FLW FOUNDATION
NEWS &
NOTES
UPDATE
Growth and Opportunities
For the New Year
T
wo hundred eighty-six. That’s the total number of
FLW tournaments scheduled to be held this year
in eight countries, including the United States,
Canada, China, Italy, South Korea, Mexico, Portugal and
South Africa. It’s incredible to think about the depth and
breadth of our offerings on four continents with mem-
bers speaking a half-dozen languages, but sharing one
passion: bass fishing. We are Fishing League Worldwide, the world’s largest tourna-
ment-fishing organization, and we are proud to have you as part of the FLW family.
FLW has a long history of awarding the sport’s biggest payouts, and with more
than $21 million on the line this season, that tradition lives on. Some of our biggest
contributions to the sport, however, have nothing to do with six-figure awards or
promoting our world-class anglers. They happen quietly at FLW Foundation Unified
Fishing Derbies held along the banks of lakes and rivers we visit throughout the
season, and at #ReelFun fishing events in more than 1,600 Walmart stores during
National Fishing and Boating Week. Such events are made possible because of the
efforts of more than 800 dedicated FLW Ambassadors who volunteer their time to
spread the joy of fishing to children and their families.
Established in 2010, the non-profit FLW Foundation supports youth fishing
recruitment, retention and reactivation through Unified Fishing Derbies, Get
Outdoors. Go Fish! school visits, and High School Fishing grants and other initia-
tives. Its mission is to connect America’s youth to their natural resources and pro-
mote education, conservation and an active lifestyle. It has been something of a
well-kept secret, but with your help, that is going to change.
As traditional pathways into fishing continue to decline, the FLW Foundation’s
work is more important than ever. Children need repeated fishing opportunities
and mentors they can count on to ensure quality experiences. With your help, we
can expand the FLW Foundation’s work, such as our recent grant program that
awarded $23,700 in funding to 49 Florida high schools to establish new or expand
existing fishing teams. Emphasis was placed on recruiting new anglers in schools
that serve a high percentage of Hispanic youth, and the results were outstanding.
More than 1,300 Florida students are now fishing on school-recognized teams as
a result of the FLW Foundation grants provided in partnership with the Florida Fish
and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Recreational Boating & Fishing
Foundation. Twenty-two percent of the students are Hispanic, and 34 percent are
female. Additionally, 41 percent of the students are novice anglers. Most important-
ly, the students are enjoying sustainable fishing opportunities and a sense of school
pride that was previously available only to athletes in the traditional high school
sports. The sense of belonging that comes from a school-sanctioned High School
Fishing team is the driving force that will continue to grow fishing participation.
If you’d like to volunteer at a Unified Fishing Derby, serve as an FLW Ambassador
during National Fishing and Boating Week or make a financial contribution to the
FLW Foundation, please visit FLWFishing.com/Foundation. You can also donate
when entering your next FLW tournament.
Watch for more FLW Foundation information in the months ahead as we roll out
new partnerships aimed at getting even more children hooked on fishing. We look
forward to seeing you on the water.
ITALY, PORTUGAL JOIN
FLW INTERNATIONAL
DIVISION
T
Flag of Italy
he Costa FLW Series International
Division recently expanded to include
FLW Italy and FLW Portugal, bringing
the total number of participating nations to
seven. The list also includes China, South
Korea, Canada, Mexico and South Africa.
The addition of FLW Italy, which will be
managed under the leadership of FLW Italy
CEO and President Jimmy Ashlock, was
announced during the 2017 Costa FLW
Series Championship on Kentucky Lake in
early November. José Neves, CEO and
President of FLW Portugal, finalized an
agreement with FLW a couple weeks later.
Both organizations signed exclusive licensing
agreements to host FLW-sanctioned tourna-
ments in their host nations beginning in
2018.
Boaters and co-anglers from each of the
participating nations can qualify to the 2018
Costa FLW Series Championship, where the
top finisher among all International Division
boater qualifiers will earn a spot at the 2019
Forrest Wood Cup.
At the 2017 Costa FLW Series
Championship in November, International
Division angler Michael Matthee of South
Africa qualified as the divisional representa-
tive to the 2018 Forrest Wood Cup.
Sincerely,
8
Kathy Fennel
President, Operations Division
Flag of Portugal
FLWFISHING.COM I JANUARY 2018