George Sappenfield
George Sappenfield
George Sappenfield, an alumnus of Fresno State, pioneered Frisbee disc golf in 1965 and made a career out of it.
He organized a city-wide Frisbee golf tournament in California and collaborated with Wham-O to promote the sport. His efforts brought Frisbee golf to UC Berkeley and then spread across America.
Early Life and Education
Early childhood education is an incredibly important period in a child’s development. It has an enormous bearing on their physical, social and emotional well-being.
Research demonstrates that a strong foundation can help children build the learning capacity, behaviors and health they require to become independent adults. Children’s brain architecture is formed during this period of development, so the experiences a child has during that time will have lasting effects.
ECE is therefore such an essential investment. It not only promotes a child’s long-term health and development, but it can be seen as beneficial to the entire community as well.
Professional Career
Professional career is something one chooses to pursue throughout their life. It shapes their direction, commitment to work and drive for growth and development.
George Sappenfield, a 1967 Fresno State University graduate and assistant professor from 1972-78 (he taught one unit on Frisbee), dedicated his life and career to disc golf, which he helped invent at Quigley Playground on a Saturday in 1965.
He played a significant role in popularizing disc golf through his partnership with Wham-O and the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA). Furthermore, his efforts led to its recognition as an official Special Olympics sport.
Achievements and Honors
George Sappenfield has made a lasting impact on the sport of Frisbee golf. In the late 1960s, he designed the first competitive disc golf course for an official sanctioned event and went on to create 25 more courses throughout his career.
He is also a member of the Disc Golf Hall of Fame and has been an influential leader in his field for more than 50 years.
His professional career culminated with three terms as chair of the English department at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM), where he helped shape both its reputation and doctoral program.
He is currently the vice president at Surry Community College and was recently recognized with the 2018 Aliceann Wohlbruck Innovation Award for his project entitled “Disc Golf: Work-based Learning Initiative,” which promotes peer interaction and soft skill development.
Personal Life
George Sappenfield is renowned as the man responsible for popularizing disc golf around the world. When not leading disc golf tournaments, he enjoyed volunteering and participating in his beloved sport.
In 1965, while working as a recreation counselor, he discovered that kids could play “golf” with Frisbees. So he created an object course for them to play on; using anything from lamp poles to fire hydrants as targets.
After graduating college in 1968, Sappenfield joined the Conejo Recreation and Park District in Thousand Oaks, California as their Parks and Recreation supervisor. During this period, he organized a disc golf tournament for adults that introduced the sport to many.
Today, disc golf is enjoyed worldwide. It has even become a popular sport for people with disabilities such as autism.
Net Worth
Net worth is the value of assets owned by an individual or business, less any liabilities they owe. It’s a key metric used by lenders to assess a business’ health.
Net worth is an important metric in personal financial planning. Not only does it show one’s financial health, but it can be used as motivation to make budgetary adjustments or invest in new investments.
The Net Worth Method is an indirect means of proof that, when applied correctly, provides compelling circumstantial evidence of a target’s concealment of unreported income. While this technique can be effective in the forensic accountant’s arsenal, it must be utilized with care to circumvent potential defenses that may arise.