Letter from Studley Foster, Aug. 1, 1971  

Dear Roger,

I imagine that is one ot the reasons tor the I.J.A. to try new ideas out. For many reasons not all the strong force ot jugglers can get to a convention for reasons of the distance, protessional jugglers working at the time, and other reasons enough persons can't form enough show force for a healthy contest.

A young novice living close to a convention site could easily win one of the elaborate trophies just for merrily entering the contest for lack of jugglers. It was a good try and could be used for excitement for the future. Time consuming and  high trophy expense seem to be factors.

Maybe for an alternative to keep it exciting and short give a trophy and the name on the IJA plaque for all persons able to juggle say (8) balls and catch same, that is, juggle 8 balls for nine counts and catch same entitles a person for the honorary roll on the plaque. Keep it small to begin with and add other things as you go maybe, hoops, clubs, plates, etc. So when a new member sees these names on the honor roll it will create interest plus a person accomplishing this would make other things much easier to learn assuming he or she concentrated on the ball record, then the concept used for 5 club juggle.would be much easier. A contestant would say get 3 tries.

Or like we did at the Wheeling West Virginia convention down by the swimming pool it was thought up at the moment, a 3,  then 4,  then 5 ball juggling contest where everybody could just about get in. Everybody started juggling at the same time when you missed you stepped out until there was a winner.

Usually the whole contest takes less than an hour, there is no signing up, to make the 3 ball part run faster you might chance a trick every 5 counts.

A club needs something like a contest of some sort to build interest am to give a person some thing to work on during the year. I hope this will get others to suggest things.

                                                                        Studley Foster