Ice Bowl Publicity

Sample News Release

For Immediate Release
Contact: Rick Rothstein 816-471-3472

Harvesters to Benefit as Kansas City Disc Golfers Play in the Annual Ice Bowl This Event Cannot Be Canceled Because of Weather. No wimps or whiners are allowed!

(KANSAS CITY) The 15th annual DISC GOLF ICE BOWL will be held in Kansas City on Sunday, January 23rd at the Rosedale Park Disc Golf Course in Kansas City, KS (40th and Mission). Registration opens at 9:00 a.m. and closes at 10:30. The entry fee is $15 and includes a commemorative disc, a mini disc, lunch, and an $8.00 donation to Harvesters. All players are welcome regardless of ability. Everyone will have a chance to win a prize. There will also be closest-to-the-pin contests for prizes with the proceeds going to Harvesters.

The first Disc Golf Ice Bowl was held in 1987 as a day of disc golf solidarity in the gloom of winter. It is promoted by Disc Golf World News, the sport's leading disc golf magazine, which is published in Kansas City. Official Ice Bowls are played at courses all over the United States, and in Canada and Europe in a corridor which runs from January 12-February 18. Each event is encouraged to find a charity to support. The Ice Bowl goal for 2002 is to raise over $50,000. In 2001, nearly $46,000 was raised.. Last year's leading fundraiser ($5,000) was the Houston Flying Disc Society. With 148 players, Kansas City was the best attended Ice Bowl in 2001, followed by Hattiesburg, Mississippi with 127. The worst weather Ice Bowl was in Winnipeg where there was 27 inches of snow on the ground with a temperature hovering near -5°.

Last year in KC, 148 players showed up to play on a nice 35° day and donated a record amount of $1,800 to. Harvesters. According to Ice Bowl director, Rick Rothstein, "This is one of the most popular tournaments we have here in Kansas City. Last year the weather was very nice following an extended cold streak, and attendance ballooned. Not knowing what the weather will be adds to the challenge of the event because the dedicated disc golfers don't want to be called 'wimps.' Disc golf is a lot of fun, quite challenging, and relatively inexpensive to play."

The rules of the Ice Bowl are simple: 1) Under no circumstances can an Ice Bowl be postponed or cancelled; 2) No wimps or whiners are allowed; and 3) There are no excuses for not attending. (Either be there or be a wimp!)

Disc golf is similar to golf (disc golfers call it "ball" or "stick" golf) in procedure, pace, and psychology. Instead of clubs and balls, disc golfers used specialized flying discs (smaller, heavier, and aerodynamically superior to the Frisbees used for playing catch). Instead of a cup, disc golf players "hole out" in a disc golf basket. Made of steel, it features a basket that is attached to a pole about two feet above the ground and has two chain assemblies above the basket which acts as a backboard that stops the disc's forward motion, causing it to drop into the basket. Disc golfers play the throw from where it lies, and count each throw as a point or "stroke" until the the disc lands in the basket or within the chains.

Other major events in Kansas City for 2002 include the 20th Kansas City Wide Open on June 1-2, when some of the best pros in the country will be in town. Last year's nationally-ranked Wide Open drew 250 competitors. The 11th annual World's Biggest Disc Golf Weekend will be held on May 5-6. An international celebration, the WBDGW's purpose is to get people to try disc golf. The non-profit Kansas City Flying Disc Club organizes recreational play all year long at the area's six courses, including winter weekends when it's above freezing.

***** For more information: Contact Rick Rothstein 816-471-3472 *****