A Review
Dean Schmitz, Candidate
for WSHPA Vice-President

WSHPA members have told me that: I am not a horseshoe pitcher because of my low ringer percentage; NHPA authorized distributors don't know anything about horseshoes; Discussion of the M-46 horseshoe club is taboo; Funds donated to the NHPF go to the founder of the foundation; Trying to get newspapers to print anything about horseshoe pitching is a lost cause; I don't know anything about the WSHPA because I've only been a member a few years; And on and on it goes.

Misinformation about horseshoe pitching will continue unless we become more educated about horseshoe pitching. We need to put out a BIG WSHPA welcome sign and encourage more participation and increase membership.

Anyone can be a horseshoe pitcher, just by joining and pitching in WSHPA tournaments. There are no qualifications to meet other than that.

New members can become active working members and future officers by making new friends, learning about the WSHPA and enjoying the sport.
More importantly, we need to get the word out about horseshoe pitching at the local level.

Why do I want to be a WSHPA vice-president?
"I want to bring on the same enthusiasm and effectiveness statewide as I have done at home. I will have the welfare of the WSHPA/NHPA foremost in mind."

A Few Milestones:
1. Joined the SCSHC in 1998. Membership grew from 10 in 1997 to over 80 in 2004. Created Club Guidebook for new members and used as a public relations tool. Got shed built, equipment made and purchased, courts sanctioned, and am tournament director for WSHPA tournaments.

2. In 1999, founded the Mount Clemens Indoor Horseshoe Pitchers Club. Created the Thaddeus "Ted" Kowalski Award, given to an influential local pitcher in Ted's honor with a yearly donation of $100 sent in Ted's memory to the NHPF. Sanctioned league member, Cay A. Newhouse, Jr., continues to sponsor sanctioned league trophies for the SCSHC. Trophy named in his honor.

3. Appointed WSHPA Publicity Co-chair in 1999. Had first WSHPA brochure printed, write promotion/publicity column for Ringer Report, and sent numerous press releases to newspapers. I try to set an example, at the local level, of what can be done with promotion and publicity.

4. The MCIHPC grew to 163 members. The database has grown to nearly 500 interested horseshoe pitchers living in southeast Michigan.

5. Developed web site for local horseshoe pitching: www.pitchhorseshoes.com

6. Educated people about the great sport by holding three clinics. The WSHPA men's and women's state champions put on an exhibition, and a group of Mount Clemens Middle School students took part in learning the game. Leaders of the NHPA placed the clinic material on the NHPA web site for all clubs to use. Developed PowerPoint horseshoe presentations assessable through the NHPA web site: www.horseshoepitching.com.

7. Seventy-nine people pitched in MCIHPC sanctioned tournaments, many of them first time visitors to Mount Clemens. The first indoor charity tournament had over 60 participants.

8. Honored with 2001 NHPA Achievement Award.

9. During the three-year existence, MCIHPC donated $250 to the City Recreation Department, $550 to the Southeastern Michigan Horseshoe Pitchers Charity Club, $550 to the National Horseshoe Pitchers Foundation and $900 to Special Olympics.

10. Pitched in four WT's, a class champion in 1999. Pitched in every state tournament since 1998.

11. SCSHC sanctioned league started in 2004. Along with the Lake Orion Club, created "The 'Woody' Cup Challenge." Proposed as the Wolverine State Horseshoe Pitchers Association sanctioned league championship tournament. This trophy is presented annually to the Michigan sanctioned league champion to create an awareness of the WSHPA, National Horseshoe Pitchers Association, promote sanctioned leagues, and encourage participation in organized horseshoe pitching. Sponsored by LDJ Trophies. The WSHPA Women's Auxiliary benefited with a tournament donation of $180.

12. Persuaded over 50 WSHPA members to join our organization since 1999 and continuing to do so.

13. I DID NOT ACCOMPLISH THIS ALONE. I am able to work with club members. The members are the ones who get the work done at the grass roots level all the way down to the clay.

WSHPA vice-presidential duties: Section 8. The 1st vice president shall be the chairperson of the Constitution and By-laws Committee. The 2nd vice president shall be the chairperson of the Grievance and Credentials Committee. (Unwritten duties: Share the work load for the State Doubles and State Championship Tournaments. Promote the WSHPA/NHPA.)

August 2004