 6 and 7 at the IDOT Building in Springfield IL. Full details are in this issue of the Advocate. I have heard from some new teams that are planning on coming, and they and I are hoping we'll have a large turnout. Ever the optimist, I have made plans to accommodate a surge in attendance.
With the national stage of the competition being held in Chicago in July, it can hardly be more convenient or cheaper for our people to participate. Plus, this is the last year that admission into the event will be based on the District you belong to. So for all of you people who are members of District 8 but have been living in another district, this is the last year that you will be automatically eligible to play in our District.
New residence rules: Beginning with the 2006-2007 Grand National Teams (GNT) and the 2007-2008 North American Pairs (NAP), your eligibility for these events will be determined by the district where you are living on the first day of the event -- September 1 for the GNT and June 1 for the NAP. If your actual home residence is in another ACBL district, you are not eligible to play in the District 8 GNT or NAP unless you get permission before the event begins. This rule applies even to those who live in border areas but have previously chosen to be members of District 8.
If you live outside District 8 but want to play in our finals of these events, you must start the application process by April 1 for the NAP and by June 1 for the GNT. If you are going to play in one of the lower flights (B or C of the NAPs; A, B or C of the GNTs), you need the permission of the ACBL Board of Directors member from the district where you reside and the district you want to play in. If you want to play in the top flight for either event (Flight A of the NAP; Championship flight of the GNT), you need to get the same two consents plus permission from the ACBL Credentials Committee. If any party refuses your request, it is denied and there is no right of appeal. Please note that if you want to be considered for a residence exception for the GNT event that ends in July 2007, you must start the process by June 1, 2006.
For more information: There will be further details on this issue in the ACBL Bulletin and on the ACBL website. If you have questions, please write or call me. My email is gkheth@hotmail.com and my home address is 917 South Main Street, Morton IL 61550. My home phone is (309) 263-0242. Please contact me by email if possible.
Early news from Dallas NAP: I'll report more details from the Dallas Board meetings in our June newsletter. I can tell you now that all three of our District 8 pairs made the cut for the second day of the Flight A North American Pair national finals. All three placed in the overalls and two pairs finished in the top ten, which I think is pretty good for the smallest district in the ACBL. Special congratulations to Mark Kessler & Ed Schultz (7th overall), Mike Halvorsen & Richard Blumenthal (8th overall) and Milt Zlatic & Tom Oppenheimer (13th overall) for great performances!
I hope to see hundreds of you at the Grand National Teams finals in Springfield next month.
-- Georgia