About Us International Society of Professional Trackers ISPT


ISPT Home About ISPT Our Mission Code of Conduct Staff Charter Members Group Members Membership Newsletter News and Events Tracking 2008 History Project Store Tracking Links Contact Us	Why ISPT? The need for objective information and assistance with finding qualified tracking services were beyond the capacity of what any one individual, company, school, or local association could provide. There existed no dedicated, comprehensive, and neutral source of information about tracking services, schools, and individuals engaged in the field. What was needed were bridges between all the varied participants in the field; a means for getting information and making contact with active tracking practitioners. While we see scores of practicing trackers around the would, few identify themselves as being "professional" trackers … the quote below perhaps addresses our feeling for all the hobbyist trackers that feel that they are exempt from joining a professional society of trackers. It is this definition of professionalism that we are founded upon: Introducing the joy of tracking to many Advancing the usage of tracking into employment fields that have forgotten the need Acknowledge the seasoned orthodoxy that we all share Raise the bar a bit by establishing a conformity that will take tracking to an honored level. ISPT History The concept for a neutral tracking entity aimed at the unification and standardization of tracking, students, practitioners, instructors, and organizations was visualized in the spring of 1998 by Ty Cunningham, an accomplished tracker and Deputy U.S. Marshal for the District of Alaska. He preliminarily documented the needed essentials to make such an idea come to fruition. Concurrently, in Stevenson, Washington, Linda Hunter was contemplating adding a special interest newsletter named Track & Sign to her slate. She was actively editing and publishing other newsletters with her business Word Applications. Upon the advice of many tracking professionals and the fortunate connection with Linda Hunter, Ty developed the International Society of Professional Trackers (ISPT). Linda’s creativeness and writing skills established the ISPT newsletter Track & Sign that carried us through our first 5 years of existence, and Track & Sign continues to keep us connected with great stories and information. Where are we going from here? We have members from the US, Canada, Australia, Netherlands, New Zealand, and the UK … we wish to add a lot more "off-shore" members. In 2003, we introduced Group Membership that will allow tracking schools, tracking units, and tracking clubs to enroll their membership as ISPT Members … mutually supporting each other. As we grow, input from the members will be shaping the future of the newsletter and ISPT … ALL are welcomed. We are progressing forward by incorporating the entity of ISPT and fine tuning our worldwide database of trackers to assist in tracking requests and referrals. We will continue to publish a quarterly newsletter and meet annually at our Gatherings. Sincerely, Del Morris Executive Director	Photos from the Tracking 2007 Symposium Photos from the Tracking 2006 Symposium Photos from the Tracking 2003 Symposium Photos from the Tracking 1999 Symposium
	"You become an expert in your field when you take the initiative with a subject you enjoy, learn it and study its art, conduct independent research in that field and then share it with others. If you do this, and do it because of the science, and not because someone said so, you will have reached a pinnacle of professionalism that is second to none. Learn to become your students' student." Timothy Hahn, 1994
	(c) 2007 International Society of Professional Trackers