Ponca City, Okla. (Aug. 21, 2011) – The Bass Federation
(TBF), in partnership with FLW Outdoors, announced it will be hosting the
inaugural, joint Student Angler Federation Colorado and New Mexico High School
Fishing State Championship Saturday October 8 at South Shore Marina in Lake
Pueblo State Park, Pueblo, Co. The state championship is a two person team
event for students in grades 9-12. Registration for high school anglers and
their “coach,” who will provide the boat they compete in, is open online at HighSchoolFishing.org or by calling 580.765.9031. Check-in is 5pm on Friday, October 7 at
Pueblo State Park Visitors Center in Pueblo, Co. Mandatory rules briefing will
follow at 6pm. We highly encourage all teams to pre-register online or by phone
in advance. The event winners from each
state will advance to a regional event.
“The Colorado
Bass Federation is absolutely thrilled to be a part of the growing movement to
bring High School Fishing to the forefront in this state,” Colorado TBF Youth
Director, Sam Heckman, commented. “We
want to invite every high school angler in both Colorado and New Mexico to participate
and find out how much fun this is. Also,
to learn how to get a school club started when they get back home to their
local schools.”
Students and parents can go to HighSchoolFishing.org for details on the Student Angler
Federation (SAF) and to sign up. Cost is only $25/ year and includes full TBF
and FLW Outdoors benefits, including access to the all-new FLW Outdoors
Magazine e-Edition and insurance coverage for students and their club. The
winning two-person team from each state championship will advance to an FLW
Outdoors/TBF High School Fishing Regional Championship held in conjunction with
a National Guard FLW College Fishing Regional Championship hosted on a college
campus this fall. The winners from each
regional will advance to the FLW Outdoors/TBF High School Fishing National
Championship held on a college campus in conjunction with the National Guard
FLW College Fishing National Championship in the spring of 2012. All SAF
members and state championship participants qualify for the largest event in
high school fishing, the 2012 High School Fishing World Finals to compete for
thousands in college scholarships and prizes. Each team that qualifies for a regional and/or
national championship will receive a travel allowance to help offset expenses.
The High School Fishing National Championship winner’s will also each receive a
$5,000 scholarship to use at the university of their choice.
If you’re not an SAF member, there’s a
$25/per angler fee for the state championship, which includes full TBF/FLW
Outdoors membership benefits, and the onetime fee covers ALL SAF sanctioned
events all year!
“We’re very excited
to be working with the Colorado Bass Federation and Lake Pueblo State Park
Visitors Center to bring this dual state event to the Lake Pueblo State Park,”
TBF National President, Robert Cartlidge, said. “Our affiliated state
federations are the backbone of the industry; they’re on the ground doing the
work to put on these types of events and give high school anglers a chance to
grow their skills, have some fun, compete to advance, and get involved with
other programs the Colorado Bass Federation has to offer.”
“High School anglers in are fortunate to have the Colorado Bass
Federation well established in this state and eager to help with this event,
which promises to be a great one,” TBF National Youth Director, Mark Gintert,
commented. “Our Student Angler Federation has a great start in Colorado with
several state students participating in our High School Fishing World Finals
this year held in Russellville, Arkansas. I’m sure they’re ready to show
everyone in the state how far they’ve come as anglers.”
Another unique feature of an SAF
sanctioned event is the “angler testing” component. Anglers can take a free
online test at HighSchoolFishing.org about
boater safety, conservation and angler ethics, which makes them eligible for
contingency awards at their state championship. “It’s an industry first by TBF
and a tremendous way to emphasize the importance of education to these student
anglers,” Gintert commented. “The Federation is driven by our desire to promote
education through fishing and the testing component is designed to do exactly
that. Put this package together with our partnership with FLW Outdoors and the
sky is the limit. These young anglers
will have opportunities unlike anything the industry has ever seen.”
Event Details:
·
State
Championship sign-up:
PRE-REGISTER ONLINE at HighSchoolfishing.org OR BY PHONE
580.765.9031. Questions? info@highschoolfishing.org
or call 580.765.9031. If you have to you can register at the Friday Mandatory
Check-in. The best way is to pre-register online at highschoolfishing.org.
·
Mandatory
Check-in: Friday, October 7, at 5pm at Lake Pueblo State Park
Visitors Center, Pueblo, Co.; Mandatory rules briefing to immediately follow at
6pm.
·
Takeoff
& Weigh-in: Saturday,
October 8 at South Shore Marina, Lake Pueblo State Park,
Pueblo, Co.; 6:30am or safe light take-off, 2pm weigh-in.
·
Local
Contact: Sam Heckman; (719) 492-0373; slamminsam5@q.com
About FLW Outdoors
FLW Outdoors is the largest fishing
tournament organization in the world offering anglers worldwide the opportunity
to compete for millions over the course of 191 tournaments in 2011. FLW
Outdoors has taken fishing mainstream with the world’s richest fantasy sports
game, FLW Fantasy Fishing presented by Straight Talk, where competitors can
play for free, as well as, sign up for Player’s Advantage to gain an edge. For
more information about FLW Outdoors and FLW Fantasy Fishing, visit FLWOutdoors.com
or FantasyFishing.com.
About
The Bass Federation
The Bass Federation Inc., (TBF) is
owned by those we serve and dedicated to the sport of fishing. TBF is the
largest and oldest, organized grassroots fishing organization. TBF affiliated
state federations and their member clubs conduct more than 20,000 fishing,
youth and conservation events at the local level each year and have provided a
foundation for the entire bass fishing industry for more than 40 years. Visit bassfederation.com.
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