CDS Footgolf Tournament - Saturday, May 21

I now turn the blog over to our amazing Grade 6 students...

Dear CDS Community, 

In September, the 6^th grade class started working on a project to enhance the school grounds while in MakerSpace. Since then, we have been digging, drilling, drawing, sewing, and sawing to create our very own CDS Footgolf Course!  Footgolf is a lot like regular golf, except you play with a soccer ball and kick into a hole that is actually a 5-gallon bucket.   

The first task was planning. We mapped out where the holes would be located. We decided that we would only dig three holes, but have three tee boxes to each hole, creating a total of nine holes. Then, we dug. Digging just one hole took days, because we had to dig them big enough to hold the 5-gallon buckets and with enough space to be surrounded by pea gravel to help drain the water.  We finally finished the holes and put in the buckets to retain the hole’s shape. During this long process, we discovered a major problem: during heavy rains, the rainwater was draining through the rocks, around the buckets and creating enough force to push the buckets and gravel completely out of the holes. To solve this problem, we drilled 1-inch holes in the bottoms of the buckets, so that the water level would rise inside the bucket and not push the bucket out of the ground. After the rain stops, the water can then percolate back through the holes and into the soil. Success! 

Next, we worked on the lids for the holes. We needed to make sure the lids protected the holes, but also protected anyone walking on our campus from falling into one of the holes.  The lids were designed with two circular pieces of wood.  One piece fits snugly inside the lip of the bucket to maintain stability, and a second, larger piece on top that covers the entire hole and bucket.  We had to make a few adjustments due to the buckets being slightly misshapen from the force of the ground around them, but in the end, the lids and holes were a success.  We even added rope handles made from all-weather marine rope.   

Next was the rules and etiquette for the course in the form of a bifold. This included a scorecard, a notes/suggestions section, and the specific rules for our course. At the same time, the flags and the flag holders were being made. This part of the project went by relatively quickly, and eventually, we were ready to test. Beta testing introduced a few more problems, like the holes not funneling the ball well enough, and all of these were quickly solved. Our course was now complete! 

To celebrate the completion of the CDS Footgolf Course, we would like to invite you to the first CDS Footgolf Tournament on Saturday, May 21.  

• This tournament is designed for ages 3^rd grade and older 
• Plan on arriving at 9:30am for registration 
• Ages twelve and under are $15 
• Ages thirteen and up are $20 
• Payment will only be accepted the morning of the tournament, but all participants need to register by SUNDAY, MAY 15. 
• To register, please complete the google form at:  https://goo.gl/Xovljx        

• Supplies to bring – 
  - Soccer balls for each player in your party
  - Tennis shoes, NO CLEATS
  - Comfortable clothing
  - Water bottle 
• Tournament begins at 10:00 AM with an overview of rules before playing. Official tournament play begins promptly after the reading of the rules. 
• Please park on the lower lot of CDS or on Wainridge Drive. NO PARKING on the UPPER LOT 
• When you arrive, head to the upper lot for registration, light breakfast snacks (provided by CDS), and socializing. 
• Please note: the food supplied may contain dairy, nuts, and/or gluten. If you have dietary restrictions, please feel free to bring your own snacks. 
• Half of all funds go to FOCUS North America, this year’s philanthropy organization; the remaining proceeds go to CDS to cover the costs of the project. 
• If there are torrential downpours or severe thunderstorms in the forecast, the tournament will be cancelled and all money will be refunded. 
• The tournament end time is projected to be around 1pm, but since this is our first tournament we're not exactly sure yet! When we see how many people register we should have a better idea of our end time.
• Parents with questions should contact Mr. McClintock at smcclintock@chesterfielddayschool.org 

Thank you for supporting CDS and the 6th grade class!