Number of Positions: 1

Number of Candidates: 1

Please find below the candidates, vetted by the Elections' Commission, listed alphabetically by family name.

Maria Fernanda Meza Bonilla (COL)

Motivational Statement: Ultimate will always hold a special place in my heart - and my life - whether because it provided me with an alternative to intense, contact team sports; to the concept of SOTG; and to its uniquely friendly international community. I want to help share the best parts of Ultimate and WFDF values to other flying disc sports, as well as vice versa - while also addressing some areas of improvement. Most notably, I feel WFDF would stand to benefit from more sharing of views by non-ultimate athletes.

In the end disc golf remains my primary focus. I feel the sport is ripe for growth and a complement, not a competitor, to ultimate, with ultimate players being ideal candidates to consider trying and playing disc golf. I am especially interested in exploring how to help match its adoption and popularity in Asia compared to North America and Europe.

Nevertheless there are some areas where disc golf’s integration of WFDF’s value system and policy may need some adjustment, and more athlete feedback.

One instance deals with the application of SOTG to non-ultimate sports. While I am a proponent of SOTG, when I played in the 2024 WTDGC, we were required to give SOTG scores to our opponents. Some sections and their rubrics were relevant (e.g. Rules, Knowledge, and Use’ and Positive Attitude and Self-Control), however other categories were difficult to apply to the context of disc golf. The concept of SOTG is integral to flying disc sports, but how it is applied to the various flying disc disciplines may require more input from the relevant sport’s athletes and stakeholders, not only for disc golf.

Another issue needing discussion and attention deals with athletes unable to attend elite WFDF events because their specific country cannot field sufficient players to form/send a team. For example, while a number of Asian countries were able to participate in the 2024 WTDGC in Perth, not a single country from Asia will be in attendance this 2026 WTDGC. It would seem a net-positive if WFDF policy allowed countries/regions with less-developed/low populated flying disc disciplines to be allowed to form coalition teams across countries to help provide a base for elite athletes to grow and provide for incremental developmental pathways.

There are other areas also meriting discussion, including more team disc golf events other than the WTDGC (which in fact already exist and simply need an introduction to WFDF), embracing older age-cohorts in line with WFDF’s position on equality and encouraging diversity, etc.

Ultimately the views and concerns I have shared here are but a fraction of the concerns I have come across throughout my disc golf travel.  Thus if I were to be awarded an Open Member Position in Disc Golf on the Athletes’ Commission, I would take great care in discussing the concerns of the flying disc community I expect to gather from the many tournaments I plan to participate in throughout Asia and the world in the coming years."

Flying Disc Experiences: The nominated athlete has over 12 years of experience as an Ultimate player and has been actively involved in Disc Golf and Freestyle for the past 3 years. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated strong leadership both as a coach of her departmental selection team and as a team captain.

In Disc Golf, she achieved national recognition by becoming an Interleague Champion. In Freestyle, she has competed internationally at World Championships, earning the Spirit of the Game award at the 2023 World Championship and securing 3rd place at the 2024 World Championship.

In addition to her competitive achievements, she serves as the Director of “Vuelo Colectivo,” a national initiative focused on the development and promotion of Freestyle Flying Disc across the country.

Professional and Educational Experiences: The nominated athlete is a licensed teacher in English as a Foreign Language and holds a Master’s degree in Pedagogical Mediation in English Language Learning. Her academic and professional background is strongly rooted in education, communication, and inclusive teaching practices, which are directly relevant to representing and supporting athletes in a structured and collaborative environment.

She has extensive experience working with diverse populations, ranging from early childhood to university level, designing and implementing dynamic, student-centered learning strategies. Her work emphasizes participation, equity, and engagement—principles that align closely with the role of an Athletes’ Commission Member.

In addition to her teaching career, she leads “Vuelo Colectivo,” a national initiative focused on the development and promotion of freestyle flying disc. Through this role, she has gained valuable experience in project management, community building, and advocacy within the sport, particularly in expanding access and visibility at a national level.

Her combined experience in education, leadership, and sport development equips her with strong communication, organizational, and representation skills, making her well-prepared to contribute effectively as a member of the Athletes’ Commission.