posted Nov 27th, 2010 - The NSL News reported on 22 November 2010 that DeLand Shmeland won the NSL Shugar Cup this year, the AAA Class trophy of the NSL Championship.

It was a well deserved reward for Sally Hathaway (Tail), Rodney Cruce (Center Inside), Jim "Bu" Klinge (Center Outside) and Ari Perelman (Point) who have been the best unofficial US amateur team of the 2010 season.

Albert Berchtold was filming Shmeland at SkyQuest 2010, and his meet videos of all rounds can now be reviewed on NSL-TV.

Patrick Walker was the Shmeland videographer when the team posted the 18.1 average at the USPA Nationals 2010, which earned the unofficial title of the US amateur champion in 2010.

NSL Championship 2010		Round1	Round2	Round3	Round4	Round5	Round6	Round7	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class	O,K,7,N	L,17,4	16,B,E,Q	A,18,6	14,M,21	13,D,C,10	9,5,15	Total	Avg
1	DeLand Shmeland XP	21(-2)	17	21	15(-2)	15(-1)	15(-2)	16(-1)	120	17.1
2	Teiwaz Falcon	20(-1)	15(-2)	18(-3)	12(-2)	14(-2)	12(-1)	15	106	15.1
3	Skytrax	20(-1)	10(-1)	21(-1)	14	12(-1)	10	16	103	14.7

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The 18.1 average at the USPA Nationals 2010 was not good enough to get close to the 19.3 record average that Mass Defiance posted at the USPA Nationals 2007.

The NSL News story on 30 September 2010 provided all the details of the amateur championship history in the USA.

Last weekend's 17.1 average seems to be quite far behind the 18.1 average in September. However, the videos and the number of point deductions show that Shmeland was performing on the same level.

Event Judge Eric Heinsheimer has the sharpest eyes in the 4-way world and detected any infringement that may have slipped through at the USPA Nationals.

Mass Defiance member and 19.3 record holder Ben Liston was observing Shmeland's pursuit of his highscore average at the USPA Nationals where he was competing with the Amphibious Attack Tigers. Last weekend, he was observer once again, this time with Teiwaz Falcon.

USPA Nationals 2010		Round1	Round2	Round3	Round4	Round5	Round6	Round7	Round8	Round9	Round10	Total	Avg
Rank	4-way Open	16,21,11	3,L,K,10	6,22,1	12,20,4	Q,M,2,N	H,D,9,G	19,5,13	F,E,17,O	C,8,7	A,18,14	Total	Avg
6	DeLand Shmeland XP	15	17	13	13	21	28	15	30	17	12	181	18.1
7	Speedy Kids XP	14	16	14	14	23	23	15	24	17	13	173	17.3
8	Founding Fathers	13	15	14	13	21	20	17	27	16	13	169	16.9
9	Amphibious Attack Tigers	12	16	14	12	18	25	16	27	14	14	168	16.8

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Shmeland may just need another year with the same lineup to eventually break this Mass Defiance record.

The Mass Defiance average was a result of the team's training with the same lineup (Jim Rees, Brian Stephens, Ben Liston, John Silva) for four years.

Mass Defiance began with a 12.8 average in 2004, won the USPA Advanced Class in 2005 with a 15.4 average, posted a 16.7 average in the Open Class in 2006 and then set the record average of 19.3 in 2007.

DeLand Shmeland is much closer with the 18.1 average after only one year than Mass Defiance was after three years of training and competition.

USPA Nationals 2010		Round1	Round2	Round3	Round4	Round5	Round6	Round7	Round8	Round9	Round10	Total	Avg
Rank	4-way Open	16,21,11	3,L,K,10	6,22,1	12,20,4	Q,M,2,N	H,D,9,G	19,5,13	F,E,17,O	C,8,7	A,18,14	Total	Avg
5	SDC Rhythm XP	17	19	16	15	23	30	19	32	20	14	205	20.5
6	DeLand Shmeland XP	15	17	13	13	21	28	15	30	17	12	181	18.1

CSC Rhythm XP was exactly at the same point (18.1) at the USPA Nationals 2009. SDC Rhythm XP then posted a 20.5 average a year later at the USPA Nationals 2010 and with a new team member.

Rhythm turned into a full time team after the 2009 season, which provided the foundation for breaking through the 20.0 average level. However, Shmeland doesn't have to get to a 20.5 average level. The Mass Defiance 19.3 average is surely much more in reach for Shmeland than for any other team in the past years.

The question is whether the same lineup will commit for another year of training and competition or not. The 2010 season turned out to be very successful considering the team's limited training options. The Shmeland members will probably not only look at the Mass Defiance record average. It is more the 20.0 average level that is so teasing. Hopefully, Ben Liston and the other Mass Defiance members will be able to continue watching DeLand Shemland pursue their record average in 2011.