The IFPA is pleased to announce that our Rookie of the Year for the 2020 season is Michael Bair from North, Canton, OH. This award is given to the player that earns the most WPPR points in their first year of active play.

With the shortened 3 month season of 2020, Michael was still able to play in 12 events. Michael earned 23.56 WPPR points from these 12 events. Michael participated in his first IFPA sanctioned tournament on January 10th at the Kidforce Friday Knockout. Since entering the World Pinball Player Rankings at that time, Michael has seen his rank increase to 3305th in the world.

Michael’s greatest achievement of 2020 was his 27th place finish in the Kidforce Collectibles Pinball League Winter Season, out of 165 players. Overall, Michael placed in the top 4 at 42% of his 2020 events, a truly remarkable achievement.

Congratulations to Michael, our 2020 IFPA Rookie of the Year!

The IFPA is pleased to announce that our Player of the Year for 2020 is Eric Stone from Fort Myers, FL. In the shortened 2020 season, Eric was still able to rack up an incredible 458.24 WPPR points during 2020 (which would put him in the top 50 in the world based on ONLY these 3 months of play). Eric currently sits as the #2 ranked player in the world having moved up from the #12 ranking at the start of the year.

Eric played in 10 events during the 2020 season, winning 6 of them, while finishing in the top 4 in 7 of them. Eric also finished as the IFPA Player of the Month for January 2020.

Eric’s highlights during 2020 included his first Major Championship title, taking 1st place at The Open – IFPA World Championship back in January. He also won the Classics II division at INDISC while finishing in 2nd place in the Classics I division.

The IFPA wishes to congratulate Eric on all of his success throughout this shortened 2020 season!

The IFPA is pleased to announce a new award from the 2019 season, and that’s the Rookie of the Year award. This award is given to the player that earns the most WPPR points in their first year of active play. Our Rookie of the Year for 2019 is Axel Blonde from Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Axel racked up an incredible 366.09 WPPR points during 2019. Axel participated in his first IFPA sanctioned tournament in April 2019. Fast forward 8 months and Axel currently sits as the 226th ranked player in the world, and is the top seed in the upcoming 2019-20 IFPA British Columbia Provincial Championship.

Axel’s greatest achievement of 2019 was his 16th and 9th place finishes at the NW Pinball Championships Main and Classics events, one of the stops on the Stern Pro Circuit during the 2019 season. Overall, Axel won 27% of the 44 events he played in during 2019, while placing in the top 4 at 73% of his 2019 events, a truly remarkable achievement.

Congratulations to Axel, our first IFPA Rookie of the Year! Best of luck to all the players that have yet to start competing on their journey to becoming IFPA’s next Rookie of the Year.

The IFPA is pleased to announce that our Player of the Year for 2019 is Johannes Ostermeier from Munich, Germany. Johannes racked up an incredible 1231.38 WPPR points during 2019. Johannes currently sits as the #1 ranked player in the world having moved himself up from 5th at the start of the year.

This is where I typically list all of the achievements from the Player of the Year, however it’s the first time in IFPA history that the Player of the Year is also the player that won the World’s Greatest Pinball Player award. We’ll just leave that fact here and move on.

The IFPA wishes to congratulate Johaness on all of his success throughout 2019!

The IFPA is pleased to announce that our Player of the Year for 2018 is Trent Augenstein from Delaware, OH. Trent racked up an incredible 1578.18 WPPR points during 2018. This beats the previous record of points earned during a year of 1425.50 (also by Trent in 2017). Trent currently sits as the #6 ranked player in the world having held that spot from the start of the year.

Trent was the IFPA Player of the Month in June, July, August and September of 2018 having won 32 of the 90 tournaments he played in during 2018, while finishing in the top 4 in 58% of them.

Trent’s highlights during 2018 included a 3rd place finish at the IFPA15 World Pinball Champinoship, along with 2nd place finishes at the Texas Pinball Festival , 24 Hour Final Battle at The Sanctum, Buffalo Pinball Summer Open (Classics), 1st place finishes at the Pincinnati Matchplay Tournament, The Amazing Pinball Race and Pinball at the Zoo. Trent earned his 3rd career top 4 Major Championship finish with that 3rd place IFPA15 finish.

The IFPA wishes to congratulate Trent on all of his success throughout 2018. The IFPA posts this with the caveat that there are still 71 sanctioned events left on the IFPA calendar, and it’s likely that Trent will play in most of them.

The IFPA is pleased to announce that our Player of the Year for 2017 is Trent Augenstein from Delaware, OH. Trent racked up an incredible 1425.50 WPPR points during 2017. Trent currently sits as the #6 ranked player in the world having moved himself up 6 spots from starting the year ranked #12.

Trent was the IFPA Player of the Month in March and November of 2017 having won 30 of the 96 tournaments he played in during 2017, while finishing in the top 4 in 56% of them.

Trent’s highlights during 2017 included 1st place finishes at the Louisville Arcade Expo, 24 Hour Final Battle at The Sanctum, Ohio Pinball Show, OBX Fall Pinball Bash, Cactus Jacks Silverball Showdown, Bat City Open and Main Street Mayhem II. Trent also earned his 2nd career top 4 Major Championship finish having placed 4th at the PAPA20 World Pinball Championships A-division.

The IFPA wishes to congratulate Trent on all of his success throughout 2017. To celebrate Trent is playing in 7 different tournaments simultaneously RIGHT NOW.

The IFPA is pleased to announce that our Player of the Year for 2016 is Steven Bowden from Franklin Park, NJ. Steven racked up an incredible 1377.00 WPPR points during 2016. Steven currently sits as the #6 ranked player in the world.

Steven was the IFPA Player of the Month in August of 2016 having won 24 of the 55 tournaments he played in during 2016, and finished in the top 4 in 47% of them.

Steven’s highlights during 2016 included 1st place finishes at the Pittsburgh Pinball Open and Pinvasion, along with a 5th place finish at Pinburgh. Steven also won 7 out the 12 Modern Pinball NYC Super League tournaments during 2016, racking up 506.42 WPPR points in the process.

The IFPA wishes to congratulate Steven on all of his success throughout 2016, and for being one hell of a podcast co-host.

The IFPA is pleased to announce that our Player of the Year for 2015 is [player]Steven Bowden[/player] from Franklin Park, NJ. Steve racked up an incredible 1282.34 WPPR points during 2015 moving him from 13th to 2nd in the world during the year.

Steve was the IFPA Player of the Month in May, October and December of 2015 having won 36% of the 55 tournaments he played in during 2015, and finished in the top 4 in 64% of them.

Steve’s highlights during 2015 included 1st place finishes at Pinball Expo’s Flip Out Main Tournament, PPO’s Classics and Pin-Golf Tournaments, Pinfest and the 24 Hour Final Battle at The Sanctum. Steve also won 5 out the 12 Modern Pinball NYC Super League tournaments during 2015, racking up enough WPPR points (538.91) to actually change the course of the WPPR system forever!

Steve will be given his award at the IFPA13 World Pinball Championship, scheduled for April 12-14, 2016 in Pittsburgh. The IFPA wishes to congralute Steve on all of his success throughout 2015.

The IFPA is pleased to announce that our Player of the Month for July 2013 is former World Pinball Champion [player]Cayle George[/player] from Seattle, WA. Cayle earned 102.09 WPPR points in July. This included a vicorty at Super Multi-Brawl, 2nd place finish at the Midsummer Classic Pinball Tournament and 4th place finish in the Classics Division at California Extreme.

The rest of the top 5 for the month of July included [player]Bob Matthews[/player] from Thousand Oaks, CA with 95.20 WPPR points, [player]Robert Gagno[/player] from Canada with 75.22 WPPR points, [player]Julio Vicario Soriano[/player] from Spain with 73.60 WPPR points, and [player]Steven Bowden[/player] from Somerset, NJ with 72.81 WPPR points.

Congratulations to Cayle and the other top WPPR point earners of the month!

The IFPA is pleased to announce that our Player of the Month for December 2012 is [player]Beat Kuhn[/player] from Switzerland. Beat earned 124.34 WPPR points in December, winning both the Main and Classics tournaments at Pins and Pints and Pinballz Metal Tournaments. In addition, Beat also won the Offene Frankenmeisterschaft tournament along with a 2nd place finish at the Pinballroom Tournament open division.

The rest of the top 5 for the month of November included [player]Robert Gagno[/player] from Canada with 93.62 WPPR points, [player]Eden Stamm[/player] from Canada with 81.88 WPPR points, [player]Richard Rhodes[/player] from Australia with 75.00 WPPR points, and [player]John Kremmer[/player] of Canada with 72.66 WPPR points.

Congratulations to Beat and the other top WPPR point earners of the month!