Dennis Joyce
February 2, 1956 – February 25, 2024
Dennis Joyce “Juice” for his boomerang family and friends, and for me, he is the love of my life, my inspiration, and my morning coffee.
One upon a time, I was living in Nicaragua, and my best friend invited me to eat dinner with her boyfriend and his friend. I would never imagine that dinner would change my life b/c I met Dennis ( he was her boyfriend’s friend).
His happy spirit was incredible, of course, his beautiful blue eyes and long hair.
I always told him, “Your heart is bigger than you.” I never met someone who has so many friends, and all of them love him as well.
I can spend all night talking about him and his exciting life.
The moment I married him, I won another family, two amazing brothers and a sister, a mother, and a father.
We enjoyed 11 years of marriage, and I wish we had more time together, but God has another plan.
If the time machine was a real thing, I would back in time and I would do exactly the same over and over because meeting him has been one of the best things that ever happened in my life.
This is not a goodbye, it is a see you soon my love
Amalia Joyce
from https://www.knoxvillecms.com/obituary/dennis-joyce
The 2024 US Team Trials and Training Camp
The 2024 US Team Trials and Training Camp will be hosted at Dallas College Eastfield Campus in Dallas, TX March 15-17!
Team Trials has traditionally served as our competition to determine who will represent the United States Boomerang Association on our World Boomerang Cup (WBC) competition teams. This year the US Team Trials and Training Camp will consist of two days of competition to set our teams and a third day of training, knowledge sharing, and running through event details. Our goal is that every single thrower who attends the Trials will become a better thrower and teammate allowing us to excel in during the WBC competition this summer in Westminster, Colorado.
The members of our two primary US adult teams must meet specific requirements to earn a spot on those teams. For many USBA members the Team Trials is their favorite event, and they look forward to it as much as they do the WBC. Although it is a highly competitive event, it is also extremely fun, educational, and creates a sense of unity among US throwers.
As mentioned above there are requirements for anyone wishing to earn a spot on the primary and secondary US teams. Guidelines for eligibility for the two primary US teams:
- All participants/throwers must be US citizens and members of the USBA. The USBA Board has voted to forgo the traditional ranking requirement. We want all who are able and willing to attend!
- All throwers selected for any of our USBA competition teams will be expected to cover their own expenses for travel and competition fees.
- Throwers must compete in all events during the 2 days of competition.
- If a thrower is injured, stricken with illness, or for any other unforeseen circumstance out of their control cannot complete all the events, and they do not earn by rank a top 4 spot, they can still be chosen for one of the two extra spots on the first team.
- The third day of competition will be reserved as a rain-day, overflow day, or used for team drills.
- It is not necessary to attend the third day to be chosen but it is encouraged.
After the two days of competition at the Trials (Friday and Saturday) the two primary teams will be formed according to these guidelines:
- The top four overall scorers will automatically qualify for the 1st US team.
- The 1st team will then choose two more throwers to fill the fifth and sixth spots after the final day of team trials.
- Once the 1st team has formed, the next four ranking overall scorers will automatically qualify for the 2nd team and choose their fifth and sixth teammates from those remaining who meet the qualification for secondary team membership.
Youth Team
The youth team coaches are targeting the growth and development of 10 middle and high school age throwers (ages 10-18). Younger throwers may participate based on family interview with, and agreement of, the team coaches. At least one parent/guardian needs to be present though the entire time their child is at the 2024 WBC. Youth team throwers are invited (but not required) to participate in the Team Trials and Training Camp.
We are excited to be hosting the WBC this year and look forward to seeing all our throwers at Team Trials and Training Camp in Texas this March. We hope that you can attend and are successfully selected to be a team member representing the USBA in International Competition!
2024 US Team Trials and Training Camp
Friday, 15 March – Sunday, 17 March
Location:
Dallas College/Eastfield Campus Soccer Fields
3737 Motley Dr.
Mesquite, TX 75150
USA
Points of Contact:
David Hirsch: duckhead@airmail.net
Daniel Bower: Darthdude@gmail.com
Richard Bower: Bubbajohnson@gmail.com
2024 World Boomerang Cup
Saturday, July 6 – Sunday, July 16 July 2024
Location:
Westminster City Park
10455 Sheridan Boulevard
Westminster, CO 80020
USA
Points of Contact:
David Hirsch: duckhead@airmail.net
Daniel Bower: Darthdude@aaronwbaskin
Richard Bower: Bubbajohnson@gmail.com
2024 World Boomerang Cup
Fellow throwers,
This is a letter of information following the official announcement in May of dates and location for next year’s WBC. The dates and location have not changed; July 6-16, 2024 in Westminster, Colorado USA (a suburb of Denver, Colorado).
The website is now open. Please visit www.wbc2024.net and register
COSTS AND PAYMENT SCHEDULE: We have worked really hard to keep the cost low yet provide the basics for an excellent tournament. We have faced challenges, such as a high annual inflation rate (in the US) with especially high increases for food service. All throwers should understand these challenges. To help keep costs low, housing will be similar to the WBC in Albuquerque, with 4 teammates to a room sharing two queen sized beds (160cm wide) Options to purchase fewer to a room will be available. Per person cost will be $1,385 USD. As in all previous WBCs, there is an initial monetary deposit with registration. All throwers must pay the initial registration deposit of $300 USD by December 28, 2023 (received in our account by that date) as we must, by contract, pay our first deposit to the hotel by January 2nd, 2024. We will have a registration page on the website and the primary mode of payment will be PayPal. The second payment ($500) will be due March 1st, 2024, and the final payment ($585) will be due April 1st, 2024. The price is approximate based on 100 participants. There will be no refund after March 1st, 2024.
VOLUNTEERS: We have a keen need for several volunteers, especially with food service. We will also need a few drivers for excursion day. We will attempt to offer reduced costs to those that volunteer.
THE LOCATION: The tournament will take place at Westminster City Park July 6-16, 2024. Westminster is a suburb of Denver. The field is a gorgeous, flat and round grassy field with a surface like a soccer pitch that is approximately 280 meters across! Field altitude is 5,384 feet (1641 meters) so throwing will be similar to Albuquerque in 2018. For example, a 20m boomerang at sea level will fly approximately 22m in Denver. Housing will be in the Hyatt Place Westminster Hotel. We will have shuttles for primary transport to the field (about 6 minutes) but there is also a beautiful walking/bike path through a native greenbelt (with several prairie dog communities!). The walk is about 25 minutes.
Thanks in advance to everyone for registering promptly and for giving us the opportunity to hold an event full of the camaraderie of competition and the joy of seeing good friends once again!
Your tournament hosts,
David, Daniel and Richard
2024 DWBT
Get your lucky cleats on and your dexterity ready ‘cause this is the official notice for the Third First Annual Dallas Winter Boomerang Tournament! Now (unofficially) The Duckbutt Championships! Saturday and Sunday, January 20th and 21st at the beautiful soccer fields of Dallas College/Eastfield campus in glorious Mesquite Texas (a Dallas suburb). College address: 3737 Motley Dr., Mesquite, TX 75150 Tournament fees TBD.
The format will be the same as this past January, the new and unique modified individual/team/LD format. Saturday morning MTA, Accuracy and Trick Catch. Lunch. Then team MTA relay, 30m Relay and Super Catch (teams will be random selection from participants). Sunday morning will be a short round of long distance and then lunch. Then Fast Catch, Endurance and Aussie Round. To win the tournament you must participate in everything 😉 We will again do dinner and awards Sunday night (location TBD). Barbecue Friday night, beer in my backyard Saturday night. There is a decent hotel across the street from the college: Quality Inn and Suites, 3424 Sorrento Dr., Mesquite, TX 75150
I will need a couple of folks to help paint the field Friday afternoon.
Please RSVP to David Hirsch at duckhead@airmail.net Anyone needing transportation please let me know in advance as my work schedule is pretty tight on both sides of the tournament. Be there or be square!
2024 Team Trials
Hello USBA Members,
We would like to announce that the 2024 United States Team Trials location and dates have just been set. The tournament will take place on Friday March 15th through Sunday March 17th, and will be hosted in Dallas, Texas by David Hirsch, Daniel Bower, and Richard Bower. Exact location is the beautiful soccer fields of Dallas College/Eastfield Campus in glorious Mesquite. College address: 3737 Motley Dr., Mesquite, TX 75150.
This tournament will be a 3-day tournament used to pick the throwers who will represent the USBA and the USA at the 2024 World Championships in Westminster, Colorado which is just outside of Denver!
More details to follow in the next few days. But tournament events and style will be similar to years past where we mimic as best we can the event order and situations as they would be at the WBC. And at the end going through the process where the top 4 throwers pick 2 more from the throwing pool to round out their squad. And that process repeating for the 2nd and even 3rd US Teams. We are hoping to send 3 US “veteran” teams, and 1 US Youth Team to Westminster.
The big change for 2024, is that this tournament will be OPEN TO ALL USBA MEMBERS! That’s right, if you are a current USBA Member (Remember you have to renew at USBA.org yearly), you are eligible to earn a spot on the Team!
Please reach out to David Hirsch: duckhead@airmail.net, Daniel Bower: Darthdude@gmail.com, and Richard Bower: Bubbajohnson@gmail.com for more information.
Stay Rad and remember you can support the USBA at any time by going to USBA.org and making a donation!
Post USBA Nationals Reflection From Tournament Host Kenny Barr:
I’d really like everyone who came out to nationals, the constant support, and the generosity of the sponsors for making this nationals a success and 100% free for the competitors and boomerang enthusiasts.
This has been a perfect ending to the 21, 22, and 23 Greater Cleveland Nationals trilogy.
The local media coverage was amazing. We had articles in the local papers and 2 news stations interviewed Logan and myself. During the Fox 8 interview I was asked how I got into boomerangs. It’s a common question and everyone has their own interesting story. I later realized I’m never asked WHY I got into boomerangs, which made me question… WHY did any of us get into boomerangs? Besides the obvious answer that boomerangs are AWESOME! I think that maybe in our own circles outside the boomerang field, in our own day to day lives, we are the black sheep. We are different from everyone else. We think outside the box. We are special, unique, and we stand out. We are all amazing individuals. It doesn’t matter if we are throwing for the World Cup, or if we are at a park teaching a kid to throw and putting the biggest smile on their face when they catch it… This curved stick… this silly, wonderful, amazing, magical boomerang transforms each and every one of us from black sheep into golden GOATs. So at the end of the tournament, at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter where you place. What matters is that you found your place.
– Kenny
John Flynn Sets Endurance Record!
We would like to take a moment to congratulate “Fast” John Flynn for setting a new American Record in the Endurance event for throwers over 65 years old with 57 catches!
Flynn is a multiple time US Team member going back 30+ years and still an amazing thrower to this day. He earned the moniker “Fast John Flynn” quite some years ago and is still living up to that billing. Cheers!
2023 USBA Nationals Results
It was a great day for a tourney! all results are posted below but congratulations to our 2023 USBA National Champion Logan Broadbent! Throwing was brilliant as usual and while there was some great competition, Richard Bower finished just .5 points behind to claim second, this year Logan was able to string together some great event performances to claim the title! george Essig also had a great weekend claiming the third spot overall.
Special shout outs to Yannick who joined us at Nationals for the first time and not only finsished 13th overall, but was able to show off some of his hand made hook boomerangs that are just beautiful work of art. We also had the pleasure to throw with Jonathon and Sam Pannebaker who showed us thier solid throwing skills and atleticism.
Thanks to all who came out and made this a great weekend!
Have a story to share?
The USBA is always looking for awesome boomerang news and would love to feature the boomerangs you make, the great times you have throwing with your friends or club, and talking about how to compete better when tourney season gets underway. If you have something you would like to share you can now send it us at news@usba.org.
You can also find out about future events and competitions and browse through our library or Many Happy Returns newsletters as well.
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