PanAm Championships

[Edbrazil]

This event will be held in Mexico Nov. 14-22. There will be 4 US teams: <13, Juniors, <21, Veterans.

For ALL of these teams, there will be ZERO financial support. Maybe if the individuals or families have

money to burn, it isn't a big deal. For others, it is more money to cough up.

 

Meanwhile, USA Water Ski is getting ready to spend megabucks to relocate from their present

Headquarters to a sports park in Auburndale, FL.

 

Potential candidates for the teams might want to consider if they should hold out for at least some

financial support, which about all the other teams from around the world will get. Yes, many teams

will have gummint funds, but the USA should support these people, at least the youngsters.

 

Either from the Association or private fundraising.

[Edbrazil]

See above. And see:

http://www.usawaterski.org/default.asp?Display=2337

[Horton]

Ok @Edbrazil you have opened a can of worms.

 

Why should a failing organization like USAWS spend money to send skiers to an international competition? As a life time member of the association what does it do for ME? What does it do for the average Baller? What does it do for the membership?

 

If we were flush with cash and in a full renaissance it would be different but we lose something like 4% of membership every year. We have a lot bigger problems than paying for top skiers to travel the world.

[Horton]

FYI - I am not totally negative about USAWS. I totally support @JeffSurdej as the new AWSA Pres. I hope that some new blood and new ideas can move things in the right direction.

[jdarwin]

Amen, Mr. Horton. Having beaten my head against the proverbial wall the past 5 years on the board, I can't see "investing" hard dollars in supporting international competition. It provides little to no ROI for the organization. USAWS (AWSA)'s mission should be membership growth and regulation of the sport (rules) - period. Hosting events, sending teams to 3td world countries to compete and bowing down to IWWF is not good business in an environment of declining revenue.

[eleeski]

I'm conflicted here. I would use @Horton and @jdarwin arguments to lobby against Olympic participation but I do think that international competition has merit and relevance to the skiing base. I really enjoy the articles about team competition on the world stage that the USA Waterski magazine features. I think developing skiers are excited to be part of a world wide sport.

 

However, fielding elite teams might be beyond the realistic reach of AWSA. Still, some support is in order and could carry lots of outreach bang for the buck. It is a difficult balance to find.

 

Eric

[dchristman]

Supporting international teams is a part of the USA Water Ski Foundation's Vision:

 

"Support and fund all U.S. Teams to ensure that our representatives at international tournaments reflect

the behavior, lifestyle and success to which our youth should aspire."

 

from their strategic plan 2014-2018.

[Horton]

@dchristman the same question again.

 

How does this expenditure benefit the membership?

 

[jdarwin]

USAWS Foundation and USAWS are mutually exclusive - and, the funds to support these teams would come out of AWSA's $40k it receives from the parent organization

[jdarwin]

Want to fund international competition? Eliminate the publication of the magazine and the $190,000 (paper) loss it incurs each year. We could fully fund every team.

[dchristman]

@horton I'm not supporting it, I'm just pointing it out for the benefit of those who may not know. USA Water Ski Foundation is not USA Water Ski...

 

USA Water Ski Foundation Mission

The USA Water Ski Foundation raises funds to preserve and celebrate the history of all towed water sports and to promote and grow these sports through marketing and educational program initiatives.

 

That says to me that the foundation money doesn't include USAWS membership dues. Am I wrong?

 

USA Water Ski Foundation has a separate membership.

[Edbrazil]

Presumably, the Elite Team to the Panams will have their travel, lodging, and entry paid

for. Will be the same people that competed at the 2016 Worlds, unless someone is not

able due to injury, etc. Could be another great faceoff vs. the Canadians. Ol' Verno

should be able to comment about how much support the CAN teams get.

[ntx]

@Edbrazil this is the same way it has been for a good number of years. They cover the cost of the elite but none of the costs for U13, U17 or U21. My son has been a member of the U17 U21 team as well as the U21 world team. No funds for any part of the trips. Parents are on the hook for everything including tournament fees, and all travel, hotel, food, and practice.

[Edbrazil]

@ntx Thanks for the info. I wonder how it was in the Bill Clifford era, or even the Reg

Barnes era at AWSA. At that time, there may not have been all the various Worlds, such

as U13, Jr., U21, Senior; maybe just Open Worlds. Shame that there is no funding for the

other teams, other than from parents or individuals. Someone needs to pick up that

fumble and run with it. Donald Trump, Bill Gates, etc.: got a few extra buck$ to spare?

[brody]

To grow the sport, you need to have something to strive for. Spending money to send athletes doesn't directly benefit the membership. But I think it gives somewhere for the sport to go. If you cut off the funding for higher levels, you will have fewer skiers at those events. It gives people at the grass roots level, people to look up to.

If this was an Olympic sport, I believe you would naturally have more people participating because there's a bigger goal to reach. If this was a sport like baseball where the end could mean money, fame etc that goes along with it you would have even more people participating.

So I believe that to get more people into the sport, you have to fund the sport at BOTH ends of it.

[DFWskier]

Does anyone have a link to a webcast?

 

Thanks in advance

[aupatking]

I meant to post this yesterday. Congrats to Kennedy Hansen! Great girl. Broke the girls U13 jump record.

 

[klindy]

@DFWskier there is no webcast. Not even wifi at the site.

 

And yes @aupatking Kennedy ski'd great and the rest of the US teams did very well too!

[DFWskier]

Thanks Keith! See you soon at a spring tournament! Mark