Please allow me to introduce one of the key figures behind the scenes at GW3. His name is Jim Coleman aka paintfiction. Jim is the current President of NEFGA and the Event Director for GW3.
Greg: As the current President of NEFGA (Northeast Florida Geocachers Association) and The Event Coordinator for GW3, I am assuming that puts a lot of responsibility on you as a person and as a cacher. Do you feel any added responsibility toward the caching community?
Jim: "The positions I hold have definitely increased my responsibility to the caching community! Now I have to watch my tongue! Seriously though, I have many times had to forgo caching to work on NEFGA or GW3 business. This interview is a good example! Here it is a beautiful, winter day and I'm stuck inside doing this interview.
...On a more serious note, I have had to clean up my act a bit. For example, in the past I would not have thought twice about sneaking into a park after hours to nab a cache. Now I think about the possible consequences to our sport if Park Managers found out about such things. I'd look pretty foolish trying to discuss the positive aspects of geocaching to a park manager if I had recently been thrown out of one of their parks for being there after hours. Another example is I am much more likely to explain the sport to a civilian than to make up a bogus story to explain what I am doing poking around that lion statue at 3am..."
Greg: So it seems since the beginning of your time in caching here in Jacksonville, one of your goals has to been to help build the sport of Geocaching. True? So how does that relate to GW3?
Jim: "Building the sport means more geocaches which means more fun! Building the sport means better quality of hides. GW3 has set a high standard for us in NEFGA to strive for. We are expecting geocachers from all over the world and we will be judged them. We all feel the need to make sure geocaching in NEFGA country is first class and of the highest caliber by all standards of measurement."
Greg: Ok so let's talk about numbers for a minute. Much has been said about the game not being about numbers & statistics and yet that was the original intent of the first GeoWoodstock; for the top cachers to get together and celebrate with each other. Why do you think there is such a big push not to emphasize the numbers?
Jim: "In my PERSONAL opinion, the big emphasis on not making a big deal about numbers is a result of competition in general not being politically correct. If I do better (more, faster, etc.) than you can, you may get your feelings hurt. SHEESH! If you don't want to emphasize numbers for yourself, FINE but please allow me to enjoy the friendly competition that I enjoy with other cachers.
I play the game the way I like and don't mind if I am not in the politically correct group or the majority or WHATEVER. I might understand if there were a lot of gloating or condescension going on but my experience has been the opposite. Most of the top cachers I know have been quite humble. An example is Lynn (aka CCCooperAgency ) - THE top cacher in the world. I have heard much sniping, back biting, claims that she hasn't really found all of her finds, etc. about her but after meeting and caching with her on more than one occasion, I have found her to be quite honest about her finds, very humble and very enjoyable to be with. She just happens to like caching more than 99% of us. That is what got her where she is today."
Greg: Is it really all about the numbers or is it more about the number of cachers? As I was doing research for this article it appeared to me that the percentage of active cachers in the Jacksonville area is relatively high. Is there some particular reason for that? Since you have been around so long in the area, what role do you feel you have played in that regard?
Jim: "Why does NEFGA have such a high percentage of active, high number cachers? NEFGA has brought cachers together with one goal in mind - to have fun finding caches! You won't read that on NEFGA's home page but when you boil it all down that is what is left. Having a healthy, family oriented, and FUN pastime is what geocaching is all about and NEFGA helps keep it that way by encouraging the positive aspects of our sport. We have a lot of family-friendly events. We have a great forum where cachers can go to find a caching partner, ask a technical question, or just shoot the breeze amongst friends. In short we do our best to bring out the best of the sport and try to spend as little time as possible on the negative.
Now we get to the hard part of the question - what part have I played in all of this? First, I have to give you a lot of credit for teaching me how to get people interested in "going to the next level" in geocaching. I am sure you remember inviting me to go caching with you December 30, 2002 to do Musecacher's Challenge II when I had a scant 69 finds to my name. We drove about 400 miles, found 13 caches (I didn't even think it was possible to find THAT MANY caches in a day!), had a great time, and best of all got to know each other better.
That trip taught me to make contact with new cachers just like you did with me. I took that lesson and did my best to follow your lead. I emailed new cachers to say welcome and to offer them help if they needed it. I invited cachers I barely knew to go caching with me and I passed on the lesson to others so they would do the same. What did it get us? An excellent, tightly knit, friendly, caching group called NEFGA."
Greg: I sometimes wonder if we (cachers) don't lose sight of the fact that this is just a game and we take ourselves way to seriously. What are your thoughts on that? Do you think that is part of the reason that Cachers from NEFGA have so much fun with the whole numbers thing? It really is all just a joke?
We're hoping to do such a good job that the next group to sponsor GW4 will have to provide filet mignon to try to top us! LOL! Jim: "Exactly! You hit the nail on the head with that one. This IS a game and is designed to be fun. Like any game, we all play it the way we enjoy it best. Some golfers like mulligans, some don't. Some like touch football, others like tackle. It's none of my business if others like to geocache differently than I. Some don't share my opinions and (IMHO) take the game WAY too seriously.
One thing I have tried to stress since the day NEFGA was formed was to keep this sort of thing in perspective. If we lose sight of the fact that this is a game - we will wear ourselves out with rules and bureaucracy and it will cease to be fun. I think most in NEFGA agree with this attitude and see the numbers "issue" as an example of something to NOT take seriously.
So, to finally answer your question, yes, I believe the whole numbers thing is just a joke to NEFGA. One that we have had quite a bit of fun with I might add.... LOL!"
Greg: What personal goals have you set for GW3?
Jim: "My personal goal for GW3 is similar in that I want to "raise the bar" for this event. GW2 was great but I want GW3 to be better."
Greg: What is your group's vision for GW3?
Jim: "We in NEFGA want GW3 to be the biggest, the most laid back, the friendliest, and most importantly the most fun national event ever. We spent many hours dissecting GW2 looking for good and bad. We feel we have kept all the positives and fixed the negatives. Our goal is for every attendee to have a good time. We're going to do our best to make that happen."
Greg: As the big weekend closes in with the realities of sponsoring the world's largest gathering of Geocachers, I ask: Why do you want to do it?
Jim: "We live in a wonderful area, and have a group filled with great individuals. We have a lot of enthusiasm for NEFGA and for geocaching in general and we want to spread our enthusiasm. The other reason is we know there are a lot of great groups out there, and since the bar for this event is being raised every year, we played it smart figuring it's better for us to raise the bar now than to try to reach it later! LOL!
We're hoping to do such a good job that the next group to sponsor GW4 will have to provide filet mignon to try to top us! LOL!"
Greg: So here it is Paint, your opportunity to spread the word what would you like to say to the caching community of the world about GW3?
Jim: "We're working our tails off to make this the best event possible. If you miss it, you will regret it."
