On March 5-7, 2020, the Gulf Coast Council will host the largest FFI casting event in North America! Coordinated by GCC Casting Chair Jeff Ferguson, and with help from several other qualified upper-level casting instructors, the event will take place in Lake Charles, LA. Candidates for the FFI Certified Casting Instructor (CCI) badge, as well as for the Master Certification Instructor (MCI) badge, will be tested.
Jeff describes in detail how this came about.
This will be my third year as event coordinator for CICP testing in Lake Charles, LA. The first two years were challenging. I was a new event coordinator with little name recognition hosting a first time event in a place where fly fishing is not on top of the list.
I struggled to get enough candidates and then struggled even harder getting examiners to travel far distances to do the exams. The candidates I did get were mostly regional candidates that Keith Richard and I had conflicts with. Getting candidates and examiners and meeting a budget was challenging. With some support from the Contraband Fly Casters and the Gulf Coast Council I was able to get it done and showcase our southern charm.
I started planning the March 2020 event in mid 2019. I expected the same hurdles. I opened the registration with 4- CI slots and 1- MCI slot. I had worked hard getting the word out to encourage registration to candidates I was aware of that were possible candidates. Gary Davison was helpful sharing the information with the CI study group. To my surprise the registration opened and all slots but one were taken in the first week! One more registration and I can make budget and start working on securing examiners.
That one remaining slot filled quick. The call came from Portland Oregon that two candidates had been preparing together and wished to travel together and requested another slot. That was an easy yes. Six tests in two days by four examiners was perfect. I made my calls to examiners that had come previous years, in hopes they would agree to repeat their commitment. Their response? They were going to be mad if they weren’t invited back!
Now I had candidates and examiners. I contacted my friend Jeanne Rogers ( 2019 GCC Woman of the Year) to secure the Isle of Capri Boardroom. She was able to reserve it for two nights. I have been to CICP workshops all over the country and nobody has a meeting place anywhere near what Isle of Capri offers us. Jeanne came through again!
All the major pieces were in place and the work began. Building test packets for candidates early and all the other small stuff was falling in place. Well, not so fast! The emails and phone calls continued to come. The typical message was “I see on the FFI website the event is full, can you add another slot?” I don’t like to turn candidates down so I do what I can. I started a waitlist that grew out of control.
The only way to add candidates was to add more examiners and demand another testing day. My first call was to a New York MCI asking for help. Gail Gallo answered immediately, and stated that she and her husband Paul would be here.
Here’s where we stand today. We’ll be hosting one of the biggest events in North America. We went from a two day event with 4 examiners and 5 candidates, to a three-day event with 7 examiners and 15 candidates (12 CI and 3 MCI exams). Between examiners and candidates 13 states will be represented. We hope to complete EDP validation requirements for three (3) L2 examiners. Another L2 EDP candidate will satisfy all but one needed requirement. With the infectious enthusiasm from the event an EDP candidate has decided to pursue his L1 validation and will be able to satisfy two EDP requirements in Lake Charles.
In planning an event like this it reminds me that we are part of an international organization. Becoming a certified instructor takes a big commitment of time and money. Being able to host an event with attendees traveling from all parts of the USA is very humbling. I look forward to the opportunity to pay it forward by going wherever needed to help other event coordinators with their events. As a volunteer organization it is a wonderful feeling to have so much support.
Jeff Ferguson MCI
L1 examiner
