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Flags
at Half Mast
AFA
Director –Bill Williams- Passes Away
By Andy Osofsky
The Flag Football community plays its
matches this weekend with a heavy heart, as one of the games
innovators and pioneers, AFA President, Bill Williams lost his
long bout with cancer on July 6. Williams, 51, is survived by
his wife Tracy and daughter Stacy Cobalt.
Williams founded the AFA (American
Football Association) to bring a “more structured approach” to
8-on-8 Flag Football games played nationwide. It has also served
as a common linking point for public and private leagues
throughout the United States. While the sports aspect was
important to Williams, he never lost sight of the “business side”
either.
Williams was a tireless marketer, who
was able to subsidize many leagues and tournaments through
national sponsorships. Currently the AFA has many national
sponsors in place, including: Starbucks, and Avis Car Rental.
Sponsors helped to keep league costs
as well as tournament entry fees to a minimal. Williams also was a
main player in getting countless leagues uniforms and equipment
sponsored and or donated. As such, some teams that may not have
been able to play were given a unique opportunity.
Based out of Las Vegas, the AFA still
has been organizing tournaments both in its home state of Nevada
and nationally for the last 12 years. When Williams passed away
there were still 5 tournaments to be played this year along with
the AFA Nationals in Las Vegas, NV. Nationals were to take place
the weekend of January 15-16, 2006. At present it is not known if
these tournaments will be played.
FlagMag.com
President Jim Zimolka, seems determined to make sure these events
take place.“We will make sure the Nationals continue , We will
call it the FlagMag.com Nationals where the Top four teams of each
division will advance to the World Cup Tournament March 29-April 2nd
in Panama City,FL”, said Zimolka. “The loss of Williams has left
the flag football community with heavy hearts. However, Williams
would have insisted that these events take place…no matter what.”
Zimolka
has mentioned that he is willing to take the reins as need be.
“After everything Williams did for all of us, it would be selfish
of me not to do everything it takes to make sure the events he was
so proud of take place as scheduled.”
We will miss you Bill. Thanks for all
you did for all of us.
For More info on the
FlagMag.com Nationals
please contact
Flag Football Magazine
603-437-0108
Staff@FlagMag.com
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