1. Richard Bower: 

Hi all, I would like to throw my hat into the ring for another term. My preference would be to continue functioning as Secretary, and to use this term to pass on my experience (20 years as secretary!) and long term USBA knowledge to a newer member. With the end goal to transition myself and other members of the “Old Guard” out. While still 100% fulfilling my normal duties and helping facilitate all projects I can.

  1. Logan Broadbent:

It’s been an incredible honor serving as the President of the USBA for the past several terms. After a significant amount of thought and internal deliberation, I’ve decided it’s time for another motivated boomerang family member to take up reins as President and carry the momentum we’ve gathered. However, you can’t get rid of me that easily!!! I’m asking for your vote so I can position myself as a “member-at-large”. This would allow me to drive follow through with existing initiatives and continue to focus on growing the sport with young throwers. As we all know, it’s not the title you have but what you contribute that truly matters. Taking a smaller title with the USBA will also allow me to focus on my obligations to the International Federation of Boomerang Associations and still advocate on behalf of the USBA members without a conflict of interest. Thank you for your trust and support!

  1. Sam Lemay: At Large

I would like to be on the board because…

I’m committed to continue to build our sport as big, sustainable, and thriving as it can be.  In 2022, with Rev Jim (and with Barnaby’s encouragement), brought the first US National Youth Team to compete at the Bordeaux, France WBC.  This year we are also bringing the US National Adult Developmental team, Team Gel to compete in Colorado.  This year I started my local LLC, The University of Boom that is marketed as The League of Boom (TLB).  We held two very successful events, the first indoor, the second outdoors, both using safe foam boomerangs, 3 modified events, awards, music and special guests.  We were able to demonstrate modern competitive events and everyone had a blast!  In 1991, the boomerang was my access to a new world of wonder, the boomerang community, a new family that accepted me.  Before that, I struggled with where I fit in this world, being bi-racial, spending time in my mother’s land of Fiji, then coming here, the culture shock of it all.  Getting letters from Gregg, Ted Bailey, Michael Gel Girvin, and many others, gave me the realization that I mattered to them.  I had been given a new life.  I find myself inspired to freely share from this place of gratitude.

Position I would like to fill…

Vice President 

(or, depending on who fills that position – At Large – Specifically focused on Expansion of our sport)

Specific Goals for this term…

In general, approach this as a farmer would, plant more seeds, cultivate the communities already in existence, create new fields for the sport to grow.  

  • 2024-2026 Work with Jerome Guerrero in determining what aspects of the setup in France, we talked at the WBC in Westminster and they have a Boomerang curriculum that people can register for and get a boomerang instructor license.  They have something like 40 boomerang schools in France.  The government provides them with money and access to indoor facilities to teach boomerangs which they do on a weekly basis.  Need to see how much of this we can implement here in the USA.
  • 2025 Trip to Australia to connect with and pay respects to, the Aboriginal people who invented the returning boomerang.
  • More local (for me) indoor/outdoor boomerang events using safe foam boomerangs, special guests, music and awards!  Collaborating with other pioneers who would like to do the same type of thing in their local community.  
  • By 2026 we have four such locations in the USA, with indoor/outdoor events in this shorter format, running events through their local Parks and Rec department, for example.
  • We have added an additional four annual USBA sanctioned boomerang tournaments to the schedule.
  • Our US National Youth and Adult Developmental teams achieve the next level of competition, organization and funding to compete at the 2026 WBC.
  • We have partnered with a new famous celebrity who endorses our sport, bringing it to media in a new, powerful way.
  • We develop partnerships with sports organizations like Ultimate frisbee, Kan Jam, Pickleball.
  • We secure $50K+ in grants to further the above causes and invest in building our base – leisure/casual throwers, athletes from other sports that want to apply their competitive spirit into a new sport.  
  • A working partnership with an organization that gives back to the community through youth.
  • Hire a social media company to post regular USBA events to the masses.
  • Development of new boomerang manufacturing initiatives in the USA.
  • Collaboration with other countries who are also expanding the sport, share and learn.
  1. Betsylew Miale-Gix: Treasurer

Good day USBA Boomers,

 I write to seek one last two year term on the USBA Board. The youth movement and the enthusiasm generated by those who brought them to Westminster for the WBC has breathed new life into the organization. I can and will contribute to fostering that nationwide through a USBA Board position. I look forward to working in Western Washington with other USBA area throwers to get a local movement going here again – between all of us we can make regular throwing/teaching happen! We can also roadtrip to Bellingham as well to add fuel to that fire! I have had, and continue to have ideas about grass roots growth and feel they are a valuable addition to the online driven efforts that have been and will continue to be a focus for us on the Board.

I believe that the bonding and continuity in insurance relationships and with CIB I bring to the table is of value to the USBA  Board,  as is  my work as the Treasurer and legal consultant.

Thank you for your consideration, and hopefully your vote

Sincerely,

Betsylew Miale-Gix

  1. Tom Luczycki:

I would like the members of the USBA to consider me for a third term as an at-large board member. While I have recently dipped my toe back into competition, my true nature is that of a casual sport thrower. I continue to be awestruck of the magic and poetry of a Boomerang in flight, and don’t necessarily want/need to compare my development and progress with that of others. The competition is with myself. Part of my role within the USBA would be to advocate for this portion of our electorate, helping to provide them with meaningful content through my continued efforts (albeit uneven) with Many Happy Returns. Almost by definition boomerangs are a solitary effort, attractive to both extroverted introverts, and introverted extroverts. I believe such throwers form the majority, and by supporting them all aspects of our sport will flourish. 

  1. Jason Smucker:  

I am running for a USBA board position because I would like to give back to the organization and the community that have helped me grow and thrive as a boomerang enthusiast.  My passion is to develop relationships between boomerang enthusiasts and to grow the sport and hobby into the next generation.  I want to encourage and promote local boomerang networks that provide the opportunity for new and developing throwers to grow and be encouraged in their boomerang interests.

  1. Jim Schramm:

Greetings USBA members, My name is Jim Schramm (“Rev. Jim”) and I’m excited to seek election to the USBA Board of Directors.  

In my professional role, I’ve worn a lot of hats in the non-profit consulting area, from cyber security engineer to technical project manager,  each with a focus on clear communication and identifying concrete action items to meet stated goals. 

 I’ve been a USBA member since 1988, the first year I competed in a tournament, which happened to be the ’88 Nationals in Bethlehem, PA.  That year I also competed in Chet’s 9th Annual Free-Thrower’s Fling, Dave B’s Cuyahoga Valley tourney, and perhaps a few others. I’ve first served on the USBA Board in ’95 and ’96, first having been elected at Nationals in Minneapolis. I still proudly identify as a Midwest member of Team Gel, with the threadbare Michael Gel “Rev Jim” team shirt currently hanging in my closet…  which I’ve carried place to place for the last 30+ years. I also had the opportunity to serve as head judge for World Cup in St. Louis in 1996. 

 Over the last few years, I’ve been involved with youth development, working with others to raise funds, organize, coach, and help bring the Windbenders US Youth team to both Bordeaux in 2022 and Denver this year. I have realized that an ongoing youth team initiative is something that must happen going forward to advance the sport that we all love.  I believe that we have proven, in a short time frame, via the significant success of youth involvement in sequential World Cups, that given the proper lead time and organization, a youth initiative can be a very important and successful venture going forward.  The numerous challenges over the last few years have also identified areas where the USBA needs to improve both messaging and execution.  Social media campaigns, sponsor outreach, youth development, obtaining grants, and USBA marketing are just a few of those areas.  I believe we all need to work together, along with others yet identified, to leverage each person’s unique skillsets and advance the priorities of the USBA as a whole.  

  1. Jacques Sabrie:

I would like to continue as a Board Member at Large and help the USBA to reach out to new throwers, advance the state of our sport, and help with the USBA web site

  1. Tommy Gruchala: At Large

I seek a Member-At-Large position for the 2024-2026 USBA board term. 

In my third year of throwing, I represent a middle ground between naivety and familiarity with boomerangs that I believe would be beneficial to the board. The population of boomerang throwers in America is a constrictive pyramid. It is no secret that the trickle of new throwers is not enough to keep up with the retiring of accomplished athletes.

Part of the solution is adding a fresh face to the board, like myself– someone who knows the basics of throwing but can turn inexperience into an advantage, to inject new ideas to the sport. Beginning with a low-level position on the board as a Member-At-Large would be the best way for me to give to boomerangs, learn from my seniors, and return years later as a developed thrower.

With this in mind, I want to contribute to new thrower recruitment. I had the pleasure to co-captain the “US adult developmental team” (Team Gel) at the 2024 WBC and hope to keep the momentum moving forward. Many in the community have made wonderful efforts to introduce this sport to children, which is necessary for boomerang’s longevity. However, I believe we should also add a focus on young adults, who are more willing and able to travel. Boomerangs fall into the same outdoorsy, flying object category as disc golf, ultimate frisbee, and pickleball that currently see an explosion in 20-something involvement. What’s the difference? I’d like to use my time on the board to explore this question with others’ help.

I would also like to develop the USBA website further to make it more of a central hub for boomerangs. Most information, videos, and history is recorded and discussed on Facebook, which is inaccessible to newbies and not popular with young adults. I envision collecting more content on the website and potentially changing its design with the input of the community. In general, there are many links and pages that are outdated and I would be happy to update them. Fun fact– the site is how I attended my first tournament, when a call for the 2022 US Nationals was posted. It has potential to recruit throwers!

Beyond this specific point, I am willing and able to be involved in organization, planning, advertisement, and other functions of the board. 

A bit about me personally: I live in Chicago, Illinois, in the Streeterville area that many of you know (Navy Pier, Magnificent Mile, Tribune Tower). I am 26 years old. I study medicine at Northwestern University and will graduate with my MD in early 2026 to pursue a residency in pathology.

Thank you for considering me for this position.

Chicago Tommy

  1. John Flynn:

My name is John Flynn and I’d like to represent USBA as a member-at-large. 

I joined USBA in 1981 (member #121) and have participated in competition and craftsmanship aspects, hosted tournaments, as well as presenting to the public. I served as USBA Treasurer from 1986-95 and a term as President 1999-2000. 

I was encouraged by the number of young (<30) throwers at the recent WBC and that some of them might want to become involved. 

I believe the membership responds positively to receiving tangible acknowledgement of their participation, either in the form of a brief newsletter or a maintained up-to-date web presence that covers current events, history, and craftsmanship. 

While I still compete and enjoy it, I envision my role as strengthening the history and crafts categories and otherwise contributing a long-term perspective to Board matters, that we can better chart our future by knowing where we’ve been.