This petition serves as a vehicle towards beginning the reform process of the travel team system within the DCGFFL and is not a means to promote any specific reforms or positions. Many have expressed a disapproval with the current system and this petition details some of the system’s shortcomings in an effort to start the conversation with stakeholders of the DCGFFL travel team system.

The DCGFFL’s travel system’s current governing body is the Captain Selection Committee (CSC) which is an independent body in charge of selecting the travel team captains for the A, B and C men’s team, dictating the drafting process and regulating player conduct. The CSC and the current bylaws it operates under were formed 6 years ago in response to the cantankerous and inefficient system of the Metros and Monuments whereby two independent and rival teams competed against each other for new local talent. A key bylaw of this system was the formation of new teams every year so that the most talented players from DC would all be on one team, the idea was DC First.

Since the formation of the current system, the DCGFFL has expanded rapidly, becoming a 20 team league with over 260 players both gay and straight. The organizational and competitive prowess of the league has organically brought many talented, athletic players as well as excellent teammates and leaders. The relationships formed on and off the field have brought some of these players into the travel system and has led to an expansion of the talent pool. However, during this “renaissance”, DC has yet to win a title at Gay Bowl.

While the independent, unelected and unaccountable board's primary focus is on captain hiring and firing, it neglected to act on the player unhappiness and the apparent lack of management of the Commanders Captain after the Philadelphia Gay Bowl. This failing by the CSC resulted in the essential destruction of the core team, them receiving drubbing in this year's Gay Bowl due to a lack of player's re-commitment and possible demotion of the team as Gay Bowl returns to DC.

Because of these and other reasons I support reforms, targeted or far-reaching, to the CSC and the current bylaws for the travel system so that the new system 1) is more transparent 2) more accountable 3) represents player values and interests 4) supports core team formation and 5) supports travel team player development (specifically quarterbacks) in an effort to bring home multiple Gay Bowl trophies.