Mr Ford:

I am truely excited by the opportunity that State College PA is offering for young adults here in the USA. It is a chance of a lifetime for young people who are interested in fly fishing.

Most young people would not consider themselves to be qualified to be in a competition but in fact we have some of the best young anglers in the world. In 1998 I took a team to Wales for the world competition. That year we fished for wild European grayling and lake rainbows. NONE of the young people on the team had "any" eperience in that sort of fishing. With training and education we wound up winning a team Silver medal and an individual Gold medal that year.

Last years team placed very well in the competition in Portugal. We are desperately looking for young people to train for the team and the future. I (as well as others) provide the training at no cost at all.

We are currently trying to put together a training session in the last week of June. Once those dates are set the "public" will be invited to the training sessions (adults included). Again it is a chance for fly fishers from around the country to be introduced to each other and share techniques and knowledge.

It should be noted that there is no prize money, involved in these competitions. What they have to gain is simply the experience, the knowledge, and the friendships they will make with those from other countries.

John Wilson
Team USA